This is my go-to recipe for salmon. It’s easy, tasty, and healthy. We have this in the house almost every week. It pairs exceptionally well with anything green, whether a hot stir-fry or a cool salad.

4 salmon fillets (about a pound)
3 tsp sherry, wine, or any asian vinegar
1 tsp ginger root, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp black bean sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
4 Tbsp chopped green onion for garnish

Mix the sherry, ginger root, salt, garlic, black bean sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.

STEAM METHOD: Set each portion of fish on a piece of parchment paper skin-side down. Top each portion with a small spoonful of the sauce. Spread the sauce to the edges of the fillet. Lift fish by the parchment and place in a steamer basket, evenly spaced. Steam fish 10-12 minutes.

PAN FRY METHOD: In a nonstick frypan or wok heat a few teaspoons of peanut or canola oil over medium heat. Place each portion of fish skin-side up in the pan and cook just for a few minutes, just enough to cook the tops of the fillets. Flip the portions skin-side down. Top each portion with a small spoonful of sauce and spread sauce to the edges of the fillet. Cover the frypan and cook another three to five minutes, until fillets are just cooked through.

Plate the fillets and garnish with green onion. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

1 lb chicken breast (about three breasts)
2 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp mixed peppercorns, coarsely ground
1 Tbsp oil
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
2 Tbsp oyster sauce

Slice the chicken into thin strips. Toss with the ketchup and soy sauce and let marinate at least fifteen minutes. Slice the peppers into long thin strips.

Heat the tablespoon of oil in a wok. Spread the chicken pieces out on a plate and sprinkle the peppercorns over it evenly. Add the chicken to the wok and stir-fry 3-5 minutes, until chicken is mostly cooked.

Add the pepper strips to the pan and stir-fry five minutes. Add the oyster sauce and heat through, another two minutes. Serve hot over rice.

Makes 4 Servings.

This is a super-easy and healthy soup; great as a side-dish to a Chinese meal or on it’s own. It’s so fast I’ve actually made it in the morning to take in my lunch to work! This is a completely invented recipe and there is lots of room to personalize it with your own favorite ingredients. You can easily make this a vegetarian soup by using meatless broth and won tons.

6 cups weak chicken broth (I use 6 cups of water and 2 boullion cubes)
1 1/2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp black rice vinegar (Chinkiang)
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
12-16 frozen won tons
1 – 2 cups baby spinach, sliced or chopped
2 green onions, sliced

In a pot combine the broth, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Heat to a rolling boil.

Add the frozen won tons to the pot and bring back to boiling. Simmer for twelve minutes, or until won tons are cooked through.

Right before serving, turn off the heat and add the baby spinach and green onion to the pot. This will wilt the greens so they are soft, but the taste of the greens won’t overpower the other flavors in the dish.

Makes 4-6 Servings

This one often turns out less spicy than the other two recipes, so is generally acceptable by children. Serve with cooked rice, we prefer Jasmine or Basmati rice. I’ve tried this with a bold red wine, and it was alright, but think a milder red would be best. Though this is a chicken dish, I feel that a white wine would be too weak for it (though I’m no wine expert).

2 Tbsp Chinese rice wine
1 Tbsp cornflour
1/3 cup dark soy sauce
3 tsp sesame oil
1lb 13oz chicken thighs cut into 1-1/4″ cubes
2 pieces dried citrus peel
1 1/2 – 2 tsp chilli flakes
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 cup thinly sliced spring onions
2 tsp sugar

Combine the rice wine, cornflour, 2 Tbsp dark soy sauce and 2 tsp sesame oil in a large non-metallic bowl. Toss the chicken, cover and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, soak the citrus peel in warm water for 20 minutes and then chop. You want about 1 1/2 tsp of chopped peel.

Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Drain the chicken from the marinade using a slotted spoon and stir-fry in batches for 2 minutes or until browned and just cooked through. Remove from oil and leave to drain.

Drain all the oil except 1 Tbsp and reheat then add the chilli flakes and ginger stir-frying for 10 seconds. return the chicken to the wok and add the spring onion, sugar, soaked citrus peel, remaining soy sauce and sesame oil. Add 1/2 tsp salt if desired. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until well combined and warmed through.

Garnish with spring onion and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings

This is a medium-to-hot spicy dish, you can very the heat by how many dried chilies you use. My man loves this dish; chicken in a thick and rich spicy sauce. My daughter doesn’t eat this because of the spice, even if I try to make it milder. I often double the recipe, if only to avoid fights over the leftovers!

1 pound 2 oz. chicken thighs
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
2 tsp cornstarch
2-3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 scallions, cut into short sections, separate the green and white parts
4-6 small dried red chilies, soaked and seeded
2 Tbsp crushed yellow bean sauce
2/3 cup Chinese Stock or water

Cut or chop the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and marinate iwth the pepper, sugar, soy sauce, wine, and cornstarch for 25-30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a pre-heated wok and stir-fry the chicken for about 1-2 minutes until lightly brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, transfer to a warm dish, and reserve. Add the garlic, white parts of the scallions, the chilies, and the yellow bean sauce to the wok and stir-fry for about 30 seconds.

