0:00:02 > 0:00:05My name's Ching-He Huang. I've been cooking for my family and friends
0:00:05 > 0:00:09since I was five years old, helping my grandmother in the family home.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13It was the start of a life-long affair with food - a passion that's become my career,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16writing cookery books and running a food business.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21It's my mission in life to show people that Chinese food
0:00:21 > 0:00:26is not all MSG, orange gloopy sauces, and greasy prawn balls.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32In this programme I'll show you some insider tips that'll help you cook fresh, healthy versions
0:00:32 > 0:00:36of some of the most popular Chinese takeaway dishes in your own kitchen.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41There's my chicken chow mein
0:00:41 > 0:00:44cooked for some Beijing-bound Olympic rowers.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46If it's as tasty as this, we'll love it!
0:00:48 > 0:00:53I'll show you the secrets of my fresh, quick and easy version of beef in oyster sauce.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Garlic, ginger, chillies. The holy trinity of Chinese cooking.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01There's my healthy, tasty take on sweet and sour pork with egg fried rice.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06Mmm! That's the best egg fried rice I've ever tasted, I have to say.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10And demonstrate the importance of a delicate touch in the kitchen.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Give it a good bashing. OK?
0:01:17 > 0:01:20I love cooking simple, easy Chinese food.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25Especially takeaway favourites reinvented to make them really fresh and delicious. And healthy.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28A perfect example is chicken chow mein.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31And it's one of my favourite take-outs.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33I've got here chicken breast.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Very thinly slice the chicken.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38If you slice the chicken really thinly,
0:01:38 > 0:01:43then the dish will just cook in a matter of minutes, especially on a high heat.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48A good, sharp cleaver is always useful.
0:01:48 > 0:01:54Put this into a bowl, and I'm just going to create a delicious marinade for the chicken.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59So, in with about a heaped teaspoon of Chinese five-spice powder.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03Now that's wonderfully aromatic, and it's got Sichuan peppercorns,
0:02:03 > 0:02:07star anise, fennel, cloves and cinnamon, so it's absolutely full of flavour.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12To just give it colour, I've got here some dark soy sauce.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17As that cooks it's going to look all lovely and smoky and salty at the same time.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22In with some hot chilli sauce. That's optional.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25If you don't like chilli you don't need to add it.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29Now, all we do is just give this a good mix.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34I always feel that when you handle your food, it gives it more flavour.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Something my grandmother told me.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Next. I've got a pan there of boiling water.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43So I'm just going to add in about a good handful of yellow chi noodles.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Now, these are dry wheatflour noodles.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48You can use whatever noodles you like,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52but traditionally the Chinese would use a thin noodle, just like this one.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56So all this needs is about three minutes in boiling water.
0:02:56 > 0:03:02While that's cooking, I'm going to very quickly chop up some vegetables.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06Some long thin strips of red pepper, then some sliced spring onion.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09And you'll need a handful of beansprouts.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11So the noodles just need to check. so...
0:03:11 > 0:03:15Best thing is to try and grab a piece, but careful, cos it's hot.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19And then just pick it with your finger, and if it's really al dente
0:03:19 > 0:03:23you'll still see a slight give in the middle. That's good.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Drain the noodles, rinse under cold water to stop them cooking,
0:03:28 > 0:03:34then add few drops of sesame oil to stop them sticking together.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39Now the meat has been marinating for a couple of minutes to get all that flavour in.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43Next, some corn flour. A heaped teaspoon in with the marinated chicken.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45This is going to help seal in the juices of the meat.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49When you go to a Chinese restaurant or a takeaway, most people always ask me
0:03:49 > 0:03:54"Oh, how do you get the chicken so tender and delicious and succulent?"
0:03:54 > 0:03:59And this is why - because as it cooks, cornflour protects all those juices inside.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Now for the fun bit.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03We need the wok nice and hot.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07So you're probably thinking what kind of wok?
0:04:07 > 0:04:12I'm going to tell you how to choose your wok later. So the wok is smoking.
