Recipes for Chinese New Year

Happy Year of the Ox!

We had friends over for Chinese New Year Dinner.  

Appetizers:

Spring rolls with dipping sauce  (Private Selection Lemongrass with Chicken)

San Choy Bau (Lettuce Wraps)

1/4 cup oyster sauce
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
6 spring onions, diced
1 lb. diced / minced pork
3 1/2 oz bamboo shoots, diced
3 1/2 oz water chestnuts, diced
1 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
lettuce leaves, trimmed

1.  Combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and sherry and set aside
2.  Heat oil in wok on high.  Stir fry the ginger, garlic and half of the onion for one minute.  Add pork and cook until browned.
3.  Add bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and remaining onion.  Toss.  Add reserved sauce and toss.  Cook for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens.  Stir in pine nuts.
4.  Wrap in lettuce leaves.  Drizzle with additional oyster sauce if desired.
Notes:  The recipe only calls for 3 1/2 oz. bamboo and water chestnuts, but I generally dice and use all of 5 oz. can, rather than have leftovers.  It works fine.

From The Essential Wok Cookbook

Main Course:

Yangzhou Fried Rice (Sara's adjusted version)

3-4 cups cooked rice

3 eggs, beaten

1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. rice wine
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
pinch white pepper
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup Chinese Barbecued Pork, diced
3 green onions, diced

1.  Semi-cook eggs, set aside
2.  Combine soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, oyster sauce, oil and white pepper into bowl and set aside

3.  In 2 Tbsp. peanut oil, cook ginger and garlic for about 1 minute.  Add pork.  Cook one additional minute.  Add rice.  Cook, stirring well, 2 minutes, breaking up any chunks.  Add sauce. 
4.  Reduce heat to low.  Add scrambled egg and green onion.

Note:  The original recipe calls for frying, dicing and adding shrimp.  I don't, because I don't like them.  From The Chinese Kitchen

Sesame Chicken

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup, plus 2 tsp. soy sauce, divided
2 1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar

6 tsp. rice wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
2 egg whites
1/4 cup corn starch
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
3-6 dried hot red pepper pods
1/4 cup sesame seeds
diced green onion, for garnish

1.  Set diced chicken marinating with 2 tsp. soy sauce and 2 tsp. rice wine.  Marinate at least 30 minutes
2.  Combine sugar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, vinegar, 4 tsp. rice wine and chicken broth.  Whisk and set aside.

3.  Add egg whites to chicken.  Mix well.  Add corn starch.  Toss thoroughly.  
4.  Cook chicken in vegetable oil on high heat until golden.  Remove and place on paper towels to drain, if desired.
5.  Add garlic and pepper pods.  Saute until pods turn black, about 1 minute.  Add sauce mixture, and cook until sauce thickens.  Add chicken.  Toss with sesame seeds.
6.  Serve over white rice, topped with green onion.
From Colorado Collage

Fresh Steamed Broccoli 
Chinese Tea and White Wine

Dessert

um . . . Peach-Blackberry Pie, with whipped cream.  Okay, I know it's not very Chinese.  But it was good!  Maybe I'll post that recipe some other time.  Happy Eating!