8 healthy, home-made Chinese recipes from celebrity chef Jeremy Pang
Jeremy Pang shares his healthy take on the nation’s favourite Chinese meals
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Your support makes all the difference.Like everyone, I am so excited that restaurants are open again but that doesn’t mean I want to stop cooking at home. Working remotely and staying at home allowed for much more time to try new recipes and explore our palates. Falling back in love with home-cooked food turned out to be cheaper and healthier for me, and I don’t want to lose that momentum.
According to new stats, 77% of people agreed that they enjoyed cooking at home and weren’t bored with it. To help people find new ways to enjoy home-cooked Chinese meals, the sauce brand Lee Kum Kee compiled the UK’s favourite classic Chinese meals. The five most loved meals were sweet and sour dishes, noodle dishes, fried rice, beef in black bean sauce, and crispy chilli beef.
In addition to the list of classic food, Lee Kum Kee has recently released a “Wok to Wellness” cooking kit that includes everything you need to make these feel-good Chinese home-made meals. The kit is available online for £23.99 and includes six sauces, an exclusive recipe book and expert cooking tips.
So if you’re one of those who has grown to love cooking at home, check out these eight dishes from the celebrity chef Jeremy Pang, based on the most popular Chinese dishes in the UK.
Hot and Spicy Soup with Glass Noodles
Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
600g mung bean vermicelli, soaked
400g beansprouts, washed
160g edamame beans, blanched in boiling water
4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 pak choi/ Chinese leaf, sliced
1 spring onion, sliced
½ carrot, matchsticks
½ courgette, matchsticks
Small bunch coriander
For the soup:
3 large dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water, sliced
1 spring onion, cut in half
1 red chilli, sliced
1 litre chicken stock
25g ginger, sliced
1 sachet Lee Kum Kee Tomato Garlic Stir-fry Sauce
2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce
For the egg:
2 soft boiled eggs
10 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Light Soy Sauce
10 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Seasoned Rice Vinegar
Method:
1. Place room-temp eggs into boiling water for 5½ minutes. Remove and cool in cold water. Peel eggs and soak in mixture for 30 minutes.
2. Sear spring onions and ginger in a saucepan for 30 seconds on a medium heat. Add chillies, stir along with Lee Kum Kee Tomato Garlic Stir-fry Sauce, Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce and shiitake mushrooms.
3. Pour chicken stock into pan and a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Place noodles into soup and boil for 2 minutes. Serve in a bowl. Arrange the vegetables, beansprouts, mushrooms, edamame beans and coriander over noodles. Pour soup over and top with a halved soy egg.
Tips: 1 tbsp of Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Chilli Oil for a spicy kick (optional). 15g dried seaweed (optional). 30g pickled ginger (optional).
Grilled Stuffed Squid with Herbed Polenta
Makes: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
4 squid (700g), cleaned, whole bodies
100g polenta
10 spears of asparagus, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
50g coriander, chopped
50g dill, chopped
1 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Char Siu Sauce
Marinade:
1 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce
Dressing:
1 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 tsp honey
Method:
1. Cook polenta and season with the marinade. Add vegetables and herbs.
2. Make a small hole in the pointed end of each squid body and stuff with polenta. Skewer the bottom of each squid.
3. Lay squid on a tray and brush with Char Siu Sauce & 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
4. Heat a pan to a high heat. Place squid in the pan and sear on each side, turning once. Remove and slice to serve with dressing on the squid.
Tips: Add 1 tsp of Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil for nuttiness (optional). 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional).
Grilled Prawns with Sweet and Sour Glaze
Makes: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
400g raw prawns, butterflied
200g pak choi, quartered
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 pepper, chopped into squares
100g pineapple, chopped
½ red onion, sliced
½ tsp vegetable oil
Sauce Mix:
1 sachet Lee Kum Kee Tomato Garlic Stir-fry Sauce
2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 tbsp honey
Method:
1. Rub vegetable oil over prawns.
2. Heat pan to a high heat, then place the prawns in the pan and press them down until they char. Add peppers, pineapple, garlic and red onion over the prawns and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
3. Pour sauce mix over the prawns. Allow to sizzle for 30 seconds before serving.
4. Steam pak choi for 2 minutes and serve the prawns on top.
Tips: Best served with a bowl of steamed rice on the side. Add ½ tsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce for deeper colour (optional).
Butternut Squash Char Siu
Makes: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35-45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, skin on
150g quinoa, washed
Handful of coriander leaves, chopped
A pinch of salt
Marinade:
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, chopped
4 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Char Siu Sauce
4 tbsp water
2 tsp tomato paste
½ tsp English mustard
½ tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce
Method:
1. Slice butternut squash into quarters and score the flesh inside diagonally.
2. Marinade squash pieces and massage marinade around them. Place squash skin side down and cover with foil.
3. Preheat oven to 180℃. Place squash in oven for 35-45 minutes.
4. Switch grill to 230℃ and remove the foil. Grill for 5-6 minutes.
5. Boil quinoa in a saucepan with water and a pinch of sea salt for 10-12 minutes. Mix with coriander leaves. Serve on the side.