0:04:12 > 0:04:17In with a little bit of vegetable oil or groundnut oil or sunflower oil.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22I personally like groundnut oil, I think it's wonderful, really fragrant.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25At this stage, we can add the chicken.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27In with the chicken.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Now as you add the chicken in, it's good
0:04:32 > 0:04:35just to let it settle a little bit,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39just to seal one side of the meat,
0:04:39 > 0:04:43and then we're going to turn it over and seal the other side.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Give it a good stir.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Great.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51So it's time to turn.
0:04:55 > 0:05:00We've got some gorgeous smoky brown bits on the chicken
0:05:00 > 0:05:03and that's from the five spice.
0:05:03 > 0:05:08Now, in with all the vegetables, apart from the spring onions.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12Chunky peppers. You can add some courgettes, sliced, at this stage,
0:05:12 > 0:05:17if you like. In with some bean sprouts.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Now, give that a good stir.
0:05:22 > 0:05:27And really, the more delicate vegetables at the end of the stir-fry process.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32Now with the yellow chi noodles. Give that a good stir in.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Chow mein comes from the word, the Mandarin word chao mian
0:05:38 > 0:05:44and chao just means stir-fry and mian is noodle, so stir-fried noodles.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49In with about a tablespoon, I think, of some light soy sauce.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53And this is for saltiness.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00A little bit of fragrant sesame oil. Just at the end.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05Finally the spring onions, just for flavour
0:06:05 > 0:06:09and that last-minute freshness before we serve.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11And that's it.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13The perfect chao mian.
0:06:14 > 0:06:19In with the gorgeous, delicious noodle.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25A taste.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Mmm!
0:06:33 > 0:06:35That's lip-smackingly good.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44'To prove that Chinese food can be perfectly balanced, healthy and nutritious,
0:06:44 > 0:06:48'I want to try out my dishes on some people who watch what they eat very carefully -
0:06:48 > 0:06:51'one of our Beijing-bound Olympic teams.
0:06:51 > 0:06:56'I'm in Caversham to meet some of the leading members of the Women's Olympic Rowing squad.'
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Be careful, guys.
0:07:01 > 0:07:06'They've been on the water for almost four hours so hopefully they'll be hungry.
0:07:06 > 0:07:12'The lead boat in the women's squad is a quad scull, and I'll cook my chicken chow mein for the crew.'
0:07:14 > 0:07:17A-ha! Hiya, ladies. How are you?
0:07:17 > 0:07:20- Hungry athletes.- Hungry athletes? Good, good stuff.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24- I've got chicken chow mein. I hope you like.- Wahey, smells good.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27- Who's going to be the first? - Debbie. Debbie speaks Chinese.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Oh, really? Wow! Niihau.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34CONVERSATION CONTINUES IN CHINESE
0:07:34 > 0:07:38Wow, that's brilliant! So does anyone cook Chinese?
0:07:38 > 0:07:40- Do you like cooking Chinese? - Not often.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44So tuck in, let me know what you think. It's a bit spicy.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47- We like spicy.- Have a taste.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Wow, thank you. Very tasty.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52- Very nice.- Yeah? Thumbs up.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54- Thumbs up.- Cool.- Really good.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57What do you eat, normally, when you are training?
0:07:57 > 0:07:59We have to have a balanced diet but you know,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02lots of it, much more than a normal person would eat.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05- But...- So a lot of calories? - A lot of carbs, a lot of protein.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08- So this stuff is perfect.- Perfect.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10It's quick and easy.
0:08:10 > 0:08:11It's delicious, more to the point.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16So my Chinese food ticks all the boxes
0:08:16 > 0:08:21for these rowers who need nutritious, healthy, tasty and filling food.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24Katherine Grainger, the senior member of the team,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28has volunteered to be shown how to cook it so she can wow her team-mates later.
0:08:30 > 0:08:36So first up for Katherine, the essential piece of kit to cook Chinese food at home.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38I'm going to arm you with an essential, OK?