Return the chicken to the wok, stirring constantly for about 1-2 minutes, then add the stock or water, bring to a boil, and cover. Braise over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring once or twice. Garnish with the green parts of the scallions and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information:
218 cals, 23g protein, 8g carbs, 4g sugars, 9g fat, 2g saturates

1/2 lb (225g) Beef, sliced thin against the grain

Marinade:
2 T Soy sauce
1 T Rice wine vinegar
1/2 t Sugar
1 Clove garlic, minced
1 t Minced ginger root
1 T Cornstarch
1 T Sesame seed oil
1 T Oyster sauce (optional)

2-3 c Broccoli flowerets

Combine sliced beef with marinade in a heat proof dish with a rim. Place in steamer and steam for 10 minutes. Remove cover and arrange broccoli around outer edge of plate. Cover and steam 10 minutes more. Serve with hot white rice

10 oz Chicken breast, cubed
1/4 t Salt
1/2 Egg white
1 t Cornstarch paste
1 Green pepper, cubed
1/2 t Peanut oil
1 Green onion, sliced
6 Slices ginger root
2 T Soy bean sauce
1 t Rice wine
1/2 c Peanuts, unsalted
4-5 Dried red chilies, soaked and sliced

Place the chicken in a bowl with the salt, egg white, and cornstarch paste. Mix well. Heat the oil in a wok and add chicken, stir-fry for one minute. Remove and keep warm. Add the green onion, peppers, chilies, and ginger root. Stir fry for one minute and then add the chicken, bean sauce, and wine. Blend well and stir-fry another minute. Stir in the peanuts and serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings

Per Serving:
Calories: 223.5
Fat: 11.75g
Carbs: 8 g
Fibre: 2.25 g
Protein: 23 g

Bun Dough:
2 2/3 c Flour
2 t Baking powder
3/4 c Sugar
2/3 T Lard or vegetables oil
2/3 T Vinegar
1 Egg white
1 lb Yeast dough, previously prepared

To prepare yeast dough: Dissolve 1 tablespoon dry yeast in 1-1/3 cups luke warm water. Mix well with 2-2/3cups of flour and knead until smooth. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 5 hours.

8 oz Barbecue Pork
2 Pieces green onion, each 2-inch long
3 Cloves garlic
3 T Sugar

Seasoning Mixture:
1 T Soy sauce
1 T Oyster sauce
1 T Sesame oil
1 t Salt
1/2 t Ground white pepper
2/3 c Water
2 t Cornstarch, dissolved in 4 tsp. water
3 T Vegetables oil

Combine all the ingredients for buns in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and knead well until smooth. Press into a large ball and let stand for a while.

Cut barbecued pork into 3/5-inch (1.5cm) squares, 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick. Crush green onions and cloves of garlic.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok. Stir-fry green onions and garlic until the oil is well-flavored. Add sugar, continue stir-frying until sugar becomes amber colored.
Remove green onions and garlic from the pan. Add pre combined Seasoning Mixture. When it comes to a boil, pour in the dissolved cornstarch so it will thicken.
Transfer this sauce to a bowl and cool completely. Then add pork pieces. Mix well.

Divide dough for buns to 20 portions, one portion weighs about 1-2/3 oz. (50 g).
Flatten each piece to 2 1/2-inch (6 cm) diameter patty. Place 1 Tbs. pork filling in the center of each patty. Fold dough over the filling and pinch tightly to seal.
Place 2-inch (5 cm) square parchment paper at the bottom of each bun. Place buns in a heated steamer and steam over high heat for 15 minutes.

Choose meat which has fat running through the center. I prefer all lean. Cut into long strips, 1 x 1¼ x 5 inches. Makes 3-4 small diamond slits on each strip. Lay pork strips at the base of flat-bottomed container and sprinkle green onion and slices of ginger on top.

Combine soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar with red food coloring. Stir well. Pour over meat and set it aside for 3 hours. Drain pork but reserve liquid (sauce).
In a non-stick baking pan, place the drained pork strips. Roast in a hot oven 350ºF for about 15 minutes. Take the pan out, baste meat with the reserve sauce and turn it over. Put the pan back in the oven to bake for additional 10 minutes. Brush the warm meat win a mixture of corn syrup and oil and let it cool. Slice thinly before serving.
Make 5-8 servings.

8 Chicken Thighs
Salt and pepper to taste
10 oz Oyster Sauce
2 t Garlic, minced
3/4 c White sugar
1/4 c Water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place chicken in a lightly greased 9×13 in pan. Season with salt and
pepper to taste and bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes.

In a medium bowl combine the oyster sauce, garlic, sugar, and water. Mix
well; add more sugar to taste if needed.

After the chicken has baked for 25 minutes, pour sauce over and bake for
another 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run
clear.