10 delicious and easy recipes you have to try this Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year: 11 delicious and easy recipes you have to try

Claudia Winkleman shares photo of incredible gift – and we can’t stop laughing

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On Saturday 25 January, millions around the world will celebrate the Chinese New Year in the best possible way – with an abundance of delicious food. Whether you're marking the Year of the Rat with an intimate dinner party or having a bigger bash, food is likely to take centre stage of the celebrations so it's crucial you impress your guests with some mouth-watering recipes. 

Luckily, Chinese cuisine serves up a wide range of delicious offerings so you can't really go wrong. Whether you plan to serve duck spring rolls or hoisin pork steamed buns as canapés or want to know how to nail the classic sweet and sour chicken for the main, we've rounded up some of the best recipes that will smell, look and (most importantly) taste sensational. And don't worry, we haven't forgotten about the dessert-lovers! If you have room to squeeze in a little sweet treat, try a yummy-looking rice pudding served up in a tangerine cup. Keep scrolling to see how to keep your Chinese New Year dinner on everyone's lips…

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1. Glynn Purnell's Duck Spring Rolls

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

100g shredded carrot
100g shredded savoy cabbage
50g shredded spring onions
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp Wing Yip Hoisin Sauce
25g sesame seeds
1 tbsp. five spice
2 tsp chopped coriander
100g beansprouts
1 tbsp red pepper mix
150g confit duck leg – shredded (can also use cooked chicken leg or beef)
10 sheets spring roll pastry
1 egg white
1 tsp cornflour

Method:

1. In a pan, sweat down the carrots, cabbage and spring onion in coconut oil.

2. When slightly broken down add the hoisin sauce, sesame seeds, five spice, coriander, beansprouts, pepper mix and shredded duck legs.

3. Lay out one sheet of pastry. Combine the egg white and cornflour with a little water to create a paste. Brush the pastry sheet with the paste.

4. Starting at one edge pack a strip of duck mixture – do not reach the edge of the pastry.

5. Fold in both sides covering the edges of the mixture and then roll the pastry away from you keeping the mixture tightly wrapped. Repeat until all the mixture has been used.

6. Fry at 180°C until golden (can also be frozen to be used at a later date).

For more information visit wingyipstore.co.uk

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2. Steamed prawn and pork wontons

Recipe by Imogen Krupski, Chef and Director, Capital Cooking.

Ingredients:

100g peeled prawns, chopped
160g minced pork
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp crushed fresh garlic
1 tbsp grated carrot
1tbsp chopped white cabbage
2 tbsp finely sliced spring onion
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp oyster sauce
Pepper
35 wonton wrappers, thawed

For the dipping sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp finely chopped red chilli

Method:

1. In a bowl mix the prawns, pork, ginger, garlic, carrot, cabbage, spring onion, sesame oil, oyster sauce and pepper to taste.

2. For the dipping sauce, mix together all the ingredients and put into a dipping bowl.

3. Lay out a sheet of wonton paper and lightly brush the outside edges with water. Put 1 tsp of the pork and prawn mix in the centre and scrunch up in a tight pouch, making sure the sides are sealed. Repeat until you have used up all the mix.

4. Fill a large saucepan with 10-15 cm of water and place a steamer inside. Line the steamer with baking parchment or Napa cabbage leaves to prevent the wontons from sticking to the steamer.

5. Bring the water to a boil and place the wontons in the steamer making sure they are not touching. You will have to do this in batches.

6. Steam the wontons for approximately 10 minutes and remove to a serving platter with tongs. Continue until all the wontons are cooked ensuring that the water does not boil dry.

7. Serve the wontons sprinkled with sliced spring onions and with the dipping sauce on the side.

Tip: You can replace the prawn and pork with chicken or tofu.

