How to Cook Chinese Food

Ching: My name’s Ching Hee Hwang and I’ve been cooking Chinese food virtually all my life. As a five year old, my grandmother showed me how to make delicious, quick and easy snacks and I’ve been learning ever since about the rich variety of tastes and textures that Chinese food offers. Some of the best food in China is cooked and served on the streets as easy snacks. So in this program, I’m going to show how some of my favorite Chinese street foods are quick and easy for anyone to make. There’s a healthy version of crispy duck with a fresh plum sauce inspired by my birthplace. This is a Taiwanese delicacy because in the stores in Taipei, you’ll have lots of this in a street night market. I’ll cook a simple tasty vegetarian street dish using fresh tofu produced in of all places, the home of pork pie, Melton Mowbray. Paul: And we’re going to chant. Ching: Why, why do we need to chant? And my versions of two dishes, you’ll find on many Chinese street corners. Sweet and sour pork in a roll and spicy beef in a wrap made for punters enjoying the excitement of a day at the races. Good for --? Paul: It’s superb. Ching: The first street food dish, my version of egg fu yong or savory egg roll. I’m on the street. I’m going to cook you one of my favorite street food dishes. It’s from Taiwan, it’s called [foreign name] which means savory egg roll and this is how you do it. I’ve go there some fragrant shitake mushrooms, finely chopped. Maybe half a red pepper, just deseeded and then finely diced. Fantastic and then for fragrance and smokiness, some bacon, just diced. Wok on, oil in. in Taiwan, they would serve this on the street and you can just get a whiff of the fragrance of the pork or chicken. Lots of different aromatic ingredients to entice you to their store. In with the bacon. We just want lovely crispiness to the bacon to get a lovely brown on the edges. That’ ready. The mushrooms are brown. The bacon’s a little bit crispy and the peppers are still crunchy. I’m just going to scoop this out onto a plate. Next five whisked eggs and then in with the delicious mushrooms and the bacon that we cooked. Now, with this recipe, you can make two omelettes so just put half in and at this point, when the egg is slightly sort of bubbling to the side of the wok, just tilt the wok and start to distribute the raw egg that’s in the middle, in the center around the wok to create your omelette. Now the seasoning. Light soy sauce and a pinch of ground white pepper. Get that piece back in. What I really want to get is a lovely brown to white side. When you cooked it enough, flip it over. Next slice some spring onions and then we’re ready to serve. Onto the plate. Inside the omelette you have the spring onions, a few handfuls of threaded cooked chicken and for even more substance some honey glazed ham just sliced and then just fold the omelette like that. I’m serving this with a vibrant jammy relish of grilled sweet red peppers from a jar, sweet chili sauce and squeezed lime which are roughly blended together and ready in seconds. Now the way you choose to eat this dish is really up to you. You could cut it up and then dip the pieces in that sauce or you can have that drizzled or you can have that taken away, wrapped in serviettes or paper which is how we do it in Taiwan and then off you go to work. That’s my Taiwan style savory egg roll aka egg fu yong with red pepper and chili relish Popular in China but what about the streets of London? Male: I like it, delicious. Male: Soft on the outside, it’s crunchy in the middle. That chili sauce gives it that zing. Ching: You like chilly? Male: Yes, that’s right. Ching: How much do you think I can charge for one of these? Male: 4.50. With cheese, 5 pounds. Ching: One of my favorite street food recipes is crispy fragrant duck and this is a Taiwanese delicacy because in the stores in Taipei, you’ll have woks of this in the street night market so this is like my version of crispy aromatic duck. It’s not really healthy, deep frying isn’t but it’s really delicious. So I’ve got two duck legs. Sprinkle on some five spice powder, cinnamon and ginger. All available in the supermarket. Now, that is all the spices now to go with that, a little bit of Shaoxing rice wine about 2 tablespoons. Or you can use dry sherry. Next add a tablespoon of chili sauce. Light soy sauce for saltiness