Oriental pork with noodles

(serves 2-4)

ingredients
a handful of Szechuan peppercorns, crushed
2 x 350g pork fillets, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1-3 fresh red chillies (to taste), deseeded and chopped
125g oyster mushrooms, wiped and torn
125g shiitake mushrooms, wiped and halved
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
a bunch of spring onions, trimmed and sliced
200 pak choi, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
300g bean sprouts
300g medium egg noodles, cooked
2 teaspoons fish sauce
6 tablespoons oyster sauce
a small bunch of fresh coriander, leaves chopped
75ml chicken stock
dark soy sauce

method
Stir-fries are great fun to make. Just get all the ingredients together and lay them out, then all you need is a really hot wok. Get stuck in!

Rub the crushed peppercorns into the pork slices. Heat your wok and a frying pan to make them as hot as you can. Pour the sesame and sunflower oils into the hot wok and fry the ginger, chilli and mushrooms for a minute until slightly coloured. Throw in the pepper, spring onions, pak choi, garlic and bean sprouts and stir-fry until wilted. Add the noodles, fish and oyster sauces, the coriander leaves and the stock. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the noodles are steaming hot. Taste and season with soy sauce.

Meanwhile, drizzle a little sunflower oil into the hot frying pan and fry the pork for 2 minutes on each side or until cooked through and golden. Serve with the stir-fried noodles.

Beef in Oyster Sauce

Ingredients:

350g (12oz) lean steak,
2 teaspoons light soy sauce,
2 teaspoons dry sherry or rice wine,
2 teaspoons cornflour,
2 teaspoons oil,
3 tablespoons homemade chicken or beef stock,
3 tablespoons oyster sauce

Garnish:

4 tablespoons spring onions finely chopped,
chilli


Method:

1. Slice the steak across the grain into 5cm lengths.
2. Blend the soy sauce, sherry and cornflour together, toss the meat thoroughly and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in the wok, until it is almost smoking, add the steak and stir-fry for 1 minute – remove and drain.
4. Wipe the wok clean, add the stock and oyster sauce, bring to the boil, return the beef to the wok and stir over a moderate heat for 2 minutes.
5. Arrange the meat on a serving plate, spoon over the sauce, sprinkle with spring onions and chilli.

Cooking time: approximately 6 minutes

Preparation time: 30 minutes (includes marinating)

Serves: 3-4

Tofu with Red Peppers and Black Bean Paste

Ingredients

1 package of tofu
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
4 dried hot red chilis
2 thinly sliced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons sherry
Coarsely chopped green onions
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon black bean paste
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Method

Cut tofu in half lengthwise. Place tofu slices on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 30 minutes, pressing down occasionally. Cut tofu into cubes.

Heat oil in a wok over medium heat.
Add garlic, ginger and chilis; stir-fry 30 seconds.
Add bell pepper and cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
Stir in tofu and sherry and cook 3 minutes or until heated through, stirring frequently.
Stir in onions and cook 30 seconds.
Remove from heat and stir in soy sauce, bean paste, and sesame oil, stirring gently to combine.

Tofu in black bean sauce

400 g of tofu, chicken or beef
1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornflour
1½ tbsp groundnut (peanut) oil
1½ tbsp black beans, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp shallots, chopped
1½ tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp chicken stock or water
1 tbsp sesame oil

Method

1. Cut the tofu, chicken or beef.
Put the pieces in a bowl and mix them well with the shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornflour.
Leave to marinate for about 20 minutes.
2. Heat a wok or large frying pan until it is very hot.
Add half the oil and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, lift the pieces out of the marinade with a slotted spoon, put in the wok and quickly stir fry it for about 2-3 minutes.
Transfer it to a bowl at once.
3. Wipe the wok or pan clean, reheat it and add the rest of the oil.
Quickly add the black beans, garlic, spring onions and shallots.
A few seconds later add the rest of the ingredients.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then return the fried pieces to the wok or pan. Stir fry the entire mixture for another 5 minutes.
Turn it on to a warm serving platter and serve at once.