THE LIVE COOKING MENU

• Lo Bak Go - Turnip Cakes 
• Cong You Bing - Spring Onion Pancake
• Hong Shao Rou - Red Braised Pork
• Gua Bao - Steamed Buns with Braised Pork 
• Ma La Ji Chi - Hot & Numbing Chicken Wings 
• Lo Mai Gai - Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf 

Ingredients 

Lo Bak Go - Turnip Cakes

• 2 TBL vegetable oil
• ½ lap cheong (Chinese sausage), diced
• 1 dried shiitake mushroom, rehydrated & diced
• 2 TBL dried prawns, rehydrated & chopped
• 1-2 daikon radishes, peeled & grated to weigh 450g
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar 
• 250ml water 
• 80g rice flour
• 20g tapioca flour
• cooking oil spray

To Serve (Optional)

• thinly sliced spring onion, green part only
• chilli sauce 
• soy sauce
• Chinese black vinegar

Substitute Options

• vegetable oil - any neutral oil
• lap cheong - other cured meat or sausage eg salami, prosciutto
• dried prawns - fresh prawns, can omit also
• dried shiitake mushrooms - fresh shiitake, Swiss brown or porcini mushrooms
• tapioca - cornstarch, potato starch
• cooking oil spray - vegetable oil & paper towel, for greasing
• soy sauce - tamari 
• Chinese black vinegar - malt, white, red, rice or balsamic vinegar

Cong You Bing - Spring Onion Pancake

• 50g rendered duck or pork fat, room temperature 
• 2 spring onions, sliced thinly
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• ¼ tsp white pepper 
• 150g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 90ml water heated to 70C
• vegetable oil as needed

To Serve (Optional)

• Chinese black vinegar
• soy sauce
• sesame oil

Substitute Options

• duck or pork fat - chicken fat, coconut oil, ghee, vegetable or other neutral oil
• white pepper - black pepper
• vegetable oil - any neutral oil
• soy sauce - tamari 
• Chinese black vinegar - malt, white, red, rice or balsamic vinegar

Hong Shao Rou - Red Braised Pork

• boiling water for blanching
• 350-400g pork belly, sliced into 2cm strips
• 1 TBL vegetable oil 
• 2 spring onions, sliced into 3cm batons 
• 3cm ginger, sliced 
• 1 star anise
• 1 stick cinnamon 
• 1 TBL dark soy sauce
• 1 TBL light soy sauce
• 2 TBL Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine)
• 20g rock sugar
• 700ml water 

Quick Pickle

• 1 Lebanese cucumber 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp raw sugar
• 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar 

Substitute Options

• pork belly - pork shoulder, hock  
• vegetable oil - any neutral oil
• cinnamon - casia bark
• star anise - aniseed, fennel seeds
• dark soy sauce - oyster sauce, mushroom flavour soy sauce 
• light soy sauce - tamari 
• Shaoxing - dry sherry, cooking sake, mijiu
• rock sugar - raw sugar, white sugar
• Lebanese cucumber - continental or kirby cucumbers
• raw sugar - white, caster or brown sugar
• rice wine vinegar - white, malt or cider vinegar  

Gua Bao - Steamed Buns with Braised Pork

• 200g warm water (50C) 
• 38g sugar
• 5g dry active yeast 
• 450g flour, plus extra for dusting
• ¼ tsp baking soda 
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 50g rendered duck or pork fat, room temperature
• 8g salt
• cooking oil spray

Quick Pickle

• 1 Lebanese cucumber 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp raw sugar
• 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Optional Fillings

• red braised pork* (recipe in previous lesson)
• quick cucumber pickle* (recipe above)
• crushed peanuts
• coriander sprigs

Substitute Options

• dry active yeast - fresh yeast, instant yeast 
• sugar - any white or raw sugar
• duck or pork fat - chicken fat, coconut oil, ghee, vegetable or other neutral oil
• cooking oil spray - vegetable oil & pastry brush for greasing
• Lebanese cucumber - continental or kirby cucumbers
• raw sugar - white, caster or brown sugar
• rice wine vinegar - white, malt or cider vinegar 
• red braised pork - any roasted, braised or fried meat or tofu 
• quick cucumber pickle - any pickled vegetables
• crushed peanuts - sesame seeds
• coriander sprigs - sliced spring onion

