Cooking in the Hutong.

This is our second time in Beijing. We came here seven months ago to visit our friend, Jo-Louise, who was studying here. We did all of the touristy things then, so this time we wanted to try something new. Jo-Louise had recommended a cookery course. The woman who runs the course lives in the Hutong (Beijing's historic alleyways), in a traditional courtyard house. The course started at 10:00 and finished at 14:00. During this time, she was going to teach us how to cook four popular Chinese dishes.

We set out early, as the Hutongs can be difficult to navigate. We arrived with about 30 minutes to spare. We had a map, but we couldn't find the house. There was just a long thin road, with about fifteen doors (some open, some locked) sporadically placed along it. We assumed that the doors were the front doors of peoples' houses. After asking directions, we found ourselves back on the street where we had been dropped off. Luckily, the teacher, Chun Yi, had come looking for us, so we were saved. She led us through one of the 'front doors'. It led to further alleys, with more doors, more passageways, and more looks of confusion.

Her house was amazing. She doesn't have a fridge, so she goes to the market everyday and buys all of her produce fresh. Chun Yi was a wonderful teacher; her English was excellent, and she was fun, knowledgable, and patient.

We started by cooking stir-fried beef with peppers and onions. She told us that although Chinese food is simple to prepare, the complexities and use of different, specialised flavours, are what really make Chinese food so tasty and well-known. We went on to cook a Sichuan pork dish, some vegetables, and a tofu soup. It was all delicious.

If anyone is coming to Beijing, they should definitely check out this course. It's 160 RMB (about a tenner), and serioulsy worth the time and money. www.hutongcuisine.com