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.
