Chinese home cooking for the Year of the Horse: healthier, easy, indulgent & wallet-friendly

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At home or in Chinatown

Stone Lions watching over London’s Chinatown

Whatever the prevailing economic climate, celebrations for the new Chinese Lunar Year attract huge audiences across the UK.

In London, where events were once restricted to Chinatown’s Gerrard Street and increasingly the West End, huge demand means several satellite celebrations are taking place as far afield as Greenwich, Smithfield’s and Camden.

You’ll definitely need to book ahead for the satellite events  and, in some case, pay an entrance fee.

Back in Central London, dozens of food stalls will fill Trafalagar Square, selling carnivore and vegetarian treats.  Within Chinatown Central (off Shaftesbury Avenue including Gerrard & Lisle Street) restaurants will do a roaring business in dim sum lunch - steamed and deep fried maxi-appetisers.  

If you just want a reasonably priced savoury or sweet bun to tide you over until you get home for home-made or takeout Chinese, you can’t do better than the the Chinatown Bakery on the square at Newport Street near the former fire station.  Prepare to queue.

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The post this week focuses on home-cooked Chinese meals for those who want authentic Chinese food without the budget or yearning for restaurants or take outs.

Lower fat and salt are the name of the game for most of the recipes; many are surprisingly fast and east.

The first section offers healthier standards:‘unfried’ rice, spiced ribs, noodles. 

The second section offers a few dishes that don’t often appear in collections but offer a delightful twist on the usual. 

Standards

Un-fried Rice: 'skinnier', easy gorgeously plumped-up version of Fried Rice studded with peas and omelette strips

Sugar-free Chinese meat rub for that charred spicy sweet rib taste: low-fat, dairy free, easy, excellent with beef/lamb/pork ribs, chicken thighs/wings or any other cut of meat 

Chinese Ramen Noodles: quick, frugal & healthy: soup noodles, protein, veg and rich broth is hard to beat, suits carnivores, vegetarians/vegans  

7-minute Stir-fried Meat with Pineapple : great combo of flavours & textures

Almost-Instant Crispy Noodles with poultry, chilli, broccoli & gravy: a real treat, divine texture, cheap & cheerful, uses up leftovers

Mains for Impressing Guests

Roast Oriental Chicken: wallet-friendly, exotic, for the adventurous 

Peking Duck for Pancakes: rich authentic flavours, lower-fat, guilt-free, easy, wallet-friendly if using duck legs but whole duck is wonderful

Safe, simple & tasty
'Tastes like what I'd get in a nice Chinese restaurant!' 'Yum! Wonderful; meat just crispy enough; a great pick-me-up.'  Tasters

Exquisite Barbecued Pork: nearly fat-free; lower-sugar & salt, easy-peasy

Oriental Salmon: sugar-free, sassily simple, prepare-ahead, healthy

Lamb Mongolian Style: Lower-fat, gutsy crispy lamb; lettuce pancakes at the ready: exotic and fun

 Slow cooked in a cocktail of spices a & cooled overnight, the joint's (substantial) fat solidifies and is easily removed.  The meat is shredded, crisped and served wrapped in lettuce (a low-cal duck pancake) with the thick braising sauce and 67's low-sugar Sweet Chilli sauce. adding flavour and richness 

Vegan Tofu with Chillis & Broccoli - colourful and appetising

                          POMELO & LEMONGRASS FIZZ

easy, low-sugar with Champers, prosecco or alochol-free sparkling water

 Pomelo & Lemongrass is an enticing blend, unpretentious and nicely balanced. Mixed with champagne, it is ambrosial; even in fizzy water, it's delightful.  

BUDGET

Sweet Asian Chicken  with honey, sherry, soy & spices: dairy free; unusua moreish chicken with a twist....

Testers raved about the gorgeous sauce on this chicken...
and the chicken too, of course! 

Couple’s Kung Pao Chicken

Low-fat, high fibre, fodmap friendly; one of those wonderful healthy quick & tasty weeknight mains — the chicken is low-fat, the mixed veg gut-friendly and the sauce  flavourful without overwhelming. 

Who doesn't love authentic Chinese food that's easy to make at home!

Slow Cooked Asian Chicken Pittas: different and fun, easy-peasy meal of shredded exotically flavoured slow-cooked chicken, stuffed into fluffy round Middle Eastern pitta

Sweet Chilli & Ginger Salmon: lower sugar, Healthy, great for frozen fish 

'One of the finest fish dishes I have ever eaten; the chilli is subtle and doesn't overwhelm the salmon.  I wouldn't have guessed the fish was frozen."  Taster  

PORKUPINES 

(with Chicken/Beef option)

Minced pork/chicken with exotic spicing & crunchy water chestnuts rolled in rice are an intriguing Chinese ; they are  very Chinese-ey and easy to love

CHINESE CHICKEN NOODLE SALAD: Triple Duty, frugal, leftovers

Choc-a-block with protein and colourful vegetables; rings the changes from pasta but cooked rice and/or cold potatoes make an equally wonderful base.

