Chinese New Year: 2016 Year of the Monkey

 

 

So yes it’s farewell goat  and hello monkey on Monday to celebrate Chinese New Year. Do you have anything planned to celebrate this date? It comes in a busy week – what with Pancake Day on Tuesday and Valentine’s Day on Sunday, so you can be forgiven for thinking it’s just another meal to cook! I get that (because my wedding anniversary also falls within this period) so I want to celebrate but don’t want the calories from a take-out and yet don’t want the hassle of cooking all day. I’m therefore going to cook this recipe …

 

It’s a simple chicken stir-fry but using a ready-made sauce (I’ve done my research for the one that has the best nutritional profile in terms of low fat and low sugar) and a pouch or two of ready-prepared rice. Mixed with fresh mango and bean sprouts it will be on the table in next to no time and look like I have spent many an hour labouring. You can use Chinese style greens like bok choy instead of the watercress if preferred but the latter does give a peppery crunch and, did you know, you can buy it ready-prepared in bags for ease of use?

 

 

SESAME CHICKEN STIR FRY WITH WATERCRESS AND MANGO

Ingredients

METRIC/US

low-fat cooking spray or oil mist

4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips

2 x 227 g/8 oz sachets ready-cooked basmati or wholegrain rice

200 g/8 oz low-sugar sweet and sour sauce (I used Asda Good & Counted Sweet ‘n’ Sour Cooking Sauce, about 1/2 jar)

1 large ripe mango, peeled, stoned and cut into cubes

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp medium sherry (optional)

300 g/10 oz packet fresh bean sprouts, rinsed

2 x 85 g/3 oz bags ready-prepared watercress

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

 

Method

1.  Generously spritz a wok or large deep non-stick frying pan with the low-fat cooking spray or oil mist. Heat, add the chicken strips and cook for 5 minutes, stirring well, until browned and almost cooked through.
2.  Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until piping hot.
3.  Meanwhile, heat the sauce in a medium pan with the mango for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce begins to bubble. Keep warm.
4.  Add the soy sauce and sherry if used to the chicken and rice mixture, tossing well to ensure the rice is well coated. 
5.  Remove from the heat, add the bean sprouts and watercress, stirring well to allow the watercress to wilt.
6.  Divide between warmed plates then spoon over the mango sauce mixture. Scatter with the sesame seeds to serve

SERVES 4

WLS PORTION: 1/2-1

 

CALORIES PER PORTION: 395

PROTEIN: 36.4g

CARBOHYDRATE: 46.2g

FAT: 7.3g

 

But if you want to push the boat out and cook a few dishes then other recipes you might like to consider from previous years and postings are below. Simply click to go through to the recipe where it says here: 

 

Chinese Style Steamed Salmon (recipe here)

 

Duck in Disguise (recipe here)

 

Chow Mein (recipe here)

 

Stir-Fried Pork with Chinese Vegetables (recipe here)

 

Ginger and Lemon Chicken Stir Fry (recipe here)