Ying Chow makes its home amongst a long strip of popular Asian restaurants on Gouger st, just south of Adelaide Market. Clamouring for attention with their bright, LED signage, they sport claims such as ‘Authentic BBQ’, ‘Fully Licensed’, out of place amongst a smattering of Cantonese and Mandarin characters. 
Cheap and served with that rushed demeanour so typical of Asian restaurants, Ying Chow’s menu lists the essentials (Shanghai Noodles, $11.50 and Fried Rice, $7.50) alongside some alluring oddities: Stir Fry Crocodile ($17.80), Sizzling Venison ($16.80), and Claypots ($10.50-15.50) that Ying Chow claims are from the mysteriously-absent-from-geography-books E-Shand village.
Falling for the intrigue of the E-Shand Eggplant ($10.50), a pot filled with eggplant strips in an orange-tinged translucent sauce arrived; tasting reminiscently like that spring roll dipping sauce found only in Western countries. Followed by Steamed Garlic Scallops ($15.80), piled high with garlic of a mushy consistency and a mild flavour only found in the jarred varieties. Highlights were the crisp, fresh, and brightly coloured Long Beans with Chilli and Garlic ($10.50) and Ying Chow Premium Tea Smoked Duck ($15.80). Infused with aromatic Chinese tealeaves, complemented by a mild smokiness, these surprisingly compatible flavours were embedded deep within the moist, tender pieces of duck breast.
While the dishes at Ying Chow vary in quality, there are a few dishes that make the meal worthwhile. Take recommendations on what to order or follow the decisions of a neighbouring table filled with a Chinese family. Ying Chow can offer a good feed at cheap prices – ensuring that locals return time and time again.
Todays recipe is mildly Chinese - it is one of the first things Eric ever cooked for me and it is absolutely delicious. It has a very strong garlic flavour, of which I am a huge fan. We have a large cast iron wok that we leave to heat up before stir frying - the cast iron maintains such an intense heat you can make excellent, restaurant quality stir fries without a wok burner. We got ours for about $30 in a BBQ store, but you could also check out outdoors/adventure stores for camping equipment or army disposals. They generally have a lot of cast iron cookware.
Garlic Beef with Broccolini
Based on Garlic Beef with Broccolini from taste.com.au
Serves 4
500grams beef steak, thinly sliced
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tsp cornflour
1tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cracked black pepper
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 onion
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bunch broccolini
1/2 cup snow peas
2/3 cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp kecap manis
Mix the soy sauce, cornflour, sesame oil and pepper in a bowl. Mix in the beef strips, stirring to cover.
Heat 6 tsp of the peanut oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add the beef and stir fry until brown, a couple of minutes. Remove to a bowl.
Heat the reminder of the oil and stir fry the onion for 2 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and fry for 1 more minute. Add broccolini, snow peas and stock and fry for 3 minutes until the greens are crisp and bright green.
Mix in the beef along with the kecap manis, mix all through, cooking for another minute or so until it all thickens. Serve on top of white rice.
