The Governor’s Kung Bao

Thoroughly rinse your rice under cold water for a minute. Add the rice to the boiling water with ½ tsp salt and cook for arond 20-25 mins until soft. Tip: Once cooked, drain the rice, put back in the pan (off the heat) and cover with a clean tea towel for 5 mins.

Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic and chilli. Peel the ginger with the edge of a spoon and finely chop. Finely slice the spring onions (including the green part) and chop the mushrooms in half or any monsters into large chunks.

To make the ‘gong bao’, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar and 2 tsp of sugar (if you have some) in a small bowl.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. When hot, add the mushrooms and sear for 1-2 mins without moving the pan. Tip: If you stir the mushrooms too often they won’t get nice and brown!

Add the chilli, garlic, ginger and ¾ of the spring onion to the pan (reserving some of the green bits) and cook for 2 mins. Add the gong bao mix and cook for a further minute, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cashews.