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

75g (3oz) bean sprouts

2 large spring onions, sliced lengthways

1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks

1 tbsp of vegetarian oyster sauce

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of ground white pepper

24 small spring roll wrappers (14.5cm/6in square)

1 tbsp of cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp of water

1. Heat a wok over a high heat until it starts to smoke and then add 1 tbsp of the groundnut oil. Add the ginger and stir-fry for a few seconds. Tip in the mushrooms and bamboo shoots and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, then season with 1 tbsp of the soy sauce and the five-spice powder. Remove from the wok and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

2. Put the bean sprouts, spring onions and carrot into a bowl, add the fried mushrooms and bamboo shoots and season with the oyster sauce, remaining soy sauce and the salt and pepper. Stir all the ingredients together to mix.

3. Take 2 spring roll wrappers and lay one on top of the other. (The extra layer will help prevent the skin from breaking.) Spoon 2 tbsps of filling into the centre of the top wrapper and brush each corner with the cornflour paste.

4. With the wrappers laid out in a diamond shape before you, bring the two side corners to meet in the middle, then bring the lower corner to the middle and roll the pastry with the filling towards the top corner. Tuck in the top edge and seal it with the cornflour paste. Continue in the same way until all the wrappers are filled.

5. Place a wok over a high heat and add the remaining groundnut oil. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F) or until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface. Deep-fry the spring rolls for about 5 minutes or until golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve with a dipping sauce, such as sweet chilli sauce, if you like.

CHING’S TIP

For a healthier ‘baked’ option, substitute the spring roll wrappers with 12.5cm (5in) squares of filo pastry. Brush one sheet with groundnut oil, cover with a second sheet and brush with oil again. Fill as in the recipe, then place on a baking tray and bake in the oven (preheated to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4) for 20 minutes.

Crispy seaweed

This does not originate in China – it was invented by Chinese cooks in the West. It doesn’t actually contain seaweed but is made with pak choy leaves that are finely shredded and deep-fried. I like to season mine with salt and granulated sugar so that it’s sweet and salty. It’s a great way to use up any pak choy you may have that is slightly past its best, and is also great as an appetiser or sprinkled as a garnish over crispy squid.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

COOK IN: 2 minutes

SERVES: 2–4 to share

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

200g (7oz) pak choy leaves, stems removed

Sea salt and granulated sugar, for sprinkling

1 tsp of toasted white sesame seeds (see the tip below)

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

2. Add half the pak choy leaves and deep-fry for a few seconds, then lift out using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Deep-fry the remaining pak choy leaves and drain in the same way.

3. Season the ‘seaweed’ with salt and sugar to taste, then transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle over the toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

CHING’S TIP

You can buy sesame seeds ready-toasted, but they taste much better if you toast them yourself. Simply add the raw seeds to a frying pan set over a medium heat and dry-fry, tossing occasionally, for 3–4 minutes or until they begin to brown and become fragrant. Keep a close eye on them, as they can quickly burn, and remove from the heat as soon as they are toasted.

ALSO TRY

For a non-vegetarian option, you could sprinkle over dried pork or fish floss instead of the toasted sesame seeds.

Sesame prawn toast

This dish is a takeaway classic. Instead of mincing the prawns, however, I keep them whole, wrapping them in brown toast and sesame seeds and then frying them until golden brown. They are delicious served with sweet chilli sauce.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

COOK IN: 5 minutes

MAKES: 8 toasts

1 tsp of peeled and grated root ginger

1 large spring onion, finely chopped

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp of cornflour

Dash of toasted sesame oil

Dash of light soy sauce

Salt and ground white pepper

8 tbsps of white sesame seeds, toasted (see the tip opposite)

4 slices of brown toast, halved and crusts removed

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

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

1. Combine the ginger, spring onion, beaten egg, cornflour, toasted sesame oil and soy sauce in a bowl and season with 2 pinches of salt and some white pepper. Place the sesame seeds in another bowl.

2. Dip a half piece of toast in the mixture and coat well. Then wrap the toast around a prawn and squeeze slightly so that the bread fully covers the prawn. Roll the wrapped prawn in sesame seeds and coat well. Repeat with the remaining prawns and pieces of toast.

3. 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. Deep-fry the sesame prawn toasts for 4–5 minutes or until golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.