Budget-friendly Asian dinner recipes in 30 minutes or less

The wok is an incredibly quick, heat-efficient cooking method – and a lot less expensive (and bulky) than an air fryer, says Lauren Taylor. These recipes from Ching-He Huang’s new book, Wok For Less, put this essential kitchen utensil to good use

These clever, traditional recipes reduce costs without scrimping on taste (Jamie Cho/PA)

In this dish, slivers of smoked bacon lardons are tossed with cucumber for a super umami-charged meal.

“You can use celery slices instead of cucumber to add a fresh, satisfying crunch,” says TV chef and cookery author Ching-He Huang. “This punchy, spicy, tangy, sweet dish is perfect against the backdrop of plain jasmine rice. Once of my favourite combinations ever.”

Sichuan pork, cucumber and chilli sauce

This dish is quicker than waiting for a takeaway (Jamie Cho/PA)

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

50g lean smoked bacon lardons, finely diced

1 tsp Shaohsing rice wine

⅓ large cucumber, deseeded and sliced into 0.5cm half-moons

¼ tsp chilli bean sauce

1 tbsp low-sodium light soy sauce

1 tsp golden syrup

1 tsp clear rice vinegar

6-8 roasted, unsalted peanuts

2 sprigs of fresh coriander, finely chopped

Very small pinch of dried chilli flakes

Cooked jasmine rice, to serve

Method:

1. Heat a wok over a high heat. Add the rapeseed oil and give it a swirl.

2. Add the garlic and red chilli, stirring for three to four seconds.

3. Add the smoked bacon lardons and stir-fry for five to 10 seconds until caramelised at the edges. Season with the Shaohsing rice wine.

4. Add the cucumber slices, chilli bean sauce, light soy sauce, golden syrup and clear rice vinegar, and toss well for 10 seconds until the cucumber has softened but still has a slight tender bite.

5. Add the roasted peanuts. Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle over the coriander and dried chilli flakes and serve with jasmine rice.

Saucy oyster sauce beef and broccoli chow mein

Try this classic and satisfying dinner (Jamie Cho/PA)

Nothing beats a classic beef and oyster sauce broccoli chow mein. “The combination of juicy beef rump steak tossed in an umami oyster sauce with tender broccoli steams on chunky egg noodles, and seasoned with big hits of ground black pepper makes this an all-round winner.”

“Instead of the drier versions of this classic, I’ve made it saucier to coat the delicious noodles. Enjoy!”

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For the beef:

180g beef rump fillet, diced

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

2.5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp low-sodium light soy sauce

2 pinches of ground white pepper

1 tbsp cornflour

For the chow mein:

350ml water

200g long-stem broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

200g cooked egg noodles

Pinch of ground black pepper

1 spring onion, trimmed and finely sliced, to garnish

For the seasoning:

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp low-sodium light soy sauce

200ml cold vegetable stock

2 tbsp cornflour

Method:

1. In a jug, add all the seasoning ingredients and stir to combine well.

2. In a bowl, add the beef pieces, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, ground white pepper and cornflour. Mix to coat well and let it marinate for 10 minutes.

3. Pour the measured water into a wok, then bring to the boil. Add the broccoli pieces and blanch for 30 seconds. Remove, then drain.

4. Reheat the wok over a high heat until smoking. Add the rapeseed oil and give it a swirl.

5. Add the marinated beef and let it settle for 30 seconds, then toss and stir-fry for five seconds to sear and colour the edges. For medium done, cook for another 20 seconds.

6. Add the sauce, bring to the boil and cook for three to four minutes until thickened enough to coat the beef.

7. Add the broccoli and cooked egg noodles. Toss together well, stirring everything thoroughly. Add the ground black pepper, sprinkle over the spring onion and serve immediately.

Vegan option:  Add some chunky king trumpet mushrooms sliced into five centimetre batons, mushroom sauce instead of oyster sauce and wheat-flour noodles instead of egg noodles.

Smoked tofu veggie stir-fry with cashew nuts

This is a great dish for clearing the fridge (Jamie Cho/PA)

“It’s amazing what a little carrot, red pepper and spring onion can do! Or you can use whatever veggies you have to hand – this one is delicious and versatile.”

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 garlic clove, peeled, crushed, and finely chopped

2.5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

½ red onion, sliced

100g smoked tofu, sliced into strips

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 carrot, trimmed and sliced into julienne strips on the diagonal

½ red pepper, cored, deseeded and sliced into strips

2 spring onions, trimmed and sliced into 5cm pieces

1 tbsp Shaohsing rice wine

1 tbsp vegetarian mushroom sauce

1 tbsp low-sodium light soy sauce

1 tsp golden syrup

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

8 whole roasted, unsalted cashew nuts, halved

Cooked jasmine rice, to serve

Black sesame seeds, to garnish

Method:

1. Heat a wok over a high heat until smoking. Add the rapeseed oil and give it a swirl.

2. Add the garlic, ginger, red chilli and red onion and toss for a few seconds.

3. Add the smoked tofu and season with the dark soy sauce, then toss for a few seconds. Add the carrot, red pepper and spring onions, then season with Shaohsing rice wine.

4. Add the vegetarian mushroom sauce, light soy sauce and golden syrup, and toss well.

5. Season with the toasted sesame oil, then add the roasted cashew nuts. Sprinkle over the black sesame seeds and serve with jasmine rice.

‘Wok For Less’ by Ching-He Huang (Kyle Books, £25).