Easy, Delicious Chinese

Sam Low demystifies modern Chinese cooking with his collection of accessible, simple recipes that can be cooked with ingredients from the supermarket, ensuring you are reaching for the shopping list and not the takeout menu!

TWICE-COOKED PORK WITH CUMIN

SERVES 2–4 AS A PROTEIN SIDE WITH RICE

Pork preparation

• 300 g (10½ oz) boneless skin-on
  pork belly (ideally 20–30 per cent fat)
• 1 litre (35 fl oz) water
• 30 g (1 oz) fresh ginger, sliced
• 2 tablespoons salt

Second cook

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon chilli flakes
• 1 tablespoon fermented black bean (optional but highly recommended)
• 100 g (3½ oz) leek or ½ a small leek, cut into 3 cm (1¼ in) slices
• ½ capsicum, deseeded and cut into 2 cm (¾ in) slices
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 small red fresh chilli, chopped (optional)

In a medium-sized pot large enough to fit the whole pork belly and water, add in all the ingredients for the pork preparation and bring to a simmer. Allow the pork to simmer on medium-low for 25 minutes, or until the pork is cooked and slightly tender. Turn off the heat and discard the water. Cool the pork belly completely in the fridge, for 1 hour minimum or ideally overnight.

Once the pork belly is completely cooled, cut into slices about 4–5 mm (¼ in) thick.

Heat the oil in a large pan/wok and fry the pork belly slices over a high heat until the pork is developing some colour and rendering the fat out, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, dark soy sauce, cumin seeds, chilli flakes and black bean, if using. Fry until aromatic, about 3 minutes.

Add the leek, capsicum, salt, sugar and ground cumin and continue to stir-fry for about 3–4 minutes until the leek is cooked and translucent.

Turn off the heat, stir through the chopped fresh chilli, if using, and taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

SPICY BLACK BEAN BEEF

Prep 5 Minutes Cooking 25 Minutes Serves 4

• 350 g (12 oz) beef steak (sirloin, scotch
  or eye fillet)
• 3 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 tablespoons fermented black bean
• 1 tablespoon chilli flakes or 1–2 small fresh red chillies, finely chopped
• 10 g (¼ oz) fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 capsicum, deseeded and cut into
  2 cm (¾ in) pieces

Marinade

• 1 tablespoon rice wine
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda (optional)
• 2 tablespoons water

Thinly slice the beef into 3 mm thick (⅛ in) strips about 4 cm (1½ in) long and place into a bowl. Add in all the marinade ingredients, mix through the beef well and let sit for at least 15 minutes to infuse. The baking soda helps break down the meat protein, allowing it to get even more tender.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok/large pan over a high heat and stir-fry the beef, separating the strips until they are almost cooked through, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from the wok and set aside.

In the same wok/pan add the 1 tablespoon oil, black bean, chilli, ginger and garlic, and stir-fry over a high heat for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the capsicum and fry for a further 1 minute. Add the beef back in and fry for a further 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and serve.

Extracted from Modern Chinese: 70+ easy, everyday recipes from the winner of MasterChef NZ by Sam Low. Recipe photography, Melanie Jenkins (Flash Studios). RRP$49.99. Published by Allen & Unwin NZ.