0:08:38 > 0:08:43- Yes?- Which is the wok.- Right. - There are so many to choose from.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46If you don't have gas, you can get electric woks.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48For gas hobs there are non-stick varieties
0:08:48 > 0:08:52and the sort I'd most recommend - the wooden-handled carbon steel wok.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Long wooden handle that's unseasoned.
0:08:55 > 0:09:00And seasoning the wok just means that you want to create a blackened effect on the wok.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02- OK.- It's a coating.- OK.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06And that is going to give it a gorgeous wok flavour.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10- You prefer that over these ones? - I like seasoning a wok.- OK.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14It's very traditional - it takes me back to my grandparents,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17and to my mother teaching me how to cook the first time.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21But nowadays time is short and I appreciate that, so I have two, I also have a non-stick wok.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26To really get the wok to sit on your gas stove, get a wok stand. Because this is going to make sure.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30OK. Where do you get wok stands from? I've never seen a wok stand.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34Well, they look like this, and you can get them in any cook shop, OK?
0:09:34 > 0:09:37And just place this over there - be careful, obviously, of the flames.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40- This just helps to sit the wok nicely.- OK, clever.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Because, look. Otherwise, you know.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45- The food could go everywhere. It's a hazard.- I could do that.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47- We want to get some oil in there.- OK.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50- So you could use groundnut oil or vegetable oil.- OK.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52And I'm just going to give that a swirl.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55- Can you see how it's automatically changed colour?- Oh, it's already!
0:09:55 > 0:10:01- Yeah.- And it's that fast, because we've got a good gas burner, just a little bit of kitchen paper.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06- OK.- And some wooden tongs. We don't want to burn your hands.- No.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08And just keep rubbing it like that.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10- You see the blackened effect.- Yeah.
0:10:10 > 0:10:16And so one of these woks, when you start seasoning them, they're going to look like this.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18That's been done. You see?
0:10:18 > 0:10:22And this has got this Wok Hay coating.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27Wok Hay this is the smoky, blackened effect. The breath of the wok.
0:10:27 > 0:10:28- The chi.- Ah, I like it.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- So when you cook food, you like barbequed food?- Yeah.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34- It's a lot of smokiness?- Yeah. - That's what you want.- Same thing?
0:10:34 > 0:10:36- Wow, I've never heard of that. - Smoke is good.
0:10:36 > 0:10:41- So 10, 15 minutes of doing this and your wok will be ready.- OK.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47- Katherine, I know you're not keen on takeaway food.- Yes.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49- And to be honest, I'm not surprised. - OK.
0:10:49 > 0:10:55Because did you know that the average serving,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58for a family of four, of sweet and sour pork in egg fried rice,
0:10:58 > 0:11:00contains...
0:11:00 > 0:11:02- Ta-da!- No way!
0:11:02 > 0:11:05This amount of fat, 240 grams.
0:11:05 > 0:11:0936 grams of salt and 176 grams of sugar.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11240 grams of fat.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16- That's as much fat in 30 hamburgers. - 30 hamburgers? No way!
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- Would you like some? - No! God, no, thanks!
0:11:19 > 0:11:24Now I'm going to show you a healthier version, which is fantastic, much better than that.
0:11:24 > 0:11:25I hope it's a lot healthier.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29- I'm going to make you my sweet and sour pork. Two pork loins.- Yup.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33- And the first thing we are going to do is get rid of this fat. Because we don't need it.- No.
0:11:33 > 0:11:39Now, I'm going to show you a trick. To help tenderise the meat, just simply give it a good bashing.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42OK?
0:11:42 > 0:11:44And the other side.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49- Now, I need a delicious coating on this.- OK.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53- I'm thinking none of this batter, deep-fried stuff.- Yeah.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57Something healthy. So I have here some dry-roasted soy beans.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59- Full of protein.- OK.
0:11:59 > 0:12:06- If you grab a small handful in there, while I wash my hands, and get pounding away.- I like pounding away.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10- Good. Good exercise.- I've never done this with soy beans, I have to say.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14- Have a taste. - Are you going to taste one first?
