Fujian fried rice

Cover the dried shiitake and dried scallops with a cup and a half of hot boiled water and set aside for at least one hour.

Cut the chicken thigh into half inch chunks and marinate with the salt, white pepper, sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce and Shaoxing wine; mix well, coat with a teaspoon of oil and set aside.

Rinse the shrimp under running water until it runs clean, about 30 seconds, squeeze dry with a paper towel, cut into half inch chunks and marinate with the salt and white pepper.

Pick the leaves and flowers off the gailan and save them, throw away the last centimetre of hard stem and slice the stems at an angle into half centimetre pieces.

Get the wok piping hot, shut off the heat and add half a cup of oil; with the flame back on medium high, bring the oil to about 150 Celsius.

Fry the chicken about one minute until it changes colour, drain it, and do the same with the shrimp.

Dip out the oil, add a cup and a half of water to the same wok, bring to a rapid boil and blanch the gailan stems about one minute until the colour deepens and only a little white core is left.

Squeeze the soaked mushrooms, snip the stems and slice into half centimetre pieces; press the scallop down with a knife into a floss and return it to the soaking liquid.

Swirl a tablespoon of oil into the wok and fry the mushroom over a medium flame about a minute and a half until fragrant, then swirl in the tablespoon of Shaoxing wine.

Add the scallop and its soaking liquid, season, bring to a boil, drop to medium-low and add the chicken and shrimp; cook together about a minute, then add the gailan stems.

Thicken with the starch and water slurry, bit by bit, until it coats a spoon, without over-thickening.

Sprinkle in the white pepper and, optionally, half a tablespoon of the frying oil.

Rinse the jasmine rice, parboil it in a pot of boiling water like pasta for three minutes, drain and hold it in a fine mesh strainer.

Rinse the pot, bring about two inches of water to a boil, spread the rice evenly and poke a couple of holes with a chopstick for the steam.

Steam about fifteen minutes with the edges wrapped in a damp towel or foil, then spread the rice out on a plate.

Swirl about two tablespoons of oil into the wok and heat until it bubbles around a pair of chopsticks, then pour in the egg.

Scooch the cooked egg to the side and, once no liquid egg is running, add the steamed rice, folding from the bottom and layering it on top.

Once the egg is evenly mixed in, after a minute or two, season with the salt, MSG and sugar.

Remove to a plate and smother with the sauce.

Cooking it for real, pass the meat through oil first, then blanch the gailan stems, then fry the rice, then make the sauce, so both are hot when they are served together.