Chinese New Year falls on Saturday 25th January 2020, so why not celebrate the year of the rat with these tasty recipes.
With our simple collection of recipes from starters to dessert, this menu is sure to please all your friends and family. So grab a cocktail and get cooking, Chinese New Year isn’t going to celebrate itself.
If you’ve always wanted to perfect your Chinese cooking skills now is the time. Choose from our crispy spring rolls packed with lime, ginger and crab or our tasty and flavoursome five spice chicken. And if you’ve never made Chinese food before learn how to cook it with Chinese cuisine expert Ken Hom and then test your skills on these recipes.
There’s plenty for everyone on this menu and we’ve got all the courses planned out for you so all you have to do is pop to the shops to buy the ingredients.
Happy Chinese New Year from the GoodtoKnow team!
Nibbles: Lime, ginger and crab spring rolls
These delicious spring rolls will go down a storm - they have a real flavour kick from the lime and
ginger and are so easy to make. They take 3 - 4 mins to cook and are
best prepared in advance.
Get the recipe: Lime, ginger and crab spring rolls
Nibbles: Sesame prawn toasts
These sesame prawn toast bites are really easy to make. They're the perfect way to complete any main course as a naughty nibble on the side. The nutty taste of the sesame seeds and the smooth texture of the prawns make a delicious combo.
Get the recipe: Sesame seed prawn toasts
Starter: Duck pancakes
Make your own restaurant-style duck pancakes at home! Your friends and family are going to love assembling their own pancakes. Serve with homemade plum sauce for an all-out treat.
Get the recipe: Duck pancakes
Starter: Chicken noodle soup
A nice steaming bowl of our chicken noodle soup will kick off your Chinese meal nicely. The pak choi and the ginger in this recipe fills the bowl with flavour. Serving 4 people, this soup is delicious finished with a handful of basil, roughly chopped, for freshness.
Get the recipe: Chicken noodle soup
Main: Beef in black bean sauce
Chilli, groundnut oil and soy sauce make up the basis of this flavoursome dish. Marinate the beef in a black bean sauce and garnish with coriander to finish.
Get the recipe: Beef in black bean sauce
Side: Egg fried rice
Complete your main course with a helping of egg fried rice. This delicious recipe combines mangetout and spring onions together to give your rice some added flavour. It also uses streaky bacon to make it that little bit fancier, but you can leave out if preferred.
Get the recipe: Chinese special egg fried rice
Main: Sweet and sour pork
Not only is this dish a classic, it's also low in calories too, working out at only 381 cals per portion. So if you're trying to be good this Chinese New Year, this could be the choice for you. A homemade, sticky sauce makes the pork succulent and moreish.
Get the recipe: Sweet and sour pork
Main: Ken Hom’s crackling Chinese roast pork
If you want to push the boat out and make something fancy, this roast pork by Ken Hom is the ideal treat. It does take sometime to prepare but is well worth the wait!
Get the recipe: Ken Hom's crackling Chinese roast pork
Side: Peanut chicken noodle salad
Fancy noodles? This noodle salad makes a great side dish that is packed full of flavour and ready in just 20 mins. Sprinkle these noodles with cashnew nuts for extra crunch and serve in small soup bowls or one large one with a big spoon so everyone can help themselves.
Get the recipe: Ching-He Huang's peanut chicken noodle salad
Fish alternative: Steamed Cantonese-style fish
Would you prefer fish as a main? This impressive, Cantonese-style dish by Ken Hom is a winner. Prepare the fish fresh for the best flavour and drizzle in soy sauce and sprinkle with spring onions for a kick.
Get the recipe: Ken Hom's steamed Cantonese style fish
Vegetarian alternative: Tofu noodles
This delicious tofu noodles dish would make a perfect main course for any non-meat eaters. No flavour is left out of this recipe and with a little hint of spice and soft mushrooms, this dish could be an all-round favourite - even the meat eaters will want to try some!
Get the recipe: Tofu noodles
Dessert: Citrus squares
Oranges and tangerines are traditionally passed around during Chinese New Year to represent good health, long life and fruitfulness - get in the spirit with this cake. This recipe makes 8 deliciously sweet squares that only take 15 mins to cook so they can be popped in the oven just after everyone has finished their mains.
Get the recipe: Citrus squares