For more information visit capitalcooking.co.uk

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3. Gluten-Free Chinese Salt & Pepper Squid

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 306

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 level tbsp sea salt flakes
4 slices Genius Soft White Sandwich Loaf, whizzed into fine breadcrumbs
5 tbsp cornflour
600g baby squid, cleaned
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Lemon wedges to serve

Method:

1. Crush together the peppercorns, chilli flakes and sea salt with a pestle and mortar then mix with the corn flour and breadcrumbs.

2. Separate the tentacles from the hood of each squid. Slit the squid hoods down one side, open out then score the inside lightly in a criss-cross pattern. Cut into slices about 2cm thick.

3. Fill a large pan or wok 1/3 full with oil. Heat until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds.

4. Coat the squid pieces in the seasoned flour and breadcrumb mixture, shaking off the excess, and fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden.

5. Serve with lemon wedges.

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4. Chinese Beef Stirfry Recipe with Wild Rice

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
200g blend of brown and wild rice
2 x 475g sirloin steaks or lean beef, cut into strips
2 tbsp Chinese 5 spice powder
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 red pepper, sliced
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
125g savoy cabbage, shredded
2 tbsp soy sauce

Method:

1. Cook the rice according to pack instructions and drain.Meanwhile, mix the beef and 5 spice powder together. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and fry the beef for 3 minutes.

2. Add the pepper and carrot and stir fry for a further 3 minutes.

3. Stir in the cabbage and soy sauce and stir fry for a further 2 minutes.

4. Serve immediately on top of the rice.

For more information visit wholegraingoodness.com

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5. Hoisin pork steamed buns

Preparation time: 30 minutes, as well as time for marinating and proving
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

75g Waitrose Dark Brown Muscovado Sugar
1 tsp Chinese 5 spice seasoning
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp chilli oil
1 pork fillet, approx 450g, trimmed and cut in half
2 tbsp hoisin sauce

For the steamed buns:
100g plain flour
75g strong white bread flour
½ tsp salt
40g lard, diced
1½ tbsp Waitrose Golden
Caster Sugar
10g dried yeast
100ml milk
1 tsp baking powder
Oil, for brushing

Method:

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

2. Mix the sugar, 5 spice, soy and chilli oil in a bowl, add the pork and marinate for at least 1 hour. Transfer to a small roasting tin with the marinade and cook for 45 minutes. Turn the pork over, cover with foil and bake for a further 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before shredding the meat. Mix it into the juices with the hoisin.

3. Meanwhile, make the buns. Place the flours, salt and lard in the bowl of a stand mixer and blend until the lard has been rubbed in. Mix in the sugar and yeast. Heat the milk to just below boiling and add to the flour mix, then blend to form a dough. Knead in the mixer using a dough hook for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until risen slightly.

4. Sprinkle the baking powder over the dough and knead in. Divide into 12 balls, cover and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes.

5. Gently roll out each ball to a rough 10x7cm oval, brush with oil and fold in half, placing each on a small piece of baking parchment. Cover and leave for 30 minutes.

6. Place the buns and their parchment in a steamer and steam in batches for 8 minutes. Remove the paper and fill with the shredded hoisin pork.

Recipe courtesy of waitrose.com

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6. Sweet & Sour Baby Chicken

Ingredients:

Half a whole corn-fed chicken, circa 600g

For the sweet and sour sauce:
30 ml off the shelf Thai sweet chilli sauce
1 ½ tbsps Chinese black vinegar
35g sweet mango
35g green apple
35g white onions
1 tsp vegetable oil
Salt & pepper
½ lime
Mixed salad leaves
Mustard cress and desiccated coconut to garnish

For the Nam Jim marinade:
2 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp palm sugar
3 small red shallots chopped
3 birds eye chillies
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken overnight in Nam Jim sauce or teriyaki if preferred.