Ma La Ji Chi - Hot & Numbing Chicken Wings

• 350g chicken wings, jointed & tips removed
• 1 TBL Shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine) 
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1L vegetable oil for deep-frying
• spring onion batons (green part only), for garnish  

Coating 

• 3 TBL cornstarch 
• 2 tsp Sichuan chilli powder 
• 1/2 tsp toasted, ground Sichuan peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp salt

Seasoning Mix

• 2 TBL vegetable oil 
• 2cm ginger, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 
• 2 spring onions, minced 
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 tsp Sichuan chilli powder 
• 1 tsp raw sugar
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds 
• 1 cup (16g) whole Sichuan chillies

Substitute Options

• chicken wings - any part of chicken cut small enough to fry 
• Shaoxing- cooking sake, dry sherry, mijiu
• soy sauce - tamari
• vegetable oil - any neutral oil suitable for frying
• spring onion batons - coriander sprigs
• cornstarch - potato starch, tapioca, rice flour 
• Sichuan chilli powder - regular chilli powder
• Sichuan peppercorns - black or white peppercorns (although they will just provide heat, not a numbing sensation)
• vegetable oil - any other neutral oil
• minced spring onions - shallots 
• raw sugar - white or brown sugar 
• whole Sichuan chillies - any long, dried chillies

Lo Mai Gai - Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf 

• 400g glutinous rice, soaked
• 4 lotus leaves, soaked
• 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated
• 200g chicken thigh, diced 
• 1 + 1 TBL oyster sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp light soy sauce 
• 1 TBL vegetable oil 
• ½ lap cheong (Chinese sausage), diced 
• 3cm ginger, minced 
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 1 spring onion, minced 

Substitute Options

• glutinous rice -sushi rice or jasmine rice at a pinch
• lotus leaves - baking paper & foil for wrapping
• dried shiitake mushrooms - fresh shiitake, Swiss brown or porcini mushrooms 
• chicken thigh - pork belly, mixed mushrooms, tofu or lotus seeds
• oyster sauce - dark soy sauce
• light soy sauce - tamari 
• vegetable oil - any neutral oil 
• lap cheong - other cured meat or sausage eg salami, prosciutto

Lo Bak Go - Turnip Cakes

The Chinese turnip (lo bak) is a long, white vegetable with a green top and is interchangeable with Japanese daikon radish. These crispy rice cakes make for an ideal snack or entree. They can be made in large batches and frozen after steaming.

serves - 4 (makes approx. 10 cakes) 

Active time - 1 hour

Total time - 3 hours or overnight 

Ingredients

• 2 TBL vegetable oil
• ½ lap cheong (Chinese sausage), diced
• 1 dried shiitake mushroom, rehydrated & diced
• 2 TBL dried prawns, rehydrated & chopped
• 1-2 daikon radishes, peeled & grated to weigh 450g
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar 
• 250ml water 
• 80g rice flour
• 20g tapioca flour
• cooking oil spray

To Serve (Optional)

• thinly sliced spring onion, green part only
• chilli sauce 
• soy sauce
• Chinese black vinegar

