It’s rare that people step out of their comfort zone and try something a little different, especially at Christmas when the traditional roast turkey reigns supreme. A firm UK favourite, Chinese cuisine is often seen as a treat at the weekend or for a special occasions – and what occasion gives a better excuse for a celebration than Christmas? With four stores across the UK, in Birmingham, Manchester, Cricklewood and Croydon, the UK’s leading Oriental grocer, Wing Yip, brings traditional Asian cuisine one step closer to UK homes. From fresh Oriental produce to delicious sauces and interesting spices, each store provides Asian ingredients to excite and inspire this festive season.
With this in mind, Wing Yip has created some exclusive recipes to give festive food a twist this season.
Kung Po Turkey with Oriental Stuffing
Do something different with the traditional Christmas turkey.
Serves 6
Stuffing ingredients
2tbsp peanut oil
85g Chinese sausage or chorizo (finely sliced)
28g dried sliced mushrooms (soaked and chopped)
1tbsp Wing Yip Light Soy Sauce
1tbsp Wing Yip Oyster Sauce
1tsp ginger juice (from grated fresh ginger)
2tbsp black rice vinegar
228g jasmine rice, washed and drained
170ml vegetable stock
Turkey ingredients
1 turkey
1 cocktail stick
1-2tsp five spice powder
Salt for seasoning
6-8 star anise
2-3 cinnamon sticks
185ml jar Wing Yip Kung Po Sauce
Method
1. Heat the peanut oil in a wok and fry the sausage and mushrooms. Lightly season with Light Soy, Oyster Sauce, ginger juice and black vinegar, then remove from heat.
2. Add the rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
3. Remove the rice mixture and place in a pot. Add the vegetable stock. Cook on a medium-high heat initially and, when holes appear in the rice, turn the heat down to the lowest setting, cover and allow to continue cooking in its own steam for approximately 10 minutes.
4. When rice mixture is cooked, allow to cool and then stuff the neck of the turkey, pressing firmly into place. Secure the neck flap with a cocktail stick.
5. Rub body of the turkey with five spice powder and season the skin with salt. Place star anise and cinnamon inside the cavity and cook to instruction on packaging.
6. 30 minutes before the turkey is ready, remove and using a pastry brush baste in a thick layer of Wing Yip Kung Po Sauce.
7. Continue cooking and once cooked, remove from oven and serve.
Christmas Mushroom Pudding
A great vegetarian option for the Christmas dinner table.
Serves 2
Capture
Filling ingredients
1 onion, diced
1tbsp margarine or butter
5 cloves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 celery stick, diced
100g wild mushrooms, roughly chopped
1tbsp plain flour
50ml red wine
100ml vegetable stock
100g chestnuts, roughly chopped
1tbsp panko breadcrumbs (or make your own using coarsely ground stale white bread)
1/2tbsp five spice powder
2tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
2tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
Salt and pepper
Pastry ingredients
150g self-raising flour
75g vegetarian suet
1tbsp dried coriander
1tsp salt
1/2tsp mustard powder
2tbsp margarine or butter
You’ll also need
Large saucepan
Foil
Greaseproof paper
String
Method
1. Fry the onion in the margarine or butter with the cloves, over a low heat until soft.
2. Add the garlic, celery and mushrooms and continue frying until soft.
3. Remove the cloves, add the flour and stir until absorbed. Cook on a low heat, stirring until the flour has changed colour. Remove from heat and slowly add the red wine followed by the stock. Stir the mixture constantly to ensure the liquid absorbs evenly.
4. Place back over a low heat and cook for a further minute, then add chopped chestnuts, panko breadcrumbs, five spice powder and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then set the mixture aside.
5. Fill a large saucepan with water and put on the boil.
6. Mix the pastry ingredients together in a bowl and slowly add enough water to make a dough (approximately 200ml).
7. Separate one quarter of the dough for the lids and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside.
8. Grease the inside of the bowls with margarine or butter. Divide the remaining mixture in half and roll out into large discs, big enough to fill the pudding bowls with a small amount to cover the edges.
9. Divide the mushroom mixture between the two bowls. Divide the remaining pastry in two and roll out to make lids.
10. Wet the pastry, which overlaps the top of the bowls and press lids carefully onto the bowls. Trim any excess.
11. Grease two pieces of foil and place each on top of the puddings. Cover each piece with greaseproof paper, tying string around to secure to the bowls.
12. Carefully lower into boiling water and allow to simmer for approximately two hours.
13. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes before serving the puddings.