Rice with minced beef and silky egg (Waat daan ngau yuk faan)

1. Cook the rice in the water. Mix the minced beef with the soy sauce, cornflour, sugar and 2 tablespoons of water and stir for 2 minutes until the water is fully absorbed.

2. Finely chop the ginger and slice the spring onions; lightly beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and white pepper.

3. Heat the oil in the wok, fry the ginger for 20 seconds, add the beef and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.

4. Pour in the 200 ml of water, add the oyster sauce and soy sauce, bring to the boil and thicken with the cornflour mixed with a little cold water.

5. Turn off the heat, pour the eggs into the sauce in a thin stream in a circle, leave for 10 seconds, then fold gently once or twice so they form silky, half-set ribbons.

6. Spoon over the hot rice, sprinkle with spring onions and serve immediately.

Tip: A classic quick weekday lunch from Hong Kong's "cha chaan teng" cafés. Let the egg set only in the residual heat; if you leave it on the flame, you'll get scrambled eggs instead of a silky sauce.