Husband-and-wife duo Kei Lum Chan and Diora Fong Chan have produced China: The Cookbook, an encyclopedic volume that covers wide-ranging dishes from the country's many regions over 700 pages. The menu is as diverse as the population, ranging from familiar staples to lesser-known recipes. Try these simple ideas for a speedy dinner and an express stop to China. 

You can join the authors and Flower Drum's Anthony Lui for a special five-course banquet including some of Lui's signature dishes alongside recipes from China: The Cookbook on November 26 at noon for Melbourne's Good Food Month. Details and tickets here. Kei Lum Chan and Diora Fong Chan will be touring Australia for other events during November. China: The Cookbook (Phaidon, $59.95) is on sale now.  

Rice rolls with chilli sauce

Time: 10 minutes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons chilli sauce (such as XO sauce)

450 g fresh rice rolls, cut into 4-cm lengths

1 teaspoon sesame oil

​Coriander, to garnish (optional)

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat, add the garlic, and stir-fry for a minute until fragrant.

2. Put in the chilli sauce and stir-fry for another minute. Add the rice rolls and sesame oil, increase to high heat, and stir-fry for another one to two minutes until well mixed.

3. Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with coriander, if using, and serve as breakfast or as part of dim sum.

Serves 4

This easy stir-fry would be perfect for lunch or your mid-week dinner. Photo: DL Acken

Noodles with spicy brown sauce

Time: 30 minutes

200 g lean pork, cut into thin strips

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

½ teaspoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornflour

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped Sichuan preserved mustard greens, trimmed, rinsed and chopped

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon chili sauce

1 tablespoon ketchup

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dark soy sauce

600 g dried wheat noodles

1/3 cucumber, shredded

1. Combine the pork, one teaspoon light soy sauce, the sugar, one teaspoon cornflour, and one tablespoon water in a bowl, mix well, and marinate for ten minutes.

2. Mix in one tablespoon oil. Heat the remaining two tablespoons oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat, add the garlic, and stir-fry for one minute until fragrant.

3. Add the pork, preserved mustard greens, hoisin and chili sauces, ketchup, and remaining one teaspoon light soy sauce. Stir-fry for another two to three minutes until the pork is cooked through. Add the salt and half cup of water, bring to a boil, and then stir in the dark soy sauce.

4. In a small bowl, mix the remaining one tablespoon cornstarch with two tablespoons water and stir this mixture into the wok. Bring to a boil, stirring, for thirty seconds to thicken the sauce.

5. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, then add the noodles. Cook according to the package directions until just tender. Drain, then transfer to a large bowl or four individual serving bowls.

6. Pour over the brown sauce, top with the shredded cucumber, and serve.

Serves 4

A divine dessert of mango, pomelo and sago. Photo: DL Acken

Mango, pomelo and sago dessert

¼ cup sago

4 ripe mangoes, peeled, stone removed and cut into chunks

Scant ½ cup coconut milk

4 tablespoons evaporated milk, plus extra to serve

¼ cup granulated sugar

5 pomelo or pink grapefruit segments

1. Add the sago and one and a quarter cups water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and cook for ten minutes. Cover, turn off the heat, and stand for fifteen minutes.

2. Rinse the sago under cold running water to get rid of any starch. Put the sago into a large bowl, add enough cold water to cover it, and refrigerate.

3. In a food processor, combine two-thirds of the mango, the coconut milk, and evaporated milk and process until the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.

4. Mix the sugar with four tablespoons hot water in a small saucepan and stir over low heat for two to three minutes, or until syrupy. Set aside to cool.

5. Peel off the membrane from the pomelo or pink grapefruit segments and shred (or separate the flesh into chunks).

6. Remove the sago from the refrigerator and drain. Add the sago, pomelo, and sugar syrup to the mango puree and gently mix. 

7. Divide into separate bowls, drizzle with evaporated milk, top with the reserved mango, and serve.

Serves 6