My Chinese New Year banquet

Celebrity chef Kylie Kwong puts together for us a mouthwatering feast for a prosperous Lunar New Year.

Noodles should be uncut, as they represent long life.

Stir-fried Hokkien Noodles With Chicken, Chilli And Bean Sprouts.

Prep & Cook 25 mins (plus marinating) / Serves 4 (as main or 4-6 as part of banquet).

400 g chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2-cm slices ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil 1 bunch kai lan (Chinese broccoli), trimmed, stems and leaves separated 1 small white onion, cut into thick wedges 12 slices fresh ginger 450 g packet fresh Hokkien noodles 2 tbsps shao hsing wine or dry sherry 1 tbsp white sugar 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp oyster sauce 1 tbsp malt vinegar ½ tsp sesame oil 1 cup fresh bean sprouts ½ cup julienned green onion 2 large fresh red chillies, sliced finely on the diagonal.

Marinade 1 tbsp white sugar 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp shao hsing wine or dry sherry ½ tsp sesame oil.

1. Combine chicken and the Marinade ingredients in a bowl; cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 mins.

2. Heat 2 tbsps of the oil in a hot wok. Remove chicken from Marinade; reserve Marinade. Add chicken in two batches and stir-fry for 1 min. Remove from wok and set aside. Add kai lan stems and stirfry for 1 min. Add to chicken.

3. Add remaining oil to hot wok with onion and ginger, and stir-fry for 1 min. Toss in noodles, reserved chicken and kai lan stems, wine or sherry, sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and reserved Marinade, and stir-fry for 1 min. Add kai lan leaves, bean sprouts, most of the green onion and half the chilli, and stir-fry for 30 secs, until noodles are hot.

4. Top noodles with remaining chilli and green onion, and serve immediately.

Dumplings represent wealth as its shape is similar to ancient gold ingots, and in olden times, coins are placed inside dumplings to bring fortune to the person who finds one.

Prawn Dumplings With Chilli-vinegar Dipping Sauce.

Prep & Cook 30 mins / Serves 4 (as a starter).

360 g fresh uncooked king prawns 2 green onions (green shallots), sliced finely 5 cm X 1 cm piece (15 g) fresh ginger, chopped finely 1 tsp light soy sauce ½ tsp white sugar 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint ½ tsp sesame oil 16 fresh wonton wrappers (about 8 cm square).

CHILLI-VINEGAR DIPPING SAUCE.

1 large fresh red chilli, sliced finely.

2 tbsps light soy sauce ¼ cup (60 ml) malt vinegar.

1. CHILLI-VINEGAR DIPPING SAUCE.

Place ingredients in a small bowl and combine well. Set aside until required.

2. Peel and devein prawns. Cut prawns in half lengthways, then cut them into 1 cm pieces.

3. Combine all ingredients, except wonton wrappers, in a bowl.

4. Place a heaped tsp of filling in the centre of a wrapper, then moisten the edges. Gently fold the wrapper over the filling and along the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

5. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Drop the dumplings into the water and boil for 2½ mins or until cooked and wrappers are translucent. To test if the dumplings are ready, you will need to remove one and cut into it with a sharp knife to check that the filling is hot and prawn is cooked through. When ready, remove dumplings with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate.

6. Arrange dumplings on a platter and serve immediately with a side dish of Chilli-vinegar Dipping Sauce.

KYLIE’S TIPS:There are many different ways in the Chinese kitchen to dress a steamed fish. This dressing is made from salted black beans, chilli, ginger and garlic, and its pungent flavour seeps right into the flesh of the fish during the cooking process. The resulting juices are amazingly delicious soaked up with steamed rice.

The New Year’s Eve reunion dinner is sumptuous and the huge amount of food prepared symbolises wealth and abundance for the household. Traditional servings include a whole fish, which represents togetherness.

Steamed Whole Snapper With Black Beans & Chilli.

Prep & Cook 30 mins / Serves 2 (as a main or 4 as part of a banquet).

550 g whole snapper, scaled, gutted, cleaned 5 cm X 3 cm piece (25 g) fresh ginger, sliced finely on mandolin 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely 2 tbsps salted black beans 1 tsp dried chilli flakes 1 tsp white sugar 2 green onions (green shallots), cut into 10-cm lengths ¼ cup (60 ml) shao hsing wine or dry sherry 2 tbsps light soy sauce 2 green onions (green shallots), extra, sliced finely 2 tbsps peanut oil.

1. Bring a large saucepan or wok of water to the boil.

2. Pat fish dry with kitchen paper and place on a chopping board. Using a sharp knife, make four diagonal slits on one side of the fish. Turn the fish over and repeat on the other side. Place fish in a shallow heatproof bowl that will fit inside a steamer basket. Combine ginger, garlic, black beans, chilli flakes and sugar in a bowl and spread mixture evenly over the fish, pressing it into the slits. Tuck the onion lengths into the belly and pour the wine or sherry over the entire fish.

3. Place bowl inside steamer and cover with the lid. Position over the pan or wok of boiling water and steam for 8 mins or until fish is cooked. The flesh should be white; if it is still translucent, cook for another minute or so.

4. Carefully transfer cooked fish to a serving platter. Pour all the cooking juices over the fish, along with the soy sauce, and scatter with the extra onion.

5. Heat oil in a small saucepan until smoking hot, then pour it all over the fish to scald and sear the onion. Serve immediately.

KYLIE’S TIPS: Sichuan pepper* is tangy but not hot, with a tingling numbness in the mouth. It is available from Asian food stores, as are black sesame seeds.

*To make Sichuan pepper and salt, dry-roast 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns and ¼ cup sea salt in heavy-based pan. When the peppercorns begin to “pop” and become aromatic, take pan off the heat. Allow to cool, then grind to a powder in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Store in an airtight jar. It is delicious sprinkled over fried or grilled chicken, noodles and sweet and sour pork.

There is an absolute freshness and vibrancy to this salad that makes it delicious by itself, or with cooked prawns, cooked chicken or steamed fish fillets.

Celery, Carrot & Cabbage Salad.

Prep & Cook 25 mins / Serves 4-6 (as a side dish or as a part of a banquet).

1 small cucumber 3 small carrots, peeled 1 tsp white sugar 1 tsp sea salt 2 sticks celery, sliced on the diagonal ½ cup (125 ml) malt vinegar 2 tbsps white sugar, extra 2½ cups finely shredded Savoy cabbage 2/3 cup julienned green onion (green shallot) 1¼ cups fresh bean sprouts ½ cup mint leaves 2 tbsps light soy sauce 2 tbsps lemon juice Pinch of Sichuan pepper and salt (see Kylie’s tips above for recipe) 1 tsp each of white and black sesame seeds, toasted.

1. Using a vegetable peeler, finely slice the cucumber and carrots lengthways into ribbons. Set cucumber aside and cut carrot into long, thin strips.

2. Combine carrot with the sugar and salt in a medium bowl, mix well and leave to stand for 15 mins.

3. Add celery to a small saucepan of boiling salted water and blanch for 30 secs. Drain, refresh under cold water and drain again. Set aside.

4. Combine vinegar and extra sugar in a small heavy-based saucepan and stir over heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer, uncovered, for about 1 min or until slightly reduced. Set aside to cool before stirring through pickled carrot.

5. In a bowl, combine pickled carrot mixture, celery, cabbage, onion, bean sprouts and most of the mint. Pour over combined soy sauce and lemon juice, and mix well. Season to taste with Sichuan pepper and salt.

6. Arrange the salad in a bowl, top with the reserved cucumber, remaining mint and sesame seeds. Serve immediately. W