Tips: Add grilled chicken for a source of protein.
Black Bean Beef with Tenderstem Broccoli
Makes: 4
Prep time: 2-3 hours
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
500g beef short rib/brisket
200g wild rice, washed
200g broccoli, florets
4 carrots, chunks
4 garlic cloves
2 spring onions, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
½ piece of ginger, sliced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp cornflour
Pinch of sea salt
Sauce Mix:
2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Black Bean Garlic Sauce
1 ladle of poaching liquid
½ tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Light Soy Sauce
½ tsp brown / palm sugar
Method:
1. Place the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and sea salt in a saucepan on a medium heat for 30 seconds. Fill saucepan with 1-2 litres of boiling water. Place beef inside and simmer for 2-3 hours. Add the carrots and broccoli for 3-4 minutes. Remove vegetables and beef, and cool for 5-10 minutes. Rub corn flour on the meat.
2. Place the rice in a saucepan and cover to ⅔ full with cold water. Boil on a high heat and turn low to a simmer for 30-40 minutes. Pour through a sieve and back into the pan until ready to serve.
3. Place vegetable oil in a wok on a high heat. Add ginger, spring onion, carrots, broccoli and beef into the wok and stir fry for 2 minutes. Pour sauce mix over the top and boil for 2-3 minutes. Continue to stir. Garnish with coriander and chilli. Serve.
Tips: Add ½ tsp of Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil for nuttiness (optional).
Pineapple & Chilli Fried Rice
Makes: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
200g cauliflower (for the rice), washed, chopped into ‘rice size’ pieces
200g pearl barley
2 eggs, beaten
2 cloves garlic, sliced
100g pineapple, diced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Sauce mix:
1 tsp Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Chilli Oil
1 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce
2 tsp Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil
Garnish:
1 spring onion, rings
10g coriander, torn
Method:
1. Rinse pearl barley and place in a saucepan, boil for 25-30 mins and drain through a sieve.
2. Place ½ tbsp vegetable oil into a wok on a high heat. Pour the egg inside, break it up and add vegetables. Lastly add the pearl barley.
3. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes, pour sauce mix into the wok and stir fry for a further minute. Garnish with coriander and spring onion. Serve.
Tips: For a non-vegetarian alternative add 100g of minced pork or turkey. Use Mushrooms Vegetarian Stir-fry Sauce for a vegetarian alternative.
Thai Style Salmon with Sesame Crust
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
2 x 200g salmon fillet, skin on
300g choi sum, washed
1 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemongrass, chopped
1 lime leaf, chopped
1 cup cornflour, on a tray
½ cup milk
80g black and white sesame seeds, spread out on a tray
25g ginger, chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Sauce mix:
1 sachet Lee Kum Kee Tomato Garlic Stir-fry Sauce
1 tbsp tamarind paste or 1 tsp white vinegar
1 ladle fresh chicken stock
1 tsp Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Chilli Oil
Juice of ½ lime
½ tbsp honey
Garnish:
Handful of coriander, torn
1 spring onion, sliced
1 long red chilli, sliced
Method:
1. Place the salmon skin side down in the cornflour tray and press down. Place skin side down again into milk, then the sesame seed tray.
2. Place 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Place fish skin side down. Press fish with a spatula for 30 seconds. Turn to medium heat and cook until fish is half cooked. Turn fish.
3. Place ginger, garlic, lemongrass and lime leaf in the frying pan and cook for 30 seconds. Turn to high heat and pour sauce mix in the pan around the side of the fish. Boil for 2 minutes.
4. Boil choi sum for 2 minutes. Place onto serving plate as a ‘bed’.
5. Serve fish on top of the choi sum and pour the sauce around the sides. Top with coriander, spring onion and chilli.
Tips: You can replace the salmon with trout.
Rainbow Chow Mein
Makes: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
200g wheat soba noodles, soaked in hot water
300g pork loin / pork fillet, cut into matchsticks
2 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 yellow pepper, cut into matchsticks
1 green pepper, cut into matchsticks
2 spring onion, sliced
200g red cabbage, shredded
200g beansprouts
100g watercress
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Dash of Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil
Pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Marinade:
2 tsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce
Sauce Mix:
100ml chicken stock
2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce
Method:
1. Marinade the pork for 30 minutes.
2. Turn wok onto high heat and add ½ tbsp vegetable oil. Add marinated pork and sear until cooked, then remove. Add another ½ tbsp vegetable oil into wok. Stir-fry vegetables, then add pork, followed by noodles and sauce mix. Stir for 1-2 minutes and serve on a plate.
3. Place watercress over noodles and flash fry beansprouts for 30 seconds with some salt, pepper and a dash of Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil. Pour beansprouts over the noodles. Garnish with spring onions.
Tips: Add chicken strips for a source of protein.
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