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Chinese-Ish by Rosheen Kaul and Joanna Hu

Posted by Nigella on the 3rd November 2022
Image of Rosheen Kaul and Joanna Hu's Burnt Spring Onion Oil Noodles
Photo by Armelle Habib

Ever since I saw a post on the great Kylie Kwong’s Instagram about this, I knew it was a book I had to have! I was not wrong. And now I have it in my collection, in pride of place, where it belongs, I feel it is a book you might need to have, too. Chinese-ish is, as the subtitle explains, about “Home cooking, Not Quite Authentic. 100% Delicious”. Rosheen Kaul was born in Singapore to a Kashmiri father, and her mother was born to Chinese Filipino parents but adopted at a young age by a Eurasian mother and Indonesian father. Joanna Hu was born in Hunan Province in China and, like her co-author, moved to Melbourne at school age. This may give some idea of the range of this book. It’s neither formal nor comprehensive, but something much more inspiring and personal: an exuberant and inviting account of the dishes they love, explained for home cooks, with a buoyant enthusiasm that’s instantly contagious. You will want to run, not walk, to the kitchen once you’ve enjoyed a pleasurable hour on the sofa flicking through its pages.

And where might I suggest you start? Well, anywhere is the answer, but I still feel I should highlight some recipes for you, and I do so gladly, hard though it is to leave any out. I thus draw your attention to the Dan Dan Mean; the most fabulous dumplings; Golden Shrimp Roe Noodles; Ants Climbing a Tree Noodles; Chicken Congee; some incredible sauces, namely Lazy XO Sauce, Hunan Salted Chilli, and Chilli Oil; Yunnan Mashed Potato, alive with garlic, chilli and pickled greens; the divine Creamy Tofu Noodles with Soy-Vinegar Dressing; Fiery Sichuan Fondue, which takes the form of a cheese fondue made with lager rather than wine, and a generous amount of chilli oil (and you can use Lao Gan Ma); and the spectacular Uighur ‘Big Plate’ Chicken with Hand-Pulled Noodles. And I’m desperate to try the Microwave Cheong Fun, those wonderful rice flour noodle rolls, which are especial favourites of mine.

I’ve chosen a recipe for you that seemed to me an excellent introduction to the food in this happy-making book: Burnt Spring Onion Oil Noodles, just perfect for when you need a simple but richly flavoured solo supper.

Chinese-Ish: Home cooking, not quite authentic, 100% delicious by Rosheen Kaul and Joanna Hu (Murdoch Books, £22).
Photography by Armelle Habib.

Book cover of Chinese-ish by Rosheen Kaul and Joanna Hu

Try this recipe from the book

Image of Rosheen Kaul and Joanna Hu's Burnt Spring Onion Oil Noodles
Photo by Armelle Habib
Burnt Spring Onion Oil Noodles
By Rosheen Kaul and Joanna Hu
  • 14
  • 2
Feta, Black Bean and Clementine Couscous