This dish combines quick-cooking squid and vegetables with a rich sauce laced with fragrant Chinese five spice powder.

1 cup long-grain rice

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine

1 teaspoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon five spice powder

1 teaspoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons canola or peanut oil

2 cleaned squid hoods—each cut in half, scored on the inside in a crisscross pattern then cut into large pieces (by doing this the squid pieces will curl up when cooked)

1 red pepper—julienned

1 bunch Asian greens (like bok choy or choy sum)—stems trimmed, leaves separated, washed and roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic—-minced (crushed)

1 teaspoon finely grated ginger

1 small red chili—deseeded and finely chopped

1½ cups fish, chicken or vegetable stock

1½ tablespoons cornstarch mixed to a paste with 1½ tablespoons water

COOK the rice. MIX together the hoisin and soy sauces, Chinese rice wine, sugar, 5-spice powder and sesame oil in a bowl. HEAT a wok or large frying pan over a high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and stir-fry the squid for 40 seconds. REMOVE the squid from the wok and set aside on a plate. HEAT the remaining oil in the wok over a high heat and stir-fry the red pepper for 2 minutes. ADD the Asian greens and stir-fry for a further 3 minutes. ADD the garlic, ginger and chili and stir-fry for a minute. ADD the sauce mixture and stock, then add the cornstarch paste and cook, stirring continuously, until thickened. RETURN the squid to the wok and thoroughly combine. SERVE with rice.

Variation: Replace the squid with shrimp or scallops and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Serve with noodles instead of rice.

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