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All that's delectably Chinese

Find out how easy it is to make the ubiquitous Chinese cuisine

BEIJING BECKONS Beijing style chilli fish

Chinese cooking involves the adventurous yet subtle use of ingredients that the culinary world was not familiar of till a few decades ago but now enjoyed and acknowledged widely. I present a few dishes that are famous all over the globe.

Beijing style chilli fish

Ingredients:

Fish cubes: 300 gms
Salt to taste
Oil: 100 ml
Scallion, shredded: 1 tsp
Ginger, chopped: 1 tsp
Hot red chilli, chopped: 2
Green peppers, shredded: 1
Onion, shredded: 1
Soy sauce: 4 tsp
Rice vinegar: 1 tsp
Sugar: 2 tsp
Corn flour: 1 tsp

Method: Wash and dry the fish. Make three to five diagonal slashes on each side and rub the skin and slashes with the salt.

Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the scallions and onions and ginger and the fish and deep-fry until both sides are brown. Remove, drain and place on a serving dish.

Pour all but two to three tbsp of the oil out of the wok, leaving only enough to cover the bottom. Heat until the oil surface ripples.

Add the hot red chilli, green pepper, and onion shreds, and stir-fry until fragrant. Stir in the soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and ginger. Add one cup water and bring to a boil. Stir the cornstarch-water mixture and add to the wok. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Remove, pour over the fish, and serve.

Chicken winglet in black bean sauce

Ingredients

Chicken winglets: 200 gms
Salt to taste
Corn flour: 100 gms
Refined flour: 100 gms
Oil: 400 ml
For sauce
Peanut oil: 60 ml
Fermented black beans, rinsed and drained: 60 ml
Garlic, chopped: 30 gms
Chicken broth: 50 ml
Soy sauce: 30 ml
Rice wine: 60 ml
Sugar: 10 gms
Cornstarch: 30 gms

Method: Clean the chicken winglets and season it well. Prepare batter of corn flour, refined flour and water of coating consistency.

Dip chicken winglets in the batter and deep fry the chickens on medium flame.

Remove it when done and put in colander to remove excess oil.

For sauce: Heat a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, the black beans and garlic.

Stir-fry about 15 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir-fry about one minute or until sauce thickens. Makes about 3/4 cup sauce. Now toss the fried chicken winglets in the sauce.

Serve hot.

Tossed baby corn

Ingredients

Baby corns: 200 gms
Corn flour: 50 gms
Salt to taste
Freshly crushed peppercorn: 20 gms
Garlic, chopped: 20 gm
Oil: 300 ml

Method: Wash baby corn and let excess water drain out. Cut baby corn into half. Rub corn flour into it.

Deep fry in hot oil till golden brown in colour.

Let it stand to drain excess oil. Heat oil in wok, add chopped garlic, add fried baby corn and salt. Toss well.

Serve hot.

(The writer is Executive Chef at ITC Hotel Kakatiya Sheraton and Towers)

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