Red Chilli Chinese restaurant

[Gary Marshall]

Yes the chilli levels definitely differ between branches and visits, but less is usually fine by me so it's not a problem.

How do you do your Pork & Beans David? never tried to cook it but it is certainly a favourite dish.

[david goodfellow]

Yes the chilli levels definitely differ between branches and visits, but less is usually fine by me so it's not a problem.

How do you do your Pork & Beans David? never tried to cook it but it is certainly a favourite dish.

At no stage during the eating of the lamb dish did I experience any of the mouth numbing, beads of sweat that I would normally have with this dish. The purists may not be so happy with that, but I'm becoming a bit of a wimp in my old age, so I am.

This is the original recipe. Although mine varies quite a bit as I have played about a bit with cooking the beans and I have added different layers of flavour.

The main difference with my dish is the addition of a certain brand of chilli bean paste. The dish is still pork and beans but it suits me to combine different items to give it more depth of flavour.

I need to double check on quantities for my dish because I don't measure stuff out normally, but will try to get the recipe up today so that you can try it for yourself.

[Gary Marshall]

thanks, it is a great dish, always have it at RC.

[Harters]

'Tis Mrs H's favourite dish there as she's not a great fan of "wet food".

Personally I find the poached lamb dish there, and at Red n Hot, to be just too hot for my tastes.

[david goodfellow]

OK, fingers crossed that the quantities are correct.

Serves two or three depending how hungry you are and if you serve boiled rice with it or not.

500 gram fine beans cut into bite size (2") pieces.

250 gram pork mince.

half inch square of fresh grated ginger.

1, or 2 heaped tablespoons of Amoy brand, Toban Jhan chilli bean paste.(depending on how hot you want it)

3 spring onions cut on the diagonal, about half inch wide.

3 or 4 garlic cloves medium sliced.

Splash of chinese wine or amontillado sherry.

Two heaped tablesoons of caster (or granulated) sugar.

4 fl oz of chicken stock.

Cornflour for thickening.

Splash of soy sauce.

Sesame oil to taste.

First, fry the pork on a high heat until it catches. I purposely sear the pork well (as I do in a ragu) to get maximum flavour from it. Also I prefer a larger ratio of pork than in the original dish. Add the wine, reduce, and carefully season with the soy sauce.

These days I never deep fry the beans. I steam them until almost done. You can still dry fry them so that they pucker up a bit.

Add the beans to the wok and add the bean paste and the sugar. Keep the heat on high stirring all of the time. Add a bit of stock to loosen the mix, then add more as you see fit to give you a bit of sauce. Then thicken with the cornflour. This should only take minutes.

Now add the ginger, slices of garlic and the spring onions and heat briefly, no need to cook them right through.

Finish the dish by adding liberal quantities of sesame oil.

Serve with boiled rice to break up the flavour a bit.

Done.

Do I get the job, chef?.

Yes I know it is bastardised and you are asking where are the mustard greens? I still try the original recipe but this one satisfys me more. I hope it translates on to the plate as intended although you may have to refine quantities a bit to your own taste.

[RDB]

Now I would be very dissapointed if I did not get the optimum heat factor at Red Chilli. I find the Oxford Road branch much more consistent and pleasant than the city centre one. I have becom addicted to the Geleshan chicken, this is loaded with chilli and peppercorns, dry and flavoursome. A real asault of heat and numbness, however nothing prepares you for experiencing this effect the next day when it comes out the other end. Real pain!