Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
1 carp, bream, sea bass, trout, grouper or grey mullet, weighing about675g/1/1/2lb, gutted
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped with the white and green parts separated
1 tsp finely-chopped fresh ginger
2 tbsp chilli bean sauce
1 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
2 tsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
about 100ml/4fl oz/1/2 cup Basic Stock
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) paste
few drops sesame oil

Rinse and dry the fish well. Using a sharp knife, score both sides of the fish as far down as the bone with diagonal cuts about 2.5cm/lin

apart. Rub the whole fish with soy sauce and wine or sherry on both sides, then leave to marinate for 10—15 minutes.

In a wok, deep-fry the fish in hot oil for about 3-4 minutes on both sides or until golden brown.

Pour off the excess oil, leaving about 1 tbsp in the wok. Push the fish to one side of the wok and add the garlic, the white part of the spring

onions (scallions), ginger, chilli bean sauce, tomato puree (paste), sugar, vinegar and stock. Bring to the boil and braise the fish in the sauce

for 4—5 minutes, turning it over once. Add the green part of the spring onions (scallions). Thicken the sauce with the cornflour (cornstarch) paste, sprinkle with the sesame oil and serve.

SERVES FOUR

INGREDIENTS
30ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 small onions, cut into wedges
2 garlic cloves, sliced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast portions, cut into cubes
100ml/3 1/2fl oz/1/3 cup water
300g/11oz jar tandoori sauce
salt and ground black pepper
coriander (cilantro) sprigs, to garnish
To serve
5ml/1 tsp ground turmeric
350g/12oz/1 2/3 cups basmati rice

Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole. Add the onions and garlic, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to soften, stirring frequently.

Add the cubes of chicken to the casserole and cook for 6 minutes. Stir the water into the tandoori sauce and pour it over the chicken. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are cooked through and the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened.

Meanwhile, bring a large pan of light! salted water to the boil, add the turmeric and rice and bring back to the boil. Stir once, reduce the heat to prevent the water from boiling over and simmer the rice for 12 minutes, or according to the time suggested on the packet, until tender.

Drain the rice well and serve with the tandoori chicken on warmed individual serving plates, garnished with sprigs of fresh coriander.

COOK’S TIP

You will find jars of ready-made tandoori sauce in large supermarkets.

SERVES SIX TO EIGHT

INGREDIENTS

600g/1lb 5oz pork fillet (tenderloin)
1 garlic clove, crushed
generous pinch of salt
4 spring onions (scallions), trimmed, white part only
10g/ 1/4oz dried wakame, soaked in water for 20 minutes and drained
10cm/4in celery stick, trimmed and cut in half crossways
1 carton salad cress

For the yuan sauce
105ml/7 tbsp shoyu
45ml/3 tbsp sake
60ml/4 tbsp mirin
1 lime, sliced into thin rings

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Rub the pork with crushed garlic and salt, and leave for 15 minutes.

Roast the pork for 20 minutes, then turn the meat over and reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Cook for a further 20 minutes, or until the pork is cooked. Test by inserting a skewer or the point of a sharp knife into the meat. If the juices run clear, the meat is cooked. If there are any traces of pink in the juices, roast the pork for a little longer.

Meanwhile, mix the yuan sauce ingredients in a container that is big enough to hold the pork. When the meat is cooked, immediately put it in the sauce, and leave it to marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Cut the white part of the spring onions in half crossways, then in half lengthways. Remove the round cores, then lay the spring onion quarters flat on a chopping board. Slice them very thinly lengthways to make fine shreds.

Soak the shreds in a bowl of ice-cold water. Repeat with the remaining parts of the spring onions. When the shreds curl up, drain and gather them into a loose ball.

Cut the drained wakame into 2.5cm/ lin squares or narrow strips. Slice the celery very thinly lengthways. Soak in cold water, then drain and gather together as before.

Remove the pork from the marinade and wipe with kitchen paper. Slice it very thinly. Strain the marinade and keep it in a gravy boat or jug (pitcher). Arrange the sliced pork on a large serving plate with the vegetables around it. Serve cold with the yuan sauce.