Articles by Ken Hom

Ken Hom OBE is an American-born Chinese chef, author and television-show presenter for the BBC. In 2009 he was appointed honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire for "services to culinary arts". You can find him online at http://kenhom.com/

Chun juan (spring rolls)

These nutritious snacks, as their name suggests, symbolise and commemorate the coming of the spring season. They are among the traditional foods eaten in China on New Year's Eve, which, by the Chinese lunar calendar, marks the end of the winter season.

Jiaozi-guotie (boiled and pan-fried meat dumplings)

Dumplings are made in Beijing restaurants and homes. Simple treats, I think they make a far better, more delicious meal than can be had at the more fancy restaurants that often cater to tourists.

Vietnamese-style chicken curry

Like other cuisines of South-east Asia, Vietnamese cooking is highly perfumed with herbs such as lemon grass and purple basil. It is delicious and goes perfectly with plain rice.

Crunchy vegetable stir-fry

Nuts such as peanuts or cashews are a good source of protein for vegetarians. The nuts in this recipe have not been salted as we should aim to reduce the amount of salt in our diets by about a third.

Grilled lamb with sesame sauce

Lamb was not a meat I had known in my Chinese childhood. The first time I had lamb was in France; I was surprised by its assertive, but delectable, flavour.