Kung hei fat choi (Happy New Year)

Happy New Year!

This year, the Spring Festival — or Chinese New Year as it is more commonly known — commences on the eighth of February and celebrations continue until the 13^th. According to Chinese astrologists, following the 12 months of the dignified and surefooted Goat, the New Year of the Red Monkey is going shake, rattle and roll!

The monkey is ninth in the 12-year cycle of animals that appear in the Chinese zodiac. People born under this sign are usually thought of as smart, clever and intelligent, and often enjoy great success and wealth. Celebrities born in a monkey year include Celine Dion, Elizabeth Taylor, Tom Hanks and Daniel Craig.

Food is an important ingredient in Chinese New Year celebrations. In Chinese, ‘fish’ sounds like 'surplus'.

The Chinese like to have a surplus at the end of the year, because they think if they have managed to save something at the end of the year, then they can make more in the next year. A philosophy for success.

It’s important that the fish is served with the head and tail intact, to ensure a good start and finish and to avoid bad luck throughout the year.

Both clams and spring rolls symbolize wealth: clams because of their resemblance to bullion, and spring rolls because their shape is similar to gold bars. Noodles represent a long life and superstition says that it's bad luck to cut them. Serving a whole chicken symbolizes family togetherness. Leafy greens are served whole to wish long life to parents.

Desserts bring a sweet life in the New Year. Sweetmeats, cakes or cookies are often exchanged as gifts.

Here’s wishing you good health and prosperity during the year of the monkey. Kung Hei Fat Choi.

Roasted five spice chicken

Serves 6

Marinade

4 Tbsp each: soy sauce, peanut oil, runny honey, Shaoxing rice wine
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely grated root ginger
4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

Chicken
1.3kg chicken
3-4 spring onions, curled
½ cup mung bean sprouts
1-2 cups chicken stock or water

1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade. Place in a large plastic bag. Add the chicken, moving it around so it is well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Heat the oven to 160C.
3. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. Add a cup of chicken stock. Roast for about 1 1/2 hours or until cooked. Add the extra stock during the cooking time to keep moist. Baste the chicken occasionally.
4. Place the chicken on a warm platter. Cut into serving pieces at the table and top with the spring onions and bean sprouts.

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Whole snapper with cantonese rice

Serves 3-4

1 medium-large whole snapper or similar, cleaned
3 cups fish or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon grated root ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Cantonese Rice
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 Tbsp each: soy sauce, tomato paste, sugar
3 cups cold, cooked long grain rice
1-2 chillies, sliced
½ cup each: sliced bamboo shoots, peas

Topping
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 spring onions, diagonally sliced

1. If possible, loop a piece of string around the head and tail of the fish to bend the tail up. Alternatively, support the tail with skewers. Place the stock, ginger and garlic in a wok. Bring to the boil then poach the fish for about 5 minutes, until cooked.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick pan and stir-fry the onion, until softened. Add the soy sauce, tomato paste, sugar, rice, chillies, bamboo shoots and peas and stir-fry, until cooked. Place on a serving dish. Top with the fish. Serve drizzled with the sesame oil and spring onions.

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Noodles with round beans

Serves 4 as an accompaniment

150g wide rice flour noodles or dried rice sticks
150g small round beans, trimmed
1 Tbsp peanut oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp chilli paste
1 Tbsp each: light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce

1. Soak the noodles for 15 minutes in hot water then drain well. Blanch the beans in boiling water until crisp-tender. Drain and pat dry.
2. Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the garlic and chilli paste for 30 seconds. Add the beans and noodles and stir-fry for 1 minute. Toss with the sauces and serve. Can be garnished with chopped coriander.

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Crispy spring rolls

Makes about 20

Rice paper wrappers that have been softened in warm water can also be used for crispy rolls. They require less frying time.

100g packet vermicelli noodles
1 Tbsp peanut oil
2 large spring onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp each: crushed garlic, grated root ginger
1 large carrot, shredded
1½ cups finely sliced Chinese cabbage
1 Tbsp thick soy sauce
2 tsp each: cornflour, water
20 large spring roll wrappers, thawed if frozen
Canola oil for frying

1. Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain well. Cut the noodles into 3cm lengths.
2. Heat the peanut oil in a wok on high. Stir-fry the spring onions, garlic, ginger, carrot and cabbage for 2-3 minutes, until crisp-tender. Add the noodles and soy sauce. Remove to a bowl and cool. Wipe the wok clean.
3. Combine the cornflour and water in a small bowl. Place 1 wrapper on a board with a corner towards you. Cover the remaining wrappers with a damp paper towel. Brush the edges of the wrapper with the cornflour mixture. Spoon 1 heaped tablespoon of veggies onto the corner of the wrapper. Fold the corner over the filling then roll up from corner to corner, folding in the edges to enclose filling. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
4. Pour enough canola oil into a wok for deep-frying. Heat until a faint haze rises. Fry the spring rolls in batches for 3-4 minutes or until golden. The cooked rolls can be kept warm in a preheated 150C oven. Great served with chilli sauce.

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