Frugal, it travels well and much of it can be prepared in advance.  It has a base of egg noodles which easily could be replaced with brown rice in a dressing rich with sesame, garlic, ginger and hoisin.  And you could replace chicken with cooked beef or tofu, or cooked seafood. 

Chicken Legs/Thighs Braised with Sherry & Soy Sauce - Chinese comfort food: a little effort turns standard supermarket fare into something special.  M&S higher welfare chicken legs are a wonderful bargain at any time  

These recipes have been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

Will it be pancakes or waffles on Shrove Tuesday this year?

Pancake Day is on February 17th this year and there is plenty of time to plan and prepare.

There’s a great choice of offerings: morning, afternoon or evening?  Sweet or savoury?  Accompanied by indulgent cream, a deliciously fruity low-sugar sauce, or healthy luscious thick plain yoghurt?

Take your pick.  

This post offers dairy-free options and starts with basic pancake and waffle recipes.

Basic 67 recipe for pancakes: fat-free, no/low sugar Scotch Pancakes here. Beautifully textured, they will swiftly become a standby.   

Basic 67 Waffle Recipe

Healthier Waffles 
Low sugar & fat, with wheat-free, dairy free and high-fibre options

1. Savoury

Waffles stuffed with ham/pastrami & veg:

great with soups & stews; wallet-friendly,healthy

Lentil Brunch Pancakes 

unexpected frugal delight;  opt for dairy-free,

serve with spinach, avo & poached eggs

Portable Pancakes: Savoury Corn & Ham or Pastrami : perfect for the lunchbox, low-fat/sugar & yeast-free, easy, make-ahead

 Crepes stuffed with Ricotta & Sunblush Tomato with White Wine Sauce

 Indulgent vegetarian treat will thrill a special someone on a special occasion

Vegan Spelt, Polenta & Sweetcorn pancakes 

replace toast in a classic English breakfast or make great soup dippers; they  are also a brunch conversation stopper spread with avocado and a poached egg 

Sprout Latkes/Pancakes: really, really tasty budget Vegetarian fare 

2.  SWEET

A 67goingon50 favourite is American Buttermilk pancakes with healthier Caramel Apple Sauce.  This version has a dairy-free option. 

American Buttermilk Pancakes

The pancakes are sweeter than 67 usually likes but the gorgeously fluffy sturdiness and lovely crispy brown edges are worth the calories.  Maple syrup is replaced with Caramel Apple Sauce, using fresh apples. 

Caramel Apple Sauce

Both batter and sauce can be made in advance.  This recipe for Americdan Buttermilk pancakes includes a healthier vegan option for the pancakes - butter and sugar-free with plant milk. 

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Use the same recipe for Blueberry pancakes, made the night before; blueberries are stirred in just before cooking. (If your kids like the idea of purple 'unicorn' pancakes, toss in the blueberries before refrigerating;  the blueberry juices stain the pancakes a lovely blue and make a great backdrop for sprinkles etc).  

Chocolate Flower Pancakes make a great family brunch.  Kids love them, not just because they're pretty and tasty but also because they can help make them.

Skinnier Crepes a l'orange have all the flavour, booziness and yumminess of the classic dessert without all the sugar and fat.  Ace...but probably not for the kids!

WAFFLES

Banana Nut Waffles, dairy free opt
'...adds a gorgeous creamy texture, smells delightfully of banana'  

 

And an 

Blueberry Spelt Waffles, dairy-free option
'needs an extra minute or two for optimum crispness but were soft & lovely inside'

SWEET TOPPINGS FOR PANCAKES & WAFFLES 

Maple syrup, honey, chocolate sauce sprinkled with nuts or - for the health-conscious - lower sugar fruit compote or jam.  

Uber-indulgent toppings include two easy sweet spreads Lemon Curd or Almost Guilt-Free Chocolate Hazelnut Spread.  

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These recipes  have been developed or adapted by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission. 

 

INDULGENT VALENTINE’S TREATS

My new iPad  ate the post intended for this week, but this cobbled together selection of recipes is guaranteed to wow guests and family.  

They run the range from luxurious indulgences to wallet friendly wonders.  Some are easy, some healthier than most; some 'never-mind-the-calories; just enjoy the deliciousness!'  But all are mouthwatering and utterly delicious.

Options include luxury, tea-time, easy, vegan & cheats' delights.

