Category: Chinese New Year

Pork and prawn crispy spring rolls

January 27, 2017

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It’s Chinese New year this weekend, the year of the Rooster and what better way to celebrate the coming of a new Spring with these lovely Spring rolls. They also are meant to represent wealth by looking like “Gold bars”.

I started to create these recipes by using one wrapper per spring roll which they do work like that, however will either break or go a little soggy after a short period of time. So because I have done smaller sized ones, I simply doubled up on the wrappers and they work wonders!

If you are celebrating the Chinese new year or want to be involved these are incredibly so simple to make.

If you wanted to do a vegetarian version, simply leave out the prawns and pork (obviously) and then add in maybe some beansprouts and chestnut mushrooms.

I don’t normally deep fry a lot of food so this recipe is a true treat. It makes a great starter to a meal or just simply a great snack for other times of the year.

Here is a link where you can hear me on BBC Radio Leicester with Ben Jackson and simply going through how to make them for you! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04qz7r3

Ingredients:

( Serves approximately 24 spring rolls )

Filling:

  • 250g Pork Mince chopped/bashed down again with a meat cleaver or strong knife.
  • Half a bag of 225g Frozen king prawns ( defrosted ) and then chopped as fine as you can get them. – These are still great flavour to fresh but cheaper in price.
  • 1/2 227g tin of water chestnuts chopped
  • 1-2 carrots depending on size, into strips using a veg peeler.
  • 2-3 leaves of Chinese cabbage/lettuce or you could use pak choi shredded.
  • 2-3 spring onions finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 2 thumbnail size amounts of fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tsp of Chinese five spice ( I used Spice Kitchen’s blend )
  • a handful of fresh coriander chopped
  • a good pinch of caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce.

– 1 packet of spring roll wrappers/pastry, defrosted. ( I used 250g weight ones but any other size, you can cut them down.

– 1ltr bottle of vegetable oil or groundnut oil.

– 2 tbsp of cornflour mixed with a little water for your “Glue”

– A wok to deep fry in!

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Method:

  • Place a damp towel over your spring roll pastry to keep them moist.
  • Put all ingredients for the filling into a mixing bowl and mix through.
  • Heat your oil in the wok. Pop in a piece of bread to see when it is ready for deep frying.
  • Onto a plate take two of your wrappers and place the square into a diamond shape, so as a corner is facing you.
  • Take a tablespoon of your mixture and place it in the centre of your parcel, making a rectangular shape.
  • Fold the corner into the middle which is nearest to you, then fold in the outer corners to the centre of the spring roll. A bit like an envelope.Tuck in and roll to the centre. Place some of your cornflour mixture around the top corner to form a ” glue” and roll into your spring roll.
  • Pop into hot oil and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Take out with a slotted spoon and drain onto kitchen paper.
  • Simply serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.

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Chinese steamed Sea bass with Stir Fried Greens for Food Friday on BBC Leicester

January 20, 2015


One thing that I get asked a lot by people, especially Mums with children (Teenagers more) is how to create take away favourites at home.  If I am not mistaken, I do believe we are calling this a “Fake-away” .  I have always cooked Takeaway favourites at home particularly Chinese dishes for many reasons: 1, Healthier. 2, It’s being Frugal. 3, you know exactly what is in your food and 4, you can get the Children involved with you in preparing it.  I could go on. 
  So last Friday was my Slot for doing my regular Food Friday programme with Ben Jackson on BBC Radio Leicester.  I felt that I wanted to do a “Fake-away”dish that is super Healthy, Super quick and also fairly Cheap… Well it’s certainly cheaper than picking up the Phone and ordering a banquet! 
  It’s also January, you may want to loose a few pounds? Or just changing the way you eat? Get some more Fish into your Diet? It was Friday after all, so a healthier Fish Friday! 

   I felt I should share a dish I regularly cook for myself.  It has hardly any ingredients in it but is PACKED FULL of flavour. Plus this style of cooking is so easy to do and such a great interacting dish, by if you put this in the middle of the table, you can all get stuck in. It’s a great dish to do for an intimate dinner also where you just do not want to spend all night slaving over the stove, if you know what I mean! 
  Even though it may not look spectacular, it has been a real hit so far. Listen here to hear Myself showing Ben how to do this Quick, Simple, healthy dish.
  
By the way, Ben couldn’t wait to dive in as you can see by the pictures as I haven’t one with all the fish intact! Sorry! 

