Kau Yuk is a Hakka dish of triple cooked pork belly. It’s a complex dish to make but luckily I know Kimleng Kittikhoun who cooks this for festive occasions. Thomas documented the entire cooking method which follows below. This recipe will make 2 large bowls, or enough for 6 people. Scale up the recipe as…… Continue reading kau yuk
Tag: chinese food
whole lemon chicken
Lemon chicken that’s reminiscent of the Cantonese classic but using the whole bird from Everything You Want to Know about Chinese Cooking by Pearl Kong Chen, Tien Chi Chen and Rose Tseng. Deliciously tender and tangy. Prepare a marinade of 2 tablespoons of brandy, 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce and 2 teaspoons of salt.…… Continue reading whole lemon chicken
white cut chicken
Classic Chinese comfort food. Velvety soft poached chicken served with a ginger and spring onion (scallion) sauce and chilli oil. Place the chicken in a saucepan with a little space around it and cover it with cold water. Add a few slices of ginger and slowly bring to a simmer. When the water simmers, turn…… Continue reading white cut chicken
tofu salad
This Sichuan style salad is a delicious way to eat on a hot day. The dressing is fairly authentic although the carrots I added perhaps not as much. First soak some black fungus in boiling water to soften. Meanwhile make the dressing. Mince 6-8 cloves of garlic, a similar amount of fresh ginger and finely…… Continue reading tofu salad
steamed sticky rice
Chinese savoury sticky rice, nuo mi fan (糯米飯), is made of glutinous rice with various ingredients and flavourings, which are wrapped in lotus leaf parcels and then steamed until the flavours combine into a delicious mass. This is one of those ubiquitous dishes which has many different variations. I chose to make one large parcel…… Continue reading steamed sticky rice
sticky sesame cauliflower
Sticky and spicy, these cauliflower bites make a perfect vegetarian starter or side. Preheat your oven to 220ºC (425ºF). In a large bowl combine ½ a cup of all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of cornflour (cornstarch), ½ a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, ½ a teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Whisk well while…… Continue reading sticky sesame cauliflower
chicken with preserved mustard stems
A quick and saucy Cantonese style stir-fry which ticks all the boxes, from The Woks of Life. Cut 450g (1 lb) of boneless chicken thighs into chunks and place them in a bowl. Add 30ml (1 fl oz) of water, 3 teaspoons of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon of…… Continue reading chicken with preserved mustard stems
lap cheong
In China, sausages date back to the Wei and Jin dynasties (300–500 AD). Lap Cheong (臘腸) is a dried, hard sausage made from pork and pork fat. It is sweetened by candying the fat, which keeps the fat white and makes it translucent when cooked. Lap cheong has no starch, but has alcohol added and is sometimes smoked. Thomas…… Continue reading lap cheong
kung pao tofu
Kung Pao (Gong Bao) is a classic dish from Sichuan province in south-west China. Traditionally made with chicken, vegetables and peanuts, here is a version using firm tofu instead. To start, cut a 450g (16 oz) block of firm tofu into 2.5cm (1″) cubes and marinate in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon…… Continue reading kung pao tofu
mapo tofu 2.0
I used to cook a delicious (but not very authentic) Mapo tofu or Grandma’s beancurd. Since I’m now more familiar with Sichuan food, here’s a more authentic and spicy version. You will need some Sichuan pantry staples – Sichuan peppercorns, spicy bean paste (doubanjiang) and homemade chilli oil – for this recipe. If you don’t…… Continue reading mapo tofu 2.0
michelle picker cooks 