COOKING Asian food at home always seems to have something missing: a taste, a flavour, an ingredient, something that doesn’t quite replicate the real thing.

Angela Malik is on a one-woman mission to aid the masses in finding what is missing and bringing your Asian home-cooking to life.

Her Modern Asian Deli recently opened in Ealing and, as well as serving Angela’s unique Brit-Asian cuisine, she also wants to teach people how to make it. Angela did not have the most direct path into cookery. Initially a chartered accountant at KPMG, she realised her calling was not in numbers but in the kitchen. She said: “I would never go back to being an accountant. It is not an easy life being a foodpreneur. It is physically, mentally and emotionally challenging, but I love it.”

She began her culinary training at Leith’s School of Food & Wine, which eventually led to the 2006 opening of The Angela Malik Cook School and Deli in Acton, which runs cookery courses in Thai, Indian, Chinese and Vietnamese cuisines.

Now, eight years later, with her second site open, Brand Malik is teaching the masses how to do Asian cooking the right way.

I attended Angela’s Flavours of China Vegan Style cooking class and, as a cookery class rookie, I didn’t know what to expect.

On arrival, I was greeted with a glass of fizz in the modern and fresh-feeling deli, making the experience a good one from the off.

We sat in front of Angela’s demonstration desk and watched as she prepared and explained three dishes.

Angela talked us though the five flavours our food possesses and explained that the best dishes are those with all these flavours present: sweet, salty, hot, sour and umami.

Pock Marked Old Woman’s Tofu was the first treat of the night: not the most appetising title but my stand-out favourite dish.

Angela showed us how to layer flavours, to create the richness of Chinese food that can be missing when doing it yourself.

We are generally taught to avoid salt, but Angela explained we are consuming it in all the wrong places, as in baked beans and ready meals.

When it comes to cooking, what makes your food exemplary is losing that fear of salt.

Wood Ear Salad with Coriander was the second dish prepared: a mushroom-based salad.

This dish had a unique texture, which came from the soaked mushrooms that were rubbery yet strangely enjoyable.

Last up was one for those who are all about aesthetics (like myself): Angela’s Stir Fried Chinese Greens with Sizzling Oil.

Not only is the dish alive with colour and an array of clean flavours, but it looks wonderful when dished up and everybody can get stuck in.

It’s undoubtedly going to be making an appearance at my next dinner party.

Angela’s other classes include Perfect Pad Thai Noodles, Perfect Wok Cooking at Home, Demystifying Dhals and many others.

The classes run for an hour and a half and cost £45, in which you are not only taught how to make the dishes but you learn the intricacies of how to achieve the flavours. It’s a priceless asset for amateur chefs.

To book classes, visit: www.angelamalik.co.uk Attendees receive 10% off any ingredients used in demonstrations.