Chinese New Year…the Year of the Dragon!

The Chinese New Year takes place on the 23rd January in 2012, and, as well as heralding the start of the Year of the Dragon, the most auspicious animal in the Chinese zodiac, it provides the perfect excuse for an oriental banquet.

 

Knowing that most WLS patients can only look at one course this is my bariatric-friendly recipe for Monday night. A wonderful Chow Mein recipe. This is a tasty noodle dish flavoured, in this instance, with ginger, chilli, garlic and a touch of curry powder. It’s ideal for celebrating this special occasion but will also make a good mid-week meal in the future but is also delicious packed up for lunch (to eat cold or reheat if possible at your place of  work).

 

You can add prawns, diced cooked pork or chicken or beef strips to this dish to boost the protein if you like…it’s your choice!

 

Here’s wishing you well over the next  Chinese New Year!

 

CHOW MEIN

 

Ingredients

Metric/US

250g/8 oz dried egg noodles

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 red pepper/capsicum, deseeded and sliced

100g/4 oz shitake mushrooms, sliced

75 g/3 oz magetout/snow peas

75g/ 3 oz spring onions/scallions, sliced

100g/4 oz beansprouts

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tbsp medium curry powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp crushed dried chillies

11/2 tsp light soy sauce

11/2 tsp rice wine or dry sherry

 

Method

1.  Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions then drain and rinse.

2.  Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, add the pepper/capsicum, mushrooms, mangetout/snow peas, spring onions/scallions and beansprouts. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.

3.  Add the garlic, curry powder, ginger, chillies, soy sauce, rice wine or sherry and cooked noodles. Toss well and heat through for 2 minutes then serve at once.

 

SERVES 4

WLS PORTION: 1/2

V suitable for Vegetarians

 

Calories per portion:  297

Protein:  10.7g

Carbohydrate:  51g

Fat:  6.5g

 

Image courtesy of Schwartz