Eat yourself well this Chinese New Year

Get sizzling in style with some handy hints and top tips
from world-renowned chef Ken Hom

Ditch the takeaway menu and celebrate Chinese New Year in style this February by cooking up a quick and easy Oriental delight. With colour, vibrancy and fresh ingredients in the wok, it is guaranteed to get your taste buds tingling and your wellbeing on the rise.

It's a misconception that Chinese food equals expanding waist lines, in fact it's one of the healthiest meals you can cook at home.

Renowned chef Ken Hom shares some of his wisdom to help everyone eat themselves well this Chinese New Year:

"With a wide array of fresh vegetables, very little oil and lean meat, Chinese food is amongst the healthiest food in the world. Stir-fries are a great and easy way to get your 5-A-Day and many of the ingredients help promote wellbeing. For example, garlic helps lower cholesterol and chillies are a great way to help fight off common colds."

He continues: "Ginger is perhaps one of the most common spices used within Chinese cooking for its aromatic and flavoursome properties but it also acts as a remedy for a number of ailments including nausea, heart burn and indigestion. Sesame oil is one of the most common oils used in Chinese cooking, in particular for seasoning and marinades in stir-fries. And again, it has been shown to help lower cholesterol levels. Compared to many other oils, it is also low in saturated fats and adds a delicious nutty taste to any dish".

" Coriander is used regularly within Chinese cooking and is not only an excellent source of magnesium and iron but it has been known to help with digestive problems and bacterial infections. Extremely high temperatures are used when stir-frying which seals the meat well, making sure the oil does not taint the flavour of the meat. As a rule, to ensure the dish is as healthy as possible, I always drain any excess fat. There are many different spices and flavours to use in Chinese cooking but my personal favourite ingredient has to be chilli because it can spice up any dish adding plenty of zing!"

Ken Hom's new Easy Store wok is the perfect accessory to creating stir-fries bursting with goodness and taste. This ground breaking and innovative new wok has a unique folding handle, which reduces the wok's size by 40% allowing it to be stored easily in cupboards, drawers and even the dishwasher! Ingeniously designed the handle is fitted with a spring loaded secure locking system with an audible 'click' which lets you know the handle is locked securely and ready to use.

Available in both carbon steel with a stylish brushed stainless steel lid (£40) and stainless steel with a tempered glass lid (RRP £60), the 32cm Ken Hom Easy Store wok is set to revolutionise wok cooking and create that much-needed space in kitchens across the country. Available in John Lewis (stainless steel only) or in all good cookshops nationwide.

Celebrate Chinese New Year by trying some of Ken Hom's recipes »

Sara Bailey
Publicasity
Russell Chambers
The Piazza, Covent Garden
London WC2EE 8AA
Tel: 020 7632 2400
Fax: 020 7240 2520
Email: sbailey@publicasity.co.uk

30/01/2008