It's Chinese New Year 2016 on Monday February 8 and you can celebrate the year of the monkey with these delicious recipes from chef Ken Hom OBE.

You don't have to break the bank and dine out at a restaurant or order Chinese takeaway as he's shared some of his best dishes so that you can celebrate in the comfort of your own home.

Ken says: "Those born in the Year of the Monkey are intelligent and quick witted, and love the company of family and friends – the perfect dinner guest."

He adds that his chicken on crispy noodles recipe is always popular: "I love this dish so much I tend to order it whenever I can. Noodles are also a symbol of longevity, perfect for Chinese New Year."

And that fish is also a good option. "Steaming fish is a great southern Chinese tradition and it is my favourite method of cooking fish as it preserves the purest taste of the fish," says Ken.

Here are three of his recipes to try for your own Chinese feast.

Chicken on crispy noodles (Serves 4)

Ken Hom's chicken on crispy noodles

Ingredients:

225g (8oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, finely shredded

225g (8oz) thin Chinese fresh egg noodles

300ml (10fl oz) groundnut or vegetable oil

175g (6oz) fresh bean sprouts

2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

300ml (10fl oz) chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornflour, mixed with 1½ tablespoons water

Coarsely chopped spring onions

Method:

1. Combine the chicken, egg white, cornflour, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of white pepper in a small bowl. Mix well and leave in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. Blanch the noodles for two minutes in a large pan of salted boiling water, draining them well.

2. Heat a frying pan until it is hot and add 1½ tablespoons of oil. Spread the noodles evenly over the surface, then turn the heat to low and allow them to slowly brown. This should take about five minutes. When the noodles are brown, gently flip them over and brown the other side, adding more oil if needed. When both sides are browned, remove the noodles to a platter and keep warm.

3. Heat a wok until it is very hot and then add the larger quantity of oil.

4. When the oil is very hot, remove the wok from the heat and immediately add the chicken shreds, stirring vigorously to keep them from sticking together. After about two minutes, when the chicken has turned white, quickly drain it in a stainless steel colander set over a bowl.

5. Clean the wok and reheat it over high heat. Add the bean sprouts, rice wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce, chicken stock, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper and 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 1 ½ tablespoons of water.

6. Bring to a boil and stir in the cornflour mixture. Bring it to a simmer again, then return the chicken to the sauce and give the mixture a few stirs. Pour the sauce over the noodles, garnish with the spring onions and serve at once.

Fish in hot sauce (Serves 4)

Ken Hom's fish in hot sauce recipe

Ingredients:

450g (1lb) fresh firm white fish fillets, such as cod, sea bass or halibut

Cornflour, for dusting

3 spring onions

150ml (5fl oz) groundnut or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

For the sauce

150ml (5fl oz) chicken stock

2 teaspoons whole yellow bean sauce

1 tablespoon chilli bean sauce

2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Salt and white pepper

Method:

1. Sprinkle the fish fillets evenly on both sides with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cut the fish into strips 5cm (2in) wide and let them sit for 20 minutes. Then dust them with the cornflour.

2. Cut the spring onions into 5cm (2 in) diagonal slices. Heat a wok or a large frying pan over a high heat until it is hot. Add the oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, turn the heat down. Fry the fillets on both sides until they are partially cooked. Then remove and drain the fish on kitchen paper.

3. Pour off most of the oil, leaving about one tablespoon in the pan.

4. Reheat the wok or pan and add the spring onions, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry them for 30 seconds, then add the sauce ingredients and season with about ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of white pepper. Bring the mixture to the boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and return the fish to the pan. Simmer for about two minutes, then turn the fish and sauce on to a platter and serve.

Steamed Cantonese style fish (Serves 4)

Ken Hom's steamed Cantonese style fish recipe

Ingredients:

450g (1lb) firm white fish fillets, such as cod or sole, or a whole fish such as sole or turbot

1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt or plain salt

1½ tablespoons of fresh ginger, finely shredded

3 tablespoons spring onions, finely shredded

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon peanut or groundnut oil

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Garnish: handful of fresh coriander sprigs

Method:

1. Pat the fish or fish fillets dry with kitchen paper. Rub with the salt evenly on the outside as well as the inside of the fish.

2. Next set up a steamer or put a rack into a wok or deep pan and fill it with 5cm (2 inches) of water. Bring the water to the boil over a high heat. Put the fish on a heatproof plate and scatter the ginger evenly over the top.

3. Put the plate of fish into the steamer or onto the rack. Cover the pan tightly and gently steam the fish until it is just cooked. Flat fish will take about five minutes to cook. Whole fish or fillets such as sea bass will take 12-14 minutes.
You will see the fish turning opaque and flaking slightly.

4. Remove the plate of cooked fish, pour off excess liquid that may have accumulated on the plate and scatter the spring onions on the fish together with the light and dark soy sauces.

5. Heat the two oils together in a small saucepan until it is smoking. When they are hot, pour the top of the fish. Scatter with handful of
coriander and serve at once.

Ken Hom’s range of chilled meals are available from Tesco. Visit kenhom.co.uk