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Delightfully crunchy, full of flavour.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22- If you can't get these...- Nice! - Actually let's put a bit more.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26If you can't get these, then you can use dry-roasted peanuts,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30but the unsalted variety, because we're keeping this healthy.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Yeah! This is good.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36And a little bit of some dried chilli flakes.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40- OK.- And a little bit of ground white pepper.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Tiny bit.
0:12:42 > 0:12:47Now while you're doing that I'm gong to heat up the wok, get that nice and hot.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50All we're going to do is just place some on there.
0:12:50 > 0:12:55- Go on, you can do this one. - I can manage this.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59Make sure you really pat it down so the coating sticks to the meat.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03The wok is smoking.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06I'm going to add a little bit of groundnut oil, and in with the pork.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13And we're going to cook that so it's lovely and browned on one side.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16About two minutes. I'm going to flip it over and cook it on the other side.
0:13:16 > 0:13:21- High heat again?- Again, high heat, but we don't want anything to burn.
0:13:21 > 0:13:22So we need to keep our eye on it.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26I'm going to create a delicious sweet and sour sauce.
0:13:26 > 0:13:32Pineapples. You can use tinned pineapple, but don't use any of the syrup from the tin.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34And then put that in there.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38- OK. And some pineapple juice.- Yep.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42About 125ml. And that's the sweet.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44We need lime for the sour.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Roll the lime to break the flesh up inside.
0:13:47 > 0:13:48Squeeze the juice in.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50- You can do that one.- OK.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54- Making you work!- Yeah, but I've got to get an appetite going!
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Testing you, testing your muscles.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59- I got more juice out of mine!- Oi, don't start getting competitive!
0:13:59 > 0:14:03- I'll be here all night making sure I get more juice. - Blend that together.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08- That's fine, that's great. - That's enough.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Perfect. So now the pork is ready.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14And you can tell because it really firms up, you know, the meat firms up.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18So that's great, so what we need to do now is pop that on the side now,
0:14:18 > 0:14:23- let it rest, now we're going to make that natural sweet and sour sauce. - Yeah.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26It's nice and smoking, we're not going to add any oil.
0:14:26 > 0:14:31We're just going to simply cook the sauce and let that reduce slightly.
0:14:31 > 0:14:37Now while that's going to reduce, I'm going to make you my zhong ji dan.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39What was that again?
0:14:39 > 0:14:43- Zhong zi is western red...which we say tomatoes.- Tomatoes.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48- OK, which you're going to help me slice, about three of those. - How do you want them sliced?
0:14:48 > 0:14:53And ji dan is egg. Which means I'm going to make you my egg fried rice.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56I don't know a lot about Chinese cooking,
0:14:56 > 0:15:00but something you often hear about, especially with Chinese takeaways and stuff,
0:15:00 > 0:15:04- is the MSG that goes into food. - Mm-hm.- And is that something
0:15:04 > 0:15:06that you would put in yourself? Or...
0:15:06 > 0:15:08No. No MSG. I mean, MSG looks like this.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10- I've brought this to show you.- Really?
0:15:10 > 0:15:15- And I know lots of people are concerned about it. It's a flavour enhancer.- Looks like salt.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Looks like salt, like crystal, but there's no need for it.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22MSG is naturally occurring in foods - meats, tomatoes, even in cheese...
0:15:22 > 0:15:24- Savoury meatiness.- Yeah.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26You don't need it to create that.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30You can get that flavour by using good, fresh ingredients.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33'Next ingredient for the egg fried rice is some chopped spring onion.'
0:15:33 > 0:15:37So we've got a second wok here and this wok here is non-stick.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42In with a little bit of oil, and there are many different ways of making egg fried rice, OK?
0:15:42 > 0:15:46I like to cook the egg, almost like scramble it.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49- Now, I've got here some jasmine rice. - Yep.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51'I'm using a variety of rice called Jasmine
0:15:51 > 0:15:56'because I like the nutty flavour, but any long-grain cooked rice will do.'
