9/05/2014

Stir-Fried Pork With Ginger & Honey


This healthy noodle dish is deliciously low-fat with a great mix of Asian flavours- the perfect midweek supper

  • Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
    Cook 10 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 2
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    466

  • Protein

    36g

  • Carbs

    54g

  • Fat

    11g

  • Saturates

    2g

  • Fibre

    4g

  • Sugar

    14g

  • Salt

    2.6g

Ingredients
  • 2 nests medium egg noodles
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 250g/9oz pork tenderloin, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • thumb-sized piece ginger, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced
  • 100g mange tout
  • 1 tsp sesame seed
Directions
  1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the noodles following pack instructions. Meanwhile, mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp water, then stir in the soy sauce and honey, and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Add the pork and cook for 2 mins until browned all over. Add the ginger, garlic, pepper and mangetout, and cook for a further 2 mins. Reduce the heat, then add the soy and honey mixture, stirring and cooking until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Divide the drained noodles between 2 bowls. Top with the pork and vegetables, and finish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Shredded Duck Watercress & Orange Salad


A Chinese-influenced salad of soft duck, crunchy radish and chicory and sweet orange- a casual supper

  • Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
    Cook 45 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 4
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    307

  • Protein

    27g

  • Carbs

    23g

  • Fat

    16g

  • Saturates

    4g

  • Fibre

    5g

  • Sugar

    18g

  • Salt

    3.8g

Ingredients
  • 2 duck legs
  • 1 tsp five-spice powder
  • 5 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 5 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 big oranges, segmented, juice reserved
  • 2 x 100g bag watercress
  • 200g bag radishes, thinly sliced
  • 140g pack chicory, leaves separated
  • small bunch spring onion, sliced diagonally
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pat the duck legs dry with kitchen paper and rub in the five-spice and some seasoning. Pour the vinegar, soy and orange juice into a small roasting tin and put the duck on top. Cover with foil and cook for 30 mins, then remove the foil and increase oven to 240C/220C fan/ gas 9, or put under the grill and cook until the skin is crisp. Remove and strain the liquid through a sieve. Let the duck cool until you can shred the meat from the bones. Skim fat from the liquid.
  2. Meanwhile, gently toss together the oranges, watercress, radishes, chicory and spring onions. Pour over reserved cooking liquid, then add the duck and arrange on a platter.

Oriental Pork Balls In Hoisin Broth


Low in calories and cheap to make, these Chinese flavoured meatballs are served in a clear and nourishing broth with plenty of veg

  • Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
    Cook 10 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 4
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    366

  • Protein

    32g

  • Carbs

    29g

  • Fat

    14g

  • Saturates

    5g

  • Fibre

    4g

  • Sugar

    11g

  • Salt

    2.5g

Ingredients
  • 500g pack lean pork mince
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
  • 225g can water chestnuts, drained, half finely chopped, half sliced
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • thumb-sized piece ginger, shredded
  • 2 large carrots, shaved into strips with a potato peeler
  • 8 Chinese leaves, thick part sliced, leaves shredded
  • 300g pack beansprouts
  • bunch spring onions, cut into lengths, plus a few tops chopped to serve
Directions
  1. Tip the mince into a bowl with the soy, cornflour, five-spice, chopped water chestnuts and some black pepper. Work everything together, then shape into 12 meatballs.
  2. Pour the stock into a wide, deep pan and stir in the hoisin and ginger. Add the meatballs, then cover and poach for 5 mins. Drop in the carrots, Chinese leaves, beansprouts, spring onions and sliced chestnuts, then put on the lid and simmer for 5 mins. Ladle into bowls, then serve scattered with spring onion tops.

