Prawn, veg and wild rice stir fry.

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So you’re itching for a takeaway this weekend but you either don’t want to spend that much money or maybe you just want to be healthy? When I created this for my regular slot on BBC Leicester, it had very popular interest. I was so pleased how many people loved it. This is my kind of food that I can just grab my wok, my chopsticks and Chinese bowls and cosy up on a chair and devour it with no guilt whatsoever. Not that I do when it comes to food!

Theres lots of flavour in this dish and crammed with veg. Another great thing you will like is if you cook and cool the rice the night before, you can whip this up in about 8 minutes, yes really.

This recipe can be tweaked a little to your taste, a lot of my recipes are, so if you don’t want say the chilli in it then take it out.

Hear me cooking it for Ben’s show on BBC Leicester by clicking this link.

Ingredients:

( Serves 2 )

  • 1 tbsp of raw coconut oil ( veg or sunflower if not )
  • 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
  • 1 thumbnail size amount of fresh ginger
  • 1 small carrot or half a large carrot sliced thinly ( Julienne )
  • 1/2 a red pepper sliced thinly
  • 1/2 a yellow pepper sliced thinly
  • a handful of sugar snap peas sliced thinly lengthways
  • a good handful of edamame beans (soya) frozen and defrosted
  • 2 large leaves of spring greens sliced ( or use any greens you can i.e pak choi, kale or chard)
  • 12 or more if you require of large prawns ( I used frozen cooked and then defrosted)
  • 150g of cooked wild basmati rice and cooled.
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp chilli bean sauce ( widely available in Asian supermarkets ) More if you want more hotness to it.
  • a pinch of caster sugar.
  • 1 spring onion split in half and sliced thinly
  •  handful of fresh coriander chopped.

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Method:

  • Fire up your wok and add in your coconut oil, once evaporated and hot add in your peppers, after a minute add in the carrot and stir or toss around the wok.
  • Then add in your sugar snap peas and again cook for about another minute.
  • By this point pop in your garlic and ginger and allow to cook for a further minute.
  • Add in your edamame beans, then spring greens and toss around the wok.
  • Then pop in your prawns, stir and then add your sauces and sugar. Allow to cook down for a further minute.
  • Add your wild rice and cook for a couple of minutes allowing it to heat through again.
  • Finish off with your spring onions and coriander and serve into bowls.

 

NB*  If you have any left over, keep cold for the next day for lunch. Makes a great alternative to a boring sandwich.

 

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Chinese spiced meatballs with seasonal veg and wild rice





Meatballs don’t always have to come in tomato sauce, around pasta or in a Sub Roll. Being a little more creative with your dishes by a slight change can create a dish so different and fantastic, you’ll never want to turn back. 
 You may not always associate a meatball with Chinese food, but it’s allowing your food to go a little further, using a cheaper meat alternative and to get your taste buds tingling to new flavours.
  This weekend, why not get the Children involved in making the meatballs to create a meal together. 
  I have teamed this dish by using ribbons of seasonal Courgettes and carrots, again, so easy for the children to make as you just use a potato peeler. 
  This is my take on that takeaway classic thats normally swimming in a heavy sweet and sour sauce. It’s healthier, cheaper and if you make too many Meatballs at the raw stage, just freeze down for another meal.




Chinese spiced meatballs with seasonal veg and wild rice:





Ingredients:
(Serves 4 approximately)
(Meatballs):
–    1-2 Tbsp Rapeseed oil
  • 5oog Pork Mince
  • Salt and cracked Black pepper to season
  • 1 heaped Teaspoon of Chinese Five Spice I used Spice Kitchen’s own blend
  • 1/2 a large Green chilli ( mild) diced finely or 1 small one
  •   1 clove of Garlic finely chopped d or 2 if small
  •   2x Thumbnail size amount of fresh ginger finely grated
  • 3-4 spring onions chopped as finely as you can get them
  • Small handful of chopped coriander 
(Veg mixture):
–    1-2 tbsp of Rapeseed oil
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 1-2 carrots ( depending on size )ribboned with a potato peeler
  • 1 Courgette Ribboned with a potato peeler * Don’t peel the skin away, thats the best bit!
  • 1 yellow pepper sliced lengthways 
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • Thumbnail size amount of grated fresh ginger ( Wang Fung Hong )
  •  
  • 1 -2 tbsp superior light soy sauce ( Mine was from the Chinese supermarket Wang Fung Hong in Leicester )
  • 1 tbsp Oyster sauce ( Wang Fung Hong )
  •   1-2 tsp of Chilli Bean sauce ( Wang Fung Hong )
  • 1-2 tsp of honey ( I used the non clear )
  • A good spritz of lime juice
  • a handful of chopped coriander to finish 
Wild basmati rice to serve.
Method:
Cook rice to packet instructions.
  • Mix all the ingredients in a bowl for your meatballs together and form meatballs, place aside.
  • In a frying pan fry off your meatballs turning after a few minutes. They should take about 10 minutes in total approximately or when cooked through.Pop aside when done.
  • In a separate wok , start to stir fry your onions and peppers, then after a minute or two add your courgettes, tossing the vegetables around the Wok continuously. 
  • After about a minute, add the carrots, garlic and Ginger, be careful the ginger doesn’t burn. 
  • After a minute or two add your soy sauce, Chilli bean sauce, oyster, 1 tsp of honey and a small spritz of lime. Stir and taste to see what sauces you need to add more of.
  • Add in your meatballs and coat them with the sauce. They need to be fully warmed through.
  • When you are happy with the taste of your sauce, add in chopped coriander and serve on a bed of hot Wild rice.
NB: If you didn’t want to add in too much chilli bean sauce then reduce the amount, if you want more spice add in extra fresh chilli to your sauce.