Consommé Sessions: Discovering Tianjin Food with Dave Critchley

While travel is something that seems like a distant memory, and life seems a little more lonely right now - we wanted to bring people together the best way we know how – through food. Food is more than just a dish to curb your hunger and to help you thrive. Food can be an expression of love and war; history and tradition; a way to celebrate each other. From recipes passed down through the generations and the stories that have deep rooted and engulfed around each one. Our appetite for discovering the culture and cuisine of those we love and those we pass on the street or scroll past on Instagram is expanding. And by taking those precious memories and recipes you have prepared so many times it’s embedded in your mind and sharing them in a safe digital space we can create a new appreciation and discovery for other people’s journeys and heritage and come together over a new-found dish and create a community where global cuisines are as important as our own. 

And we couldn’t think of a better start to our journey then by jumping in the deep end. Chinese cooking is boxed by the limitations of our takeaway menus – but there is so much more than meets the eye. Here we talk to Dave Critchley the Executive Chef at Lu Ban Kitchen in Liverpool. Critchley, who has been working in kitchen since the age of 15 made headlines as he became the first international apprentice to attend one of China’s most prestigious cooking academies, studying and immersing himself in the art of Tianjin cooking and pathing a new way for gastronomic cultural alliance. 

Dave Critchley

What Even Is Tianjin Cuisine?

Ask anyone in China which of its cities is renowned for its cuisine and you will get a very surprising answer – Tianjin! Now it may not have the global profile of Beijing or Shanghai, in fact, despite being the fourth most populous city in China and 19th in the world, somehow its culinary culture remains very much under the radar. Being a bustling port city, seafood is a key ingredient in its dishes; a meal isn’t just a meal in Tianjin cuisine. The order dishes are served has deep and traditional relevance – to aid digestion, to deliver health benefits, to cleanse the palette and each dish also has a story behind it - with its ingredients having significant meaning. They are also perfectly paired and prepared to let their flavours speak for themselves.

 So, it’s no surprise that the city is home to the Tianjin School of Cuisine – famous across the nation for producing highly-skilled master chefs that maintain the standards and traditions of highest quality Chinese food.

How Did You Discover It? 

In the UK we are used to Cantonese style Chinese, so I was simply blown away when I got my first introduction to Tianjin food. I’d flown over with colleagues to not just sample Tianjin food, but to learn how to cook it in my role as head chef. This was the first part of a journey that will see me become a Tianjin School of Cuisine Master Chef. 

I went to the school on my first morning there and the very first dish that was prepared just totally changed my perception of Chinese food. It was a cold dish called ‘Five Flavour Cucumber’. I watched as a Master Chef prepared it. The seeds were taken out of a Chinese cucumber and it was then left in salt for an hour, which drew out the moisture and changed the texture of the cucumber. To combat the salt taste, rice vinegar was added and then Shiitake mushrooms, chilli and ginger. The result was just insane. You had sweet and sour, the heat of the chili with just a hint of the saltiness. Just simple ingredients but it was just an incredible taste sensation.

Having seen it done, I then had to prepare it myself, but in front of a live TV crew, who were following us while we were in Tianjin. It was a pretty surreal experience but this introduction to ‘Jin’ food showed me Chinese food in a whole new light and how you can take simple ingredients and produce something phenomenal.

Five Flavour Cucumber / Lu Ban Kitchen

What Ingredients are Used in Tianjin Cuisine? 

The main ingredients used in Tianjin Cuisine are: 
Garlic, Ginger, Chillies and Chinese Onion: you can’t single one of these out as all of them form the basis for a lot of dishes (such as a French mirepoix, or the Holy Trinity of Spanish cuisine) and are chosen for their aroma and flavour.

Black Vinegar: Black Vinegar is used as a flavour enhancer; vinegars as a whole play a massive role in Tianjin food - to get the best out of every ingredient. In the UK, we are likely to choose Soy Sauce, when it comes to Chinese cooking - but this is too salty and too heavy for Tianjin dishes and takes away all the flavours and mastery of the dish. 

