The province of Sichuan (Szechuan) in southwestern China has a bold, pungent and spicy cuisine. It’s known for it’s liberal use of garlic, chillies, vinegar and sichuan pepper. Here’s a great example of Sichuan braised eggplant from Serious Eats. Trim ¾ kg (1½ lbs) of small Asian eggplants and cut them into quarters lengthwise then into 10cm (4″) lengths. Pour…… Continue reading sichuan braised eggplant
Tag: chinese food
red-cooked duck legs
Red cooking is a Chinese method of slow braising. Popular throughout most of northern, eastern, and southeastern China, the name is derived from the dark red-brown colour of the cooked items and their sauce. Here is a version using duck legs. First place your duck legs into a cold pan and turn the heat to medium.…… Continue reading red-cooked duck legs
chicken and sweetcorn soup
Every culture has it’s chicken soup and this classic Chinese one is my kind of comfort food. First, make a good chicken stock from a boiling fowl or some chicken carcasses with a few slices of fresh ginger in it. When the stock is ready, strain it into a saucepan. If you have cooked a whole chicken then…… Continue reading chicken and sweetcorn soup
steamed fish 2
Here is a Chinese style steamed fish dish. Enjoy it with steamed rice and a vegetable stir-fry. In a bowl place some white fish fillets of your choice in a single layer. Drizzle with a little soy sauce. Grate a generous amount of fresh ginger and finely slice a few spring onions and fresh red chillies…… Continue reading steamed fish 2
dan dan noodles + cold dressed eggplant
In Sichuan (Szechuan) dan dan noodles or dandanmian is any dish served with a spicy sauce containing preserved vegetables, mustard stems, chilli oil, Sichuan pepper and spring onions (scallions). This version, from Everything You Want To Know About Chinese Cooking by Pearl Kong, Tien Chi Chen & Rose Tseng, includes sesame paste, peanuts and dried shrimp and is served with a bowl of chicken…… Continue reading dan dan noodles + cold dressed eggplant
spicy tofu with oyster mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms have great texture and robust flavour making this a very satisfying vegetarian meal. Heat oil in a large flat frypan or wok until smoking hot then add 2 brown shallots, 2-3 cloves of garlic and 2-4 red chillies, all finely diced. Next add large squares of tofu (classic Chinese style) and allow them to fry on…… Continue reading spicy tofu with oyster mushrooms
dumplings
A cooking club is my latest venture. And what better way to start than with dumpling making? With our home-made dough and freshly minced meat the results were delicious, although a little tricky to keep from sticking together (I now realise they should be either cooked or frozen immediately). Many dumpling dough methods were researched before deciding to use plain unbleached…… Continue reading dumplings
celery and tomatoes
Celery was a vegetable I used to avoid but it’s becoming a favourite, especially with tomatoes. An Asian stir-fry of celery, asparagus, onion and tomatoes. Finely dice 2-3 cloves of garlic and a similar amount of fresh ginger. Slice a few sticks of celery into diagonal slices, trim and slice a bunch of asparagus into shorter lengths and cut…… Continue reading celery and tomatoes
sichuan chilli chicken + smashed cucumber salad + peanuts in vinegar
Sichuan (or Szechuan) pepper from northern China has a unique aroma and flavour with slight lemony overtones which creates a tingling numbness in the mouth that sets the stage for hot spices. This traditional chicken dish demonstrates Ma la (麻辣) literally “numbing and spicy”, a combination of Sichuan pepper and chilli which is common in Sichuan cooking. Cut 650g (1½ lbs) of chicken…… Continue reading sichuan chilli chicken + smashed cucumber salad + peanuts in vinegar
pork belly with mushrooms, noodles and bok choy
Caramelised and anise-flavoured pork belly over noodles- what could be better? This recipe, adapted from gastronomydomine, is even better the next day (which also allows for the removal of unwanted fat from the sauce). Chop a 1kg (2 lb) piece of pork belly into pieces leaving the skin on. Mix one tablespoon each of the soy…… Continue reading pork belly with mushrooms, noodles and bok choy
michelle picker cooks 