2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

3. Slice and prep sweet mango and apple into cubes, and dice white onions.

4. Sear the chicken on all sides in a non-stick frying pan with the vegetable oil then cool for 10 minutes.

5. Cook the chicken in a roasting tin in a pre-heated oven at 110°C for 30 – 35 minutes until golden brown.

6. Heat up the Thai sweet chilli sauce and Chinese black vinegar in a saucepan. When hot, but not boiling, add the white onions, sweet mango and green apple, mix together and take off the heat, and put to one side.

7. Slice the chicken into 4-5 pieces.

8. Pour the sweet & sour sauce onto the chicken before serving. Recommend serving in a hot skillet if you have one.

9. Garnish with mustard cress and desiccated coconut. Serve with ½ lime and mixed salad leaves of your choice.

Recipe courtesy of inamo-restaurant.com

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7. Jiaozi

Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes, plus resting
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves: 20-25 dumplings

Ingredients:

1 Chinese leaf lettuce
5 salad onions, finely sliced
250g pork mince
1 red chilli, finely chopped and deseeded if preferred
2 garlic cloves, chopped
25g fresh root ginger, finely grated
11⁄2 tbsp light soy sauce
11⁄2 tbsp Waitrose Cook' Ingredients Chinese rice vinegar (or sherry vinegar)
1 tsp Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry, such as Amontillado)
1⁄2 tbsp caster sugar
1⁄2 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp toasted sesame oil

For the dumpling dough:
200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1⁄4 tsp salt
Groundnut oil, for greasing

For the soy-vinegar dipping sauce:
15g fresh root ginger, grated
11⁄2 tbsp light soy sauce
11⁄2 tbsp Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients Chinese rice vinegar (or sherry vinegar)
1⁄2 tbsp Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp caster sugar

Method:

1. Start with the dumpling dough. In a bowl, mix the flour and salt with 110ml just-boiled water; using a spoon, bring together to a dough.

Cool for a few minutes, then knead for 5 minutes, until smooth. Coat with a little groundnut oil, wrap in cling film and rest for 30 minutes.

2. Remove 6 leaves from the Chinese leaf lettuce; set aside. Finely shred the rest; toss with a big pinch of salt. Set aside for 20 minutes. Rinse well; squeeze out the excess liquid. Reserving the salad onion tops, mix the lettuce with the remaining ingredients; cover and chill.

3. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface as thinly as you can, thinner than 0.1cm if possible; it may be easier to do in batches, or using a pasta machine. Using a 9cm cookie cutter, stamp out as many small circles as you can, layering them up between squares of baking parchment, before covering with a tea towel. Re-roll any scraps; you should get about 20-25 wrappers in total.

4. Place a heaped teaspoon of filling into the centre of a wrapper. Fold in half, crimping one of the edges to create a pleated effect, before pressing firmly together and expelling as much air as possible from around the meat. (Dampen the inner edge with a little water if it doesn’t stick naturally.) Repeat with the remaining ingredients, setting the dumplings on a flour-dusted tray as you go.

5. Prepare a steamer with simmering water and put 2-3 lettuce leaves (or circles of baking parchment) on the bases of the steamer layers. Steam the dumplings, in batches, for 10-12 minutes, until piping hot.

6. Mix the sauce ingredients and serve with the dumplings, scattered with the reserved salad onion tops, and toasted sesame seeds.

Recipe courtesy of waitrose.com

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8. Chilli fried rice

For those who love the heat, this delicious rice dish is not one to miss – YUM!

Ingredients:

400g cooked rice
150g fresh prawns or diced cooked chicken
½ bunch spring onions, cut into 1 cm pieces
Handful French beans, cut into 1 cm pieces
1 small pineapple, cut in half with flesh scooped out & diced
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
Handful bean sprouts
Handful carrots, julienned (cut into thin strips)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
2 tbsp TABASCO Sriracha Sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 egg, cooked sunny side up
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Heat a wok/saucepan over high heat, add the sesame oil and whirl around the wok/pan till it has spread completely.

2. Add the prawns and stir fry until the prawns are almost cooked completely.

3. Now add the spring onions and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute before adding the red bell pepper, French beans, bean sprouts, pineapple chunks, carrots and stir frying for another minute.

