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Food

Ching-He Huang's Chinese cooking tips

by Sarah Alcock

Chef Ching-He Huang (@Chinghehuang) held a live Chinese New Year Twitter Q&A with us today. We learnt so many handy cooking tips and ideas during that we wanted to share them with you.

1. Stop tofu disintegrating in a stir-fry:

You can marinate it first so it has flavour. Try using light soy, toasted sesame oil at the end and some ground white pepper as a marinade. You could also pan-fry or bake it first, then add it to the end of the stir-fry – but be gentle with the stirring.

2. Stop egg fried rice ending up as ricey-scrambled egg:

Lightly scramble the egg first, combine the cooked rice, peas and seasoning, then mix it all together.

3. Best way to cook broccoli:

Stir-fry tenderstem broccoli with garlic, ginger, chilli, soy and lemon juice.

4. Use up fresh ginger:

Grate it into soups and broths, make ginger and honey tea, or rub into your temples for headaches.

5. These store-cupboard ingredients are essential for making healthy Chinese food:

Organic vegetable bouillon powder, peanut oil, fermented salted black beans, light soy, garlic, chilli and ginger.

6. Try these healthier Chinese recipe ideas:

Steam fish, aubergine, broccoli or tofu and add a Chinese sauce made in the wok. Or make a Chinese salsa verde (olive oil, herbs, soy, chillies and ginger) to serve with your steamed fish and veg.

7. Cook duck like this:

I like to marinate and roast it. With the meat I make Peking duck pancakes and with the bones I make noodle soup.

8. Chinese cooking novices should make:

Beef in oyster sauce – stir-fried beef slices with garlic, ginger, chilli, pak choi, soy and oyster sauce.

9. If you don't want to use pineapple in sweet and sour dishes:

A little drop of orange juice is a good sweet substitute. If you want to make your dish sourer, add a little black rice vinegar.

10. Try cooking with lychees:

Use them in apple and blackberry crumble, lychee vanilla ice cream or, for something savoury, try them in sweet and sour chicken.

11. Best places to eat out in London's Chinatown:

Dumplings' Legend

Joy King Lau

Click here for Ching's Chinese New Year menu

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