Garlic beef noodles come together in 25 minutes: stir up a sauce of chili flakes, sugar, soy, oyster and pomegranate sauce, sizzle garlic, ginger and scallions in olive oil, brown 250 g of ground beef in the sauce for about 10 minutes, then toss with freshly boiled instant noodles and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serves 2.
Creamy sunset noodles are ready in 10 minutes: steep instant noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes while you blend 200 g of cottage cheese, 100 g of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tbsp of Parmesan, 30 g of olives, fresh basil, garlic powder and 70 ml of water into a smooth coral-colored sauce, then toss to coat. Serves 2.
Tender beef and onion stir-fry starts with a baking-soda treatment, not a soda-spiked marinade: dissolve 1 tsp baking soda in 3 tbsp water, work it into 500 g of thick-sliced beef, rest 30 minutes, then rinse it out completely — that rinse is what prevents the metallic aftertaste. The beef then takes a glossy soy–oyster–cornstarch marinade and a hard sear with golden onions, scallions and garlic. A splash of plain water in the hot pan turns the cornstarch into a light glossy sauce. About an hour start to finish, serves 4.
Air fry doubled rice paper rolls of seasoned ground chicken at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes for a shatter-crisp shell and juicy center. Wrap the mirin-spiked chicken filling in two sheets of softened rice paper, roll in black and white sesame seeds, then snip into bite-sized pieces. They eat like little hot sushi rolls with chicken, the crackly sesame crust giving way to a tender filling you dunk in teriyaki.
Tender Chinese beef stir-fry uses the restaurant velveting trick: slice lean beef across the grain, mix it with just under 1 tsp baking soda, ice water, salt, sugar, egg white and 2 tbsp cornstarch, rest 15 minutes, then stir-fry over high heat with onion, bell pepper and a glossy sriracha-soy-garlic glaze. Piled over crisp puffed rice noodles, the beef comes out silky, juicy and glistening in about 35 minutes. Serves 4.
Never eat dry chicken again: this Japanese low-temperature method keeps chicken breast tender and juicy every time. Trim the tendons, cure a 300 g breast with 3 g salt and 1.5 g sugar for 15 minutes, then poach in just-off-the-boil water (80–85 °C / 175–185 °F) for 23–25 minutes until the center hits 74 °C / 165 °F. Finish with a 1-minute butter sear for colour. Serves 2.