Darina Allen: Try my pork and prawn stir-fry with crispy noodles for Chinese New Year

And here's how to make delicious beef dumplings and fun fortune cookies

Stir-Fried Prawns and Pork with Crispy Noodles. From ‘How To Cook’ by Darina Allen, published by Kyle Books (2021)

I'm not sure about you but I was super happy to say goodbye to 2021 and welcome a brand-new year. It feels like we may be edging towards a much better place than this time last year so I’m brimming with optimism and enthusiasm and I’m hatching up all sorts of plans for 2022. 

I’m determined to snatch any excuse to celebrate: the birds starting to sing in the mornings, the stretch in the evenings, the first primroses — always a sign St. Bridget’s Day is around the corner. We make a special St. Bridget’s Day cake, crystallise the primroses and decorate the top with the frosted flowers and freshly picked wood sorrel. It's so beautiful — you might like to make this on February 1 to celebrate our female patron saint.

But in today’s column, we’re going to celebrate Chinese New Year, a two-week bonanza based on the Lunar calendar. This year, celebrations start on February 1 and last until the 15th finishing with the Lantern Festival. The Chinese Zodiac gives each year an animal sign, 2022 is the year of the Tiger — how exciting is that. People born in the year of the Tiger, such as 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 are said to be brave, competitive, unpredictable and confident, so now you know…

There are all sorts of traditions and superstitions attached to celebrating the Chinese New Year also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival to make it more inclusive globally. The Chinese travel, often thousands of miles, to be with their families and friends to eat, drink, cook and have fun together. 

Traditionally, there’s a frenzy of spring cleaning for weeks before to have everything sparkling for the celebration. As ever, food is at the centre of every celebration. In Chinese culture, the colour red symbolises happiness, energy and prosperity so red lanterns, dragons, fireworks, candles, medallions are everywhere. I love the tradition of ‘Hong Bao’: giving red envelopes with a gift of money tucked inside — such excitement for the children.

For the past few years as a result of the pandemic, festivities have been curtailed and many families have not been able to get together to celebrate but there’s a growing optimism that 2022 may see the tentative return of parades, lion dances and family reunions.

China is such a vast country. Every region has different customs but all families plan an exciting New Year feast. The traditional dishes are all symbolic — lucky foods to bring good fortune.

Spring rolls resembling bars of gold.

Dumplings look like gold and silver ingots. They are shaped like little purses so the more you eat, the richer you’ll be…

Noodles, some up to 2 feet long, symbolise longevity.

A whole steamed fish — tender and delicious with a dipping sauce — known as ‘dayn daron’ or big fish in mandarin, suggests abundance.

Little rice balls, filled with sweet red bean paste, signify family harmony, unity and togetherness.

Sweet glutinous rice cake — Nian gao (which can be sweet or savoury). The word loosely translates to ‘higher up’ — obviously a positive, this is beloved by Chinese but not to everyone’s Western taste.

Fortune cookies — each crisp sugary cookie contains a piece of paper with a surprise prophecy.

Tangerines are the most traditional citrus fruit to grace the table and gift to friends. The Chinese characters sound like the word that means good fortune so here we are again, it’s all about good luck.

So invite a couple of special friends around, have fun creating a little Chinese feast during the New Year celebrations and welcome better times ahead.

Fran’s Chinese Beef Dumplings

recipe by:Darina Allen

Dumplings can have a myriad of fillings. I also love a mixture of shrimp and pork but try these delicious beef dumplings given to me by a past student Fran Borrill.

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 60 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 15 mins

Course

 Side

Cuisine

 Chinese

Ingredients

• 1-2 packs gyoza/dumpling wrappers

• 1 heaped tsp Sichuan peppercorns

• 100ml boiling water

• 900g (2lb) minced beef (15% fat)

• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

• 1 bunch spring onions, minced

• 3 Chinese cabbage leaves

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tsp roasted sesame oil

• 1 red chilli, minced

• Salt and pepper to taste

• For the dipping sauce: 

• 2 tsp chilli oil (taste to see how hot it is before adding)

• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce

• 120ml soy sauce

• 4 tsp roasted sesame oil

• 1 tsp caster sugar (optional)

• 3 tbsp Chinese black vinegar or balsamic

• 1 tbsp ginger, minced

• 2 tbsp spring onion, minced

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

Method

1. To make the dipping sauce, put all the ingredients into a jam jar and shake.

2. Next, make the dumplings. Place the Sichuan peppercorns and boiling water into a heatproof jug and allow them to soak for 10-15 minutes.

3. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl (by hand is best) until they are well combined.

4. Strain the Sichuan peppercorns and retain the liquid.

5. Pour half the water into the beef mixture and stir until it has absorbed. Repeat with the remaining water.

6. Put a scant teaspoon of the mixture into the middle of a dumpling skin, wet the outer edge with water and fold the dumpling together (into a half-moon shape) by pleating one edge against the other.

