Chinese

Peeled prawns are available from seafood section of your supermarket. Remember to remove vein from prawn. Some ideas for sauces are sweet chilli or sweet and sour. Note

Spring roll wrappers are found in freezer section of supermarkets or Asian specialty stores. Makes 12 Note

You can use white-fleshed fish, such as blue-eye, in place of salmon in this recipe. Note

Remove the chilli seeds for a milder flavour. Note

Sambal oelek is a salty paste made from chillies, garlic and ginger. It is Indonesia in origin and available in Asian section of supermarkets. Note

If honey and ginger spread is unavailable, use honey combined with 1/4 teaspoon ground or grated fresh ginger. Note

Green ginger wine is available at liquour stores. Note

If wombok is not available, use 1/3 of a regular cabbage instead. Note

Meatballs suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

Szechuan seasoning is available in spice section of supermarkets. Note

Use fresh mango, if available. Peel and cut from stone into slices. Barbecued duck is available at Chinese stores – they can chop the duck for you. Barbecue chicken can be used as an alternative. Note

Lap chong is a dried Chinese pork sausage and can be found in the Asian section of supermarkets. Substitute mild salami, if preferred. Choose mussels that feel heavy for their size. Note

Look for jars of crispy fried shallots in the Asian section of supermarkets or at speciality Asian stores. If the bamboo steamer isn’t large enough for all the parcels, they may need to be steamed in two tiers or batches. Note

You could replace the pork with chicken thigh fillets, if you like. Or, slide sliced raw white fish into bowls and ladle boiling congee over the top to cook. For a richer flavour, try replacing the water with chicken stock. Make a quick congee by covering leftover cooked white rice with stock and simmering for […]

Drizzle a teaspoon or so of toasted sesame oil into the wok with the tofu for a delicious flavour boost. Note

Using vegetarian chicken-style sausages, this quick, easy and super delicious vegetarian fried rice is loaded with vegetables, topped with crispy fried shallots and subtly spiced.

This recipe could also be made with sliced lamb steaks. Note

Wraps are the ultimate DIY dinner. Sarah Bowman sets out the blueprint so there’ll be no disasters

Wraps are the ultimate DIY dinner. Sarah Bowman sets out the blueprint so there’ll be no disasters

Royal reds are deep-sea prawns always sold peeled – they are a cheaper alternative to other varieties. 200g extra uncooked prawns, shelled, could be used, if preferred. Note

Rinse the noodles in boiling water before adding them to the beef, so they are easier to stir-fry. You can add a bag of frozen chinese stir-fry vegetables, too. Note

Super fast, low kJ, low fat Note

Pass on the Chinese take-out and make your own sweet and sour pork instead!

Cold rice is best because the grains remain separate during frying. Cook it the night before. Spread onto a large tray, cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to use. Note

If you’re not fond of pork, you could replace it with beef, chicken or turkey mince, if you like. Note

Kang kong, or water spinach, is available from Asian grocery stores. It is unrelated to spinach but tastes similar. You can use 4 bunches of English spinach instead. Blanching the kang kong before stir-frying helps retain its vibrant green colour, and also makes the stalks less tough. Note

Ginger aids digestion and is useful in the treatment of nausea. Note

Char siu sauce is a Chinese barbecue sauce available from the supermarket. Note

You can puree it until smooth,leave it in delicious chunky pieces, or bit of both. Fried shallots are available in jars at supermarkets and Asian groceries – they add wonderful crunch factor. Note

If you can, buy live crabs from a fish market – the claws will be tied for your safety. Refrigerate the crab to put it to sleep and cook it that very day. Otherwise, already-killed uncooked blue swimmer crabs are available at fishmongers for about $30 a kilo. Don’t buy cooked crab for this recipe […]

Reserve pineapple juice and keep in the fridge to flavour chopped fresh fruit for a quick and easy dessert. Note

Sarah Bowman works wonders with the classic combination of sweet and salty flavours

Wrap a strip of foil around each drumette bone to make mini drumsticks easier to eat with fingers. Marinate drumettes in fridge overnight; they’ll be flavour-packed and ready to bake the next day. Note

Use hoisin sauce instead of black been sauce. Use pork strips instead of beef. Note