Chinese Steamed Sea bass with Stir fried Greens


Ingredients:

(For the Sea Bass)

–  1 whole Sea bass or Sea Bream
–  3 inch piece of Fresh Ginger Julienned (Sliced finely length ways)
–  5 spring Onions julienned (sliced Length ways)

(For the dressing)

–  2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce (I used one specifically for Seafood) (I buy all my sauces from my local Chinese Supermarket Wang Fung Hong in Leicester)
–  2 Tbsp Dry Sherry ( I used Pedro Ximenex )
–  Juice of 1 clementine or half an Orange
–  2 Tbsp of Water

(For the Sir Fry Veg)

–  2 tsp Raw Organic Coconut oil ( I use Lucy Bee )or another oil you have but Coconut will add extra flavour
–  5-6 Leaves of Pak Choi
–  3 inch piece of cucumber Sliced length ways 
–  approximately 10 sugar snap peas Sliced Length ways
–  2 cloves of Garlic sliced (Chopped Roughly)
–  1/2 Red chilli Diced finely 
–  2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce ( Wang fung Hong )
–  1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce ( Wang fung Hong)
–  2 Tbsp Water
– Pinch of caster Sugar

Method:

–  Preheat your Oven on a warming setting, about 100c

–  Take a Large Wok and fill with approximately 1/4 Litre of water and place a grid of some kind so you can place a plate on top or if you have a bamboo steamer…Even better! 

–  Turn the heat up high so your water will start to boil but not too Rapid.

–  Put in Half of your sliced Ginger and Spring onions into the cavity of the fish, score diagonal lines through the skin of the fish, about 4 but making sure you don’t go too deep.

–  Place the fish onto your Plate or Steamer and cover with a lid or in my case I used another Wok. Steam for about 10 minutes.

–  After 10 minutes place the rest of your Spring Onions and ginger on top and half of your dressing over the fish. Continue to stem for a further 5 minutes.

–  Once cooked and the flesh will just flake away, place into the oven on a large serving dish with the dressing, veg and juices to keep warm.

–  In the meantime Stir fry your veg in the Coconut oil and as the veg starts to cook down after a couple of minutes add your sauces, water and sugar.

–  Serve as it is on large dishes so people can dive in and you could also serve some Noodles and Boiled Rice if you wish.





Roast leftover Dish No 1 and the start of… Chinese New Year!

January 30, 2014

One thing I must mention regarding my Challenge Roast Pork dishes this week, is that I wasn’t going to buy anymore ingredients for any dishes.  Purely because it is even greater of a Challenge that way and to top it off… it’s the end of the month!  Such a tough month after Christmas, so even more the better to make your meals go further.  I was to purely use Only what was in my fridge and cupboards and of course the Pork! . Which, when you start to look, you have more than you think, well I did. That being in my fridge and of the leftover Pork! I started to wonder then, how I was going to eat this all! 

 I had many ideas buzzing around in my head that I could do, but one dish that I really fancied that night was a Stir fry with Noodles, great! So be it! 
  Now I cook ALOT of Chinese Food, believe me! But what is even better this week is that I can also combine this dish as an Add on or should I say, a “starter” for Chinese New year! Which kicks off tomorrow, January 31st (or tonight in some homes)!

 So this was the first leftover meal from my Roast Pork Shoulder. A quick, Cheap and tasty dish to eat anytime of the week. With an added ingredient that you may think is rather strange but worked perfectly. Which is the Pink Grapefruit.  I had some leftover and  I had previously used Orange with Duck, Lime with chicken, Lemon with prawns etc…So I had a go and I was thoroughly Impressed! I only used a little so not to overpower the flavours too much.
 I used to say I was one of those people that didn’t  like to mix fruit with savoury, just because I didn’t like pineapple on a Pizza! Now look at me! 


Roast Pork and Vegetable Stir Fry with Grapefruit:

Ingredients:
(Serves 2 approximately)

– 150 g Noodles (Dry)
– 3 cloves of Garlic finely chopped
– half an inch cube of Fresh Ginger finely chopped
– tbsp Light Soy *
– tbsp Chilli bean sauce ( slightly spicy, I used Lee Kum Kee) *
– tbsp Hoisin Sauce (Lee Kum Kee) *
– tbsp Oyster Sauce *
– tbsp Honey *
– tbsp Rapeseed oil or you could use Groundnut/Sunflower oil *
– tsp Dark soy ( for colour )
– Leftover roast pork
– Broccoli into small florets (pre-soak in a bowl with boiled water over for 5 mins)
– 1/2 a Carrot sliced thinly 

– Small handful of Snow Peas 
– 1/2 Onion sliced 
– 5-6 segments of pink grapefruit.



Mix the ingredients marked * in a bowl, as you would a marinade. Then add half of your Garlic and Ginger to it.

Add your leftover Roast Pork to this sauce to coat it.
Cook your Noodles as per packet instructions. Fire up your Wok with a dash of oil that you are using and start to stir fry your Onions and Carrots. Then add your pre soaked Broccoli, stir fry for another minute adding the rest of your Garlic and Ginger. 
You can then add your Pork to the veg, snow peas and then your Cooked Noodles. Finally add your dark soy for colour. If it is a little salty, add a little more honey or sugar to balance. You can always add water if you feel it is a little dry. Never add more oil.

Now you can add your Pink Grapefruit for the end result.



A Quick, Cheap and Tasty dish with your leftovers.