Continue reading »]]> This series of blogs is addressed to Oprah and all those out there battling the bulge and excess weight. I am often asked by my clients to prepare for them a special detox meal over a period of a week to a month. The following recipes are just a sample of our offerings and are unique to Sweet Mandarin (www.sweetmandarin.com). If you would like a one-to-one consultation, contact me, Lisa Tse on lisa@sweetmandarin.com .

SPARERIBS WITH HOISIN SAUCE

Serves 4 to 6.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds spareribs

• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce

• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

• 3 tablespoons ketchup

• 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1/4 cup boiling water

PREPARATION:

Cut the spareribs apart into 1-inch pieces. Place in a shallow glass baking dish.

Combine the light soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ketchup, rice wine or sherry, brown sugar, and the chopped garlic.

Pour over the spareribs. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator, turning occasionally to make sure the ribs are thoroughly coated.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius, set oven to either 175 degrees Celsius). Dissolve the honey in the boiling water.

Fill a shallow roasting pan with 1/2-inch of water and place in the bottom of the oven. Place the pork on a rack above the water. Roast the pork for 30 minutes, or until the ribs just begin shrinking and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius). Brush the spareribs several times with the honey and water mixture during roasting. Remove and cool.

Spareribs can be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen. (Thaw frozen pork in the refrigerator or microwave. Use refrigerated pork within 4 days. Reheat frozen or refrigerated pork before serving).

Nutritional Breakdown per serving (based on 6 servings) – 328 calories (kcal), 22 g Total Fat (10 g monounsaturated, 8 g saturated , 2 g polyunsaturated), 17 g Protein, 13 g Carbohydrate, 73 mg Cholesterol, 805 mg Sodium

Note: Using low-sodium soy sauce reduces the sodium count to 590 mg (25 percent of daily total).

Lisa

Note to Oprah – I know you love your fried chicken – but try this as a healthy alternative – and as a treat for your diet.

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Sweet Mandarin is a 10minute walk to the MEN Area. Perfect for a Pre-concert meal. Book here

JLS need no introduction. On 20th April 2012 they grace the MEN Arena.  They are self-made legends. They inspire us to cook our heart out. Enjoy a match made in Heaven. Dine at Sweet Mandarin, stroll to the MEN and sing your heart out.

Continue reading »]]> In this Sweet Nothing, I will explore with you about the Shanghai Dumplings that we serve at Sweet Mandarin, an award winning restaurant in Manchester (www.sweetmandarin.com) run by three twentysomething sisters (including me).

As a British Born Chinese, I have lived a very British way of life being educated in Manchester and Flinders, an Australian University. However, throughout my life, I grew up with the backdrop of serving and cooking in the family food business and continue my involvement in the catering empire as a co-owner of Sweet Mandarin. Chinese food has had an overwhelming presence in my life and been the catalyst for my hunger for understanding China and the significance of food in its culture.  When I take clients on culinary tours, my eyes are as wide as saucers and my stomach is rumbling constantly. My tours explore the cities where I’ve stayed, the lives that crossed my path and the amazing food with a story to tell. China is a captivating and vivacious collection of diverse cities, provinces and regions. In the south, Guangdong, the Cantonese speaking region is renowned for its steaming, boiling and stir frying and dim sum feasts which we have become accustomed to love in the western world. Beijing in the coldest area of China boasts the Emperor’s banquet, the world famous Peking Duck and hot pot. In the east, Shanghai offers its famous Shanghai Dumplings, whilst the Sichuan provinces easily provide the hottest and spiciest cuisine.

This week, I want to share with you about the tour to Shanghai – and how I fell in love with the city. In the 1920s and 1930s, Shanghai was home to gangsters, warlords, 24-7 nightclubs and hotels that supplied heroin on room service. Its people were a mix of British, Chinese, Americans, French, Gernans, Japanese and White Russians and life was an extreme pole of poverty and wealth.
Today, Shanghai appeared as alien to my idea of China as it did to its residents in the 1920s. However, a century later, Shanghai remains a foreign influenced metropolis on Chinese soil. From the dazzling new skyscrapers to the imperial British architecture on the Bund, Shanghai is a grand, eclectic mix of East and West. No wonder it is the haven of the new generation of Chinese from Hong Kong and the expatriates.
The beauty that lies before me in Shanghai is breathtaking and silences the noise and confusion on the busy roads. There is grandeur in the heart of the bustling city of Shanghai juxtaposed with absolute poverty and a return to the last century only a few miles out of the city in Zhujiajiao.

