eat in, eat out Barshu

The celebrated Soho restaurant shares four fiery Sichuan recipes to make at home

- BARSHU TEAM

When Shao Wei opened Soho's Barshu on Frith Street 15 years ago, it instantly caused a stir. A real trailblazer, the restaurant quickly became famous for its luxurious, authentic take on south-west Chinese dishes, with its menu firmly focussed on the fiery heat of the cuisine of Sichuan province.

Barshu was one of the first Sichuan restaurants in London to combine a critically acclaimed menu, featuring quality ingredients, with a beautiful contemporary interior.

To celebrate 15 years at the top, Barshu has had a full refit and has a brand-new menu. The latter still features many of its classic dishes, as well as new and intriguing plates from across other regions and cities of China, including Hunan, Shanghai and Canton. barshurestaurant.co.uk

Lychee martini

5 MINUTES | MAKES 1 | EASY

pitted lychees 4

vodka 30ml

lychee purée 30ml

lychee juice 30ml

lime juice a splash, plus a wedge to serve

1 Peel and cut the lychees in half. Put the pieces into a large cocktail shaker.

2 Put the remaining ingredients into the cocktail shaker along with some ice cubes.

3 Shake for 1 minute to combine.

4 Strain the drink into a martini glass and add a lime wedge to garnish.

Stir-fried aubergines with green beans

25 MINUTES | SERVES 2 AS A SIDE | EASY

rapeseed oil 3 tbsp

green beans 150g, trimmed and cut into 4cm pieces

aubergine 1 small, cut into 4cm fingers

garlic 7 cloves, crushed

ginger a thumb-sized piece, peeled and grated

spring onions 2, finely sliced

soy sauce 3 tsp

oyster sauce 2 tsp