Chinese New Year

This month we look at some simple Chinese meals to celebrate the Chinese New Year. I have picked some easy recipes that you don’t even need a wok for, or any special equipment. Even if you have never cooked Chinese food, why not give it a try. Most of the ingredients you need can be bought, including things like oyster sauce and Chinese rice wine in any supermarket and are very tasty. Mind you, before the shops sold Chinese items, I used to go and buy mine from my local Chinese restaurant!

I have been given a favourite recipe from one of our readers which gave me an idea. If you have a favourite recipe you would like to share it with other readers, please send it in to our usual email along with your name and I’ll put them all together.
Buen Apetito

Chinese Black Sea Bass

2 whole black sea bass (cleaned)
Marinade Sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
½ tsp sesame oil
Sauce
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp cornflour
½ cup water
On each side of the fish make 3 diagonal cuts. Stir all the ingredients for the marinade sauce together and spoon over the fish. Let the fish stand for 1 hour at room temperature uncovered, occasionally spooning over the marinade. Make the sauce by melting the butter and sesame seeds until golden, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, cornflour and water and stir until smooth. Stir this into the butter mix and cook until thickened. Bake the fish in the oven at 180º for about 15 minutes or until flakes easily. Add any juices from the fish to the sauce; stir together and pour over the fish and serve.

Broccoli with Oyster sauce

Broccoli or Chinese broccoli (gai ian)
1tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 slice ginger
Sauce
3 tbsp chicken stock or water
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp Chinese wine or dry sherry
½ tsp sugar
Wash and trim the broccoli and put to one side. In a large saucepan add enough water to cover the broccoli. Add salt, baking soda and ginger and bring to the boil. In the meantime add all the sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender but crisp. Drain and pour sauce over and serve immediately.

Pineapple Fried Rice

1 cup cooked shrimp
8 rings of pineapple (fresh or canned)
½ carrot
1 red bell pepper
½ onion chopped
2 tbsp oil for stir frying
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
2 cups of cooked rice, basmati if possible
1 or 2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp curry powder
Sugar to taste
Grate carrot, deseed and cut peppers, peel and chop onions. Heat a wok or frying pan to medium, add oil and coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook for one minute. Add the peppers and carrot and cook for a further minute. Add the shrimps and pineapple and cook briefly. Add the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes continually stirring and tossing until it’s shiny. Finally add the soy sauce, curry powder and sugar to taste and serve.

Chicken Wings

15 chicken wings
1 tbsp honey
4 tbsp Hoisin sauce
3 tbsp warm water
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 garlic cloves
1 slice minced fresh ginger
Mix honey, Hoisin sauce, water, salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger and marinate the chicken wings in mixture for 15 minutes. Bake wings in an oven 150º for thirty minutes constantly turning and brushing with marinate. Serve.