Wok hay

I do love Chinese food and I cook it a lot at home. It’s simple, fresh, nutritious and satisfies me on all levels of spiciness, texture and taste. For me the key to preparing authentic and delicious Chinese food is the humble wok. There is much that can be cooked in ones wok, from soups to dumplings and stir-fries, it is wonderful to braise in, steam in and deep fry in. It’s one of my favourite cooking vessels.

Not only is the right spice combination important in preparing Chinese food but also the right wok, no non-stick please, carbon steel is my preference. When heated up to its smoking point and the oil and aromatics are added, that hiss, sizzle and aroma when the raw food hits the heated surface is called wok hay, breath of a wok. A Cantonese phrase used to describe the particular essence and aroma created when authentic stir-frying is performed. Hay means energy or breath, hence wok hay means the "energy or breath of a wok".

There is no shortage of Chinese restaurants, but why not try "wokking" up some great tasting food this weekend and create some wok hay in your kitchen. If you are looking for great quality Chinese spices and sauces try the Lee Kum Kee brand.

Korean style sticky chicken

1 lb boneless chicken

Vegetable oil for frying

Marinade:

1 slice ginger

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs minced chives

Coating:

1 egg yolk

½ cup corn starch

Seasonings:

1 tbs minced garlic

1 stalk of lemongrass pounded and finely chopped

Sauce:

2 tbs white vinegar

½ cup Thai style sweet chilli sauce

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Cut chicken into one inch pieces and combine with marinade, let rest for 30 minutes.

Mix sauce and set aside.

Spread the corn-starch onto a plate, beat egg and set aside.

Dip chicken in egg then dredge in corn starch, fry in hot oil until golden brown, drain.

Heat a clean wok over high heat, add 2 tbs oil add garlic and lemon grass and stir fry until fragrant, add sauce and cook until thick. Add chicken and turn quickly to evenly coat with sauce, remove to a platter.

Serves 4 to 6

Chilli beef lo mein in oyster sauce

8 ozs lo mien noodles or spaghetti

1½ lbs steak, chilled

3 tbs vegetable oil

1 tbs finely chopped garlic

1 tbs finely chopped ginger

½ cup chopped fresh chives

1 cup green beans or long beans (bodi), cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium red bell pepper, cut into ¼ inch-thick strips

Sauce:

½ cup oyster sauce

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tbs chilli garlic sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

3 tbs honey

¼ cup water

1 tsp corn starch

Cook noodles in a medium pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water; set aside.

Whisk sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Slice beef against the grain as thinly as possible and combine with 1-tsp soy sauce.

Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add beef and stir-fry, until medium-rare, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Clean wok.

Heat remaining 1 tbs oil in wok over high heat.

Cook garlic, ginger, and half of the chives, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Add beans and bell pepper and cook until vegetables are softened, about 2 minutes.

Add sauce mixture and reserved noodles stir fry until everything is coated and sauce thickens slightly, 1–2 minutes more. Add beef and stir to combine.

Divide among plates and top with remaining chives. Serve hot.

Serves 4

Butter-fried chicken with oyster sauce and mushrooms

1½ lbs boneless chicken

½ cup corn-starch

1 egg

4 dried black mushrooms, soaked for 20 minutes and sliced (*reserve water from mushrooms)

1 onion, sliced

2 tbs vegetable oil

2 tbs butter

½ tbs minced garlic

Marinade:

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs rum

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp sesame oil

Sauce:

½ cup water

½ cup mushroom water*

½ cup oyster sauce

¾ tsp sugar

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1½ tsp corn-starch

Divide chicken into six pieces, gently pound to flatten.

Rub marinade onto chicken and let stand for about 10 minutes.

Place corn starch in a plate, and place egg. Lightly beaten into a shallow bowl.

Dip chicken into egg and dredge in corn starch.

Heat one tablespoon oil and butter in a frying pan and pan fry chicken until cooked, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and keep warm.

Combine sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat the rest of the oil in a wok, add onion and garlic and cook until fragrant, add mushrooms and stir fry for a couple of minutes more.

Add sauce mixture and cook until bubbly.

Pour over chicken steaks and sprinkle with chopped chives

Serves 4 to 6

Potstickers with oyster chilli sauce

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup water chestnuts

6 dried black mushrooms, softened in warm water for about 20 mins, stems removed

40 wanton skins

Seasonings:

3 tbs minced ginger

⅓ cup chopped chives minced

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs rum (optional)

2 tsp sesame oil

1½ tbs corn-starch

Oyster chilli sauce

3 tbs Lee Kum Kee oyster flavoured sauce

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

2 tbs water

1 tbs Lee Kum Kee chilli garlic sauce

1 tbs minced fresh ginger

1 tbs minced garlic

Vegetable oil for frying dumplings

In the bowl of a food processor chop shrimp, chestnuts and mushrooms.

Add all the seasonings and stir well to mix. Stir in the corn-starch, the mixture should be stiff.

Place a heaping tablespoon of the filling in the centre of one wanton skin.

Moisten the edges with water. Fold over in half to enclose filling. And press the edges to seal.

Repeat until all the filling is used up, arrange dumplings on a tray and dust with corn-starch.

Heat a large frying pan add some oil and pan fry the dumplings until golden brown, about 7 to 8 minutes.

Remove with a strainer and drain. When you have fried all the dumplings, add the chilli sauce to the pot and cook until bubbly, add dumplings back to pot, add a little water and cover and steam for a few minutes.

Serve the dumplings at once.

Makes 40 dumplings