SUNDAY: Lay Down My Weary, Oily Load

Last night I cooked for eight people, Sichuan food naturally. Now I’ve got the mother of all washings-up to grapple with. Cooking for eight people is three days’ work altogether and the dish-washing is pretty grim, especially with the oily chilli sauce, but it’s worth it when I hear the groans and sighs of pleasure as my guests chew down on dish after succulent dish.

Last night I debuted a dish I’ve invented myself: Fritters Without Frills, 炸肉茄子 (ja yok keh tsi – deep-fried meat aubergine). It came about by having some leftover aubergines and some leftover pork from dumplings and a bag of tempura powder.

It worked! Which is just as well because I put the recipe in my new book CHILLies! Sichuan Food Made Easy, available soon at the touch of a button.

You’ll laugh when you see how easy it is to cook Sichuan food. It’s almost as easy as learning Cantonese with Happy Jellyfish People’s Democratic Language Bureau!

煮飯 (jyu faan – cook)
琴晚 (kam maan – last night)
洗碗 (sai wuun – wash dishes)