21 Chinese Starters

Mix all the filling ingredients into a bowl and with clean hands squeeze the filling through your fingers so that all the flavors are combined well. Wash your hands and dry well. Sprinkle a sheet tray or a plate with some cornflour. Then place a d

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling and mix well. Take one wonton wrapper and place one heaped teaspoon of the filling in the center. Then gather up the sides of the wonton wrapper and mold around the filling into a ball s

Heat a wok over high heat and pour in the vegetable oil. Add the dried chillies and habanero and toss for a few seconds until toasted, and then add the ginger and stir-fry briefly. Stir in the scallops and cook, tossing continually, for 1 minute. Pul

For the ribs: In a large bowl, combine ketchup, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, five-spice and rice wine. Then add the ribs. Marinate the ribs for one hour in the refrigerator, or as long as overnight. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high

With a mortar and pestle or food processor, blend the shrimp paste, red pepper flakes, ginger, lemongrass, chilli, coriander and salt into a smooth paste. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the coconut milk and oil; the marinade will be the consis

Notes: Called 'siu mai', these are open-wrapped steamed pork and prawn dumplings that can be found in all the dim sum restaurants in Hong Kong and across the world. They are sometimes made with a pork and mushroom filling and topped with a red wolfbe

Have the butcher cut rib rack in half through the bone. Cut each half into separate single ribs. In a large bowl, mix together the ingredients for the marinade. Add the ribs and marinate for as long as possible, overnight is best. Preheat oven

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling, mix well and set aside. Take one wonton wrapper and place one and a half teaspoons of the filling in the centre. Brush the edges of the wrapper with the beaten egg and then gather up t

For the chicken salad: 1) Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas mark 4. Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with some of the olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. 2) Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just

Thoroughly mix together the beef, ginger, garlic, half of the chillies and the spring onions in a medium bowl. Add the Shaoshing, soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, sugar, salt and black pepper and mix into the meat mixture until well combined using

Butter lettuce and roasted peanuts give crunch to this dish.

In a large bowl place the chicken thighs. Cover the chicken with the garlic, light soy, salt and Chinese five spice powder and stir to coat. Toss the chicken with the toasted sesame oil. Let marinate for as much time as you have, for best results, le

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinade. Add the pork, cover with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge to marinate for as long as possible, preferably overnight. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180°C. Remove th

Whip up this simple starter using some indulgent ingredients.

1) In a bowl, whisk together chilli-garlic sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar and sherry. 2) Slice the tofu into 1cm thick slabs and lay the slices on top of kitchen towels. Use more kitchen towels to firmly pat the tofu in order

Spice up your dinner date with these Chinese-inspired bites.

Notes: This stir-fry is full of flavour and can be served up in a matter of minutes. The dish was inspired by all the cheap and cheerful seafood places in Hong Kong that I visited, where some of the most amazing seafood was served! I was particularly

These colourful wraps make for a perfect lunchbox filler.

Notes: In Hong Kong they love and are famed for their skill at rotisserie-style cooking, where whole ducks, chickens and pigs, with their entrails, are roasted to a golden or soy colour. Many eateries display a range of cooked food in their window fr

To make the pork belly: Preheat the oven to 160°C. Score the pork skin lengthwise, every half inch. Brush with the canola oil, tamarind and honey. Place the apples cut-side down in a roasting pan and place the pork on top. Add the apple juice to

For the Pork Dumplings Blend together pork, cabbage, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sugar. Fry a small patty in a pan to test for seasoning, then adjust to taste. Brush the outside 1/2 of one side of a won ton skin with water and place a teaspoo