Hoisin Pork With Garlic & Ginger Greens


Marinate lean loin steaks with Chinese sauce then serve with plenty of bok choi cabbage for a healthy supper

  • Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
    Cook 10 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 4
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    420

  • Protein

    31g

  • Carbs

    12g

  • Fat

    28g

  • Saturates

    9g

  • Fibre

    6g

  • Sugar

    8g

  • Salt

    1.5g

Ingredients
  • 500g pork loin steaks, cut into 2cm-thick slices
  • 4 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce, plus a dash
  • 350g thin-stemmed broccoli
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 5cm-piece ginger, shredded
  • 1 bunch spring onion, halved lengthways
  • 350g bok choi, halved lengthways
  • rice or noodles, to serve (optional)
Directions
  1. Put the pork, hoisin and soy sauce in a bowl and allow to stand for 10 mins. Heat the grill to high, shake off any excess sauce, then lay the pork on a tray. Grill for 5 mins, turning halfway, until cooked through. Remove and leave to rest in a warm place for 5 mins.
  2. Meanwhile, put the broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl with 4 tbsp water, cover with cling film, then microwave on High for 3 mins. Heat the oil in a wok, add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for 1 min. Add the spring onions and bok choi, then stir-fry for a further 2 mins. Tip in the broccoli with a dash of soy sauce and stir-fry for 1-2 mins more until the veg is warmed through. Serve the pork with the greens, a drizzle of any resting pork juices and rice or noodles, if you like.

9/04/2014

Toffee & Sesame Bananas


Traditional toffee bananas are deep-fried, but this is a lighter version, served with caramel sauce

  • Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
    Cook 10 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 8
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    312

  • Protein

    2g

  • Carbs

    37g

  • Fat

    19g

  • Saturates

    10g

  • Fibre

    1g

  • Sugar

    35g

  • Salt

    0.09g

Ingredients
  • 6 large bananas, peeled and quartered
  • 8 tbsp light muscovado sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 200ml double cream
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
  • good-quality vanilla ice cream, to serve
Directions
  1. Toss the bananas in 2 tbsp of the sugar. Heat a griddle to medium, then cook the bananas, a few pieces at a time, until sticky and showing griddle marks. Keep warm in a low oven.
  2. For the sauce, put the remaining sugar, the butter and cream into a saucepan and stir over a gentle heat until the sugar has melted. Stir in the sesame seeds. Can be made up to a day ahead. To serve, put a few pieces of banana into 8 serving dishes, spoon over some of the caramel, then top with a scoop of ice cream.

Festive Golden Five-Spice Chicken


Chinese five-spice gives this chicken a wonderfully warm, aromatic flavour that adults and children will love

  • Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
    Cook 1 hr, 10 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 8
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    394

  • Protein

    29g

  • Carbs

    9g

  • Fat

    26g

  • Saturates

    7g

  • Fibre

    1g

  • Sugar

    7g

  • Salt

    2.22g

Ingredients
  • 8 chicken thighs and 8 drumsticks, skin on
  • 3 spring onions, shredded, to finish
  • For the marinade
  • 4 tbsp groundnut oil
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • finger-length piece fresh root ginger, grated
  • 4 tbsp Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
  • 4 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 4 tbsp clear honey
  • 4 tsp five spice powder
Directions
  1. Whisk together the marinade ingredients, put the chicken into a dish, then pour over the marinade, mixing to coat. Cover, then chill for at least 20 mins, or up to a day if you have time.
  2. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4, and lift the chicken out of the marinade into a roasting tin. Roast for 40 mins, pour over the remaining marinade, then cook for a further 30 mins until golden and sticky. Sprinkle with the spring onion, then serve.

Special Fried Rice With Prawns & Chorizo


A fusion dish that merges Spanish paella with Asian egg fried rice - a great way to get kids to eat vegetables

  • Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
    Cook 18 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Easily doubled
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    404

  • Protein

    19g

  • Carbs

    45g

  • Fat

    15g

  • Saturates

    4g

  • Fibre

    4g

  • Sugar

    5g

  • Salt

    1.3g

Ingredients
  • 100g basmati rice or long-grain rice
  • 85g frozen peas
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 50g finely diced chorizo, bacon or ham
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 3 spring onions, sliced on an angle
  • ½ red pepper, deseeded and chopped
  • good pinch five spice powder
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 100g beansprouts (optional)
  • 50g peeled prawns
Directions
  1. Boil the rice following pack instructions, adding the peas for the final min. Drain.
  2. Heat half the oil in a wok. Pour in the egg and stir-fry until scrambled. Tip onto a plate and set aside.
  3. Wipe the wok with kitchen paper, then heat the remaining oil. Toss in the meat, garlic, spring onions and pepper, and stir-fry until the pepper starts to soften. Add the five-spice, rice, peas and soy, then stir-fry for 5 mins more. Finally add the beansprouts, if using, the egg and prawns, and stir-fry to heat through.

