In writing their acclaimed new book, Chinese-ish, Etta chef Rosheen Kaul and illustrator and hospitality veteran Joanna Hu delved into their complex, rich and flavourful culinary heritage to create must make recipes that speak of both tradition and innovation.
“Dumpling fillings come down to personal preference, and I believe there are no wrong combinations. This is simply the way I remember making them with my family for special occasions such as Chinese New Year, which grants them a special place in my heart. You can eat the dumplings with any condiments you like. My family enjoys a dipping sauce of chinkiang black vinegar and sliced fresh chilli.” – Joanna Hu
“The egg custard tart made its way to Hong Kong from the nearby Portuguese colony of Macao and the Cantonese transformed it by adding more egg yolks and decreasing the sugar and dairy. The result is a delicate, eggy custard with only a gentle sweetness, encased in a flaky tart shell. Traditional Chinese puff pastry is incredibly difficult to make. Using ready-made shortcrust pastry is foolproof and puts a still-warm, freshly baked egg custard tart in easy reach.” – Rosheen Kaul
“I love a ‘sausage sizzle’. This recipe keeps the sizzle, the sausage and the white bread, but the similarities end there. Instead, a flavourful, juicy, Sichuan peppercorn-spiced pork sausage is studded with guanciale, smeared with Japanese mayonnaise and refreshed with lime juice.” - Rosheen Kaul
“All of the goodness of prawn toast in one perfect little bite! This recipe uses the same prawn mousse you might find on a slice of classic prawn toast, but rolled in panko and fried until crispy.” – Rosheen Kaul and Joanna Hu
“The traditional recipe from Jiangsu, a coastal province north of Shanghai, uses rice cooked in chicken stock. I use chicken bouillon powder instead to enrich the rice. Do your best with the knife work and take time to cut everything into small, even pieces. You can put any meat or seafood you want in this rice. Just make sure you have equal quantities of each ingredient – balance is the key.” - Rosheen Kaul
“In this recipe, we use beer instead of the traditional high-acid white wine. The savouriness of beer pairs beautifully with the cheese. As with all popular Sichuan dishes, this fondue is served under a blaze of vibrant red chilli oil.” - Rosheen Kaul
