The fantastic thing about wok-cooking lies in its versatility and pace. This pair of recipes begin with a calming noodle dish, originating in China’s Sichuan province, that may be ready virtually fully prematurely; its flavourful sauce is balanced between scorching, bitter and savoury, and the tingling citrus aroma of Sichuan peppercorns. It’s the proper dish for a picnic or occasion. The second is a Korean potato stir-fry that comes collectively in minutes. Shredding and washing the potatoes earlier than stir-frying offers them a uniquely crunchy, virtually cucumber-like texture that units them other than western-style rösti or hash browns.
Sichuan-fashion chilly noodles (pictured prime)
Prep 10 min
Prepare dinner 5 min
Serves 4
For the noodles
Salt
450g contemporary wheat noodles
Peanut oil, or different impartial oil
For the dressing
2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
2½cm thumb contemporary ginger, peeled
Salt
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp dried scorching chilli flakes(I like Sichuan er jing tiao or Korean gochugaru)
1 star anise
60 mlpeanut oil, or different impartial oil
3 tbsp mild soy sauce, plus extra to style
2 tbsp Chinkiang black rice vinegar, or rice vinegar, plus further to style
2 tsp sugar
Chilli oil, for serving
Deliver a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles, stir with chopsticks to separate them, and prepare dinner in accordance with the packet directions till the noodles are simply cooked by means of and retain a springy chunk. Drain by means of a fine-mesh strainer, chill with chilly working water, and toss with a few teaspoons of oil to forestall sticking. Put aside.
For the dressing, grind the Sichuan peppercorns to a powder in a mortar. Add the garlic, ginger and a pinch of salt and pound right into a paste. Add the spring onions (reserving some to serve), chillies and star anise, and stir with a fork or chopsticks to mix. Switch to a medium bowl.
Warmth the oil in a wok till smoking-scorching, then pour straight on prime of the paste combination. Stir instantly with chopsticks or a fork. It ought to sizzle quickly and launch its aroma. Stir within the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and a tablespoon of water till dissolved.
When able to serve, take away and discard the star anise from the dressing. Mix the noodles and dressing in a serving bowl, toss to mix, and season with extra soy sauce and vinegar to style. Garnish with the reserved spring onions and serve instantly with chilli oil on the aspect.
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Korean stir-fried shredded potatoes
Prep 10 min
Prepare dinner 5 min
Serves 4 as a small aspect dish
1 massive white or Yukon Gold potato (about 225g)
2 tbsp peanut oil, or different impartial oil
½ small yellow onion (about 60g), thinly sliced
½ medium carrot (about60g), peeled and minimize into positive matchsticks
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
A sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds (non-compulsory)
Salt and black pepper
Peel the potato and minimize it into positive matchsticks. Rinse in a number of modifications of chilly water till the water is totally clear. Spin dry the potato in a salad spinner or blot dry with a clear kitchen towel.
Warmth a wok over a excessive warmth till calmly smoking. Add the oil, swirl to coat, then add the potatoes and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, till translucent and simply starting to show pale golden brown in spots.
Add the onions and carrots and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, till each are calmly softened. Add the sesame oil and sesame seeds (if utilizing), season to style, then toss to mix, switch to a serving plate or bowl and serve.
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Recipes extracted from The Wok: Recipes and Methods, by J. Kenji López-Alt, revealed by WW Norton at £36. To purchase one for £31.32, go to guardianbookshop.com
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