and sweetness, some honey about 2 tablespoons. Just rub the marinade into the meat and of course, you could do this with duck breast as well. And then what you want to do is marinate it for as long as possible in the fridge, overnight is always best but even if you don’t have that much time, even 20 minutes just before cooking, it’s enough. And 2 cloves of garlic. Put this in the oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees then up the heat to 220 to crisp the skin. Now, while that’s in the oven, in Taiwan we have crispy fragrant duck with a delicious – pickled salad so I thought I would try and replicate that. I’ve got some radish and next I want half a cucumber and then just deseed it. That can go into the bowl. I’m going to add one red chili deseeded and this gives it a fiery kick. In now with a tablespoon of rice vinegar. A little bit of sugar, a cup full of Shaoxing rice wine, then just give that a good mix. Now in Taiwan, we have the crispy fragrant duck, we serve a little bit of this on the top and we just eat with our fingers and it’s delicious. And then now, all I want to do is chill that in the fridge for as long as the duck cooks. Wok full of oil and get the duck out of oven. It’s perfect. There’s just enough time to let that rest a little bit. Slice the duck into bite sized pieces, coat in potato flour then place them in the hot oil. And really, it’s pretty much instant cooking because the duck is cooked so we just want the skin lovely and crispy. Just flip it out and just drain on some kitchen paper. That’s ready to serve. Sprinkle on some chili flakes, sea salt, some of the salad from the fridge and a couple of sprigs of coriander. There it is crispy fragrant duck. Now if you’re not into deep frying, a healthier duck crispy, I’ve got here some gorgeous duck breast. To make this healthier, a lot of the fats is in the skin, to release some of the fat, I’m just going to scour it. To the Chinese, duck is a symbol of fidelity. So when you get married, it’s always good to serve a bit of duck. Put those in a bowl ready for a Szechuan inspired marinade. In with the Szechuan peppercorns. These have been lightly toasted, star anise, grated ginger, dark soy sauce for color and light soy sauce for flavor, a pinch of salt and Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry. Give this a good mix and then just simply pour it on the duck to marinate. 20 minutes later, wok on and pan fry the marinated duck to crisp up the skin. Finish cooking it in the oven for about 4 minutes at 180 degrees. Now for the sauce, this is my quick easy and fresh tasting version of plum sauce. Into a saucepan, put some chopped plums, a stick of cinnamon bark, some dried apricots, a star anise and some water. Put that on the heat to reduce. To that, I’m also going to add some caster sugar, about 2 and a half tablespoons, as well as the sugar, a little bit of honey and this is going to even thicken up the sauce even more. So the sauce is reduced, it’s lovely and slightly jammey. Take it off the heat now. When it’s thickened, let the sauce and the cooked duck rest. To finish the sauce, the juice of one lime. Go with the duck, a handful of mixed salad leaves, a little drizzle of this sauce and that’s it. A quick taste now. It’s really sweet, sour, really fragrant and aromatic. That’s my crispy duck. My healthy version of a classic street snack. Often described as the cheese of China, dofu or tofu is a classic ingredient in some of my favorite Chinese street foods. I want to show you my version of a typical dish, stir fried spicy tofu and edamame beans. To show up the dish at its best requires fresh tofu. Rather unexpectedly, there is a tofu producer called Paul Jones, working in the home of the PORK PIE, Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. All over the Far East, you’ll find fresh tofu being made from soy beans. The fresher the tofu, the stronger the soy bean flavor, Paul is going to make a batch for me to cook with. Paul: Let’s show you how to make tofu --. Have you seen tofu making before? Ching: No, but I know how to make soy milk. Paul: This is what we’re going to do first. So if you wanted to go and step over there. This is how we’re going to make soy milk from whole soybeans. They’ve been soaking for 15 hours. Ching: These are organic? Paul: They are yes. Ching: So I’ve noticed there’s Japanese