Taste the Orient: delicious Asian inspiration

It’s time to indulge in a flavour explosion of mouthwatering dishes inspired by the exotic spices, fresh herbs, crisp veggies and unique cooking techniques of the East. Packed with flavour, healthy, quick, easy and elegant, top-class Chinese cuisine is simple, delicate, satisfying and a sensory extravaganza of textures and flavours.

Authentic Chinese cooking calls for the freshest ingredients you can find – from veggies and herbs to seafood, chicken and beef – so visit your local markets and hand-pick your ingredients.

With the right ingredients and equipment – and just a little bit of know-how – you’ll find it’s not hard to master really great Chinese cuisine.

IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS

Most of these Chinese cooking ingredients should be available at your local grocery store.

Good soy sauce Use this instead of salt to season soups, dressings and fried rice, and pour some into a small ramekin as a table condiment.
Rice vinegar Not as acidic as balsamic or cider vinegars, rice vinegar provides the essential acidic component in Chinese cooking.
Fish sauce and/or oyster sauce Adds essential umami and depth of flavour to even simple stir-fries.
Hoisin sauce Give your stir-fries a mildly sweet, smoky flavour.
Sambal olek or chilli sauce
Sesame oil
Sesame seeds Lightly toasted sesame seeds finish off many dishes with a serious yum factor.
Rice No need to fuss – just choose your favourite type.
Noodles Experiment with the variety of Asian noodles on offer and then stock up on those you like the most.
Fresh root ginger and fresh garlic These Asian-cuisine staples can be grated, chopped, sliced or left whole.
Fresh coriander leaves Scatter over most dishes for the perfect finishing touch.
Dried shiitake mushrooms These have a more intense flavour than fresh mushrooms and add a meaty depth of flavour to many dishes. Soak them in water to rehydrate them before cooking.

Ginger

ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT

There are just two really important pieces of equipment you need for easy Chinese cooking:

A chef’s knife or Chinese cleaver A good knife makes prepping your ingredients a cinch. Slicing and dicing ingredients in all manner of ways is an integral part of Asian cuisine – choose a very sharp knife with good blade and heavy handle.
A really top-quality, sturdy wok, pan or grill that conducts heat evenly allows you to stir-fry at high temperatures while still having the large, rounded surface necessary to spread your ingredients out so they can sauté properly instead of steaming in a heap. Our comprehensive range of Le Creuset woks and stir-fry pans offers something for everyone.

Le Creuset Cast-Iron Wok with Glass Lid
Originally conceived to rest over a pit-style stove, the wok has been a staple of East Asian cuisine for centuries. Woks are typically used for stir-frying, but they are versatile enough to suit a variety of cooking techniques including braising, steaming and stewing. The flat base of our Cast Iron Wok with Glass Lid ensures solid contact with any stovetop heat source, including ceramic, electric, gas and induction, but still has the signature, functional curved sides.  Its durable black enamel finish requires no seasoning and the tight-fitting glass lid seals in heat and moisture. It is also oven and grill safe, and – a real plus – you can pop it in the dishwasher when you’re done.

Le Creuset Non-Stick Wok with Glass Lid
Made with our three-ply stainless-steel and featuring one of the most modern and technologically advanced PFOA-free coatings available, our ultimate Non-Stick Wok is tough, durable and resistant to wear and abrasion even when using metal utensils. Ideal for healthier cooking, the pans release food easily so little or no added fat is required. It comes with a lifetime guarantee, and you can use it on all hobs including ceramic, electric, gas and induction, as well as under the grill and in the oven. It is dishwasher safe for ultimate ease.

Le Creuset TNS Stir-Fry Pan
With deep curved sides, the Stir-Fry Pan is ideal for tempura, stir-frying or noodle soups, as well as large quantities of ‘one-pan’ recipes such as chilli or curry. It has a tough, PFOA-free, non-stick surface inside and out, and a special hardened body to create a durable and long-lasting pan that can be used on any heat source. The easy-release non-stick interior and exterior surfaces are easy to clean, and are tough enough to withstand use of metal utensils. Heat-resistant glass lids are available separately – they retain moisture and flavour, and allow you to check the food you are cooking without lifting the lid and disturbing the cooking process or temperature. It has a lifetime guarantee and can be used on all hobs, from ceramic, electric and induction to gas, as well as under the grill and in the oven. Dishwasher safe.

Heavy cast-iron grill or plancha
Ribbed on one side, the surface of the Square Reversible Grill is excellent for preparing lower-fat grilled food for family and friends on the hob or barbecue; flat on the other side, our dishwasher-safe cast-iron grill is ideal for frying food. Use this to sear Asian-style steaks to perfection. Oven, grill, freezer and dishwasher safe.  Heat sources: gas, electric, ceramic, halogen, induction and oven.

STIR-FRYING TIPS

Considered a healthy way to cook because you don’t use much oil, stir-frying is a speedy cooking method that also preserves the nutritional value of the ingredients as well as their colour, texture and taste. You are guaranteed to take the hard work out of your Chinese stir-fry and have great results if you…

prepare all your ingredients ahead of time before you start cooking, and slice your meat and veggies thinly so that they can cook through quickly, and to a uniform size so they cook at the same speed. Use a sharp knife to slice veggies on the diagonal – as well as helping them cook more quickly, diagonal cutting makes it easier for them to absorb other flavours in the dish; and
you should constantly toss and turn the food while it cooks so that it stays juicy and full of flavour.

NOW FOR THE YUM STUFF…

Spice up your winter supper line-up with these quick and delectable Chinese-inspired dishes.

Nordic Winter Stir-Fry with Beef, Root Vegetables & Ginger
With strips of sirloin, parsnips, carrots, celery, coriander and sesame seeds, our Nordic Winter Stir-Fry with Beef, Root Vegetables & Ginger is a mouthwatering, crunchy flavour sensation.

Wok-Fried Tiger Prawns with Noodles, Sprouts, Ginger & Spring Cabbage
Soy sauce and freshly chopped coriander add that little something extra to our Wok-Fried Tiger Prawns with Noodles, Sprouts, Ginger & Spring Cabbage. This dish is quick enough to pull together after a long day at the office, but it’s also delicious enough to be served as a celebration meal.

Angry Duck Curry
Our woks and stir-fry pans aren’t just for stir-fries. Those of you who love Southeast Asian cuisine can combine their favourite flavours to make this Thai-style Angry Duck Curry. The creamy coconut milk enhances the richness of thinly sliced duck breasts sautéed to golden-brown perfection, while Chinese-sliced baby sweetcorn and mange tout or sugarsnap peas add crisp freshness. Adjust the amount of red curry paste and fresh chillies to suit your palate.

Steak with an Eastern Flair
Ready for something different? Try our grilled Steaks with an Eastern Flair. Seasoned with a fragrant ginger-soy marinade before being seared to perfection on a piping-hot plancha or cast-iron griddle, this tasty steak recipe shows off fresh Asian flavours. (If you love this recipe, see our Grill & Plancha recipe book for more great cooking inspiration.)