0:15:56 > 0:16:01Then we just give that a good mix, and now with the tomatoes, all in.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03In with some spring onions at this stage.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05Nice colour again.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08Yeah, lovely colour. And all very healthy.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12And in now I think with a little bit of light soy sauce.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17If you pass me the toasted sesame oil,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21- this is my secret of cooking a good fried rice.- Ah, I like secrets.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Gives it great fragrance and aroma, just lifts the whole dish.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27Maybe a little bit of ground white pepper as well.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30A little bit of work for you before we serve up.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32I want you to make me a delicious salad.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35We've got a selection of red peppers, yellow peppers, sugar snaps,
0:16:35 > 0:16:40- carrots, spring onions, all in, and some chopped up pineapple.- Perfect.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43' And to start with, some chopped pak choi.'
0:16:43 > 0:16:47- This is like a seven a day. Forget five a day.- I was going to say!
0:16:47 > 0:16:49This is my week all in one day.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53- You want to be super healthy and super strong. - My coach will love you.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Now to finish the salad, I've got here some dressing.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59Yep.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02So in here there's some pineapple juice, some lime juice,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05- flavours of the sweet and sour. - Lovely.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09And some soy and some oil, and just give that a good mix.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13I'm going to serve up a bit of the rice.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Some of this delicious sauce.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26You know, the success of British sport rests on your shoulders now.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28- No pressure.- I'm nervous now.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Are you? Confident?
0:17:31 > 0:17:34I am confident. I think the taste will deliver.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39The health aspect for sure.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43Mmm! That's the best egg fried rice I've ever tasted, I have to say.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46All this fabulous protein in the pork.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51It's got everything. We do have a lot of carbs
0:17:51 > 0:17:55so it's nice it's got... the protein, too.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Mmm. Balanced.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00- Mmm. That is amazing. - Can you taste the coating?- Mmm.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05Absolutely no need for takeaways, may I say.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08That is delicious. I want to try the sauce with this.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12It's just lightly dressed. Hopefully.
0:18:12 > 0:18:18And try a bit of the pineapple as well, so there's a sort of sweet and savoury element going in there.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24This is super healthy. And wins hands down.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27- I have to say. The taste is amazing. - Were you sceptical, though?
0:18:27 > 0:18:33I was hoping you could beat a takeaway because a takeaway never looks overly appetising.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37So do I win gold silver or medal?
0:18:37 > 0:18:41- Oh, absolutely top step of the podium.- Or bronze.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44You're listening to your national anthem and watching the flag go up.
0:18:44 > 0:18:50'Katherine's going back to the training lake to try out her new culinary skills.
0:18:50 > 0:18:56'I'll catch up with her later to see what her team-mates make of my sweet and sour pork recipe.'
0:19:03 > 0:19:07Next time you are on your way home and you want to pick yourself up a Chinese takeaway,
0:19:07 > 0:19:11why don't you pick up some fresh ingredients to cook with instead?
0:19:11 > 0:19:15I mean, it's going to be healthier, lighter, tastier, fresher, too.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18And it's just as quick as ordering from the takeaway.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23Now to prove this point, I want to cook you one of the nation's favourites -
0:19:23 > 0:19:26my version, though - of beef in oyster sauce.
0:19:26 > 0:19:32'While I'm cooking I'll tell you about five special ingredients that are used in most dishes,
0:19:32 > 0:19:37'that I think you should keep in your store cupboard ready to create authentic Chinese flavours.'
0:19:37 > 0:19:40For my beef in oyster sauce
0:19:40 > 0:19:46I need... Good piece of beef fillet or sirloin steak.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50And I just want to get the fat off.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56And then, just to help tenderise the meat, this is all you do.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03You could use a Chinese cleaver, or you could use a rolling pin.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07And then all I need is to slice the beef
0:20:07 > 0:20:12into nice sort of thin, bite-sized pieces.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16'Into a bowl and season with light soy sauce.'
0:20:16 > 0:20:22Light soy sauce is my first store cupboard ingredient and in Chinese cooking we use it like you do salt.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Dark soy sauce is really used for colour.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26So I just need a teaspoon of this.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Now if you're watching your sodium intake,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32there's a variety of low-sodium light soy sauce that you can find.
