Stir-fried chicken in XO sauce

Mix 5 tbsp plain flour with 1/2 tsp Madras curry powder, a good pinch of salt and several grinds of the peppermill, and toss 400g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bitesize pieces, in it in a large bowl. Set aside while you chop the other ingredients. 

Cut the white parts of 4 spring onions into coins, and put in a bowl with 3 chopped garlic cloves. Cut the rest of the spring onions and 70g baby corn (which I did not have) into pieces on the diagonal.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of ground nut oil (or another flavourless oil) in a wok over a high heat, and fry the spring onion bottoms with the garlic for a few seconds until they start to give off their scent. 

Add the chicken to the pan and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, until there is no pink visible. 

Add the green parts of the spring onions, the baby corn and 125g sugar snaps to the wok, stir-fry for about 30 seconds and throw in 40ml dry sherry (or Chinese cooking wine) and 3 tbsp light soy sauce. 

Stir-fry for another 30 seconds and stir in 1 heaped tablespoon XO sauce. 

Put a lid on the wok and cook for another minute or so, until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve immediately with steamed rice.

(Here Liz Upton's original recipe)

Chinese aubergines and King oysters in XO sauce

Mix 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp palm sugar, 1 tsp red chili paste and 2 tsp corn starch in a bowl and set aside

Slice 2 Chinese aubergines lengthwise in half, then cut at an angle into 2 cm slices

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok until very hot and tilt to coat on all sides, fry the aubergine until tender and browned, about 5 mins. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the wok and set aside

Hack 4 King oyster mushrooms in 3 cm pieces and stir fry them, about 5 mins. Remove and set aside

Add 1 more tbsp oil to the wok and add 2 tsp minced garlic and a small red chilli. Stir fry 20-30 secs. Add 1 tbsp XO sauce from a jar and 2 spring onions (cut into 4 cm pieces) and stir fry another minute

Stir in the soys sauce mixture, the aubergines, the mushrooms and a handful Thai basil leaves (which I didn't have, so used normal basil) and heat trough and the sauce slightly thickens.

Serve atop rice and garnish with more basil

Scallop XO Sauce Spaghetti

Spaghetti tossed in umami XO sauce and topped with king oyster mushroom “scallops.” A Chinese-Italian fusion pasta dish.

As it turns out, the king oyster mushroom (or other oyster mushroom varieties) has fibers arranged very similarly to scallops. Not to mention they have a funky, almost fishy taste. So all you need to do to transform them is cook them like you would cook scallops.

XO Sauce is an iconic Chinese condiment traditionally made from dried seafood such as scallops and other meats such as cured ham. It is known for its intensely rich, umami flavors. 

Trim off the ends and slice 2 large king oyster mushrooms into around 1 cm thick cylinders.

With a sharp knife, gently score one side of each cylinder

In a pan, heat up a tbsp vegetable oil on high heat. Sear each “scallop” with the scored side down first. Flip when the scored side is crispy and golden

Once you flipped all the “scallops,” baste the scallops with chili oil. When both sides are golden-brown, they are ready. Take off the heat and set aside.

Prepare 100g spaghetti according to the directions on its packet. When the pasta is 2 minutes from being done, heat up 1 tbsp XO sauce from a jar (mine is Lee Kum Kee) in another pan.

Add the cooked pasta, a tablespoon of pasta water, and toss to emulsify. 

Serve with the scallops and top everything with thinly sliced spring onion and shredded nori.

Here Che Jorge's original recipe, incl home made vegan XO sauce)