writing on this, where did you get this gadget? Paul: It’s a Japanese tofu kit. Thousands and thousands of little tiny tofu shops in Japan. Ching: And how did you get a hold of this? Paul: We paid the money for it to two nice Japanese men. Ching: The process if very similar to making cheese except that first the milk has to be made from soybeans. The beans are crushed, water is poured, pumped and forced through them until they become infused with the soy flavor. This liquid is called soy milk. This in Asia, I understand but here? Paul: Now we get steam. Ching: This is exciting, in fact, I’m salivating. When can we see the tofu. Paul: Being very slow. Now we are going to pump it through this straining bag. Ching: The smell is amazing. It’s wonderful. This brings me back to my childhood. My mother would be here like helping herself right now. Paul: So now, we’re going to curdle it with nigari salt. In English, this is known as biton and it is very bitter. Ching: That’s amazing, little crystallized pieces. Am I supposed to taste it? Paul: Too late now. Ching: That is the most bitter salt. It doesn’t taste like salt. Paul: Here, have some water. Ching: I need some of that now. Paul: So now, we’re going to sprinkle the nigari into the tofu and we’re going to chant. Ching: Why, why do we need to chant? Paul: It’s tradition. Ching: The salt curdles the soymilk into water and tofu. Paul: What we’re doing now is making firm tofu by taking out H2O. You see the curds now, look at that. Aren’t they delicate? Magic. Ching: Yes, it settled, it is magic. This is a one man job. Paul: This is a one man tofu shop. This is what you’d find in a corner shop in Japan and you’d have this would be the wall and you’d have a little sliding window and you sell the tofu straight to the public over the top. Ching: Fantastic. I think I should get myself a tofu shop. This tray of delicate wobbly tofu is now hydraulically pressed to firm it up. So what happens now? Just plunge in? Paul: We’re going to turn it upside down, mind your feet. Ching: That is a big block of tofu. Thanks so much for showing me this and can I treat you to a delicious dish for your hard work and your efford. Paul: That would be wonderful Ching and I am sure my colleague Pete would dive in there. Ching: Let me show you my recipe for these. Let’s drain them a little bit first. That will help absorb all the flavors I’m going to create. I’m going to make spicy tofu and edamame beans, a combination of bean curd and fresh soybeans. A vegetarian marriage made in culinary heaven. Wok on, oil in and cut up the tofu into small slices and then in with the tofu. Turn them over once they get lovely and brown. I think the trick is to keep their shape when you’re handing them. Now a little bit of soy sauce just a few splashes and a little bit of the dark soy. This is really for color and this, this is a Chinkian black rice vinegar and it’s been fermented and aged delicious. In part, there’s a smokiness and it’s going to give it a little bit of sour. If you haven’t got this one, you can use obviously balsamic vinegar. That would do as well or even rice vinegar because you like rice vinegar too. The tofu is just absorbing all of the saltiness, the sour, a little bit now of spicy kick, dry chili flakes and they will just coat the tofu lightly and give it little red specs and then really that’s ready and you can either drain it or transfer it straight to the plate. We need to give the wok a quick rinse and then I’m going to prepare the chili. As well as the chilies, chop up a small bunch of coriander. In with a little bit of oil and now with the chilies. Let’s try these little ones in first and a bit of these and the beans. These are frozen soybeans also called edamame from the supermarket. The raw ingredients of tofu. At this phase, I’m going to add a little of the seasoning, a little bit of light soy and a little bit of the vinegar. Again, just complementing all the flavors of the soy and then in with lots of fresh coriander and give that a good mix. So really, to stir fry but in one go and that’s it. Paul: Pete come and try some of this. Are you a chopstick person? Ching: You like your tofu don’t you? Paul: Coriander. Pete: Really lovely. Gorgeous. Ching: Got a really brown bit there. Paul: It’s beany, you can taste what it is. Pete: It’s really really good. Ching: Great tofu. Pete: Compliments