Gosht Rarah

• 900 gm mutton pieces
• 150 gm curd
• 150 gm tomatoes
• Bay leaves
• 4 large cardamoms
• 8-10 small cardamoms
• 200 gms chopped onions
• 2 tablespoon ginger paste
• 2 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 4-6 teaspoons finely chopped ginger and garlic
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 100 ml refined oil
• Salt according to taste

1. Apply curd in mutton and marinate it for 1 hour. Heat oil in a heavy based pan
2. Sauté whole spices in oil. Add onions and fry them till it turn golden brown. Then mix garlic-ginger pate, fry it for few minutes. Next add marinated mutton pieces
3. When it starts to boil, low the flame. Cook until it releases oil. Add 2 cup of water and boil it till the mutton pieces get fully cooked
4. Before serving it hot, garnish with chopped gingers and coriander leaves

Mushroom and smoked chicken crispy spring rolls and chilli dipping sauce

Makes 18
For the chilli dipping sauce

• 3 tbsp light soy sauce 
• 2 tbsp rice-wine vinegar 
• 1 tbsp Chinese chilli oil 
• 1 tsp sesame oil 
• 1 tsp grated ginger 
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes

For the spring rolls

• 100g/3½oz smoked chicken breast, shredded 
• 1 carrot, shredded 
• 50g/2oz bamboo shoots, shredded 
• 5 spring onions, shredded 
• 50g/2oz shiitake mushrooms, shredded 
• 10g/½oz dried black fungus mushrooms, rehydrated and shredded 
• 18 spring-roll wrappers (approx 150mm x 150mm) 
• Light-flavoured oil for deep frying

1. Mix all of the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
2. To make the spring rolls, mix all of the filling ingredients together with a pinch of white pepper. Lay the spring-roll wrappers on a flat surface and place one tablespoon of the filling diagonally across the bottom half of one wrapper. Fold the corner of the wrapper over the filling then fold in both sides then roll up to form a spring roll. Set aside while you make the remaining spring rolls.
3. Heat about 5cm of oil in a heavy-based pan, you will know it is hot enough when a cube of bread dropped in the oil turns golden in 30 seconds. Gently lower the spring rolls into the oil a couple at a time and cook until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towel and keep warm. When all the spring rolls are cooked, serve with the chilli dipping sauce.

Hunan-Style Hot and Spicy Chicken

Serves 4

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 green onion, sliced thinly on the diagonal
• 3 small hot chili peppers, sliced thinly on the diagonal
• 1 tablespoon ginger, shredded
• 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (light is the best)
• 2 lbs chicken pieces, cut into bite size pieces
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (light is the best)
• 2 tablespoons shaoxing wine or 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 teaspoons szechwan pepper
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

1. In a large bowl, mix ginger slices, sherry vinegar and 2 tbsp soy sauce. Marinate chicken pieces for 30 minutes in soy sauce marinade.
2. Grind Sichuan pepper to powder and add to mixing bowl. Mix in the chicken broth, 2 tbsp soy sauce, wine, sugar, salt and black pepper.
3. Heat oil in a wok or heavy frying pan. Add sliced green onion and chili peppers and stir fry for one minute.
4. Add soy marinade and chicken to scallions and hot pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes more.
5. Add chicken broth mixture and mix well. Cook over medium-low heat until chicken pieces are fully cooked (8-10 minutes) stirring frequently. Add cornstarch to thicken. Serve with rice.

Cantonese Fried Rice

Serves 4

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 c. onion, diced
• 1/2 c. celery, diced (optional)
• 1/2 c. frozen peas
• 1 c. ham (or any leftover meat)
• 3 c. COLD cooked white rice
• 2 tbls. light soy sauce
• 2 tbls. dark soy sauce
• 6 tbls. oil, not olive oil

1. Heat 1 tbl. of oil in a wok or large pan. Add eggs and cook until set, turning once (will look like a pancake). 
2. Remove egg to a plate and sprinkle with 1 tbl. of soy sauce. Cut into strips, 1x1/2 inch, and setg aside. 
3. Add 1 tbl. oil to pan and stir fry onions and celery for 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. 
4. Add 1 tbl. oil to pan and stir fry peas for 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. 
5. Add 2 tbls. oil to pan and stir fry rice, breaking up lumps with wet hands as adding to pan. 
6. Stir fry until heated through. Add all ingredients back into pan with rice. 
7. Season with 2 tbls.dark soy sauce and one tbl. light soy sauce - or to taste.