We usually serve the Nian Gao, or Chinese New Year Cake, or Tnee Kuih as a sweet dish. I have been thinking about new ways of eating it. This time I decide to make a stir -fry out of it!
Nian Gao is usually deep fried with sweet potato and taro. We steam it and serve with grated coconut as well. We do this every year after Chinese New Year. Nian Gao can keep for very long if stored the correct way. Nowadays I store mine in the fridge.
So today I am a bit adventurous and let’s make this savoury dish for a change.
I use Chicken breast and some fresh vegetables. It is very good and I am sure you will like the taste.
Here is the recipe.
Stir-Fried Nian Gao
A different way of serving Nian Gao.
Servings: 4
Cost: £5.00
Ingredients
- 150 g Nian Gao - cut into strips
- 20 g Ginger - sliced thinly
- 3 pc Spring onions - cut to 2-3cm lengths
- 4 cloves Garlic - chopped
- 1 Carrot - thinly sliced
- 1/2 Red pepper – cut into slices like the chicken
- 500 g Chicken Breast – cut into rectangular pieces 3mm thick
- 1/2 cup Corn flour
- 1/2 tbsp Salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp White pepper powder
- 2 tbsp Shiaoxing cooking wine
Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt or to taste
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 1 tbps Oyster sauce
- 125 ml Water ( approx)
Garnish
- 1 Spring onion – chopped , or
- 1 sprig Coriander -chopped
- White pepper powder to taste.
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.
- Then sprinkle the cornflour and coat the chicken pieces with it.
- Heat a non-stick cooking pan or wok with 1 cm of oil or spray with calorie-controlled spray (if you are restricting your calorie intake).
- When the pan is hot, put the chicken pieces into the pan. Pan fry the chicken pieces until it is lightly brown on both sides.
- Remove and set aside. Wipe the pan or give it a rinse.
- Heat 1 tbsp of cooking oil, or use a calorie-controlled spray.
- Fry the ginger slices until it colours and add in the chopped garlic. Fry until it is fragrant and lightly browned.
- Add in carrots, stir and add in the red peppers and fry for ½ minutes.
- Then add in the chicken, and toss to mix.
- Add in the nian gao and stir for ½ minutes.
- Pour in the sauce ingredients.
- Stir for I minute or until the sauce has reduced a bit.
- Then add in the spring onions
- Stir and add in the chopped coriander.
- Dish up and serve.
Video
Notes
The amount of water can be reduced if you prefer the dish to have less gravy. My family prefers to have more gravy as we often have it has a one pot meal.
You may thicken it with 2 tsp of cornflour with 2 tbsp of water.
