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Garlic browns in oil; long beans toss in to colour briefly. Soy and vinegar pour in with bay and peppercorns; the beans braise covered until tender. Lid off; the liquid reduces to a glaze. Salt at the end, not the start, since soy is salty enough.
Sliced beef velvets briefly in cornflour and soy, broccoli florets blanch to bright green, and the lot stir-fries hard with garlic and ginger in a soy-oyster-rice-wine sauce. Served over steamed rice.
A quick and elegant stir-fry that balances savoury oyster sauce with tender beef. This dish exemplifies the Chinese technique of high-heat cooking to seal flavours while keeping meat moist. Quality oyster sauce is essential, it should deepen the dish rather than dominate it.
Indonesia's national fried rice, traditionally a way to put yesterday's leftovers to work and now a fixture from street stalls to weeknight kitchens. Beef mince keeps the cooking time short, while kecap manis, soy, shrimp paste and a crumbled stock cube layer the savouriness from four directions. The trick is pressing the rice into the wok and leaving it alone long enough to pick up a proper char before tossing.
A simple, elegant preparation favoured by street vendors throughout southern China. This quick-braising method takes only minutes and produces tender, fragrant prawns. The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity, fresh ginger and spring onions infuse the delicate sweetness of prawns. Equally delicious served hot immediately or chilled for an exotic picnic dish.
Onion, garlic and tomato cook in oil until softened. Callaloo (or spinach) goes in by the handful; thyme and scotch bonnet add. Everything covers and steam-cooks until the greens are tender. Salt, pepper, a splash of water if needed; finish quickly so the colour stays vivid.
In many Caribbean stew dishes there is an initial step of burning sugar in oil which is used to brown the meat in. This adds a very unique sweetness to the stews from this region and this sweetness paired with the unmistakable flavour (and heat) from the wonderful scotch bonnet chilli is simply astounding. This curry uses curry powder for a fragrant and delicious result that captures the essence of Caribbean cooking.
This dish exemplifies the Chinese penchant for contrasting textures. Tender succulent pieces of chicken are paired with sweet, crunchy cashew nuts and a delicate sauce. While the original Chinese version would have used peanuts (as cashews were not traditionally featured in Chinese cookery), this adaptation showcases how the cuisine evolves while maintaining its core philosophy of textural harmony.
Ceviche is a vibrant, no-cook appetizer in which fresh seafood is "cooked" by the acidity of lime juice, taking on a firm, opaque texture while retaining a wonderfully fresh flavour. The addition of mango, citrus segments, and fresh chilli creates a bright, tropical balance of sweet, sharp, and heat.
When cooking Chinese food, it's essential to think about the flavours and textures of ingredients working in harmony. Juicy chicken combined with succulent baby corn, tender vegetables, and salty, crunchy cashew nuts create a balanced dish where each element complements the others. A glossy sauce ties everything together without overwhelming delicate flavours.
Birmingham's defining curry, cooked hard and fast in a thin two-handled steel balti pan over a roaring flame. The high heat caramelises the masala onto the meat and burns off the oil, leaving a slightly smoky, tomato-forward sauce. Eaten straight from the pan with naan; the sauce is medium-thick, not soupy.
A bold, garlicky curry with a brisk curry-house kick. This jalfrezi-style dish uses plenty of fresh garlic, green chillies, and tandoori tikka, making it spicy but not overwhelming.
A British curry-house classic with sweet-sour notes of pineapple and lemon and earthy dhansak lentils. Inspired by Parsi dhansaks, this version uses red split lentils and pre-cooked chicken for convenience while keeping the iconic flavour profile.
A classic Chinese dish bursting with the fragrance of black bean and garlic. Chicken wings are ideal for this preparation as they cook quickly in a high-heat wok while remaining succulent and flavourful. The fermented black beans add depth and a distinctive umami character that defines authentic Chinese cooking.
A curry-house jalfrezi inspired by a Balti House classic, featuring quick stir-fried peppers, chillies, onions and tender chicken in a light spiced sauce. It is traditionally dry and crisp, but can be adjusted for more sauce by adding extra base curry or stock.
A British-Indian pathia curry with a sweet-and-sour profile, tuned for balanced acidity and a hint of chilli warmth. The recipe uses lemon, mango chutney and sugar for tang/sweetness, with optional red food colouring for the classic curry-house appearance.
This is a hugely popular dish at Thai restaurants and takeaways, and my family love it. It is important to cut the chicken pieces so that they are about the same size as the cashews (although this is more for presentation as large chunks also work fine). You can mix the sauce and fry the cashews, chillies and chicken a day or so in advance, making this a dish you can cook up very quickly after work with little mess. The first time I tried making this recipe, I burnt the cashews and chillies. Don’t make the same mistake or you’ll have to start all over again. They don’t take long to colour in the oil and cashews aren’t cheap, so keep an eye on them. Although there’s nothing stopping you from doing so, the dried and fried chillies are not meant to be eaten. I like to serve this curry with jasmine rice.
This is a version of the fragrant Sichuan dish popularly known as 'Strange taste chicken' or bang-bang chicken because it incorporates many flavours simultaneously, hot, spicy, sour, sweet, and salty all in perfect balance. The sesame seeds add a crunchy texture that contrasts beautifully with tender chicken meat. Equally delicious served hot or at room temperature, making it ideal for entertaining.
Curry blends beautifully with chicken when prepared in the style of southern Chinese cuisine, as a light, subtle sauce that enhances rather than overpowers the delicate chicken meat. This recipe balances spice with refinement, proving that curry in Chinese cooking is more elegant whisper than aggressive shout.
Very ripe plantains (mostly black-skinned) slice on the diagonal at 1 ½ cm thick. Vegetable oil heats hot in a wide pan; the slices fry in a single layer until each side is deep golden with caramelised, almost-burnt edges. Drained briefly, salted lightly, eaten right away.