China & Korea

Sichuan, Canton & the Korean table

This corner of East Asia rewards a well-stocked pantry and a screaming-hot pan. It runs from the numbing heat of Sichuan and the lacquered roasts of Cantonese kitchens to Korea’s marinated grills and fermented depth. Japan, deep enough to stand on its own, now lives in its own hub.

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Every recipe

5 recipes in this region.

A bibimbap bowl of white rice topped with neat sections of green spinach, white bean sprouts, orange carrot, sautéed zucchini, brown mushrooms, and marinated beef, with a sunny-side-up egg in the center and a spoonful of red gochujang sauce.

Korea · Korean

Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice Bowl)

Korea's beautiful mixed rice bowl: a base of warm rice crowned with seasoned vegetables, marinated beef, a fried egg, and a spoonful of sweet-spicy gochujang sauce — all stirred together at the table. Endlessly adaptable and a feast of colour, texture, and flavour.

IntermediateMainsCustomizable

A plate of bulgogi — glossy, caramelised thin slices of marinated beef with softened onion and green spring onion, scattered with toasted sesame seeds, served with rice and lettuce leaves for wrapping.

Korea · Korean

Bulgogi (Korean Marinated Grilled Beef)

Korea's beloved 'fire meat': thin slices of beef marinated in a sweet-savoury blend of soy, pear, garlic, and sesame, then seared hot and fast until caramelised at the edges. Tender, glossy, and ready in minutes once it hits the pan.

EasyMainsQuick

Sliced char siu pork with glossy caramelised red-brown edges and a juicy pink interior, arranged over white rice with blanched green vegetables and a drizzle of dark sauce.

Guangdong (Cantonese) · Chinese

Char Siu (Cantonese Barbecue Pork)

The lacquered red-edged pork that hangs in every Cantonese roast-meat window: pork shoulder marinated in a sweet-savoury glaze of hoisin, soy, honey, and five-spice, then roasted and basted until sticky and caramelised. Easier at home than you'd think.

EasyMainsMake-ahead

A bowl of mapo tofu — soft white tofu cubes in a glossy deep-red chili-bean sauce flecked with minced pork and ground Sichuan pepper, scattered with sliced green spring onions, served over white rice.

Sichuan · Chinese

Mapo Tofu (Sichuan Tofu in Spicy Bean Sauce)

The great tofu dish of Sichuan: silky cubes of tofu in a fiery, savoury sauce of fermented broad-bean paste and minced pork, finished with the tongue-tingling buzz of ground Sichuan pepper. Ready in 20 minutes and built on a handful of pantry powerhouses.

IntermediateMainsQuick

Bamboo steamer baskets of Cantonese dim sum, with open-topped pork and shrimp siu mai dumplings among other steamed dumplings.

Guangdong / Cantonese (China) · Chinese

Siu Mai (Cantonese Pork and Shrimp Dumplings)

The open-topped dim sum classic — juicy pork and shrimp filling in a thin wheat wrapper, pleated into a little cup and steamed until plump. The dumpling at the heart of any dim sum spread, easier to make at home than you'd think.

IntermediateSnacksSteamed