Steamed Pork & Prawn Wontons


Low fat but so impressive - you can find the wrappers in freezer cabinets of Asian food stores or speciality food halls

  • Cooking Time Ready in 45 mins
  • Skill Level Moderately easy
  • Servings Makes 35-40
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    36

  • Protein

    2g

  • Carbs

    5g

  • Fat

    1g

  • Saturates

    1g

  • Fibre

    1g

  • Sugar

    1g

  • Salt

    0.46g

Ingredients
  • 175g minced pork
  • 85g peeled prawns, thawed if frozen and finely chopped
  • 2 spring onions, chopped small
  • 2 fat garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tsp grated root ginger or purée
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 5 water chestnuts (from a can), drained and finely chopped
  • about 36 wonton wrappers, 9cm square, thawed if frozen
  • large lettuce leaves, or baking parchment, for steaming
  • For the dipping sauce
  • 2 tbp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp dry sherry
  • 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger, or purée
  • shreds of spring onion or sesame seeds, to garnish
Directions
  1. Mix together the pork, prawns, spring onions, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, oil and water chestnuts.
  2. Peel off a wonton wrapper and, with a pastry brush, lightly brush round the outside with cold water. Place 1 tsp of mixture in the centre and scrunch up into a pouch, squeezing to seal. Do not overfill. Repeat until you have around 35-40. (These can be chilled for up to 1 hr on a tray lined with baking parchment.)
  3. For the sauce, mix together the soy sauce, sherry and ginger in a small bowl. To steam, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Line a bamboo or metal steaming basket with lettuce leaves to fit.
  4. Arrange half the pouches in the basket (without them touching), cover and steam for 5 mins. Remove with tongs to a platter and steam the rest-check the water level. Serve, sprinkled with spring onion or sesame seeds, with the bowl of sauce.

Stir-Fried Greens With Oyster Sauce


A great side dish for a DIY Chinese take-away, or an filling quick meal.

  • Cooking Time Ready in around 10 minutes
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 3
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    -

  • Protein

    -

  • Carbs

    -

  • Fat

    -

  • Saturates

    -

  • Fibre

    -

  • Sugar

    -

  • Salt

    -

Ingredients
  • 100g vermicelli rice noodles
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 4 chopped spring onions
  • 3 chopped garlic cloves
  • 1 deseeded and chopped red chilli
  • 100g thinly sliced shiitake or chestnut mushrooms
  • 200g broccoli florets
  • 2 roughly chopped heads of pak choi
Directions
  1. Soak the rice vermicelli in boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water, drain again and set aside.
  2. Mix soy, fish sauce and oyster sauce in a bowl. Heat the sunflower oil in a large wok, add spring onions, chopped garlic cloves and the deseeded and chopped chilli.
  3. Stir fry for 20 seconds before adding the thinly sliced shiitake or chestnut mushrooms and broccoli florets. Stir fry for 1 minute, then add the pak choi and the sauce mixture. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes over a high heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick.
  4. Tip in the noodles, remove from the heat and toss to mix well. Serve in warmed bowls and tuck in with your chopsticks.

Chinese Noodles With Tofu & Hazelnuts


Exciting flavours permeate this easy veggie recipe

  • Cooking Time Ready in around 25 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 4
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    431

  • Protein

    18g

  • Carbs

    50g

  • Fat

    19g

  • Saturates

    2g

  • Fibre

    2g

  • Sugar

    1g

  • Salt

    1.02g

Ingredients
  • 250g packet medium egg noodle
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • handful coriander, roughly chopped
  • 300g mangetout
  • 1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
  • handful toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  • 349g pack silken tofu, cut into cubes
  • 3 tbsp Chinese yellow beans sauce
Directions
  1. Drop the noodles into a pan of boiling water, cook for 4 mins, then drain. Drizzle over a little oil and mix in half the coriander.
  2. Heat a wok over a medium heat. Pour in the remaining oil, then throw in the mangetout and stir-fry for 2 mins. Add the chilli and cook for 2 mins more until the beans are just tender.
  3. Tip the hazelnuts, tofu and yellow bean sauce into the wok and stir to warm through. Finally, stir in the remaining coriander, season if you want to, and serve with the noodles.