Cantonese wonton soup

All of these ingredients should be readily available in your nearest Chinese supermarket.

Serves 4 to 6

250g (8oz) wonton skins, thaw thoroughly if frozen

For the filling:

250g (8oz) raw, uncooked prawns, peeled, deveined and chopped coarsely

250g (8oz) minced fatty pork

1tsp salt

1/2tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2tbsp light soy sauce

3tbsp spring onions, white part only, chopped finely

2tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped

1tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

1tsp sugar

2tsp sesame oil

1 egg white, beaten lightly

1.2 litres (2 pints) homemade chicken stock or quality shop-bought

1tbsp light soy sauce

1tsp sesame oil

Garnish: Chopped spring onions, green parts

METHOD

Put the prawns and pork in a large bowl, add the salt and pepper and mix well, either by kneading with your hands or by stirring with a wooden spoon.

Then add all the other filling ingredients, and stir them well into the prawn and pork mixture. Put clingfilm over the bowl and chill for at least 20 minutes.

When you are ready to stuff the wontons, put 1 tablespoon of the filling in the centre of the first wonton skin.

Dampen the edges with a little water and bring up the sides of the skin around the filling. Pinch the edges together at the top so that the wonton is sealed. It should look like a small filled bag.

When the wontons are ready, bring the stock, soy sauce and sesame oil to a simmer in a large pot.

In another large pot, bring salted water to the boil and poach the wontons for 1 minute or until they float to the top. Remove them immediately and transfer them to the pot with the stock.

This procedure will result in a cleaner-tasting broth. Continue to simmer them in the stock for 2 minutes.

Transfer to either a large soup bowl or to individual bowls. Garnish and serve immediately.

Steamed Cantonese-style fish

Serves 4

450g (1lb) firm white fish fillets, such as cod or sole, or a whole fish such as sole or turbot

1 tsp coarse sea salt or plain salt

11/2tbsp fresh ginger, finely shredded

3tbsp spring onions, finely shredded

2tbsp light soy sauce

2tsp dark soy sauce

1tbsp peanut or groundnut oil

2tsp sesame oil

Garnish: handful of fresh coriander sprigs

METHOD

Pat the fish or fish fillets dry with kitchen paper.

Rub with the salt evenly on the outside as well as the inside of the fish.

Next, set up a steamer or put a rack into a wok or deep pan and fill it with 5cm (2in) of water.

Bring the water to the boil over a high heat. Put the fish on a heatproof plate and scatter the ginger evenly over the top.

Put the plate of fish into the steamer or on to the rack. Cover the pan tightly and gently steam the fish until it is just cooked.

Flat fish will take about 5 min to cook. Whole fish or fillets such as sea bass will take 12-14 min. You will see the fish turning opaque and flaking slightly but still remaining moist.

Remove the plate of cooked fish, pour off excess liquid that may have accumulated on the plate, and scatter the spring onions on the fish together with the light and dark soy sauces.

Heat the two oils together in a small saucepan until it is smoking. When they are hot pour over the fish. Scatter with handful of coriander and serve at once.

Crispy Aromatic Duck

Serves 4 to 6

1 x 2.8kg (4 1/2-5lb) duck, fresh or frozen, preferably Cherry Valley

2 tbsp five spice powder

60g (2 1/2 oz) Sichuan peppercorn

25g (1oz) whole black pepper

3 tbsp cumin seeds

200g (7oz) rock salt

6 slices fresh ginger

6 spring onions

1.2 litres (2 pints) groundnut (peanut) oil

cornflour or plain flour, (or potato flour) for dusting

To serve:

Chinese pancakes (can be bought frozen)

6 spring onions, finely shredded

Hoisin sauce

METHOD

If the duck is frozen, thaw it thoroughly. Blot it with kitchen paper until it is thoroughly dry. Mix the spices and salt together in a small bowl, then rub it inside and out with this salt and spice mixture.

Cover the outside of the duck on both sides with the mixture as well. Make sure these are rubbed on evenly. Wrap well in clingfilm and place in the fridge for 24 hours.

After this time, brush the any excess salt from the duck. Cut the ginger into slices 7.5cm (3in) x 0.5cm (1/2in). Slice the spring onions into 7.5cm (3in) lengths.

Stuff the ginger and spring onions into the cavity of the duck, and put on a heatproof china or glass plate.

Next, set up a steamer or put a rack into a wok or deep pan and fill it with 5cm (2in) of water. ring the water to the boil over a high heat. Then lower the duck and plate into the steamer or on to the rack.

Turn the heat to low and cover the wok or pan tightly. Steam gently for 2 hours, pouring off the excess fat from time to time.

Replenish the water from time to time to keep the steam constant.

Remove the duck and pour off all the fat and liquid which may have accumulated. Discard the ginger and spring onions.

Keep the duck on a platter in a cool dry place for about 2 hours until it has thoroughly dried and cooled. At this point the duck can be refrigerated.

Just before you are ready to serve it, cut the duck into quarters.

Dust the duck with either cornflour or plain flour, shaking off the excess. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or wok. When the oil is almost smoking, deep-fry the duck quarters in 2 batches.

Fry the breasts for about 8-10 min and the thighs and legs for about 12-15 min until each quarter is crisp and warmed right through.

Drain the quarters on kitchen paper and then when it is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and shred it.

You can do this easily with a fork. The Chinese eat it with bones and all.

Serve with Chinese pancakes, spring onions, and hoisin sauce.

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