0:20:32 > 0:20:38Now I'm going to add about a tablespoon and a half of a good oyster sauce.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Traditionally, oyster sauce is made from boiling oysters,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46so it's really concentrated and it's evaporated and really thick,
0:20:46 > 0:20:50and then it's cooked down with a bit of soy sauce and some spices.
0:20:50 > 0:20:56And if you can get a good quality oyster sauce, try and find out without any flavour enhancers or MSG.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01Now I've got here a vegetarian oyster sauce and this one is made from mushrooms.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05A lot of Chinese takeaways would use oyster sauce like a cook-in sauce,
0:21:05 > 0:21:06but it's too much, it's too heavy.
0:21:06 > 0:21:12I prefer to use it like a condiment, so about a tablespoon or two is enough in any dish.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16'Then add a pinch each of salt, ground black pepper and sugar.
0:21:16 > 0:21:22'I'm using caster sugar, and leave that to marinade while you prepare some spinach to serve the beef on.'
0:21:22 > 0:21:25In with about a tablespoon, for two, of groundnut oil.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29And this is my second store cupboard ingredient.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32Now, for Chinese cooking I love to use a flavourless oil,
0:21:32 > 0:21:36a neutral base, if you like, to create all the different layers of flavours.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Olive oil is just too strong.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42'When the oil's smoking, add some chopped garlic and chilli.'
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Garlic, ginger, chillies - the holy trinity of Chinese cooking.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50Now, to stop the garlic and chilli from burning,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53just give that a good toss,
0:21:53 > 0:21:57and then in with some washed spinach leaves.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00And all we want to do is just cook this for just a few seconds,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02just to slightly wilt down the spinach.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05And give that a good mix.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08And then out onto the plate.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Leave this to one side.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16'Now to cook the marinated beef. Wok on, oil in.'
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Wok is ready. It's smoking.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20In with the beef.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Now, when you put the beef in, just make sure it has time to
0:22:25 > 0:22:29just settle a little bit before you start to stir.
0:22:29 > 0:22:35And look at that. The gorgeous meat turning brown.
0:22:35 > 0:22:41I can smell the smoky, savoury sweetness of the oyster sauce.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Now, this is not going to take very long at all.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46While the beef starts to turn brown,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49I'm just going to add a splash of shao hsing rice wine.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52This is my third store cupboard ingredient.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00You can use any other cooking wine, but I love shao hsing,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02from the shao hsing region in China.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Just gives this gorgeous, bitter-sweet edge to any dish,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08and it just takes the rawness of meat or fish,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10and any odours off meat and fish.
0:23:10 > 0:23:16If you can't get shao hsing rice wine, I would use dry sherry. That's a great alternative.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Before the beef comes out, I'm going to add a pinch or two of dried chilli flakes,
0:23:20 > 0:23:23and these give a gorgeous kick.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Now, I love chillies in all their forms - fresh, dried, you name it.
0:23:26 > 0:23:32It's my fourth special store cupboard ingredient.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34So that's the beef done.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Out on top of the spinach...
0:23:38 > 0:23:39like so.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Finally, a topping of tangy mushrooms.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47Into the wok with some oil and add about 200g of oyster mushrooms.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50They'll soak up all the juices left from the beef.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54And you can add just a tiny bit of water,
0:23:54 > 0:23:57just to help them cook and create a bit of steam.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01Now, my fifth store cupboard ingredient is Chinkiang black rice vinegar,
0:24:01 > 0:24:03and it comes from the Chinkiang region.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07It gives dishes a wonderfully smoky, woody, tangy edge,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10and so just a splash of this.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15If you can't get Chinkiang black rice vinegar, I would suggest you could use a good balsamic vinegar.
0:24:15 > 0:24:22That would work just as well. OK, so mushrooms out, and onto the beef, like that.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26So there's my version of beef in oyster sauce,
0:24:26 > 0:24:28essentially, three stir-frys in one dish.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36I'm loving that!
