Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS
1 slender cucumber, about 30cm/12in long
1 tsp salt
2 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
1 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp red chilli oil (optional)
few drops sesame oil

Pickled Sweet and Sour Cucumber

Halve the unpeeled cucumber length­ways. Scrape out the seeds and cut across the cucumber into thick chunks.

In a bowl, sprinkle the cucumber chunks with the salt and mix well. Leave for at least 20-30 minutes — longer if possible — then
pour the juice away.

Mix the cucumber with the sugar, vinegj and chilli oil, if using. Sprinkle with tf sesame oil just before serving.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
350g/12oz lean pork
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

Sauce
2-3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 small green (bell) pepper, cut into small cubes
1 fresh red chilli, seeded and thinly shredded
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
about 100ml/4fl oz/1/2 cup Basic Stock or water
115g/4oz bamboo shoots
1 spring onion (scallion), cut into short sections

Sweet and Sour Pork

Cut the pork into small bite-sized cubes. Marinate with the salt, pepper and wine or sherry for 15—20 minutes.

Cut the bamboo shoots into small cubes the same size as the pork.

Dust the pork with flour, dip in the beaten egg, and coat with more flour. Deep-fry in moderately hot oil for 3—4 mi­nutes, stirring to separate the pieces. Remove.

Reheat the oil to hot, add the pork and bamboo shoots and fry for about 1 minute or until golden. Remove and drain.

Heat the oil and add the garlic, spring onion (scallion), green (bell) pepper and red chilli. Stir-fry for 30—40 seconds, then add the

seasoning with the stock. Bring to the boil, then add the pork and bamboo shoots.

Serves
INGREDIENTS
350-400g/12-l4oz leg of lamb fillet
1 tbsp yellow bean sauce
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1/2 tsp finely-chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp light brown sugar
3-4 tbsp Basic Stock or water
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) paste
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Sweet and Sour Lamb

Cut the lamb into thin slices each about the size of an oblong postage stamp. In a bowl, marinate the lamb with the yellow bean
sauce for 35—40 minutes.

In a wok, deep-fry the lamb in the hot oil for about 30-^40 seconds or until the colour changes. Remove with a perforated spoon and drain.

Pour off the excess oil, leaving about 9 tbsp in the wok. Add the ginger and the remaining ingredients and stir until smooth. Add the lamb, blend well and serve.

Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
1 small green guava, peeled, halved and seeded
115g/4oz green beans, topped, tailed and halved
1 small, under-ripe mango, peeled, flesh removed and chopped
1 star fruit, thickly sliced
85g/3oz green cabbage, shredded
350g/12oz lean pork, diced
1.4 litres/2/1/2 pints/6/1/4 cups chicken stock salt
225g/8oz raw or cooked prawn (shrimp) tails, peeled
1 tbsp fish or soy sauce
1 tsp crushed black pepper
285g/10 oz sweet potato, peeled and cut into even pieces
2 spring onions (scallions), shredded, to garnish
2 tbsp tamarind sauce
2 limes, quartered, to garnish
juice of 2 limes
225g/8oz unripe tomatoes, quartered

Sweet and Sour Pork and Prawn (Shrimp) Soup

Trim the pork, peel the prawns (shrimp) and set aside. Measure the tamarind sauce and lime juice into a saucepan.

Add the pork, guava and mango. Pour in the stock. Add the fish or soy sauce and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Add the remaining fruit, vegetables and prawns (shrimp). Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasoning, garnish and serve.

Serves
INGREDIENTS
700g/1/1/2lb lean pork, diced
425ml/15fl oz/1/1/4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cucumber, peeled and cut into sticks
1 clove garlic, crushed
50g/2oz creamed coconut
2 firm tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped
1 tsp paprika
150ml/1/4 pint/2/3 cup vegetable oil or lard
1 small bunch chives, chopped
1 tsp cracked black pepper (shortening), for frying
1 tbsp sugar
1 under-ripe papaya or paw paw, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped
175ml/6fl oz/1/3 cup palm or cider vinegar
2 small bay leaves
salt

SWEET AND SOUR PORK WITH COCONUT SAUCE

Marinate the pork, garlic, paprika, black pepper, sugar, vinegar and bay leaves for 2 hours. Add the stock and coconut.

Simmer gently for 30—35 minutes, re-move pork, and drain. Heat the oil and brown the pork evenly. Remove and drain.

Return the pork to the sauce with thel papaya or paw paw, season and simmer 15-20 minutes. Add garnishes and serve.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

275g/10oz Chinese egg noodles
30ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 spring onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2.5cm/1 in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
5ml/1 tsp hot paprika
5ml/1 tsp ground coriander
3 boneless chicken breasts, sliced
115g/4oz/l cup sugar-snap peas, topped and tailed
115g/4oz baby sweetcorn, halved
225g/8oz fresh beansprouts
15ml/l tbsp cornflour
45ml/3 tbsp soy sauce
45ml/3 tbsp lemon juice
15ml/l tbsp sugar
45ml/3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or spring onion tops, to garnish

Stir-fried Sweet and Sour Chicken

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the instructions on the packet. Drain, cover and keep warm.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the spring onions and cook over a gentle heat. Mix in the next five ingredients, then stir-fry for about 3-4 minutes.

Add the next three ingredients and steam briefly. Add the noodles.

Combine the cornflour, soy sauce, lemon juice and sugar in a small bowl. Add to the wok and simmer briefly to thicken. Serve garnished

with chopped coriander or spring onion tops.