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

1. Make the spicy sweet chilli sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl, then set aside.

2. Crack the eggs into a bowl, beat lightly and add the basil leaves, then season with the salt and ground white pepper.

3. Heat a wok over a high heat until it starts to smoke and then add the groundnut oil. Pour in the egg and herb mixture, swirling the egg around the pan. Let the egg settle and then, using a wooden spatula, loosen the base of the omelette so that it doesn’t stick to the wok. Keep swirling any runny egg around the side of the wok so that it cooks. Flip the omelette over if you can without breaking it, then fold and transfer to a serving plate, drizzle over some of the spicy sweet chilli sauce and serve with a garnish of mixed leaves.

Smoked salmon and egg fried rice

This is my classic breakfast recipe – it’s so good I had to share it with you. Make sure you add the smoked salmon after the rice, as the rice acts as a cushion, helping the salmon not to catch on the side of the wok and flake into tiny pieces.

PREP TIME: 5 minutes

COOK IN: 7 minutes

SERVES: 1

1½ tbsps of groundnut oil

2 eggs, beaten

75g (3oz) frozen peas

300g (11oz) cooked leftover cold jasmine rice (see the first tip in Rice) or freshly cooked long-grain rice (see the tip below)

150g (5oz) smoked salmon, sliced into strips

1–2 tbsps of light soy sauce

1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil

Pinch of ground white pepper

1. Heat a wok over a high heat until it starts to smoke and then add 1 tbsp of the groundnut oil. Tip the beaten eggs into the wok and stir for 2 minutes or until they are scrambled, then remove from the wok and set aside.

2. Return the wok to a high heat and add the remaining groundnut oil, allowing it to heat for 20 seconds. Tip in the frozen peas and stir-fry for just under a minute. Add the cooked rice and mix well until the rice has broken down.

3. Add the smoked salmon slices and toss together for 1 minute, then add the scrambled egg pieces back into the wok and stir in. Season with the soy sauce (to taste), the toasted sesame oil and white pepper and serve immediately.

CHING’S TIP

If using freshly cooked rice, use 150g (5oz) of uncooked long-grain rice, such as basmati, rinse it well and then boil in 300ml (½ pint) of water, cooking until all the water has been absorbed. This will take an extra 20 minutes.

ALSO TRY

If you are not a fan of fish, then used smoked bacon lardons instead – cook them until crispy before adding.

Cumberland sausage, green pepper and tomato fried rice with pineapple

A few years ago, I came up with bacon and egg fried rice, which my friends adored. This one is a follow-on from that. It’s the ultimate brunch dish – so easy to do on a lazy Sunday. Children will love it and the neighbours will hate you as they spy enviously over the fence while you tuck in. This is my equivalent of a fry-up, but avoid using too much oil in this dish, as the sausages are quite fatty. It’s best to pour the excess fat away, as revealed below. For a healthier version of this dish, you could mix in some spinach leaves, if you liked, and serve with a simple garden salad.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

COOK IN: 7 minutes

SERVES: 4

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2.5cm (1in) piece of root ginger, peeled and finely sliced into matchsticks

6 Cumberland sausages (350g/12oz in total), chopped into 1.5cm (

/

in) rounds

1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into 1.5cm (

/

in) dice

1 very large ripe beef tomato, cut into chunks

500g (1lb 2oz) cold leftover cooked jasmine rice (see the first tip in Rice) or freshly cooked long-grain rice (see the tip below)

1 tbsp of light soy sauce

1 tbsp of chilli oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Large handful of ripe pineapple chunks

1. Heat a wok over a high heat until it starts to smoke. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the sausages and cook on a medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and pour away the excess oil.

2. Return the wok to the heat, add the pepper and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, then add the tomato and toss all the ingredients together. Add the cooked rice, breaking it up well, especially if it has been in the fridge overnight.

3. Season with the soy sauce, chilli oil and lemon juice, then mix in the pineapple chunks, remove from the heat and serve immediately. Delicious with a glass of cold lemonade.

CHING’S TIP

If using freshly cooked rice, use 250g (9oz) of uncooked long-grain rice, such as basmati, rinse it well and then boil in 500ml (18fl oz) of water, cooking until all the water has been absorbed. This will take an extra 20 minutes.

Pork, ginger and duck egg congee

This is one of my favourite breakfast dishes. The famous cha chaan teng tea restaurants in Hong Kong serve it, especially the ones located in the old wet market at Canton Road in Kowloon. I love visiting the wet markets there; I usually go shopping early for ingredients and then reward myself with a steaming bowl of this congee.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes