Noodle! by MiMi Aye

‘Burma has some glorious noodle dishes’, says MiMi Aye, explaining her enduring obsession with this ubiquitous but underappreciated ingredient. As a child, MiMi learned to cook Shan and Burmese food from her mother who she describes as ‘a brilliant cook’, and enjoyed many holidays spent visiting family in Burma (also known as Myanmar), learning even ... Read more »

Pan Asian at Chi Kitchen Oxford Street

Yes, this is the second Pan Asian restaurant in less than a month, following my visit to Too Too Moo Whetstone at the beginning of the year. Chi Kitchen is located inside Debenhams’ flagship Oxford Street store, though it does have its own external entrance on the corner of Henrietta Place and Marylebone Lane. If ... Read more »

Year of the Rooster | Perfectly Poached Chicken Cantonese-Style + Spring Onion & Ginger Dip

The Chinese lunar new year has just begun. Each lunar year is represented by an emblem of a living creature in a cycle which repeats every twelve years. This year, it is the rooster’s turn. A rooster’s handsome plumage and heroic air as it struts about makes it the logical choice as an emblem for ... Read more »

Pan Asian at TooTooMoo Whetstone | Neighbourhood Dining

I’m not always complimentary about restaurants that offer more than one cuisine, most typically an array of Pan Asian dishes covering countries across East Asia. Too many of them do none of the dishes justice and the result is disappointment all round. But when a North London restaurant chain invited me to visit the newly ... Read more »

School of Wok’s Stir Fried Sichuan Chicken Recipe

I’ve attended many, many, many cookery classes over the years. I’ve enjoyed nearly all of them but a few have definitely stood out from the crowd, and those include every class I’ve ever taken at School of Wok. There is a great balance between fun and learning, with class sizes of 8-16 ensuring that everyone ... Read more »

Chinese Unchopped by Jeremy Pang

Chinese Unchopped by Jeremy Pang

Coming from three generations of Chinese chefs it’s no wonder that Jeremy Pang followed suit, albeit after a degree in biochemical engineering and a stint in marketing. The exciting flavours and techniques of Chinese home cooking were enthusiastically demonstrated by Jeremy’s father; his children watched in awe as “he skipped across the kitchen with cleaver, ... Read more »

A Happy Chinese New Year from Amoy

I grew up in Luton, which may not sound like a hotbed of multiculturalism but our personal corner of it always was – our family friends included Chinese, Jewish, Indians, Irish, Malaysians, Scottish, Sri Lankans amongst others. When it came to New Year, we celebrated according to both the Gregorian and traditional Chinese lunar calendars. ... Read more »