Quizzed by strangers about her background,Rosheen Kaul,who heads the kitchen atMelbourne's Etta restaurant,usually tells them she's Chinese-ish. It's a shorthand way of acknowledging her far spicier heritage,which includes Chinese,Filipino,Kashmiri,Malay,Peranakan and Indonesian influences.
The Singapore-born chef has teamed up with illustrator (and former waiter) Joanna Hu,who hails from China's Hunan province. Together,they've producedChinese-ish,a cookbook pooling all the Chinese-inspired recipes that have come into their lives,which they describe as not quite authentic but 100 per cent delicious. Amen to that.
Char kway teow (pictured above)
Smoky,slippery,fatty and rich,these hawker-style noodles are laced with soft clouds of egg. This recipe is for one serve only,because you won't get the same charred flavour from an overcrowded pan. Multiply as required for more servings. If you're short on time,shop-bought sambal oelek is fine to use instead of the chilli paste.
Mum's braised ginger chicken
If any dish were to taste like home to me,this would be it. Fragrant with toasted sesame oil,a little soy and plenty of warming ginger,this simple,comforting braise makes an appearance on our dinner table any time someone shows signs of illness. Served simply with steamed rice,it literally tastes like a warm hug from my mum.
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup (60ml) sesame oil
- 6cm piece old ginger (see Note),skin on,sliced
- 6-8 chicken thigh fillets,cut in half
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- steamed rice,to serve
Chiffon omelette
They say the key to a perfect omelette is the right technique and a lot of patience. If we're talking about the French omelette,that is absolutely right. By this definition,a perfect omelette has a pale and even yellow colour,with no signs of caramelisation. While the surface of the omelette is perfectly set,the centre is just underdone,giving way to a custardy interior when sliced open. Perfection,as they say.
The masala omelettes,fried oyster omelettes and green bean omelettes of my childhood all beg to differ. Crisp,fluffy and golden – a result of plenty of oil and plenty of heat – the Asian approach to omelettes champions all of the characteristics the Western world condemns.
This omelette recipe is a hybrid of the Thai khai jiao and egg foo young. Eggs are whisked thoroughly,combined with fillings of your choice and fried in hot oil to create golden clouds. You can introduce as many or as few fillings as you like – just ensure that they are sliced thinly enough to cook quickly,or are already cooked. I have written as many suggestions for fillings as I can think of,but feel free to improvise. I particularly like the version with crab and spring onion.
INGREDIENTS
Egg fried rice
Needing no introduction,Egg fried rice is the most basic fried rice in the Chinese repertoire. Consider it a jumping-off point for other variations and a base for adding any other ingredients you wish. Once you can successfully cook egg fried rice,you'll be able to nail every other version,too.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 ⅔ cups (500g) day-old cooked rice
- ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp MSG (optional,see Note)
- 2 spring onions,sliced into rounds
METHOD
Smashed cucumber salad
It's not often you come across a dish that is as much fun to prepare as it is to eat. Smacking the cucumber with the back of a knife or cleaver,or even a hammer,creates lovely nooks and crevices for the dressing to find its way into,resulting in a punchy,refreshing dish for those swelteringly hot days.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Lebanese cucumber
- ½ tsp salt
- coriander leaves,to serve
Dressing
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp chilli oil (see below,or use Lao Gan Mao chilli oil)
- 1 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic,grated
- 1 tsp caster sugar
METHOD
- Top and tail the cucumber and halve it lengthways. Use the blunt edge of a knife or cleaver to smash it into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle with the salt and allow to stand for 10 minutes to draw out the excess moisture. Rinse off the salt and drain the cucumber in a colander,then pat it dry with paper towel.
- To make the dressing,mix all the ingredients to combine. Toss the cucumber through the dressing to coat,top with coriander leaves and serve.
Serves1
Note:If chilli oil isn't your thing,you can make a milder version of this salad. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until smoking and pour it over the salad instead of the chilli oil,along with the dressing. The flavour of cooked oil is a common and welcome addition to fresh garnishes and condiments in Chinese cuisine.
Chilli oil
The common Chinese name for chilli oil – hong you,or"red oil"– is a reference to its astonishingly vibrant colour. In its purest form chilli oil is made by pouring hot oil over crushed dried chillies and leaving them to infuse. I like mine with heaps of salty sediment,and this recipe ensures the maximum amount of"bits"at the bottom of the jar. I've divided the recipe into parts for clarity. Dried Sichuan chillies are long,red,intensely flavoured chillies. There are a few varieties available,ranging from moderate to very spicy,and your local Asian grocer should stock at least one of them. If you can't get them,use any other dried chillies,but remember the heat will vary.
INGREDIENTS
Part 1
- 40g dried Sichuan chillies,or other dried chillies
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns