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Wynnie Chan

This week Jessica Sham, 13
Jessica asks: Can you suggest a healthy recipe I can cook for my family over the Lunar New Year holidays?
Wynnie says: In Chinese culture, food plays a vital part in most, if not all, of the festivities in the lunar calendar.
Most dishes served during the Lunar New Year have special symbolic significance; for example, everyone eats noodles on New Year's day because they symbolise longevity.
And dumplings, or gao zi, are usually eaten at New Year's Eve dinner because they signify good wishes.
They can also be shaped to resemble the shape of ancient Chinese gold ingots, thus symbolising wealth.
Making dumplings is a very social activity. Once the filling is mixed, everyone can pitch in to fill the wrappers.
Why not while away a few hours with relatives in the kitchen. It's a great way to learn new skills as well as catch up with all the family gossip.
New Year's boiled dumplings
50-75  dumpling wrappers
Filling
2 bunches (about 225g) Chinese chives, chopped
2 tsp Chinese rice wine
100g minced lean pork
1/2 beaten egg
1 heaped teaspoon cornflour
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp light soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper
Mix the filling ingredients together in a bowl.
Spoon 2 tsp of filling into the centre of a wrapper. Smear some water round the edges and fold one side over to form a half-moon shape, then press the edges together. You can pleat the edges together to form a fancier shape. Continue until all the filling has been used up.
Bring a pan of water to the boil. Gently lower in five dumplings and stir so they don't stick to the bottom. Add a further 10 and stir again, bring water back to the boil. Partially cover the pan with a lid, lower the heat and simmer the dumplings for 10 minutes, or until they have floated to the surface. Repeat until all the dumplings have been cooked.
Serve with either chillies and light soy sauce or Chinese vinegar dipping sauces.
Jessica's diary
Breakfast: Fruit and yoghurt, or bagel with peanut butter and banana;  milk
Snack: Fruit, chocolate milk, water
Lunch: Caesar salad or tuna and sweetcorn sandwich; water
Snack: Dinner leftovers,  or cheese and crackers; milk
Dinner: Roast chicken, mashed potatoes and vegetables; stir-fried Chinese vegetables, steamed meat, fish or prawns and mixed grain rice; or chickpea, or Thai green chicken or vegetable curry with brown rice; fruit; water
Exercises: Yoga, volleyball, two PE lessons per week, jogging and hiking at weekends



Fun-to-make  festive food