Chinese New Year Recipes

Chinese New Year recipes so you can try new flavours at home, including crispy duck pancakes, ginger and chilli prawns and sticky chicken

Chinese New Year recipes to inspire you to try new flavours at home, from everyone's favourite, crispy duck pancakes, to ginger and chilli prawns, Chinese-style crispy pork belly and sticky chicken.

Chinese New Year falls on Thursday 19 February 2015, when it will become the the year of the goat. You might be up for recreating a full Chinese banquet, but it gives us a great excuse to experiment with new flavours and see how easy it can be to recreate your favourite takeaway at home.On the plus side, making your own Chinese food means you can make it lighter and healthier, but keep those bold flavours. Many of our favourite Chinese recipes work well as sharing plates, so make the perfect choice for a casual dinner party or family dinner. More often than not, it's all in the preparation, so you can make these recipes ahead so you can have a fuss-free evening.

Chef Ken Hom always spends Chinese New Year in London, where he celebrates by cooking with friends. "People have banquets at home, they celebrate at home by cooking big meals with their families," he says. "But also, they go out to celebrate - if you're feeling lazy, you go out to celebrate at a Chinese restaurant. They have special foods that they serve. Usually, at Chinese New Year, you must have fish - it's very important because fish is a sign of prosperity. It's de rigueur to have noodles because they are a sign of longevity - and you mustn't cut your noodles because you don't want to cut your life short.

"We eat this special dish, which is a cured oyster with sea moss, which is like a seaweed - it looks like somebody's toupee fell in tot he soup or something, but it tastes really good. The two together means good things and prosperity. We still maintain some of the those superstitions."

For the authentic flavours we all know and love, homemade crispy duck is a special way to start a Chinese feast, whether you prefer it rolled up with crisp cucumber and spring onions or in a light salad with hoisin dressing. See how to make it with our authentic crispy duck pancakes recipe (pictured).

Click through for more Chinese New Year recipe ideas...

Ginger and Chilli Prawns

This ginger and chilli prawns with pickled cucumber recipe is quick and easy to make and is full of bold flavours. To reduce the calorie content of this dish, serve as a starter without a side dish - or choose simple boiled rice noodles rather than stir-fried rice.

Bang Bang Chicken

This retro Chinese bang bang chicken recipe is assembly only and seriously tasty. Find more Chinese recipes

Rice Noodle Salad with Hot Smoked Salmon

A colourful dish that's light and full of flavour, this rice noodle salad with hot smoked salmon is the perfect lunch.

Chinese Pickled Ginger

Pickled ginger is a traditional accompaniment to Japanese sushi or sashimi, and it's a brilliant addition to Chinese salads too. This Chinese pickled ginger recipe means it's so easy to make your own!

Coconut King Prawns

This sophisticated coconut king prawn dish is full of delicate flavours. With no breadcrumbs in the batter, this is a tasty, more-ish gluten free recipe.

Sweet Mandarin Barbecue Ribs

Cooking these sweet mandarin barbecue ribs on a low heat makes the meat meltingly tender and prevents the sauce from burning with this sweet mandarin barbecue rib dish.

Mango and Lemongrass Sorbet

Try Gok Wan's mango and lemon grass sorbet for a really refreshing end to your Chinese meal, which really brings out that tropical mango flavour.

Hoisin Duck Rice Roll

On the Chinese New Year feast table, spring rolls are a must. Spring rolls can be filled with a variety of fillings like this hoisin duck rice roll, or traditionally with vegetables and deep-fried before serving so the pastry on the outside is deliciously crisp and crunchy.

Duck and Wasabi Coleslaw Buns

Gok Wan's duck and wasabi coleslaw buns are a fiery take on everyone's favourite salad, coleslaw.

Fortune Cookies

Fortune cookies actually originate from America, but they're well associated with Chinese restaurants and make for a quick party snack.

Chinese Crispy Pork Belly with Chilli Caramel

The dark caramel sauce is offset by hot chilli in this Chinese crispy pork belly with chilli caramel recipe, and forms the perfect flavour to stand up to rich pork belly.

Chinese Sticky Chicken

The marinade of hoisin, soy, garlic and ginger in this Chinese-style sticky chicken recipe creates a great balance of flavours. This dish can be made in advance - making it equally good for entertaining on Chinese New Year or for a simple mid-week supper.

Chinese Pork

This delicious dish is made using pork tenderloin for a wonderful depth of flavour. The Chinese paste in this Chinese pork recipe contains aromatic ingredients like hoisin sauce, to create a perfect Oriental-style supper.

Crispy Duck Salad with Hoisin Dressing

Looking for something a bit lighter? Try this fabulous crispy duck salad with hoi sin dressing recipe uses duck legs and exotic spices to create a tasty dish packed full of flavour.

Brown Rice Treasure Hunt

The sweetness of the sugar in this brown rice treasure hunt balances the heat of ginger and all sits in perfect harmony with the nutritionally rich brown rice.

Crispy Duck Breast in Ginger and Star Anise

A delicious recipe with some mouthwatering flavour combinations, your guests will love this crispy duck breast in ginger and star anise recipe.

Lychee and Lime Sorbet

This simple Chinese dessert is fragrant and refreshing - make our lychee and lime sorbet recipe ahead and serve as the perfect way to finish a rich meal!

Five-Spice Steak and Herb Salad

The marinade in this five-spice steak and herb salad uses one of the most traditional flavours in Asian cuisine and one that you won't find anywhere else in the world.

Tropical Fruit Salad

Nothing beats a tangy fruit salad at the end of a spicy meal and the syrup in this tropical fruit salad recipe acts as a preservative, so it's easy to make it the day before serving.

Seared Salmon with Spinach and Noodles

This seared salmon with spinach and noodles is a really good base for a stir-fry. You could stir in prawns or shredded chicken instead of the salmon.

Chicken and Udon Noodle Broth with Lemongrass and Coriander

This chicken and udon noodle broth with lemongrass and coriander is fresh, zingy and filling and has no added fat. For vegetarians, you can substitute tofu for the chicken and use vegetable stock.

Chinese Sweet and Sour Pork

This Chinese sweet and sour pork recipe is a doddle to make and can be on the table in 20 minutes. A very versatile recipe, it can also be made using chicken or mixed veg.

Steamed Pak Choi and Ginger-Wrapped Salmon

This simple steamed pak choi and ginger-wrapped salmon dish is served with spring onion and sesame dressing.

Packed Lunch Broth

Either drink Gok Wan's packed lunch broth on its own to brighten up any time of day, or take it to work in a flask for lunch and pour it over a selection of finely sliced veggies or cooked meat or prawns. Thinly sliced carrots and baby spinach work particularly well with shredded cooked chicken. Just make sure you don't take anything too chunky, as it won't warm through in the broth.

Spiced Duck Skewers with Kale

Chase away the winter blues by dusting off the griddle pan and do some indoor grilling with these spiced duck skewers. Easy and delicious, this dish is perfect for a treat on the weekend and great to cook for family and friends for easy entertaining.