Method

1. To rehydrate the shiitake mushroom and prawns, soak in boiling water for an hour or in cold water overnight in the fridge. Reserve the liquid for the batter.
2. Heat 1 TBL of oil in a heavy-bottomed fry pan over medium heat. Sauté the lap cheong until the fat begins to render and the edges start to caramelise.
3. Add the prawns and mushrooms and fry for a minute, stirring constantly. 
4. Add in the grated daikon, spring onion, salt and sugar and continue to cook until the radish has wilted completely.
5. Place a fine-mesh strainer or colander over a bowl and drain the cooked daikon. Use a spoon to press down the mixture and remove as much liquid as possible. Set the mixture aside and reserve the liquid.
6. Top the strained liquid up with water until it reaches 250ml. You can use the prawn or mushroom soaking water for extra flavour. 
7. Place the daikon mixture along with the rice flour, tapioca flour and 250ml of measured liquid into a heavy-bottomed fry pan. Cook over a low heat until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring occasionally. 
8. Prepare a steamer basket with simmering water. Line a tray (small enough to fit inside the steamer) with baking paper and lightly grease with cooking oil spray.
9. Scoop the mixture into the tray and flatten it evenly using a spatula. 
10. Carefully place the tray into the steamer basket and steam (covered) for 1 hour or until the mixture becomes firm.
11. Remove the tray from the steamer and cool for 1-2 hours at room temperature or 30 minutes in the fridge. When the cake becomes cool and firm enough to handle, portion into 10 equal pieces with a sharp knife. 
12. Heat a fryypan over medium heat and pour in 1 TBL vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, fry the turnip cakes for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden brown.
13. Garnish with spring onions and serve with a side of soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar and/or chilli sauce. 

Cong You Bing - Spring Onion Pancake

These pancakes have an amazingly flaky texture, made by layering thin dough with meltingly delicious duck or pork fat. They’re a great accompaniment to braised or grilled meats, but are also a hit on their own.

Serves - 4 

Active time - 45 minutes

Total time - 1.5 hours 

Ingredients 

• 50g rendered duck or pork fat, room temperature 
• 2 spring onions, sliced thinly
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• ¼ tsp white pepper 
• 150g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 90ml water heated to 70C
• vegetable oil as needed

To Serve (Optional)

• Chinese black vinegar
• soy sauce
• sesame oil

Method

1. Mix together the fat, spring onions, salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside.
2. Add the flour to a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the heated water into the flour well and combine using a spoon or chopstick until it begins to come together. 
3. Turn the dough out onto your bench and knead for approximately 5 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and pliable.
4. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and rest for 20-30 minutes or overnight in the fridge. 
5. Uncover the dough, roll it into a 12 cm log and cut into 4 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and shape into flat discs. 
6. Use a small amount of oil to moisten your work surface. On the oiled surface, gently roll a flattened disc into a thin square. Rotating the dough every time you roll at the beginning will help create an even shape. 
7. When the thin square is almost transparent, use a pastry brush to spread 2 tsp of spring onion/fat mixture over the entire surface of the dough. Then, starting close to yourself and moving away, roll the dough tightly to create a rope-like structure. 
8. Next, coil the 'rope' into a spiral, making sure both ends of the log are tucked under the base. Place on a tray lined with baking paper.
9. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Cover the spirals with clingfilm and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the fat to solidify. 
10. After 30 minutes, remove the spirals from the fridge and dust your work surface with some flour. Place a coil onto your work surface and roll out a round pancake shape, about 12cm in diameter. Repeat this process with the remaining dough. 
11. Heat a heavy-bottomed frypan over medium-low heat and dry fry the pancakes for 2-3 minutes a side or until they begin to turn golden brown.
12. To make a dipping sauce combine equal amounts of soy sauce and black vinegar in a ramekin and add a few drops of sesame oil.
13. Serve the pancakes with the optional dipping sauce or to accompany other Chinese dishes.

Hong Shao Rou - Red Braised Pork

Hong Shao Rou is a dish that is beloved throughout the ethnically and regionally diverse Chinese state. It is also said to be one of Chairman Mao’s favourite dishes, to the extent that it is named after him in his home province of Hunan. If you cannot find rock sugar, substitute raw sugar. 

