Ching’s Fast Food: 110 Quick and Healthy Chinese Favourites

100g (3½oz) potato flour or cornflour

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

12 raw tiger prawns, shelled and deveined, tails left on

FOR THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CORIANDER SAUCE

1 tbsp of peeled and grated root ginger

1 green chilli, sliced

1 red chilli, sliced

2 tbsps of lemon juice

Juice of ½ large pink grapefruit (‘bits’ included)

Handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped

FOR THE SPICE MIX

1 tsp of Chinese five-spice powder

1 tsp of sea salt

1 tsp of ground white pepper

1. Mix together all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, potato flour or cornflour and 2 tbsps of water to make a batter. Set to one side.

2. Place a wok over a high heat, add the groundnut oil and heat to 180°C (350°F) or until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface.

3. Dip each prawn in the batter and then lower into the oil, one at a time. Cook for 4–5 minutes or until the prawns turn golden and then remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Mix together the ingredients for the spice mix and sprinkle over the cooked prawns, toss well and eat immediately, served with the coriander sauce.

Japanese-style crispy halibut with lemon sauce

If you enjoy ordering lemon chicken from your local takeaway, then you will like this dish. It rather resembles English-style fish fingers – without the lemon sauce, that is! I like to use a good white-fleshed fish; cod is overfished, hence I’ve used halibut here, but pollack would do just as well. You could even use mackerel if you wished. I like using the Japanese panko breadcrumbs because they have been flavoured with honey and are extra crisp, but you could make your own breadcrumbs, of course, using a chunk of stale bread. The dipping sauce is easy to make too.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

COOK IN: 5 minutes

SERVES: 2–4 to share

200g (7oz) halibut fillet, cut into 1cm (½in) strips

Sea salt and ground white pepper

100g (3½oz) potato flour or cornflour

1 egg, beaten

150g (5oz) panko breadcrumbs

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

Dried chilli flakes (optional)

Lemon wedges, to garnish (optional)

FOR THE SAUCE

1 tbsp of peeled and grated root ginger

1 tbsp of light soy sauce

1 tbsp of runny honey

1 tbsp of Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry

100ml (3½fl oz) cold vegetable stock

50ml (2fl oz) lemon juice

1 tbsp of cornflour

1. Season the halibut pieces with salt and white pepper. Put the potato flour or cornflour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls. Dip the halibut pieces into the potato flour or cornflour, then the egg and coat in the breadcrumbs.

2. Place a wok over a high heat and add all but 1 tbsp of the groundnut oil. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F) or until a piece of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface. Fry the breaded halibut pieces in the oil for 3–4 minutes or until golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat a small wok or saucepan over a medium heat and add the remaining 1 tbsp of groundnut oil. Add the ginger and fry for a few seconds, then add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Cook for 1 minute or until the sauce has thickened, then remove from the heat.

4. When the fish is cooked, season with dried chilli flakes (if using), garnish with lemon wedges, if you like, and serve with the lemon dipping sauce.

Chinese-style soft-shell crabs

In Chinese cooking, crabs are served in a variety of ways, from steamed and braised as well as deep-fried. This is a popular dish, served in Chinese restaurants all over the world. It’s also one of my favourite dishes.

Soft-shell crabs can be bought in the frozen sections of a Chinese supermarket. The most well-known variety is the blue crab from America. As the crabs grow, they moult their old shells and for a short period between May and July their new shell remains soft and delicate.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes, plus 20 minutes for marinating COOK IN: 4 minutes

SERVES: 2–4 to share

4 frozen small soft-shell crabs, defrosted

2 eggs, beaten

200g (7oz) potato flour or cornflour