Phoenix and Dragon - A Chinese New Year recipe

Who said that you can’t celebrate new year twice a year?

The Chinese Calendar is a lunisolar calendar and on the 23rd of January a new moon phase starts for 2012 and to many Asian cultures that follow this calendar, this is the time to celebrate. So if not,  why not?

2012 is the Year of the Dragon and luck and fortune are the main themes.  Red and gold colours also play an important part in the celebrations. During the New Year period (which can last several days) families will come together and wear red clothes, hand out red envelopes with money in it called “lucky money”.

So to celebrate Chinese New Year, I have decided to make some Asian inspired dishes. I made Phoenix and Dragon stir fry which is a simple combination of chicken and prawns marinated in cornstarch, soy sauce and sherry stir fried with red and yellow peppers served on a bed of noodles (which symbolises long life).

Even though it is the Year of the Dragon, the Phoenix also plays an important role in Chinese Mythology. The Phoenix is often depicted with the Dragon at weddings ceremonies and symbolises blissful relations between husband and wife…

Phoenix and Dragon Stir Fry (Chicken and Prawn)

You will need:

• 2 chicken breasts cut into strips
• 2 cups prawns, shelled and de-veined
• Half of  a medium sized yellow pepper, cut into strips
• Half of a medium sized red pepper, cut into strips
• Mange Tout
• Cornstarch
• Pale dry sherry (or rice wine)
• Peanut oil
• Vegetable oil
• 1 inch ginger crushed and finely shopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed and finely shopped
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 portions of egg noodles

Method:

Mix 2 tablespoons of dry sherry with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and a tablespoon soy sauce. Combine with the chicken and allow the mixture to marinade in the fridge 30 minutes.

Mix 1 tablespoon dry sherry with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Combine the prawns with the mixture and allow to marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Prepare a  soy and peanut oil sauce by combining 2 tablespoons of sherry, 2 teaspoons of peanut oil, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar and salt and pepper to taste.

Heat up 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large saucepan or wok.

Fry the garlic and ginger until it become fragrant.

Fry the chicken for a couple of minutes until the chicken isn’t pink any more.

Add the prawns and fry together for another couple of minutes until the prawns become pink.

Add the peppers and a hand full of mange tout and stir fry the mixture for a minute so that the vegetables are still crisp.

Drizzle over the soy and peanut sauce over the dish and stir until all the flavours have combined.

Serve on egg noodles that have been boiled and then pan fried in soy sauce. Decorate with origami Dragons!

RAWR!

Enjoy this festive dish that’s packed with flavour and symbolism

Chicken = Phoenix
Prawns = Dragon
Red and Yellow Peppers = Red and Gold colours

For dessert we have egg tarts! ^_^