Get your bold flavours fast with these two simple Asian dishes
This week's column focuses on speed, turning to some Chinese takeaway classics to showcase how to produce quick and delicious dining in record time. 'Chow mein' covers a wider description of regional Chinese dishes that involves stir-frying noodles in spices and seasoning with a variety of meats, seafood or in today's case: vegetables.
This is the sort of dish that leans heavily on the store cupboard for rapid-fire flavours. It was also a staff food favourite where I worked for a period. It certainly ticks all the relevant boxes: quick, cheap, nutritious, delicious. I've been fortunate enough to travel throughout Asia, where a bowl of noodles on the side of the street, late at night, is one of life's great culinary joys. Spending a little extra on some local, seasonal vegetables will make the world of difference here. While I've used kale and chard leaves, you can substitute these and follow the same cooking method. The sauce uses soy, hoisin, some wine and sesame oil thickened with cornflour to pack a punch. It is a winner when you're on the go.
Ten-minute chow mein with spring vegetables and peanuts. Photograph: Harry Weir
The second dish is one of the world's most popular: sweet-and-sour chicken. This isn't exactly authentic, probably comprising elements from various regions of Asia. The concept is simple: fry meat, fish or vegetables in cornflour before glazing in a simple sauce made from sugar and vinegar. It's also common as a dipping sauce for lots of dishes. Many western recipes incorporate fruit such as pineapple or pear, so I've done the same here. Using up the pineapple juice is also a great way to bulk up the sauce alongside sweet chilli.
Sweet and sour chicken with rice. Photograph: Harry Weir
I've also added a great hack for perfectly steamed rice using a Pyrex bowl, boiling water and any traditional steamer. This is the only way I cook rice at home; it offers consistent results and avoids the need to scrape burnt rice from the bottom of your pot after a day of soaking it in the sink. Always a bonus.
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While this week's recipes are simple, the aim is to make them helpful to our packed modern schedules by delivering delicious food, fast.
Recipe: Sweet-and-sour chicken with steamed rice
Recipe: Ten-minute chow mein with spring vegetables
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