to the chef. Ching: Inspired by food served on Chinese streets, that’s my spicy tofu and edamame beans made with the freshest possible tofu. Deliciously easy, quick and healthy. Some of the best street foods I’ve ever hand are sweet and sour snacks. This looks like the kind of place I’m looking for. One of them is a favorite Chinese take away dish here in the UK, sweet and sour prawns. Hello? Excuse me boys, I want to show how simple and quick it is for anyone to cook almost anywhere. Can I cook you up a quick lunch, it will only do 10 minutes of your time. You just grab that and put it on here. You guys like sweet and sour? Male: Absolutely. Ching: How do you think sweet and sour is made? Male: Soy is always the— Ching: What do you think what’s sweet? Male: Fresh produce? Lime or vinegar? I don’t know, for the sour I don’t know. Ching: Vinegar, very good and salty? Salt. Chinese use soy sauce. Traditionally we use vinegar, definitely for the sour because they never used to have like fresh produce like lime and stuff and for the sugar, like sweet, we have sugar. Honey’s beautiful. You’re looking at the ingredients. Very very quickly. I’m going to get you to help me with the ingredients okay. Wok on, oil in. We’re going to make sure the wok is nice and hot. Look at the size of these? They’re delicious. The meat is so tasty, really like lobsters. You need to watch this very very quickly, ginger, give a quick quick stir and then in with the onions. We don’t want to burn anything. As you start to add the ingredients in, the temperature drops in the wok. People say, I’m too scared of burning things. Maybe I should turn the wok down halfway through cooking, no. Keep it on high heat and then in with just some peppers, pop those juicy prawns in they go. All in one go. Beautiful. Turn them over. Pineapple, tinned, you can use fresh, whatever you like. We’re just going to chop it up in chunks, pour the whole lot in. Give a good stir. Now for the seasoning. Some light soy, black pepper, rice vinegar and honey. And I want a bit of fresh limes in there now. Final – bean sprouts and we can serve. That is sweet and sour prawns. Does anyone want any sweet and sour prawns. Male: This is a bit big. Ching: Go for it. It might be a bit hot so be careful. Male: It’s very hot. Ching: Can you taste the sweet and the sour? Is it up to your standard? Male: It’s a big – though. I think he means—Very nice. Ching: How does it compare with the takeaway? Male: Mine’s better. It’s just there. Male: A lot of the food watching it being cooked, it’s an amazing set in front of you. Ching: My job’s done. So you would cook this at home? Male: I think I’d have a go now, I’ve always been nervous about doing big prawns just because knowing when they’re done or whatever but it’s a color isn’t it? Ching: Yes, they go for like translucent to opaque and you know they’re done. Good? Fantastic? Male: Beats a fried egg and bacon every morning doesn’t it? Ching: I love nothing better than a day at the races but I’m always disappointed that most of the food on offer is burgers and chips. So I roped in my friend and fellow racing enthusiast Wendy to show the hamburger munching punter that checks the races that Chinese street food can be the perfect alternative. Okay Wendy if you could slice some onions for me, that would be great. I’m going to show you how to make this dish. It’s my sweet and sour pork. It’s sweet and sour pork in buns. So it can be gorgeous and sticky and delicious. I’m going to make my-- put some chopped garlic into the bowl. Some Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry, a drizzle of light soy sauce for some saltiness and then a little bit of Chinkiang black rice vinegar. This is a special Chinese vinegar. It’s very aromatic and pungent. This will provide the sour and then next some yellow bean sauce. This is really aromatic as well. You can get this in the supermarket. It’s a readymade sauce. We’re going to add the whole bottle I think. For a bit more sweetness, some honey which also thickens the marinade and some soft brown sugar. Finally, some white and black pepper and a pinch of salt. Mix it up. Now what I need to do is I’m going to get a wok nice and hot, lovely and in with a little bit of oil. While that’s getting nice and hot, I’m going to marinate the pork. Just divide the marinade because I’ve got quite a lot of