4. Move the vegetables and prawns to one side of the wok and add in the beaten egg to the other side. Quickly stir around the egg till it’s cooked and resembles scrambled eggs.

5. Add the rice, soy sauce, kecap manis, TABASCO Sriracha Sauce, salt and pepper. Then stir fry and toss for 30 more seconds.

6. Serve over your choice of ride or noodles.

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9. Roasted duck with star anise, poached plums and bok choi

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 duck breasts, about 150g each
1 tsp five-spice powder
4 plums
100g caster sugar
5cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and slice into large chunks
2 star anise
4 small bok choi, trimmed and quartered
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce

Method

1. Score the skin of the duck breasts, rub with five-spice powder and set aside. Half and de-stone the plums and set aside.

2. Put the sugar, 300ml of water, peeled and sliced ginger, and star anise into a saucepan and bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the plums and simmer for a further 5 minutes or until just tender. Then take off the heat.

3. Put another frying pan on a very low heat. Season the duck breasts and place skin-side down in the pan. Cook slowly for about 15 minutes, periodically draining off the fat into a bowl. This slow cooking is to render the fat from the skin, so don’t worry that the duck isn’t browning off.

4. After the 15 minutes is up, turn up the heat to now brown off the skin-side then turn the breasts over and cook on the flesh-side for a few minutes to brown. Remove from the pan and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

5. While resting the duck you can stir fry the bok choi 4-5 minutes in a hot wok with the sesame oil and soy sauce, you really don’t want to over cook them. Then take them out and place one bok choi on each plate, slice the duck breast and also add to the plate along with a spoonful of plums. Then serve with some boiled rice.

For more information visit beautifulcountrybeautifulfruit.com

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10. Vegetarian shredded hoisin duck wraps

So quick and so tasty, these vegetarian shredded hoisin duck wraps will go down a treat at your dinner party. The best part is that you can easily double this recipe if you need to feed a bigger crowd!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon sunflower oil
300g pack frozen Linda McCartney’s Vegetarian Shredded Hoisin Duck
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce, plus extra to serve
1 tablespoon honey
8-10 Chinese duck pancakes
1/2 small cucumber, cut into thin strips
3 spring onions, cut into thin strips
1 red chilli, seeds removed and cut into thin strips

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium heat and add the frozen Linda McCartney Vegetarian Shredded Hoisin Duck.

2. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes then stir in the hoisin sauce, honey and 4 tablespoons of water.

3. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring, until steaming hot and the sauce is coating the vegetarian duck.

4. Heat the pancakes following packet instructions.

5. Take the pancakes, Vegetarian duck and prepared garnishes to the table with a bowl of extra hoisin sauce and enjoy assembling your own pancakes.

 

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11. Rice Pudding in Tangerine Cups

Ingredients:

2oz Yutaka Sushi rice
1/4pt boiling water
2 eggs (beaten)
½ tsp vanilla essence
1 pt milk
2oz sugar
½ tsp Yutaka Yuzu
¼ tsp cinnamon
5 tangerines
For decoration: gold edible stars, star anise

Method:

1. Set the oven temperature to 350F, Gas 4, 180C.

2. Put rice and water on to boil until water is absorbed. Add milk and simmer until rice is tender, stirring occasionally (it should take about 25 mins).

3. Beat other ingredients together, omitting cinnamon and yuzu, and add to the rice mixture. Divide in half and add cinnamon to one half, mix well and the yuzu to the other.

4. Grease two small baking dishes and pour cinnamon mixture into one and the yuzu into the other.

5. Bake for 20-25 mins until set.

6. Cut tangerines in half crossways and scope out flesh very gently so as not to tear the skin.

7. With a teaspoon carefully fill oranges with the rice pudding. Decorate and enjoy.

For more information visit yutaka.co/en

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