Serves - 2-4 

Active time - 30 minutes 

Total Time - 2.5 hours 

Ingredients 

• boiling water for blanching
• 350-400g pork belly, sliced into 2cm strips
• 1 TBL vegetable oil 
• 2 spring onions, sliced into 3cm batons 
• 3cm ginger, sliced 
• 1 star anise
• 1 stick cinnamon 
• 1 TBL dark soy sauce
• 1 TBL light soy sauce
• 2 TBL Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine)
• 20g rock sugar
• 700ml water 

Quick Pickle

• 1 Lebanese cucumber 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp raw sugar
• 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Method 

1. Blanch the pork slices in rapidly boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water. This removes any strong aromas and impurities from the pork belly.
2. Dry the pork with a little paper towel and heat the vegetable oil in a frypan over a medium heat. Fry the pork for 2-3 minutes each side or until caramelised. Remove and set aside. 
3. Combine in a large saucepan the pork, spring onions, ginger, spices, soy sauces, sugar and water. Cover with a fitting lid.
4. Gently simmer the pork for 2 hours or until fork tender. Remove the spring onion, star anise, and cinnamon halfway through the cooking process. 
5. After 2 hours, the sauce should have reduced to a dark, syrupy consistency. If there is still a lot of liquid remaining, remove the lid and turn up the heat to reduce it to a glaze.
6. To make the pickles, mix all of the quick pickle ingredients together and allow to stand for 15 minutes before serving. 
7. Use the pork and quick pickles to stuff the inside the steamed bao in our next recipe. 

Gua Bao - Steamed Buns with Braised Pork

Popularised by the iconic restaurant in New York, Momofuku, these steamed buns have taken the world by storm. The open-ended buns leave you with a creative base for filling whatever your heart desires. Once steamed, they can be stored in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for later use. 

Makes - approximately 16 buns

Active Time - 1 hour 

Total Time - 3-4 hours 

Ingredients

• 200g warm water (50C) 
• 38g sugar
• 5g dry active yeast 
• 450g flour, plus extra for dusting
• ¼ tsp baking soda 
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 50g rendered duck or pork fat or vegetable oil, room temperature
• 8g salt
• cooking oil spray

Quick Pickle

• 1 Lebanese cucumber 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp raw sugar
• 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Optional Fillings

• red braised pork* (recipe in previous lesson)
• quick cucumber pickle* (recipe above)
• crushed peanuts
• coriander sprigs

Method

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water until the mixture becomes foamy.
2. Add in the flour and start to stir everything together with your hand or a fork.
3. Next, add the baking soda, baking powder, duck fat and salt and mix with your hand until the dough starts to come together. Knead for 5-10 minutes in the bowl or on a work surface, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. 
4. Cover the dough in a warm spot and allow it to rise for 1.5-2 hours, until doubled in size.
5. Cut 16 pieces of baking paper into 5x5cm squares and set aside.  
6. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto your bench and knock back the air. Using a knife, divide the dough into equal 40g pieces.
7. To make tight balls, stretch and fold each 40g piece of dough in towards itself until it becomes taut. Flip the ball over and use the tension of the bench to seal shut by spinning the ball across the surface. Rest the dough balls (seam side down) on a tray for 15 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
8.  Lightly dust your bench with flour and using the palm of your hand, gently flatten a dough ball onto the surface. Sprinkle a little flour over the top and roll out into an oval shape. Using a chopstick, mark a horizontal indentation half-way along the oval. Spray a little cooking oil over the surface and fold the dough in half at the horizontal crease. Place the folded bun on top of a square of baking paper and arrange on a tray. Cover the tray with a lid or clingfilm and repeat the process with the remaining dough pieces.
9. Allow the buns to proof at room temperature for 30-45 minutes until they have almost doubled in size. 
10. Prepare a steamer basket with simmering water. Carefully place the buns (with the baking paper attached) inside and steam for 10-15 minutes until fluffy. You may need to do this in batches if your steamer only has one tier.
11. To make the pickles, mix all the quick pickle ingredients together and allow to stand for 15 minutes before serving. 
12. To serve, stuff the bao with optional fillings including red braised pork, pickles, coriander and crushed peanuts.

