Steamed Dumplings With Shiitake Mushrooms in Sichuan Soup

The setup for this part dipping sauce, part soup couldn't be much simpler: add stock, some pantry staples, and scallions, dump in steamed dumplings, and that's dinner.

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 10 minutes, total time 10 minutes

• 24 small Chinese dumplings, fresh or frozen
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, ends removed, caps sliced 1/2-inch thick
• Kosher salt
• 3 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 4 tablespoons preserved bamboo shoots in chili oil
• 1/4 cup scallions greens, thinly sliced
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn

Procedures

1. Pour water into a large pot until it comes 2 inches up the sides, and top with a steamer basket. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add as many of the dumplings as will fit in one layer and cook according to the directions on the packaging. (The frozen dumplings I used took about 4 minutes.) Repeat step, if necessary, until all the dumplings are cooked.
   
2. Meanwhile, heat canola oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high. When oil shimmers, add sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their water and start to brown, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
   
3. Warm the stock in a medium saucepan over medium high heat until starting to simmer. Turn off the heat.
   
4. Take out four large bowls. In each bowl add 1 tablespoon preserved bamboo shoots, 1 tablespoon sliced scallion greens, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn, and 3/4 cup chicken stock. Taste and, if needed, season with additional salt. Add 6 dumplings to each bowl and a quarter of the mushrooms. Serve immediately.

Steamed Lemon and Vanilla Syrup Sponge

Special equipment: 1 1/4 quart heatproof bowl

Ingredients

serves serves four to six, active time 25 minutes, total time several hours, including baking and cooling

• 1 vanilla pod
• 1 lemon
• 5/8 cup unsalted butter
• 5/8 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 2/3 cups plain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 - 2/3 cup full-fat milk
•  
• Syrup
• Juice and grated zest of 2 lemons
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2/3 cup water

Procedures

1. Slit the vanilla pod open lengthways and scrape out the seeds, reserving the pod. Zest the lemon. Cream together the butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla seeds until light and fluffy, then gradually add the beaten eggs. Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold in thoroughly. Add enough milk to give a soft dropping consistency, then set aside.
   
2. To make the syrup, put the lemon juice and zest in a small saucepan with the sugar, water and the reserved vanilla pod. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and simmer until the mixture has a syrupy consistency.
   
3. Cut the zested lemon in half widthways and trim off the bottom and top. Place the widest end of one of the lemon halves in a buttered and floured 1 1/4 quart heatproof bowl and cover with the syrup, reserving a little for later. Spoon the sponge mix. Place a round of baking parchment on top, cover the basin with a piece of foil (with a generous pleat in the middle) and secure with string. Put the basin in a deep roasting tin and pour enough hot water into the tin to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Steam in an oven preheated to 320F for about 2 hours, until well risen and firm to the touch (remember to keep the water topped up).
   
4. Turn out into a large serving bowl and pour the last of the syrup over the top. Serve with double cream.

Steamed Fish with Chard and Potato Hash

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 20 minutes, total time 20 minutes

• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 medium russet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 bunch rainbow or swiss chard, stems removed and roughly chopped, leaves cut into 1-inch ribbons (about 4 cups, leaves and stems kept separate)
• Pinch of dried red chile flakes
• 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken stock
• 4 cod fillets
• 2 tablespoons fresh juice from 1 lemon
• ½ cup roughly chopped parsley

Procedures

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and stir, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, until they begin to color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onions, chard stems, and red chile flakes, and season with salt and pepper. If onions or chard begin to stick, add two tablespoons of chicken stock and continue cooking. Cook until the onions have softened, about 3 minutes longer. Add the remaining stock and fold in the chard leaves until slightly wilted, stirring to combine.
   
2. Season fish with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium and carefully place the fish fillets on top of the hash, cover, and cook until the fish has cooked through and flakes with pulled with a fork, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and parsley. Transfer to serving plates and serve immediately.

Steamed Indian Lentil and Rice Cakes

Special equipment

Blender, bamboo steamer

Ingredients

serves Makes 15 Idlis, serving 8, active time 20 minutes, total time About 12 hours

• 2 cups uncooked rice
• 1/2 cup dry black lentils (husked removed)
• 2 cups water
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Procedures

1. Soak the rice and lentils in water for at least 4 hours and up to 12. Drain, then combine in a blender with 2 cups water and blend on high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl, season with 1 teaspoon salt, loosely cover, and leave at room temperature until doubled in size, about 8 to 12 hours.
   
2. Grease a small, shallow bowl or deep plate that will fit into a bamboo steamer. Stir the batter and ladle it on to the plate, half way to the top. Steam until a toothpick inserted comes out fairly clean and the cake is spongy to the touch, about 15 minutes. Allow to rest outside the steamer for about 2 minutes. Then cut and serve in smaller squares with mint chutney. Repeat with remaining batter. Idli can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.