Jan Bilton: A splendid night for dumplings (+recipes)

Slow-cooked Chinese Lamb Shanks

Chinese New Year begins on February 16 and runs for 15 days. It is the 4712th Chinese year.

This is the Year of the Sheep (or Goat, or Ram).

This should be a time for healing after the chaos of the preceding Year of the Horse.

Food plays a major role in Chinese New Year celebrations.

Traditionally, dumplings are eaten at midnight on lunar New Year's Eve; whole fish is served to represent good health in the coming year; pomegranates serve as a symbol of happiness and are said to ward off evil spirits; and there are gifts of oranges and tangerines, which symbolise luck and wealth.

Coincidentally, it's 133 years since New Zealand lamb was shipped from Port Chalmers in Otago to London. This was an important step in establishing the sheep and beef export market that contributes $8.5 billion a year to the New Zealand economy. The biggest market by volume is China.

To celebrate, a National Lamb Day will be held on February 15.

I am often asked which wines are best to serve with Chinese dishes? In China, beer is the alcoholic drink of choice and it is especially complementary with spicy meals.

Wines with floral notes - such as riesling and gewurztraminer - often balance Asian flavours. I enjoy the non-alcoholic soda Hopt with Asian food. It comes in four flavours: elderberry and herb, watermelon and mint, salted lychee and pear and basil.

These are all terrific matches for Asian dishes.

They're thirst-quenching, slightly tangy, available from most supermarkets and ideal for hot-weather dining.

Here's wishing you good health and prosperity during the Year of the Sheep. Kung Hei Fat Choy.

RECIPES

SLOW-COOKED CHINESE LAMB SHANKS

Shaoxing cooking wine is prepared from fermented rice and available at selected supermarkets and Asian food stores.

4 large meaty lamb shanks, about 1.7kg
1/2 cup sugar
4 & 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
6 each: cloves garlic (sliced), star anise
1/2 cup peeled and thinly sliced root ginger
2 each: long red chillies, spring onions, sliced

Place shanks in a large saucepan of water and slowly bring to the boil. Simmer for 3 minutes, then drain. Place in a slow cooker.

Meanwhile, combine sugar and 6 tablespoons of water in a medium-sized saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Simmer, without stirring until a pale toffee colour is achieved. Remove from heat.

Add soy sauce, cooking wine and 2 cups of water. The sugar mixture will set. Stir over medium heat until it is melted. Add garlic, ginger, chilli and spring onions. Pour over lamb shanks. Add enough of the remaining water to almost cover shanks.

Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, until meltingly tender. The juice can be strained and thickened with cornflour, if preferred. Ideal served with a glass of Elderberry & Herb Hopt Soda. - Serves 4-6.

WHOLE FISH IN CHILLI BEAN SAUCE

Serve on a platter. Use chopsticks to remove the flesh from both sides.

1 whole (about 650g) white fish e.g. snapper, tarakihi, scaled and cleaned
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp chilli bean sauce (toban djan)
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp each: diced garlic, grated root ginger
1/2 cup fish or chicken stock
2 tsp each: light soy sauce, cornflour
1 spring onion, thinly sliced

Pat fish dry with paper towels. Make 3 diagonal cuts into the thickest part of each side of the fish. Rub it inside and out with salt. Rub skin with 1 tablespoon of chilli bean sauce and sprinkle with cooking wine in the cavity. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok on medium. Pat fish dry and fry on both sides until skin is golden or lightly cooked. Turn carefully using a wide spatula to prevent the skin from sticking.
Slide fish on to a platter. Tip out all but 2 tablespoons of oil. Add remaining chilli bean sauce, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry until fragrant.

Add stock and bring to the boil. Slide fish back into wok. Cook gently for about 5 minutes spooning the sauce over the fish. Mix cornflour with a little of the soy sauce and stir into wok. Simmer, until thickened. Serve garnished with spring onion. - Serves 4.

ORANGE PUDDING WITH STAR ANISE

Enjoy a flute of bubbling Salted Lychee Hopt with this panna cotta-style dessert.

2 tsp powdered gelatine
2 tbsp water
1 & 1/4 cups cream
3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp sugar
Finely grated rind 1 orange
2 star anise
Pinch five-spice powder
1/4 tsp orange essence, optional

Soften gelatine in water for 5 minutes. Place cream, milk, sugar, grated orange rind, star anise and five-spice powder in a saucepan and slowly bring to the boil. Whisk gelatine into hot milk mixture. Remove from heat and cool. Add essence, if using.

Carefully skim off any air bubbles from top of orange mixture. Strain into 6 Chinese teacups or small moulds. Refrigerate, until set.

Great served with canned lychees or preserved ginger in syrup on the side. - Serves 6.

POT STICKERS

Serve as a snack or as part of a meal.
20 x 9cm square wonton wrappers
250g lean minced pork or chicken
2 tsp each: soy sauce, hoisin sauce, grated root ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped chives
1/4 cup peanut or canola oil
1/2 cup water

Thaw wonton wrappers, if frozen.

Combine mince with soy sauce, hoisin sauce, root ginger and chives. To assemble the wontons, place a teaspoon of filling in the centre of each wrapper. Using your fingers, wet edges with cold water. Fold 1 corner over diagonally to the opposite corner to make a triangle. Press to seal. Bring the opposite 2 corners together in the centre. Press to seal. Repeat until you have 20.

Heat oil in a non-stick large frying pan. Pan-fry pot stickers a few at a time until bases are golden.

Return all pot stickers to the pan. Pour water over pot stickers, cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until cooked through. Great served with a dipping sauce of soy sauce with a dash of sesame oil. - Makes 20.