Ching’s Chinese Food in Minutes

300g/11oz pork fillet, sliced widthways and then cut into lengthways strips

1 tablespoon yellow bean sauce

2 tablespoons potato flour or cornflour

3 tablespoons groundnut oil

1 tablespoon Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

150g/5oz Chinese leaf, cut into chunks

1-2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

egg-fried rice to serve (see page 155)

1 Put the pork into a bowl, add the yellow bean sauce and stir to coat the meat. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes, or overnight if possible, in the fridge.

2 Just before cooking, coat the meat in the potato flour or cornflour.

3 Heat a wok or pan over a high heat, then add the groundnut oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the pork and cook for 1 minute. Add the rice wine or sherry and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, chilli and Chinese leaf and stir well.

4 Season with the soy sauce and sesame oil and serve immediately with egg-fried rice.

Ching’s Tips

While the pork is marinating, you can be getting on with the rest of the meal.

This is also a good dish to share, with other dishes, at a dinner party.

READY TO EAT IN 10MINUTES

Prep time: 5 minutes, cook in: 5 minutes (plus 20 minutes marinating)

Sichuan stir-fried pork with cucumbers

This easy stir—fry reminds me of my grandmother’s cooking—simple but full of flavour. It makes a fast and delicious supper.

SERVES 2

1 tablespoon chilli bean sauce (or to taste)

300g/11oz pork fillet, sliced widthways and then cut into lengthways strips

2 tablespoons potato flour or cornflour

3-4 tablespoons groundnut oil

1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns

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tablespoon Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon Chinkiang black rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced lengthways into thin strips (using a potato peeler)

steamed jasmine rice to serve (see page 154)

1 Put the chilli bean sauce into a bowl, add the pork and turn to coat, then cover the bowl and leave to marinate for 20 minutes, or overnight if possible, in the fridge.

2 Just before cooking, coat the meat in potato flour or cornflour.

3 Heat a wok or pan over a high heat, then add the groundnut oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the Sichuan peppercorns, stirring quickly to avoid burning them. After a few seconds, add the pork strips and stir together. As the pork starts to cook, add the rice wine or sherry and stir-fry for 1 minute.

4 Season the pork with soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil. Add the cucumber slices and stir well. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

READY TO EAT IN 15 MINUTES

Prep time: 5 minutes, cook in: 10 minutes (plus 20 minutes marinating)

Fried pork cutlet, or Zha Pai Gu, is crispy and full of flavour. Serve with a refreshing pickled cucumber salad and rice.

Fried pork cutlet

SERVES 2

2 x 175g/6oz boneless pork loin chops

groundnut oil for deep-frying

3 tablespoons potato flour or cornflour

1 egg, beaten

8 tablespoons Panko breadcrumbs or stale white breadcrumbs

pickled cucumber salad, stir-fried vegetables and plain rice to serve