Flavours of the Orient

Simply Chinese

Chinese dishes always carry special meanings on special occasions. The symbolic significance of a dish may be based on what it looks like or how its name is pronounced. For example, at the New Year Dinner, everyone eats fish as the Chinese word for 'fish' is pronounced the same way as the word 'abundance'.

[We have some lovely fresh fishy recipes for you - HERE]

Like birthday cake, Chinese have noodles on their birthday parties, as long noodles symbolise long life. When a baby is born, people usually eat eggs painted red as they symbolise fertility.

Duck Breast

This duck breast has been marinated in Orange Juice, Stokes Brown Sauce and a pinch of Chinese 5 Spice. The citrus helps to penetrate and tenderise the meat and our Brown Sauce offers sweeter Persian spices which add deliciously to the Chinese spice combination.

Let the meat enjoy its soak for half an hour of so then pan fry the duck (no oil), skin side down for 6 minutes then turn it skin up and into a medium oven for 4 minutes. Remove the duck for a light coating of Stokes Hoisin Sauce then back into the oven for 2 minutes.

While the meat rests, prepare a salad of watercress and segmented orange pieces drizzled with a little of the leftover marinade.

To celebrate the culture and flavours of the Chinese New Year on the 25th January 2020 
we are running a tasty competition.

The Prize on offer!

• 1 x Stokes Chinese New Year Collection containing Sweet Chilli Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, Chilli Ketchup, Tomato Ketchup & Brown Sauce
• 2 x Half Gressingham Aromatic Duck
• 2 x Packet of Gressingham Bistro Duck Breasts with Plum
• 1 x Gressingham Cook's Apron
• 1 x Stokes Food Made Better Apron 

To enter this tasty competition - CLICK HERE

Chilli Beef

Make a marinade for 600g of thinly sliced rump steak, combining 2 tsp of cornflour, 2 tsp of Chinese 5 spice, 2 tbsp of Stokes Brown Sauce and 3 or 4 tbsp of our Chilli Ketchup. Coat the beef well, adding 250ml of orange juice, 1 tbsp of soy sauce and 1 inch of grated fresh ginger.

Thinly slice 2 red peppers and fry them to soften in a wok for 4 or 5 minutes then add the beef (lifted from its marinade) for 3 hot minutes. Stir in the marinade for 3 minutes more while preparing about 500g of noodles to the pack's instructions.

The meat should be tender after 5 or 6 minutes when you add 3 tbsp of Stokes Sweet Chilli Sauce to the wok, together with a good handful of thinly sliced spring onions. Heat through and spoon over a bed of soft noodles and serve.

Szechuan Style Prawns

Stir fry 450g of raw, peeled prawns in a wok with hot groundnut oil with 1 inch of grated ginger, 2 grated cloves of garlic and 3 finely chopped spring onions.

Within 2 minutes, as the prawns start to turn pink, add 2 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup, 3 tbsp of our Sweet Chilli Sauce, a dash of cider vinegar and 1 tsp of soft brown sugar.

Serve as soon as the sauce starts to bubble with a couple of spoons of Stokes Garlic Mayonnaise on the side.

Ginger Tofu Stir Fry

First the marinade: Mix 1 tbsp of Stokes Sweet Chilli Sauce, 1 tbsp of Stokes Brown Sauce, a glass of orange juice, 1 tsp of Chinese 5 Spice, 2 inches of ginger (grated), 2 tbsp of soy sauce and 1 tbsp of soft brown sugar.

Cut 250 g of firm tofu into cubes and pop them into the marinade.

[TIP: Use a toothpick to prick holes in the tofu. This will help it take on the marinade.]

Stir fry 200g of sliced pak choi with 1 inch of ginger (finely sliced) in very hot groundnut or vegetable oil for 2 minutes, then add 125ml of dry white wine and 1 tsp of cornflour for 2 minutes more and set the vegetables aside.

Add a little more oil to the wok and gently cook the tofu for 7 or 8 minutes (retaining the marinade). Add the marinade and greens to the tofu and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve with plain boiled rice. Enjoy.

Stokes Chinese New Year 5 Collection

...it's a powerful combination

More foodie thoughts for the week:

 


Catch of the Day - 
Our Fish Friday catch of the day is cod and we've some very tasty variations for you - here.






Year of the Rat - 
Enter our Foodie Competition as part of our Chinese New Year celebrations - here.

 






The Simple Things - 
Sometimes, it's the simple things in life that create the biggest sparkle and sharing them the broadest smiles - here.

If we couldn't make it AMAZING...
we wouldn't make it at all.

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150