February 7th marks the start of the Chinese New Year: Lunar Year 4076. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. Food has a starring role in the festivities. Dumplings symbolize wealth and prosperity; their crescent shape resembles ancient Chinese money. Chinese noodles symbolize longevity. They should not be cut because they represent a long life. Dumplings and pork symbolize wealth. A chicken symbolizes prosperity. Fried foods symbolize gold and prosperity; and prawns symbolize liveliness and happiness. Try one of these items for a delicious meal, and you may bring good luck and fortune upon yourself in the coming year. Orange Chicken Stir Fry In a large bowl, combine rice wine or sherry with the cornstarch. Add chicken, toss to coat with wine mixture and marinate for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine orange juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar and chile paste. Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken and stir-fry until it turns white. Push the chicken to the sides of the wok and add the sauce. Combine the sauce and the chicken. Stir-fry for another minute and serve hot. Serves 4. Crispy Wontons Combine pork, water chestnuts, green onions, soy sauce, cornstarch, salt and ginger in a medium bowl; mix well. Place 1/2 teaspoonful of pork mixture in center of each wonton. Fold wonton skin over filling to form a triangle. Moisten one corner with water. Overlap opposite corner over moistened corner and press together firmly. Heat oil in wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat to 375°. Deep fry wontons, a few at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm with ketchup, hot mustard or sweet & sour sauce, as desired. Serves 10. Noodles with Shrimp In a Dutch oven, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the noodles and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring to separate noodles. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the noodles are done. Drain in a colander. Soak the mushrooms in hot water until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard stems; cut mushrooms into 1/2-inch strips. In a bowl, mix the shrimp with the cornstarch, pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, shrimp, mushrooms, and garlic. Stir-fry 1 minute. Add the scallions and stir-fry 2 minutes until the shrimp turn pink. Push the shrimp to one side of the pan and add the noodles. Stir the noodles to separate and cook for 1 minute, or until they are hot. Add the soy sauce and stir, then combine the noodles with the shrimp. Serves 4. |
Chinese New Year
3/4 lb. ground pork