An Amoyzing Masterclass with Ching He Huang

I recently went to a Chinese cookery masterclass with Ching He Huang hosted by Amoy. This was held at The Violin Factory, of former Grand Designs fame. I most definitely had serious kitchen envy  and house envy, let’s face it, after discovering this incredible space discreetly tucked away in the heart of London. Amoy were showcasing their latest Meal Kits and it was my job to try them out and also to have a go at making a meal in super speedy time. Recipe videos with Ching He Huang are well worth a look. But make sure you actually cook the dish for yourself, ok?!

Ching He Huang and the girls

Here is a menu of what we enjoyed:

Hoi Sin Chicken Lettuce Cups-poached chicken marinaded in a dressing of garlic, ginger, orange juice, Amoy hoi sin and dark soy sauce.The chicken was served in a cup of little gem lettuce. It was light, refreshing and crunchy. Ching also added a garnish of white and black sesame seeds and spring onions. A clever little dish and not too heavy on the calories.

Hoi sin chicken lettuce cups

Chinese BBQ Pork Buns-wok fried pork fillet cooked with garlic, ginger, rice wine and vegetable stock. When the pork is almost cooked it is then tossed in Amoy Chinese BBQ sticky glaze. To serve Ching gridddled some brioche buns and filled them with the pork and sliced cucumber. I cannot tell you how moreish these little buns were. I could have eaten the whole platter quite happily.

Chinese BBQ pork buns

Cantonese Beef & Black bean Noodles– Ribeye steak stir-fried with garlic, ginger and chilli along with rice wine, green peppers, spring onions and Amoy Black bean sauce, dark soy sauce and Amoy medium noodles (pre-cooked). This was such a quick dish to throw together and the taste was truly authentic and far more delicious than anything you will pick up from a local take-away. We bloggers also got to make this dish  just to prove that it really can be made in ten minutes. It worked. Both teams finished within the allocated time and I hope we did Ching proud. It certainly tasted wonderful.

Beef & black bean noodles. Image courtesy of Le Binh at The Food connoisseur.

Malaysian Style Prawn Laksa– tiger prawns, green beans and red peppers were fried off in the laksa paste. While this was cooking some rice noodles were simmering away. The coconut milk finished off the laksa as did the garlic and pepper savoury seasoning, something I had not seen before but it certainly added another level of authenticity to the dish. This recipe comes as a meal kit, again achievable within ten minutes. A perfect mid-week supper. Chicken or tofu could replace the prawns and the vegetables could also be adapted to suit your tastes.

Malaysian Laksa

The cook off!

Here is what Amoy says about the Amoyzing Meals in Minutes:

“The collection of recipes offers a simple and convenient way to bring modern flavours of Asia to kitchen across the UK in a matter of  minutes, giving the time-poor cooks a wide range of midweek meal options that are quick and easy to prepare”.

Ching He Huang says:

“I’m delighted to be working with Amoy and reveal the recipes I’ve created using their delicious, high quality, variety of products. All of the recipes are very tasty, quick and straightforward, and there is something on offer for everyone”.

What did I think?

I think that Amoy and Ching have created a range of meals that are aimed at feeding families, couples and friends in a way that is achievable, healthy and fast. All the food that I tasted from Ching’s Amoy range was genuinely good. I think that anyone who loves their Asian flavours will enjoy these meals and the crucial part for me is that they are light and healthy. Incorporating fresh vegetables, plenty of garlic and ginger and some sauce to bring the dish together,along with plenty of chilli for those that like it, is the way I love to eat during the week. I hope this range will encourage more people to cook because it is so much better than any ready meal or take away. After all, it is better to cook dishes with a few semi-preperaed ingredients, than not to cook at all which seems to be the way we are heading. Let’s hope Amoyzing meals will encourage more people to cook in a minute, or 10!

Making Cantonese beef & black bean noodles

Photo credit:Image of  Cantonese beef & black bean noodles courtesy of Le Binh at The Food Connoisseur. Her photos and blog are beautiful, pop over and see for yourself!

Thanks to Amoy for inviting  me to attend this event and for allowing me to use some of their photographs . All views expressed here are my own.