Sesame Paste: this is a rich, thick paste and again is used in quite a lot in dishes. It is normally paired with Sichuan chilli oil and peppercorns and used to flavour noodles and sauces. It is a very popular flavour combination.

Fermented Bean Paste: it might sound grim, but it’s just a mix of fermented broad beans in chilli oil. Together, you get the flavours of the chili coming through while the fermented bean paste is very savoury. This would primarily be the base for a lot of sauces and is used in the very popular Kung Po Chicken.

Seafood: Tianjin is a coastal city. It has a massive port and there is a huge fishing industry. Fish, shellfish and crustaceans are very prevalent in dishes. There are different methods of cooking these including: shallow frying, deep frying, grilling but steaming is also a very popular method. In Tianjin, you can go to restaurants where you have a steamer in the centre of a table and steam your own seafood platter. 

Dave Critchley

How Can I Cook Tianjin Cuisine at Home?

These top tips will help you start to learn the ethos and practices behind every Tianjin dish. 

Start by choosing seasonal and the freshest quality ingredients, where possible - and don’t do too much with them. The reason for wok frying is to cook the food quickly because you want to keep all the nutrients and flavours. Also - when frying - use just a small amount of oil – if you think it’s not enough, it probably is. 

Get yourself a decent wok and some chopsticks - a half decent wok will last a long time if you look after well. Don’t scrub your wok after using it as wok’s build flavour over time. Don’t use detergent, just rinse with hot water and wipe it after use. Chopsticks aren't just for eating with they're also very versatile cooking tools.

Make sure to season your pan before you use it… get it very hot and then let it cool down until ready to use. Then, use just a little oil to get it back up to heat so the ingredients are cooked quickly. 

Use far less of everything. If you use a sauce such as soy or sesame – only use a couple of splashes. When it comes to seasoning, like salt, only add a small amount. The skill is to be far more delicate and sparing unlike other heavy-laden cuisines. 

Prepping is key. Make sure to cut your ingredients into small similar size and shape pieces and make sure everything is prepped before cooking. This helps to create better flavours of the dish as each piece will be seasoned and cooked equally. Plus as everything is cooked quickly, it’s unlikely you’ll have time to prep while cooking so have everything ready to go. 

Duck with Pancakes / Lu Ban Kitchen

If you want to get your hands (and mouths) round some Tianjin cooking without having to cook it yourself, Lu Ban have a wide range of at home discovery kits that are suitable for all levels of ability and are a great introduction to the incredible skills that Dave and his team have perfected over the years. 

Ranging from their Heat at Home Boxes: authentically made meals that are prepared in the Lu Ban Kitchen and delivered to your door ready for you to heat and feast. Each dish is made fresh to order and ranges from starters, mains and sides. Their Roast Duck and Pancakes is a must-try (also available in faux/vegan style). Lightly spiced and smoked with cherry wood the fall-apart duck pairs perfectly with the soft pancakes, orange, plum and hoi sin sauce and fresh cucumber - to their Cooks Boxes which are a little more hands on. Containing all the flavour you need to create a range of dishes and transform your own ingredients at home into authentic dishes. This is a great option to introduce you to the cuisine and the flavour combinations it holds while also expanding your cooking skills with simple but delicious dishes. We highly recommend their Mix and Match – Make Your Own box to really hone in on those dishes that whet your appetite (their Stir-Fried Chilli Corn on the Cob is a real powerful punch of flavour showcasing the beautiful sweetness coming from the sweetcorn – showcasing how important it is in letting ingredients shine and embodying the quintessence of the cuisine. 

Chinese Mushroom and Pak Choi Dumplings / Lu Ban Kitchen

And to celebrate Chinese New Year in style (12th February-26th February) you can order one of their incredible Banquet Boxes that has everything you need for that perfect, special meal. Packed with enough restaurant-quality food to serve 4-6 people, (including Chinese Dumplings, Jasmine Smoked Pork Baby Ribs, Jiang Beef, Lu Ban Noodles and so much more) their box is truly the best way to welcome in the Chinese New Year.