Recipes from Bao Family: Recipes from the eight culinary regions of China, by Celine Chung

Ingredients

250g wheat noodles

3 dried shiitake mushrooms

2 garlic scapes

2 bok choy

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp chopped ginger

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp light soy sauce

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

60g bean sprouts

Method

1. Precook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then allow to cool.

2. Rehydrate the shiitake mushrooms, reserving about 50ml of the soaking water, then cut the mushrooms into strips.

3. If the garlic scapes are thick, cook them in salted boiling water for one to two minutes (otherwise, add them directly to the noodles).

4. Cut off the bok choy roots and separate the leaves.

5. In a hot pan, fry the garlic, ginger and mushrooms in the oil. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the bok choy and garlic scapes. Mix again. Pour in soaking water from the shiitake mushrooms and cook for 30 seconds.

6. Add the noodles, soy sauces (light and dark) and stir-fry energetically until all the sauce is well distributed and noodles are well heated through.

7. Finally add the bean sprouts, stir-fry one last time and serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients

Pancake dough:

500g plain flour

4g salt

2g instant dried yeast

2 tbsp vegetable oil

250ml water at 80C

Filling:

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp sesame oil

5g plain flour

3 stems spring onion

cooking oil for frying

Method

1. Place the flour, salt, instant yeast, vegetable oil and water in a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook. Set the mixer at low speed for eight minutes. Check that the dough is smooth and elastic. Continue mixing for another one to two minutes if necessary. Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and place it in a clean bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a slightly damp clean tea towel. Allow to stand at room temperature for one hour.

2. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it slowly. Divide the dough into two pieces, cover one half and set aside.

3. Lightly flour your benchtop. Flatten the dough evenly into a wide 3-4mm thick oval shape. Make sure you roll out the dough gradually and patiently.

4. Sprinkle three pinches of salt on the dough from a height, making sure it is evenly distributed. Run your fingers over the surface to "feel" the seasoning of the dough. It should be light but evenly spread over the entire surface (you can always add more salt after cooking).

5. Apply a thin layer of sesame oil to the entire surface of the dough with a pastry brush (or with your fingertips if you do not have one). Sprinkle three pinches of flour onto the dough. Spread the chopped spring onion evenly over the entire surface of the dough.

6. Roll the dough from the bottom up into a tight log. Cut the dough into logs of around 80g each. Pinch the ends of each small log, then twist each end in opposite directions (as if you were twisting a towel). Coil the twisted dough into a round spiral disc. Seal the outer end, then gently flatten the dough to ensure it keeps its shape. The thickness should be about 2mm evenly across the whole circle. Allow to rest and repeat steps three to six with the remaining dough.

7. Start with the first batch of coiled dough. Fry each pancake in a flat frying pan over medium heat, until the pancake bubbles are nicely golden and the surface is slightly golden. It is important that there is sufficient oil in the pan to cook both the surface and in between all the folds. Cut into quarters and serve.

Makes about 10 pancakes.

Ingredients

400g chicken thighs

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp white sugar

2 tbsp water

1 tsp chinkiang black vinegar

10g chopped garlic

2 stems spring onion

2 dried whole chillies

1 tbsp cornflour + water mixture (1:3 cornflour to water ratio)

50g peanuts

1 tsp sichuan pepper oil

oil for frying

Marinade:

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

2 tsp light soy sauce

1 tsp white sugar

1 egg white

1/2 tsp cornflour

2 tsp water

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of white pepper

2 tsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Cut the chicken into small approximately 1.5cm pieces.

2. Mix the marinade ingredients in a container, then add the chicken thighs and leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes.

3. Fry the chicken pieces in oil at 120C until they are just cooked.

4. Mix the soy sauce, shaoxing wine, salt, sugar, water and black vinegar in a bowl. In a frying pan over medium to high heat, brown the chopped garlic, spring onion cut into chunks (set aside half) and the dried chillies cut into pieces in some oil. Add the chicken and stir for 30 seconds. Pour in the sauce, mix and then stir through the cornflour and water mixture until each piece of chicken is coated with sauce.

5. Add the peanuts, remaining spring onion and Sichuan pepper oil, stir one last time and serve immediately.

Makes about 2 servings.

Ingredients

2 apples

60g egg white

1 pinch of salt

60g cornflour

2 tsp vegetable oil

100g white sugar

80ml water

oil for frying

Method

1. Peel the apples and cut into quarters. Remove the core and cut each quarter in two lengthways to get eight pieces (if your apples are big, cut them in 12). Then cut each quarter into three small pieces.

2. In a bowl, mix the egg white, salt and cornflour until a smooth, runny mixture is obtained, then pour in the two teaspoons of oil.

3. Place the apples into the mixture, then fry them in oil at 160C. Once the fruit is golden, remove excess oil by draining them on paper towel.

4. Dissolve the sugar in the water in a small saucepan or wok over medium heat. Allow to simmer gently until the syrup no longer contains water but before it caramelises (at this stage, the syrup should crystallise and break easily once cooled).

5. Add all the fried apple pieces to the wok or pan, then stir to coat each piece with syrup.

6. Serve immediately in a bowl, accompanied by a small bowl of iced water. Dip the fried caramelised pieces in iced water to set the caramel and enjoy.

Makes 2 servings.