It was in these little villages lost to the 21st century, that my first dish of Shanghai dumplings was savoured and enjoyed. The residents continued their daily chores in traditional Chinese cotton jackets with simple butterfly buttons. Babies were strapped to their grandmother’s back with a piece of red cotton and the fat baby’s rosy cheek hung out over the tightly bound material, as his ink black eyes stared in awe at me, a stranger in this untouched and abandoned village, that fell through the net of modernization. Houses were primitive and doors opened, a sign that trust still existing amongst its residents and the bare home life with nothing worth stealing. There were no cars and only the odd bicycle rode by a young boy with wild hair. A blind woman no taller than four feet weaved beautiful straw ornaments. Husband and wife teams huddled around open stoves which cooked dozens of Shanghai dumplings and the aroma of hot, savoury dumplings permeated throughout the street. The glossy pastry bronzed as it slightly stuck to the pot (hence the nickname “pot stickers”). I became hungry just smelling the dumplings. I bought a portion (four beautifully pinched dumplings) to eat and after devouring them, bagged a portion for the road. The dumpling pastry was delicate and broke easily. The juices from the filling were clear and sweet, and the filling was a wholesome meat mince and vegetables. They were just what I needed for the cold winter’s day.
The legend about these Shanghai dumplings was that in the Eastern Han Period (Dong Han) an official called Zhang Zhongjing invented a kind of food to help poor people keep warm in the bitterly cold winter. The original recipe created the dumpling with ears and the filling consisted of mutton, hot pepper and medicinal roots (which helped to circulate the blood). The people loved the taste of the dumplings and started to make them themselves with whatever filling they had available. The dumplings are semi circles shaped like a gold ingots and are a regular dish at dim sum and Spring Festivals. They are eaten to bring good luck and fortune for the new year and probably also because they are delicious. From such a simple dumpling held a piece of political history! I cavorted with the residents until they showed me how to cook the dumplings in the authentic style. The sacred ingredients are detailed below.

Shanghai Dumplings (“Pot Stickers”)

INGREDIENTS
• 4 1/2 cups (500 g) flour
• 9 oz (250 g) lean boneless pork, minced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 5 tsp rice wine
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp salt to taste
• 3 1/2 oz (100 g) leeks
• 3 1/2 oz (100 g) sesame oil
• 1 tsp flour mixed with 2 tbsp water

Mix the pork with the soy sauce, rice wine, ginger, MSG and salt. Stir in one direction, adding 5 oz (150 ml) of water, a little at a time until the pork becomes sticky. Add the leeks and sesame oil and blend well, and divide into 60 portions. Set aside.

Stir 7 oz (200 ml) of water into the flour. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Let rest for 30 minutes. Roll into a long cylinder and cut into 60 portions. Flatten each piece and roll into a circle about 3 inches (8 cm) in diameter. Place 1 portion of the filling on each circle and fold over in half. Pinch tightly to seal the edges and form a semi circle. Repeat until all the dough and filling are used.
Arrange the pouches in a large pan. Heat to moderately hot, then add water to cover the pouches one-third of the way up. Cover the pan and cook over high heat until the water is almost absorbed. Trickle the flour-water mixture around the pouches. Cover the pan and saute over low heat until the flour forms a crisp film that link the dumplings together. Sprinkle the dumplings with a little sesame oil, cover again, and saute until the pouches are browned on the bottom. Remove with a spatula and serve. Saute and serve the dumplings in batches.

Juicy Steamed Dumplings
The dumplings can also be steamed rather than fried. Place the dumpling in a steamer and steam for 5 minutes over high heat.
Note: These dumplings are delicate in appearance and taste. the wrappers are thin and the filling deliciously juicy

Come and visit us to try these delicacies - or we can outdoor cater for your events in Manchester. To find out more click  here

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Sweet Mandarin is a 10minute walk to the MEN Area. Perfect for a Pre-concert meal. Book here

Award-winning rapper and actor Drake will play his first headline Manchester Arena show on Sunday 1 April.

Tickets for The Club Paradise Tour are on sale now, priced £35.00.

Since breaking onto the rap scene in 2006, Drake has become one of the most talked-about artists in the music industry.

Following a fierce bidding war, he signed with Universal Motown and released his debut EP, So Far Gone, which peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard charts and won a 2010 Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year.

His debut album Thank Me Later came out last year and was followed by the critically-acclaimed Take Care in November.

Drake has collaborated with the Kings of Leon, Jay-Z, Kanye West and Lil Wayne as well as writing material for Alicia Keys.