0:24:36 > 0:24:42Now, this dish is a good example of an important philosophy used in all traditional Chinese cooking.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45It's called balancing yin and yang.
0:24:45 > 0:24:50In Chinese philosophy, there are two opposing forces - yin and yang -
0:24:50 > 0:24:54and the Chinese try and live by a balance of these forces.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58So you think light, dark, male, female, hot and cold.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01We are always trying to achieve the perfect balance.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04So how does this work in terms of Chinese cooking?
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Ingredients have a yin or yang quality.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12So yin foods are ingredients such as watermelons or melons or cucumbers.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Radishes, even.
0:25:14 > 0:25:20And yang foods are very much meats or ginger, garlic, chillies.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Broadly, yin are cooling while Yang are heating.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27And in any dish, we are always trying to create the perfect balance.
0:25:27 > 0:25:32When I was growing up in Taiwan, I suffered terribly from nosebleeds
0:25:32 > 0:25:37and that was because I was addicted to lychees, which are very, very yang in quality.
0:25:37 > 0:25:43So my grandmother would feed me a diet of mainly yin foods, such as cucumber juice.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47And, miraculously, my nosebleeds disappeared.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50So the idea is, not to have too much of any one thing,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53and try and achieve the perfect balance.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00'Back at the Olympic rowing squad's training base in Caversham,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04'Katherine's preparing another balanced yin and yang dish,
0:26:04 > 0:26:09'my healthy sweet and sour pork with egg-fried rice.'
0:26:09 > 0:26:11This is the easy bit.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13- '- It's almost ready to try out.'
0:26:13 > 0:26:17This is my own work. Can I just remind people?
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Excuse me, I've been here, watching over you!
0:26:20 > 0:26:23The ones that aren't as good, maybe, are yours.
0:26:25 > 0:26:30The pressure mounts as the crew come forward for lunch.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33OK, that's enough.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41Yeah, if you could pass the rice over, thank you. Yeah, chuck it in.
0:26:41 > 0:26:42Perfect.
0:26:42 > 0:26:47- OK, who's going to be the first to try?- Who wants to sample it?
0:26:47 > 0:26:51Come on, Helen. Helen's a lightweight.
0:26:51 > 0:26:56- Ooh, everyone's gathering around! - Delicious.- It smells amazing.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58It does smell yummy.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01- The rice is really yummy. - The rice is really good, OK.
0:27:01 > 0:27:06So, would you want Katherine to cook for you again?
0:27:06 > 0:27:09- Yes, every day, Katherine!- Yeah!
0:27:09 > 0:27:13- So do you think you'll do this again? - Do this?- Mmm.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15Cook all this.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Do you know, I would.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19I... I was a bit...
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Cos I don't cook a lot, so I was a little bit unsure at first,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25but, actually, I really enjoyed it
0:27:25 > 0:27:31and it tastes good, which surprised me, because I'm not very confident in my flavours and things.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Um, probably good getting advice from you, but I would definitely do it again.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39- Well, you got a gold medal from me. - Oh, thank you! Thank you!
0:27:39 > 0:27:45So Katherine, a reluctant cook, proves how easy it is for anyone to cook this delicious but simple dish.
0:27:45 > 0:27:52For more recipes and masterclasses, go to...
0:27:52 > 0:27:55Next week, I'll be cooking classic Chinese street foods,
0:27:55 > 0:27:59including a healthy version of crispy duck with a fresh plum sauce
0:27:59 > 0:28:02inspired by my birthplace.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05This is a Taiwanese delicacy, because in the stores in Taipei,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08you have wafts of this in the night market.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12There's a simple, tasty vegetarian dish using fresh tofu.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14We're going to chant.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16Why do we need to chant?
0:28:16 > 0:28:18It's tradition. Yorrrrrrr!
0:28:18 > 0:28:22And an alternative to eating hamburgers at the races.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25It's second! Oh, my God! Come on! Yes!
0:28:47 > 0:28:50Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:50 > 0:28:54E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk