Goat Milk

Kung Hei Fat Choy! Cooking authentic food for the new year celebrations is easy with this simple Lunar New Year recipe.

‘As Chinese New Year unfolds, it’s customary to serve dumplings – symbols of wealth and prosperity. Their golden crescent shape resembles ancient Chinese gold ingots, promising fortune for the year ahead.’

This recipe takes 50 mins Preparation, Cooking plus cooling. Serves Makes 24

Ingredients:

• 2 x 320g packs readyrolled puff pastry
• 1 medium egg
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

For the filling

• ½ tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 350g chicken thigh fillets, finely diced
• 2 tsp crushed chillies
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp reduced-salt soy sauce
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce, plus extra to serve (optional)
• 1 tbsp cornflour

Directions:

• For the filling, heat the oil in a wok over a medium heat and fry the onion for 6-8 mins. Add the garlic and spring onions and fry for 1-2 mins until fragrant. Add the chicken; fry for 3-4 mins until cooked through.
• Stir in the rest of the filling ingredients, cook for 1 more min, then transfer to a bowl or tray to cool for 5 mins. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°
• Unroll the pastry on its paper, then use an 8cm round cutter to cut out discs – you should get 12 per pastry sheet. Spoon 1 heaped tsp filling into the centre of each disc then pull up the sides, pinching the pastry to seal. Repeat with the remaining pastry.
• Whisk the egg with 1 tbsp water in a small bowl. Arrange the dumplings on a lined baking sheet, brush with the eggwash, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 15 mins or until puff ed and golden. Set aside for 5-10 mins to cool slightly. Serve with extra hoisin sauce for dipping, if you like.

*Tip: Any leftover filling can be kept, covered, in the fridge for 1 week: add to fried rice or chow mein.

Celebrate lunar new year around the world with the full gamut of special treats and auspicious foods in a banquet for friends and family.

Crisp, hot spring rolls dipped in sweet and spicy sauce – there’s nothing like it for Chinese New Year.

Spring Rolls

Who doesn’t love a hot, fried spring roll dipped in sweet spicy sauce? Making them yourself ensures a maximum freshness of flavor.

This recipe requires less than 30 mins Preparation time, less than 10 mins Cooking time, Serves Makes 8

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp groundnut oil, plus extra for deep-frying
• 200g/7oz skinless chicken breast fillets, chopped into small pea-sized pieces
• 4 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp five-spice powder
• 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger
• 75g/3oz beansprouts
• 2 large spring onions, finely sliced lengthways
• 1 small carrot, julienned
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• ½ tbsp light soy sauce
• sea salt and ground white pepper
• 16 ready-made large spring roll wrappers, thawed if frozen (available from Asian supermarkets)
• 1 egg yolk, beaten

Directions:

• Heat a wok until smoking and add the groundnut oil, then add the chicken and mushrooms and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Season with soy sauce and five-spice powder, then remove from the wok and set aside to cool for ten minutes. Wipe the wok clean with kitchen paper.
• Place the grated ginger, beansprouts, spring onions and carrot into a bowl, then add the chicken and mushrooms and season with the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sea salt and ground white pepper. Stir well to combine.
• Lay two spring roll wrappers one on top of the other (the extra thickness will prevent the skin from breaking) and position so that the corners are pointing upwards, downwards and to the sides.
• Spoon two tablespoons of the filling into the centre of the wrapper. Brush each corner of the wrapper with the cornflour paste, then bring the two opposite corners on the sides together and, keeping your finger on those edges, bring the bottom corner towards the middle and then roll the pastry up tightly towards the top corner. Tuck the top edge in and seal it with a little of the beaten egg yolk. Repeat with the remaining spring roll wrappers and filling.
• Heat the wok over a high heat and fill the wok to a quarter of its depth with groundnut oil. Heat until a cube of bread dropped in sizzles and turns golden-brown in 15 seconds. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Carefully lower the spring rolls in small batches into the oil and deep-fry for 2-3 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
• Transfer the spring rolls onto a plate and serve immediately.

Spelt, also known as dinkel wheat or hulled wheat, is a species of wheat that has been cultivated since ancient times. And was an important staple food in parts of Europe till medieval times.

This is delicious pancake recipe, whether you enjoy them on Pancake Day or you are a regular on Saturday morning.

Spelt adds a lovely nuttiness to pancakes – and complements the whipped goats’ cheese and beetroot in this recipe perfectly.

This recipe requires less than 30 mins Preparation time, less than 10 mins Cooking time, Serves 2 -4.

Ingredients:

For the pancakes

• 150ml/5fl oz full-fat milk#ad
• 260g/9½oz wholemeal spelt flour
• 4 large free-range eggs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder

To assemble

• 100g/3½oz soft goats’ cheese #ad
• 100g/3½oz Greek yoghurt
• 2 cooked baby beetroots, finely sliced
• 4 radishes, finely sliced
• handful watercress
• drizzle runny honey

Directions:

• To make the pancakes, put the flour, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Beat together the eggs and milk, then pour into the dry ingredients, whisking constantly, until you have a smooth, thick batter.
• Heat a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Once the pan is hot, wipe it with a little of the oil on a piece of kitchen paper. Add dollops of the batter to form pancakes about 6cm/2½in in diameter – you will need to do this in batches. Fry for a minute or so, until bubbles form, then flip and fry for just 30 seconds more. Stack the cooked pancakes on a plate or chopping board whilst you cook the rest.
• Whisk together the goats’ cheese and Greek yoghurt in a mixing bowl until softened.
• Serve the pancakes topped with the beetroot, radishes and watercress, with the whipped goats’ cheese on the side. Finish with a drizzle of honey.
• Enjoy your meal!