If you want to usher good luck into your life with food, trust the Chinese to tell you which dishes to cook and to serve. Noodles (for longevity), dumplings (for wealth), and fish (for prosperity) are just some of the many “lucky” food items available.
Here are three easy-to-cook recipes that you can make at home, courtesy of Electrolux.
Crab and Cheese Dumplings
Cook time: 15 mins. | Serves: 6
Ingredients:
Main dish
1 box 8 oz cream cheese
3 tbsp chopped spring onion or chives
1 tsp garlic powder
¼ cup flaked crab meat or chopped crab sticks
1 pack wonton wrappers
1 egg + 1 tbsp water
olive oil spray
½ cup homemade or store-bought sweet and sour sauce
Sweet and Sour Sauce
¾ cup sugar
½ cup white vinegar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
¼ cup ketchup
1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water
Procedure:
1. Preheat your Electrolux Tabletop Microwave Oven with Grill & Convection to 200°C (400°F). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Cream together the cream cheese, spring onion or chives, garlic powder, and crab meat or crab sticks; chill for 20 minutes.
3. Lay out the wonton wrappers in a single layer on the baking sheet. Put about 1/2 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of each wonton.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water until foamy. Dip your fingers in the egg wash and use the same fingers to pinch together the corners of each wonton to seal the cream cheese inside.
5. Spray the wontons with olive oil and bake using the top and bottom heat + fan function for 8 to 15 minutes until the edges turn golden brown.
6. Prepare the Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce. Whisk together sugar, vinegar, oyster sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and ketchup in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until dissolved then pour into the sauce and stir until thick. Set the heat to lowest setting until wontons are ready to serve.
Steamed Fish with Herbs
Cook time: 12-15 mins. | Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
1 kg fresh fillet of sea Bream or Bass
1 lemon
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Olive oil
1 clove of garlic or two, sliced
Fresh herbs (coriander, fresh onion, oregano, basil, and flat parsley are all good options)
Procedure:
1. Set the steam oven to the ‘Full Steam’ function, temperature 75°C.
2. Coat the fish in the oil, sprinkle salt and pepper, put in the steam cooking dish.
3. Cut the herbs into 5-6 cm pieces.
4. Wash and slice the lemon and place on the fish.
5. Spread the garlic slices on the fish.
6. Cook on shelf level 2 on the ‘Full Steam’ function at the preheated temperature of 75°C for 15 minutes.
7. Strain the stock into a small pan and bring to the boil. Switch off the hob, add the butter and egg yolk, and blend to a creamy sauce.
8. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the steamed fish fillets.
Shrimp Finger Rolls
Prep time: 30 mins. | Cook time: 20 mins. | Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1 cup broccoli, cut in small pieces
½ cup thinly-sliced carrot
½ cup shredded cabbage
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 tbsp finely-chopped parsley
1½ tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp sesame oil
½ tbsp honey
1½ cup precooked shrimp, shelled (about 25 small shrimps)
2 egg yolks
8 egg roll wrappers
water (to stick the egg roll together)
¼ cup melted butter
Dipping Sauce
1 ½ tbsp honey
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp rice wine
½ tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp grated ginger
½ tsp sesame seeds
Procedure:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. In a big pan, saute the broccoli, carrot, cabbage, celery, parsley, and minced garlic in olive oil using your Electrolux Induction Hob Cooking Range. Add in the ginger, sesame oil, and honey and sauté for another minute. Add in the precooked, shelled shrimps and toss; remove from the heat. Cool and toss in egg yolks.
3. Put 2 tablespoons of the vegetable and shrimp mixture onto an egg roll wrapper. Roll into an egg roll (check the directions at the back of the package on how to do this). Process the remaining mixture and wrappers until done.
4. Brush the rolls with butter and place on a lightly-buttered baking tray.