Chinese New Year is coming up soon, so be prepared, whether you are single or attached, for the question of your lifetime; “When do you want to get married?” or “Already getting old, no bf/gf ah?”. Super annoying aunties, I tell you! Yet, we have to be grateful for them, they make some of the most exceptional dishes during this non-stop festive season. Traditional festive fare recipes tend to be rich, high in bad fat, and low in good fibre. Here are some of the recipes you can make with Ayam Brand which is specially developed festive recipes with a healthier twist that includes Omega 3 and calcium from tuna and sardines.
Tuna Yee Sang
This is the ideal way to bring the family together to the reunion dinner!
Ingredients
100 g Ayam Brand Tuna chunks in organic olive oil (or can add more tuna)
1 Can Ayam Brand Mushrooms, drained and chopped
12 pcs wonton skins
¼ cup thinly sliced pickled ginger
1 Lebanese cucumber
1 carrot
1 small daikon/white radish
1/2 tablespoon black sesame, roasted and cooled
1/2 tablespoon white sesame, roasted and cooled
1/2 of pink grapefruit or pomelo (flesh only)
120 g store-bought seaweed
Thick plum sauce
Chinese five spice powder
ground white pepper
METHOD
1. Cut the wonton skins into strips and deep fry. Leave it cool.
2. Shred the carrot, white radish and cucumber.
3. Arrange the vegetables, mushroom, pink grapefruit or pomelo segments around the
salad bowl.
4. Add the tuna to the centrepiece.
5. Top the vegetables with pickled ginger and the fried wonton skin.
6. Sprinkle ground white pepper, sesame seeds and the Chinese five spice powder.
7. When it’s time to toss, drizzle some thick plum sauce on top!
Pineapple Tart
A must have at any CNY gathering.
Ingredients
PASTE
2 cans 410g Ayam Brand™ Pineapple Chunks, drained and finely blended
100g castor sugar
1 no. cinnamon stick
DOUGH
150g butter, cold and diced
75g icing sugar
1 no. egg yolk
30ml cold water
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp salt
280g all-purpose flour
50g corn flour
1 no. egg, beaten with a pinch of salt for egg wash
METHOD
PASTE
1. Put blended pineapple, sugar and cinnamon stick in a pot. Cook by mixing
continuously until dry. Set aside to cool.
DOUGH
2. Place dry ingredients in a bowl. Blend in butter until crumbly texture is achieved. Add
in yolk, vanilla essence and form into a smooth dough. If the dough is crumbly, add a
little water until it sticks again. Cover with plastic and chill for 20 minutes.
3. Roll the dough between 2 plastic sheets to 1/4 inch thickness. Stamp out wanted
shapes and transfer to trays lined with baking paper
TART
4. Roll a teaspoon of cooked pineapple paste into a small ball and place it unto the
stamped out dough.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 175 ºC for 15 minutes until golden. Cool on wire racks.
Steamed Sardines Roll
INGREDIENTS
6 pieces flat rice noodle rolls (chee cheong fun)
155g Ayam Brand Sardines in Tomato Sauce
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 carrot, julienned
3 stalks spring onions, cut into 7 cm
SAUCE
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp light soy sauce
50ml water
1 tbsp sugar or to taste
METHOD
1. Mash sardines with the chopped onions.
2. Unroll the rice noodle and place it flat on a chopping board.
3. Cut into half. Place a spoonful of sardines mixture along with some spring onion
and carrots. Roll it up tightly. Repeat until all ingredients are used.
4. Arrange on a lightly oiled plate and steam for 5-8 minutes.
5. To make the sauce, heat oil in a pan and saute garlic until fragrant.
6. Add in soy and water, bring to a boil and stir in sugar.
7. Simmer until sauce slightly thickens.
Tuna Congee
INGREDIENTS
1 150g can Tuna in Organic Olive Oil
200g uncooked fragrant rice, washed and drained
½ tbsp salt
2 tsp minced ginger
½ can tuna omega 3
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
3 tsp minced ginger
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 stalks spring onions, sliced
METHOD
1. Wash rice and drain. Mix with 1/2 oil from can and leave to marinate for 10
minutes.
2. Fry tuna from the first half can with ginger until fragrant. Add this tuna mixture
into rice.
3. Boil rice with 2.5 litres water until it becomes a thick porridge. This should take
about 30-40 minutes over medium heat.
4. For topping, heat the remaining oil from the can and fry garlic till fragrant. Add the
remaining tuna from the can and the rest of the seasoning. Cook for 3 minutes
and season to taste with oyster sauce.
5. Serve the porridge with a spoonful of topping.
Mixed Bean Coconut Ice Lollies
INGREDIENTS
50 g green beans
50 g red beans
100 g black eye peas
2 litres water
150 g organic coconut sugar
200 ml Ayam Brand Coconut Milk
METHOD
1. Wash and drain the mixed beans.
2. Place in a large pot with the water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer
until the beans are soft.
3. Add sugar to taste and simmer until sugar dissolves. Stir in coconut milk and turn
off the heat.
4. Leave the mixture to cool completely before filling into individual ice lolly moulds.
5. Freeze overnight, and serve on a hot day!
MANGO COCONUT SMOOTHIE
End your meal with a refreshing drink!
Makes 1 serving
INGREDIENTS
1 ripe mango, cut in chunks
150 g yoghurt
50 ml coconut milk
METHOD
Place all ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth.
There you have it!
Being a brand with 126-year heritage, Ayam Brand understands cuisine and culture while
championing healthier alternatives that use its high quality, healthy and convenient canned
food, with no preservatives and no added MSG.