Totally fine to cook Chow Mein in a skillet instead of a wok. Just be sure to use a big one – so your noodles don’t go flying as you enthusiastically toss!

We know buying authentic Asian food and drink in the UK is not always easy or convenient, especially if you don’t live near an Asian grocery store, which is why our online supermarket delivers everything you need and more straight to your door. We really enjoyed Lee Kum Kee’s Soup Base for Satay Hot Pot, which had a light seafood flavor and gave everything a rich umami boost. However, sometimes you’re looking for a particular flavor profile. Most hot pot restaurants offer different broth flavors, which really elevates the experience. All your cravings will be satisfied with items from China, Korea, Japan, Thailand and more – explore by country of cuisine to find firm favourites and intriguing delights you’ve never encountered before.Wood ears (soak to reconstitute, rinse any dirt or sand off, and remove any woody ends; cook time: 2-3 minutes)

We also tried their seafood flavored soy sauce, which has oyster extracts in it to give it a bit of extra umami. These soup bases can also be used to make other dishes. For instance, hot pot soup base is a key ingredient in our Ma La Xiang Guo (Spicy Numbing Stir-fry Pot) recipe.Make sure your meats are completely cooked through. After adding raw meat, allow the broth to boil for at least 30 seconds to 1 minute before removing any other items from the pot. So given the questionable origins of Itsu I was happy to branch out to satay (sate), a common street food staple in Southeast Asia which has become somewhat of a generic term for barbecue meat skewers. However sate is probably better known for its sauce, a delightful spiced peanut sauce (Sambal Kecang) from Indonesia (or Malaysia if you’re from Malaysia). And personally I like my ‘sate’ to be less sweet or coconutty, and more hot and fiery and Sumatran style.