pork fillet. I’m using gorgeous tenderloin pork but you can marinate pieces like this for about a couple of hours if you have so I’ve got some actually premarinated so if I move that over there, hands like this and then in with the onions. Sort of al fresco cooking. I’m going to make caramelized sweet and sour onions to go with the sweet sour pork. A couple of glugs of vinegar and some of the sugar. As the onion starts to brown and caramelize, start the pork. I’m going to just cut up the marinated pork. Now the trick is you want to get this wok down nice and hot so in with the oil. Big crowd. In goes the pork. We need to get some good color on this now. And a bit more honey so it gets a bit more sticky. So if you pass me up with some lettuce and tomato, we need two slices of tomato and then I can fill them up. It’s great. I like your costume. Male: It really looks delicious. Ching: Time to test the buns on a hungry crowd. Male: I’m with the wife. Ching: How’s it sir? Male: Beautiful. Ching: This is sweet and sour pork buns. It’s the perfect street food. Male: Thank you very much. Female: Wow, it’s good. Male: Very nice. Male: Sunshine in a roll with this. Female: The onions are amazing. Male: It’s like the sweet and sour and the caramelized onions really complement that. The pork is really tender and has lots of flavor. It’s good. Ching: So my speedy sweet and sour pork rolls seem to be appreciated. Time now for my own race against the clock before the next race is over in about 5 minutes. I want to have my final street food dish ready to eat. Okay Wendy, we don’t have much time. If you help me chop those spring onions and the coriander, I’ll get working on the beef. What I’m making is spiced beef wraps. Just need to cut the beef in half and then slice that wafer thin. I’m using a piece of beef fillet but you could easily use a cheaper cut of meat. This is real street food because in China you would have this little stall selling things like this and serving it with some hot bread really. I’ve got here the dry chili flakes and I’ve put a bit of cumin in there as well and these are the spices that are really going to give it the powerful flavor and then just a little bit of cracked black pepper now. And then a little bit of sea salt and then you just coat the beef in this mix. How long do we have, I don’t think we’ve got long. Wendy We’re up against the clock aren’t we. Ching: This will be fast too. I’m going to put in the beef. I think the race started. And then if you pass me the soy sauce and then a couple of glugs. It’s very very quick. Heat up with tortilla style wrap or flat bread. Then we’re going to make a delicious coarse raddishy mayo and using this Japanese wasabi powder. It smells really strong. It really hits you between the eyes and the nose. You can buy this in the supermarket or you can buy the paste. If you can't get this just use horseradish and with a little bit of water a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise, just shop bought mayonnaise. Get a good quality one and then just give that a good mix. The race is nearly finished so in with the spring onion and the coriander and then give that a good mix. Wendy’s doing a quick taste for that one, have a quick taste and then a little bit of the wasabi mayo. It’s grilled. Wendy Nice, hot and spicy. Ching: Quickly get this one as well. You’re ready. Who needs to eat quickly? The race course commentator is someone who never has more than a couple of minutes to spare between races. Are you Charlie? Hi. Hello, busy chap, we’ve made you fast food. It’s a beef spiced wrap. Let me know what you think? Good for a swede? Charlie: That’s superb. Female: It’s nice. Ching: You would like this maybe a dish in between races? Charlie: Is that a promise? Ching: A result flush with success with a bit of cash burning a hole in my pocket and a fondness for the odd bet. I can't resist a quick wager on the afternoon’s final race. A horse with a food related name seems appropriate. Mango Catch will do. It won. It won! Oh my god. The horse as fast as my food. It’s Mango Catch. What a great horse. For more recipes and master classes, go to BBC.co.uk/chinesefoodmadeeasy. Female: More Chinese food made easy next Wednesday at 8. Next tonight on BBC HD and continuing his ancestral journey along the beautiful Adriatic coast, it’s Francesco’s Mediterranean Voyage.