Ma La Ji Chi - Hot & Numbing Chicken Wings

Ma La is an interesting sensational play between the spicy sting of red chillies and the numbing effect of Sichuan peppercorns. Try not to let the profusion of whole dried chillies scare you away from this thoroughly delicious dish. If you cant find Sichuan chilli powder, substitute any other available chilli powder. To ensure the chicken is cooked before serving, the temperature should read at least 73C when probed with a thermometer.

Serves - 2  

Active time - 45 minutes 

Total time - 3 hours or overnight 

Ingredients

• 350g chicken wings, jointed & tips removed
• 1 TBL Shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine) 
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1L vegetable oil for deep-frying
• spring onion batons (green part only), for garnish  

Coating 

• 3 TBL cornstarch 
• 2 tsp Sichuan chilli powder 
• 1/2 tsp toasted, ground Sichuan peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp salt

Seasoning Mix

• 2 TBL vegetable oil 
• 2cm ginger, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 
• 2 spring onions, minced 
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 tsp Sichuan chilli powder 
• 1 tsp raw sugar
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds 
• 1 cup (16g) whole Sichuan chillies

Method: 

1. Mix the chicken wings, Shaoxing and soy sauce together and cover to marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours or overnight. 
2. Combine all the ingredients for the coating in a bowl. Heat a pot of vegetable oil to 175C and line a tray or plate with paper towels for draining.
3. Dredge the chicken wings in the coating and fold until they are evenly covered. Shake off any excess mixture and fry the chicken wings for 3-4 minutes until they turn a light golden brown. Drain on paper towel and allow to rest for 2 minutes. 
4. Fry the chicken wings a second time for 2-3 minutes until they reach a deep golden brown, this makes them extra crispy. Drain on paper towels.  
5. Heat a heavy-bottomed frypan over medium-low heat. Add in a 2 TBL of vegetable oil and fry the ginger, garlic and spring onion until fragrant, stirring constantly.
6. Add in the Sichuan peppercorns, chilli powder, sugar and stir to combine.
7. Lastly, add the fried chicken wings, sesame seeds and whole chillies into the pan and toss together so the chicken is well coated in the seasonings.
8. Serve and garnish with spring onion batons for extra colour. 

Lo Mai Gai - Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf

This dish from the Canton region of China combines chewy glutinous rice with the herbaceous and warmly medicinal flavour of lotus leaf. If you cannot find lotus leaves, create a parcel made of baking paper and foil to retain the fragrance and moisture in the rice.

Serves - 4 

Active time - 1 hour

Total time - 3-4 hours or overnight

Ingredients

• 400g glutinous rice, soaked
• 4 lotus leaves, soaked
• 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated
• 200g chicken thigh, diced 
• 1 + 1 TBL oyster sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp light soy sauce 
• 1 TBL vegetable oil 
• ½ lap cheong (Chinese sausage), diced 
• 3cm ginger, minced 
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 1 spring onion, minced 

 Method

1. Soak the sticky rice in cold water for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight. Drain and combine with 1 TBL oyster sauce and set aside. 
2. To soften the lotus leaves and mushrooms, soak in boiling water for 1 hour and pat dry. Dice the mushrooms and set aside with the lotus leaves.
3. Combine the chicken with 1 TBL oyster sauce, dark and light soy sauces and mix well.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frypan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the lap cheong and fry for 1-2 minutes until it renders some fat, stirring occasionally. 
5. Add the seasoned chicken to the pan and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes to caramelise.
6. Mix in the ginger, garlic, spring onion, dried shiitake mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
7. Add the rice and oyster sauce mixture to the pan and stir to warm through. Turn off the heat, divide the rice into 4 portions and set up a steamer basket with simmering water.
8. Place the centre of a lotus leaf over a bowl which will act as a mould for the filling. Scoop a divided portion of rice mixture into the centre of the leaf and fold over the base and sides. Invert the bowl and continue to fold and wrap the leaf into a small parcel. Repeat this process with the remaining rice and lotus leaves to create 4 parcels. 
9. Steam the Lo Mai Gai covered for 1 hour, you may need to do this in batches if your steamer only has one tier. Serve as a stand-alone dish or as part of a yum cha feast.