Don’t forget to have a look at  Welcome to the Blog

(On the nav bar above) for latest food news & bargains

Note: dairy free options are clearly marked.  Or some friends make the cream-filled desserts as a special treat but wait 1-6 hours after the main course before offering them to guests.

Many posted Prices do not reflect recent inflation; note the dates on the individual posts, top right hand above the photo. 

 

1.  SPECIAL OCCASION -- Pure Indulgence

Luxury Pistachio Cheesecake: pale richly creamy fillling, studded with bright green chopped pistachios, slathered over a generous crumb crust

Grown men sampling these two spreads think they've died and gone to heaven...

Almost guilt-free 
 Guilt-Free Chocolate Hazelnut Spread 

Foolproof Lemon Curd

...and if I were with two of my true loves on Valentines' Day, this is what they’d  be getting as a pressie: a jar of Lemon Curd and one of Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread.

Luckily both recipes are super-easy.  The curd is unforgettable - rich, smooth and  lemony - and there's no danger of lumps when cooking it.  Spread on toast, the curd is a revelation.  Poured into a freshly baked or store bought pie shell lined with fresh raspberries and covered with meringue (Special Occasional Lemon Raspberry Pie), it's sensational; stirred into puddings, it's a wonderful accent.

The Chocolate Nut spread is also magical spread on toast or layered between slices of plain cake.  But it's sublime made into a mousse-like icing; drizzled over brownies or - a favourite - eaten straight from the jar with a spoon.  A big spoon!  This chocolate spread - unlike commercial ones - is almost guilt-free; it's low in added sugar and preservative-free.

Triple Chocolate & Cointreau Shortbread, melts in the mouth, warms as it goes down!

Triple Chocolate Truffle Brownies, WOW!

2.  FESTIVE FABULOUSLY FRUGAL & WALLET-FRIENDLY 

Creamy Pineapple Pudding, thrifty, easy, dairy free opt, choice of fruit

Boozy Orange Marmalade Bread & Butter Pudding: Inexpensive but yummy with an alcoholic twist 

 

TEA-TIME TREATS

Twisted Scone Wreath stuffed with Chocolate & Nuts, Orange & Cinnamon

Sensational Lemon-Mint Angel Food Cakes: tender fluffy interiors with unexpectedly  crackly tops. Think they look boring?  Prepare to be blown away!  

Blueberry, Pineapple & Walnut Cake: rich, fine-crumbed Blueberry, Pineapple & Nut Cake is the perfect indulgence for visitors/guests. Tasters loved it.

3.  DIETERS' DELIGHTS

Skinny Chocolate Peppermint Mousse:  Dairy-free unless you want it as a to - and the pudding's choolate flavours are still deep & dark.  Option to replace mint with fresh fruit soaked in liqueur.  

Light & lovely but still intensely chocolatey; 
no-bake, butter-free, cream optional

Luscious Lemon Pudding: gloriously gorgeous crowd-pleaser; diary-free option:; yoghurt lightens & enhances creaminess and flavour; 67's Foolproof lemon curd instead of shop-bought elevates the dish

4.  Easy-Peasy

4-ingredient shortbread: dairy-free option; first class melt-in-the-mouth Scottish treat, needs only butter, sugar, flour and flavouring. And you can leave out the flavouring!  Perfect for a cost of living crisis. 

1 Recipe=2 Delicious Treats: Cinnamon Breakfast Twists for breakfast & Blueberry Scones for Tea: mouthwatering contrast of flavours 

5.  VEGETARIAN/VEGAN 

Special Occasion Lemon Drizzle Cake: VEGAN, Indulgent, fat & egg free.  Easily the best of the vegan cake recipes tested by 67goingon50.  Truly fabulous taste & texture but cake has a maddening tendency to sink in the middle but taste & texture not affected, just fill the dip with fresh fruit!

Cherry Garcia Ice Cream: VEGAN , easy-peasy; the nicest, tastiest, healthiest ice cream ever; no cream - just bananas...

'Irish Coffee' Chocolate Cake':  Vegan-glorious; dark, rich and gorgeously chocolatey, the cake is fine-crumbed and hints of whiskey.  The frothy topping is served on the side or turned into icing 

Pomelo (Chinese grapefrut) fruit platter with Cinnamon Vanilla Yoghurt Cream: wallet-friendly, low-fat 

Orange Berry Plate: fresh, colourful, guilt-free, budget friendly

6.  CHEATS' DELIGHTS

Cheat's Luxury Log: When the pressure's on, a good supermarket Swiss Roll, smothered in simple home-made chocolate ganache, makes a great impression.  

Cheat's Black Forest Trifle: Simple, light but ever-so-delicious, so yummy & quick

For more Christmas dishes, see How to...on the Nav Bar above; they're 2/3 of the way down the page

These recipes have been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.