Let the tangy zest of oranges and lemons take over your taste buds. These innovative dishes use citrus fruits to juice up their flavours

Let the tangy zest of oranges and lemons take over your taste buds. These innovative dishes use citrus fruits to juice up their flavours

Chilli Orange Wonton Soupu00a0u00a0

Ingredients

1 fresh red chilli, diagonally slicedu00a0u00a0
1 cup orange juiceu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
4 wonton wrappersu00a0u00a0u00a0
3-4 cups vegetable stocku00a0u00a0u00a0
Red chilli sauce as requiredu00a0u00a0
u00a0u00bd medium carrot, cut into star-shaped piecesu00a0u00a0u00a0
4-5 cabbage leaves, choppedu00a0u00a0Salt to tasteu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
2 tsp cornflour u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 stalk spring onion greens, choppedu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0

Method

Cut the wonton wrappers into four pieces each. Place them on a flat surface.u00a0 Dampen the edges all around. Place a little chilli sauce in the centre of each wonton piece. Fold one corner over the other, keeping it a little off centre to resemble a triangle. Dampen the edges again. Bring two corners to the centre and press lightly.u00a0

Heat vegetable stock in a wok. Put the wontons in the boiling vegetable stock.

Add carrot, cabbage, fresh red chilli and salt. Add orange juice and cook for three to four minutes.

Mix cornflour in quarter cup of water and add to the soup. Cook till the soup thickens.u00a0

Pour into a soup bowl, garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot.

Oriental Salad with Fresh Orange Dressing

Ingredients

u00bd medium Chinese cabbageu00a0u00a0
2 cups bean sproutsu00a0u00a0u00a0
8-10 snow peas/flat beansu00a0u00a0
2 medium red radishesu00a0u00a0u00a0
2 medium carrotsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
2 medium green capsicumsu00a0u00a0u00a0
u00bd cup steamed riceu00a0u00a0u00a0For dressing
u00bd cup fresh orange juiceu00a0u00a0u00a0
u00bd tsp sesame seedsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 tbsp honeyu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 tbsp oilu00a0Salt to tasteu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
Pepper powder to tasteu00a0u00a0u00a0
u00bd tsp crushed red chillies
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Method

Shred Chinese cabbage. Trim the snow peas (or flat beans) and cut each into three pieces.

Cut radishes into half lengthwise and then thinly slice. Cut carrots into half lengthwise and then thinly slice.

Remove seeds from capsicums and cut into half-inch triangles. Dry roast sesame seeds, cool and crush them a little.

For dressing, take all the ingredients in an airtight container and shake so that they mix well.

Toss the prepared vegetables and steamed rice in a salad bowl with the dressing and serve immediately.u00a0
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Lemon Chickenu00a0u00a0

Ingredients

4-5 boneless chicken breastsu00a0u00a0
3 tbsp lemon juiceu00a0Salt to tasteu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
6 tbsp cornflouru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 small green capsicumu00a0u00a0u00a0
u00bd small red capsicumu00a0u00a0u00a0
u00bd small yellow capsicumu00a0u00a0u00a0
2 tbsp oil + to deep fry
u00bd tsp white pepper powderu00a0u00a0u00a0
u00bc tsp MSGu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
3 tbsp sugaru00a0u00a0u00a0
1 star aniseu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 tsp lemon rind, gratedu00a0u00a0u00a0
2 cups chicken stocku00a0
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Method

Trim, wash and drain chicken breasts. Marinate the chicken in one tbsp of lemon juice and salt. Blend two tbsp of cornflour in half a cup of water.

Remove seeds and cut capsicum into one inch pieces. Remove seeds and cut red and yellow capsicums into one inch triangles.u00a0u00a0
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Heat sufficient oil in a wok, roll marinated chicken breasts in remaining cornflour and deep-fry for three to four minutes or until crisp and light golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.

Heat two tbsp of oil in a wok or a pan, add capsicum pieces and stir-fry briefly.u00a0

Add white pepper powder, MSG, sugar, salt to taste, star anise, lemon rind, chicken stock and bring it to a boil.
Stir in blended cornflour and cook on medium heat for a minute or until the sauce starts to thicken. Add fried chicken breasts, reduce heat and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Stir in the remaining lemon juice and serve hot.

Lemon Pudding

Ingredients

1 lemonu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
100 gm castor sugaru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
150 gm fresh breadcrumbs u00a0u00a0u00a0
100 gm refined flour (maida)u00a0u00a0A pinch of salt u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
u00bd tsp baking powder u00a0u00a0
u00be cup melted butteru00a0u00a0
1 eggu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
u00bc cup milku00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
Lemon sauce, to serve as requiredu00a0u00a0
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Method

Take castor sugar in a bowl. Wipe the lemon with a damp cloth and grate the rind into the bowl. Mix well.

Squeeze out the juice of the lemon and add to the bowl.

Add breadcrumbs, refined flour, salt, baking powder and melted butter and mix well together. Make a well in the centre. Add egg and sufficient milk and mix to make a cake-like batter.

Heat sufficient water in a steamer.

Pour the mixture into a greased mould, cover with a lid or with greased paper and place it in the steamer. Cover the steamer and steam for two to three hours. Insert a skewer to check if it is cooked. If it comes out clean then it is cooked.

Turn out onto a serving plate when ready to serve. Serve as is or with custard or lemon sauce.

Note: To prepare lemon sauce, mix half cup sugar, one tbsp cornflour and salt. Add one cup boiling water and cook stirring continuously until thick and clear. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice and one tbsp butter. Allow to cool and use.

Shopping list for next week

POTATO AND CARROT FINGERS TOSSED IN TOMATO KETCHUPu00a0
300 gm processed cheese, 2 large sized potatoes, 2 large sized carrots, 1 bottle tomato ketchup
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CRISPY CHICKEN
3 eggs, 2 boneless chicken breasts, 1 packet fresh breadcrumbs, 1 bottle mayonnaise

CHEESE AND VEGETABLE ROLLS
2 small carrots, 1 small cauliflower, 1 bunch fresh mint leaves, 1 tub cheese spread, 1 loaf brown breadu00a0

CHOCOLATE BANANA CUP CAKEu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
400 gm refined flour, 150 gm brown sugar, 3 ripe elaichi bananas, 1 pack cocoa powder, 1 pack baking powder, 1 bottle golden syrup or honeyu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0