Since the start of the pandemic, hate crime against the East and South East Asian (ESEA) community has increased by 300 per cent in the UK alone.
Wanting to do something about this, Claire Sachiko Fourel and Lex Shu Chan – collectively known as Sachiko & Shu – started the Recipes Against Racism charity cookbook project. It features over 20 recipes from some of London's leading Asian and Asian-influenced restaurants, including Chinese Laundry, Farang, Kiln, Lucky & Joy, Poon's, and Solip.
Aiming to raise £20,000, 100 per cent of proceeds from the download of the book will be donated to two charity partners — End the Virus of Racism and Stop Hate UK.
Here's a taste of what to expect.
Pork And Onion Stir-Fry By Shanghai Supperclub
Ingredients
Serves 1 - 2
- 250g pork neck or collar (or feel free to substitute other meat)
- 2 large onions (approx. 300g)
For the marinade:
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 tsp corn starch
- a dash of sesame oil (optional)
For stir-fry seasoning:
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt
Method
Slice the pork into thin pieces the size of your thumb nail, and mix well with the marinade. Leave for 5 -10 minutes.
Slice the onion into the same size as your pork.
Heat up 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok or pan until hot and toss in the pork to quickly stir fry until there are no obvious red spots. Remove and set aside. The amount of oil depends on the type of pan you use - less if you are using non-stick.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok/pan and toss the onions in when the oil is hot. Keep turning the onions around in the wok/pan to make sure they separate and cook evenly. When they start to look less opaque, add:
1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to season and colour.
Tip in the pork and a small pinch of sugar and stir fry for another minute until the flavour is well blended but the onion still has a crunch.
The best woks, tried and tested
We also tested the best woks in the business, and think these are the ones worth considering if you’re keen to explore more Asian cooking.
- Best investment: Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick Wok 32cm
- Best small wok: Kuhn Rikon Allround Wok Non-Stick
- Best for versatility: Circulon Ultimum High Density Forged Aluminium 36cm Non-Stick Wok with Lid
- Best for metal utensils: GreenPan Barcelona Ceramic Non-Stick Wok
- Picked by the Esquire editors: Zwilling J.A Henckels Forte Coated Wok 30cm
How we test
Our panel donned their aprons and tested each of these woks on gas, electric and induction hobs, to see how quickly each heated up and how easy they were to manoeuvre.
Keeping a beady eye on any food sticking or burning, they cooked three staple dishes in each wok: one containing meat, one involving fried rice and one sugary, sticky saucy vegetable-based recipe to really see how it stood up.
For those that claimed they were dishwasher safe, we’d put them through multiple cycles to see if they still looked brand new at the end of it, and for those that didn’t, well, you won’t find them on this list.
With its induction-compatible base and durable non-stick surface (meaning you won’t ruin it with metal utensils!), this robust wok requires no special treatment. A breeze to cook with, nothing sticks or burns, and you can chuck it in the dishwasher when you’re done. You’ll notice there’s no long handle for tossing your food around like a pro, but the deep sides make it easy to keep everything moving without any flicking on the hob.
Key specifications
Material: Aluminium
Coating: Non-stick
Sizes available: 28cm/32cm
Lid: No
Dishwasher safe: Yes
Oven safe: Yes - up to 260 degrees
Guarantee: Lifetime
Suitable heat sources: Induction, Ceramic, Gas and Electric
Handy for solo chefs, this small wok is the perfect size for making individual meals, and heats up rapidly thanks to its narrow base. With its long handle, stir-frying ingredients is simple — but if you’re a vigorous tosser (ahem), it’s worth noting that the wok has relatively shallow sides, so food could quite easily escape. It’s dishwasher-safe, but food scrapes out so easily that you might not even bother — a quick rinse got rid of any oily residue.
Key specifications
Material: Stainless Steel
Coating: Non-stick
Sizes available: 24cm/28cm
Lid: No
Dishwasher safe: Yes, but hand-washing recommended
Oven safe: Yes - up to 240 degrees
Guarantee: 2 years
Suitable heat sources: Induction, Electric, Gas, Ceramic
Circulon Ultimum High Density Forged Aluminium Non-Stick Wok with Lid
Ticking all the boxes, this lidded wok is oven-safe, unaffected by metal utensils, and suitable for use with a wide range of heat sources — but, sadly, it won’t make dinner for you. The stir fry was pretty damn good though, and although we did notice a bit of burning when we cooked mince and onions, it was easily cleaned. As an extra large wok, it’s quite heavy, but the metal lug handles on either side make you feel like a boss when bringing it to the table for the grand reveal.
Key specifications
Material: Aluminium
Coating: Non-stick
Sizes available: 35cm
Lid: Yes
Dishwasher safe: Yes, but hand wash recommended
Oven safe: Yes - up to 240 degrees
Guarantee: Lifetime guarantee
Suitable heat sources: Induction, Gas, Electric, Ceramic, Halogen and Radiant
Known for its durable, eco-friendly designs, GreenPan’s woks come with a lifetime guarantee. That’s how confident the brand is that the scratch-resistant, reinforced, thick aluminum body will stand the test of time. The ergonomic stainless steel handle is toss-friendly and although it works on all hobs, it performed best when cooking over gas.
Key specifications
Material: Aluminium
Coating: Non-stick ceramic
Sizes available: 28cm
Lid: No
Dishwasher safe: Yes, but hand wash recommended
Oven safe: Yes - up to 220 degrees
Guarantee: Limited lifetime warranty
Suitable heat sources: Induction, Electric, Gas, Ceramic
This sexy bit of kit is a favourite with the Esquire editors. It’s made in Italy and coated with an “extreme” non-stick coating, so even the most slapdash chef is unlikely to wreck it. It’s suitable for those hob-to-oven one-pot wonders you’ve been trying to master, and comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Key specifications
Material: Forged aluminium
Coating: Non-stick titanium
Sizes available: 30cm
Lid: No
Dishwasher safe: Yes, but hand wash recommended
Oven safe: Yes - up to 180 degrees
Guarantee: Lifetime guarantee
Suitable heat sources: Induction, Electric, Gas, Ceramic
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox
Need some positivity right now? Subscribe to Esquire now for a hit of style, fitness, culture and advice from the experts
