Pork and cabbage dumplings
A classic Chinese dish from the cookbook Bao Family by Céline Chung. These tasty dumplings are simple to make and well-loved…
Apple fritters with caramel
A popular dish from the cookbook Bao Family by Céline Chung. Granny Smith apples are a great choice, as they’re firm and slightly tart, which balances out the sweet sugar coating…
Basic red chilli oil
In the last 10 years, I have noticed how Chinese-style chilli oils have become a staple in many households’ pantries. This is thanks to the rise in international students from China, more specifically central China, travelling abroad to study or start new lives. Because central Chinese flavours are so unique…
Smash cucumber salad
Every region in China will tend to have their own version of this dish; however, the one I constantly crave is the garlicky spicy kind. The simple mix of soy sauce, chilli oil and raw garlic is such a classic central Chinese flavour that has grown to be very popular in the West too…
Stir-fried lamb with leeks and coriander
We love the old-world, gruff charm of Kao Rou Ji restaurant in Beijing’s Houhai precinct. This gorgeous area is right on the lake and although it has been hijacked somewhat by souvenir shops and pizza joints, it still speaks of a time when life was a little less polished and a lot less Westernised. The dining room is filled with the smells of cumin and lamb and barbecued meat and this dish reminds us of being there…