Use any rice or egg noodles; follow packet directions Use frozen pre-cut vegie stir-fry mix and stir-fry sauce. Note

Use drained canned baby corn. Note

To prevent fried chicken becoming soggy, arrange on plate then drizzle with sauce. Note

Instead of prawns, you could use chicken thigh fillets. If you don’t have a round cutter, cut bread into small triangles. To discard oil, cool completely then place in a plastic bag and discard. Never pour oil down the sink. Note

Snipping noodles makes them easier to mix through the other ingredients. Note

Try a combination of hoisin and plum sauce. Use bought crepes or serve meatballs in lettuce cups. You can freeze cooked pancakes; wrap in stacks of 5 for easy thawing. Note

You can replace the rice wine with dry sherry. Substitute 1 1/2 tablespoons black bean sauce for the fermented black beans. To make green onion curls, place thinly sliced onion in iced water. Note

Use beef rump steal or chicken breast fillet instead of pork; cooking time may vary. Note

Marinate pork for longer if time permits. Note

Use sliced boned pork shoulder chops instead of pork fillet, if liked. You can use any green vegetable, such as broccoli or sliced zucchini, instead of beans. Try adding a dash of sherry. You’ll need to cook about 1 cup rice to make 3 cups cooked. Note

You need 2 bamboo steaming baskets with lids – from Asian grocery stores. Note

Prawn mixture can keep in the freezer for up to three months. Note

Crisp, spicy coating and hot tender squid makes an irresistible combination that's packed full of flavour. Add a fun twist by flavouring the squid with Chinese five-spice powder.

You’ll need to cook 1 cup rice. To prevent just-cooked rice clumping together, spread it out on a baking tray to cool. To separate lettuce leaves, hold lettuce upright on a flat surface, then bang the core down to loosen. Twist and pull out core. Separate leaves, discarding damaged outer leaves if any. If you […]

Prepare all the ingredients before you start stir-frying. Vegetarian: Use chopped tofu instead of chicken. Cooking time and price will vary. Try sweet chilli sauce or satay sauce instead of black bean. Add some cashews with the black bean sauce. Price will vary. Serve with cooked noodles instead of rice. Note

Try chicken or pork mince instead of beef. Use frozen stir-fry vegetable mix instead of fresh vegetables. Chinese five spice powder is a blend of ground cinnamon, cloves, star anise, sichuan pepper and fennel; you’ll find it in the spice aisle. Note

Chop, measure and prepare all ingredients before starting to cook. Note

Gluten free? Use tamari (wheat-free soy sauce) instead of soy sauce and use gluten-free rice noodles instead of hokkien. Make ahead: Marinate tofu a day ahead. Cover, then refrigerate. Note

Replace beef with chicken or, for a vegetarian version, use tofu. Try replacing sesame seeds with crushed peanuts or crisp-fried shallots. Fried rice works best if made with cooked rice left in the refrigerator overnight – this removes moisture from the rice. Note

Budget beef rump is a less expensive alternative to rump steak. Note

Vietnamese salad dressing is in the Asian aisle of supermarkets. If unavailable, you can use any Asian-style dressing. Buy lemongrass paste from the chilled section in the fresh food aisle. If unavailable, use sliced lemongrass from a jar. Note

To ensure beef is tender, thinly slice it on an angle, against the grain. Try thinly sliced pork fillet or lamb steaks instead of beef. Note

Gow gee wrappers are with the refrigerated or frozen foods section of supermarkets. Note

Served on a bed of steamed rice, this delicious sweet and sour pork is the perfect quick midweek meal. To get a crisp coating on the pork, coat it in cornflour just before frying.

Red rice is a variety of rice where the “bran” is red in colour and only the outer husk has been removed. It has more bite than white rice and takes as long as brown rice to cook.

To make vegetarian, use 250g mashed firm tofu instead of chicken, and swap fish sauce for soy sauce. Don’t overfill dumplings, as some fillings expand during cooking. Note

Chicken lovely legs are chicken drumsticks with the skin removed and bone trimmed. Note

Omit the chilli, if you like You’ll need to cook 1 cup raw rice to make enough for this recipe. Note

This is a very pretty and delicious dish that is quick to prepare.

Traditionally made in China with local sausage and sweet potatoes, we found kumara and spicy pork sausage from the supermarket worked a treat.