8 healthy, home-made Chinese recipes from celebrity chef Jeremy Pang

Jeremy Pang shares his healthy take on the nation’s favourite Chinese meals

(Lee Kum Kee - Jeremy Pang)

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.

Jeremy Pang founded the School of Wok, an award-winning Asian cookery school, in 2009 (Jeremy Pang)

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.

You can add chilli oil for a kick of spice (Lee Kum Kee - Jeremy Pang)

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).

Squid is high in vitamin B12 and helps with blood cell health (Lee Kum Kee - Jeremy Pang)

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).

Pak choi is part of the cabbage family and is full of vitamin C (Lee Kum Kee - Jeremy Pang)

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).

This butternut squash and quinoa dish makes for a perfect healthy dinner (Lee Kum Kee - Jeremy Pang)

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.

The rice soaks up the flavour from the beef and broccoli and works as a great base for the dish (Lee Kum Kee - Jeremy Pang)

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).

Cauliflower rice packs way more nutrients than plain rice without sacrificing taste (Lee Kum Kee - Jeremy Pang)

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.

You can substitute the salmon for trout (Lee Kum Kee - Jeremy Pang)

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.

These colourful noodles don’t only look great, they taste great too (Lee Kum Kee - Jeremy Pang)

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.