7. Heat a tablespoon of oil in the bottom of a frying pan or wok. Fry the dumplings until one side is brown and crisp, 2-3 minutes.

8. Then add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan/wok (please note that the oil will split due to water being added) and cover immediately with a lid for 5-6 minutes to allow the dumplings to steam.

9. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce and enjoy.

Stir-fried prawns and pork with crispy noodles

recipe by:Darina Allen

Super-fast and delicious and fun to do. I love the contrast and textures of sweet, sour, sharp and salty flavours. We love to pile the crispy noodles into lettuce leaves or wraps.

Servings

5

Preparation Time

 4 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 19 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Chinese

Ingredients

• 100g  rice vermicelli

• 6 tbsp vegetable oil

• 4 tbsp finely chopped shallots

• 6 garlic cloves, finely sliced

• ½ – 1 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste)

• 400g minced pork

• 200g cooked prawns or shrimps, cut into 8mm  chunks

• a large handful of beansprouts or 80g spring onions, cut at an angle

• 1 – 2 tbsp light soft brown sugar

• 2 tbsp fish sauce

• 2 tbsp mirin

• a large handful of coriander leaves

• juice of 2 limes, plus lime wedges to serve

•  

Method

1. For this recipe, break the vermicelli into shortish lengths, about 10 – 12.5cm (4-5 inch).

2. Deep-fat fryers vary in size so fill the fryer up to the recommended line and heat the oil to 180˚C (350˚F). Alternatively, fill a deep saucepan with 5 – 7.5cm (2-3 inch) depth of oil.

3. Cook the noodles in batches until crisp – they puff up like magic in just a few seconds. Drain on kitchen paper.

4. Heat 3cm (1 ¼ inch) oil in a wok over the highest heat, add the shallots and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and pork and continue to stir-fry for a further 2 minutes or until the pork is almost cooked. Add the prawns, beansprouts, sugar, fish sauce and mirin and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the prawns are heated through. Add the coriander. Toss, taste and add more fish sauce, mirin or sugar if necessary. Add the lime juice.

5. Spoon the pork and prawn mixture over the drained noodles. Serve with lime wedges on the side. Alternatively, pile into lettuce leaf wraps.
   
   Recipe from ‘How To Cook’ by Darina Allen, published by Kyle Books (2021)

Fortune cookies

recipe by:Darina Allen

It’s such fun to make Chinese fortune cookies, each one has a strip of paper hidden inside with a Chinese wish or proverb

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 6 mins

Total Time

 21 mins

Course

 Dessert

Cuisine

 American

Ingredients

• 100g plain flour

• pinch of ground ginger

• pinch of salt

• 3 egg whites

• 100g icing sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 75g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C and line two solid baking sheets with non-stick baking parchment.

2. Sift together the flour, ground ginger and salt. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients, then add the melted butter and mix until smooth. Set aside for 10 minutes.

3. Draw 2 x 10cm circles on each sheet of baking parchment and spoon 1 tablespoon of the mixture on to each circle. Using either the back of a spoon or a palette knife, spread the mixture in an even layer to fill the circles.

4. Bake 1 sheet on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and the other on the shelf below for about 6-8minutes, until the cookies are starting to turn golden at the edges.

5. Working quickly, remove one sheet of baking parchment from the oven at a time, leaving the other baking tray inside and, using a palette knife, carefully and quickly lift the cookies off the parchment. Flip the cookie over, lay your fortune message in the middle and fold the cookie over it in half. Bring the points of the cookie together to make the fortune cookie curl and leave to cool in a muffin tin (this will help them to keep their shape). Repeat with the remaining cookies. Once you have used up all of the mixture and all of your cookies are baked and shaped, slide the muffin tin into the oven for a further minute to brown them evenly.

6. Leave to cool in the tins before packaging in takeaway boxes. Stored in an airtight container, they will keep for up to 3 days.
   This recipe is from Gifts from the Kitchen by Annie Rigg, published by Kyle Cathie

HOT TIPS

Where to source Asian Ingredients?

Nowadays, virtually every supermarket stocks Asian ingredients. However, to source more specialised Asian ingredients try Mr Bells in English Market in Cork City or online at mrbells.ie.

The Asia Market has various locations in Dublin asiamarket.ie and many more around the country.

Just Cook It - Spring at Ballymaloe Cookery School

Monday, March 28, 2022 from 2.30pm – 7pm.

Looking for something to do this March. This half-day course gives you a tantalising taste of the Ballymaloe Cookery School and provides inspiration for anyone eager to cook a variety of dishes with greater confidence.

Limited numbers, complying with all government and NPHET regulations. €215 per person. Recipes and tastings of all dishes included.

My Little Hot Tip to save the planet’:

Try doing even a rough meal plan every week, buy a little less food than you’ll think you’ll need — chances are, it’ll be enough, create less waste, and save money.

When shopping, unpack plastic, politely leave it in the shop and continue to request the supermarket to put pressure on their suppliers to use less or alternative packaging. I personally remember a time before plastic!