Drake originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation.

Continue reading »]]> This series of blogs is addressed to Oprah and all those out there battling the bulge and excess weight. I am often asked by my clients to prepare for them a special detox meal over a period of a week to a month. The following recipes are just a sample of our offerings and are unique to Sweet Mandarin (www.sweetmandarin.com). If you would like a one-to-one consultation, contact me, Lisa Tse on lisa@sweetmandarin.com

Best wishes and Sweet Dishes to You and Your Family

Lisa

CHICKEN STOCK

Makes about 10 cups.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds chicken pieces (backs, necks, or wings)

• 12 cups cold water

• 3 slices fresh ginger

• Salt, to taste

PREPARATION:

Rinse the chicken pieces under running water. Place in a large pot with 12 cups water (or enough to cover).

Add the ginger. Bring to a boil over medium heat, occasionally skimming off the foam that rises to the top.

Add salt to taste.

Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours.

Chicken Stock is simple to prepare, relatively cheap, nutritious, and easily digested. Chicken stock can be used as a soup is a good food for winter convalescents. Sipping warm soup can also clear the sinuses because of the steam ventilating into the nasal passages, serving as a natural decongestant, which also relieves cold and flu symptoms. Last, but not least, scientists found that the particular blend of nutrients and vitamins in traditional chicken soup can slow the activity of certain white blood cells. This may have an anti-inflammatory effect that could hypothetically lead to temporary ease from symptoms of illness.

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Sweet Mandarin is a 10minute walk to the MEN Area. Perfect for a Pre-concert meal. Book here

Florence + The Machine will perform at the Manchester Arena on Thursday 15 March as part of 2012′s Ceremonials UK tour – the first chance her Manchester fans will have to hear the new album performed live.

Tickets, priced £29.50, are on sale now.

Songstress Florence Welch and band will be performing tracks from the latest album Ceremonials alongside hits from 2009′s debut Lungs, including the singles You’ve Got The Love, Dog Days Are Over and Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up).

Florence + The Machine is the recording name of London musician Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide backing music for her voice.

Florence + The Machine won the Critic’s Choice Award at the 2009 Brit Awards and the following year scooped the MasterCard British Album award for Lungs.

The Sunday Times describes Florence as “the most peculiar and most highly acclaimed female singer of the moment”.

Support on the Manchester date comes from The Horrors and Spector.

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Sweet Mandarin is a 10minute walk to the MEN Area. Perfect for a Pre-concert meal. Book here

Legendary Motown artists The Four Tops and The Temptations return to the Manchester Arena joined by very special guests R&B disco kings Tavares and seminal sixties girl band The Crystals.

Tickets for the Friday 23 March show are on sale now, priced £40.00.

Since their 1964 debut hit Baby I Need Your Loving, The Four Tops have been wowing audiences with their infectious blend of pure vocal power and sweet harmonies. March’s Arena show sees founding member Abdul “Duke” Fakir and band perform hits from the Detroit group’s classic collection including Loco In Acapulco, Reach Out, Standing In The Shadows Of Love and Walk Away Renee.

One of Motown’s most influential and successful recording artists, The Temptations return to Manchester with an unforgettable show full of chart topping hits including My Girl, Get Ready, You’re My Everything and Just My Imagination.

The Tavares brothers became one of the most successful R & B, funk and soul names in the seventies.  Their 1976 album Sky High! produced three UK top ten singles, while the following year their version of More Than a Woman from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack won them a Grammy Award.

One of the biggest female acts of the sixties, The Crystals complete this unique bill to perform tracks from their genre-defining back catalogue including Da Doo Ron Ron, Then He Kissed Me and He’s A Rebel – written by Gene Pitney and produced by Phil Spector.

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I’ve grown up a Manchester United fan. My mum fed the footballers as their careers rocketed and they still frequent Sweet Mandarin -and she swears it must be our curry that is their secret ingredient to success. So when I met Sir Alex Ferguson it was an amazing day. In actual fact, I was going to HK and Beijing with him and the whole Manchester United team – a Football meets Culinary extravaganza. We had an absolute blast and I realised how important my dual citizenship was to bridging the gap between the East and the West. Since then, the tours to China that I lead every year has been a huge cultural and emotional growth spurt for me and for those that join me. Although there is a sea of difference between British culture and Chinese culture (for example, the Chinese never gift clocks as that means death wishes, and the seating plan is extra important as the hierarchy of the table can dictate whether a deal will fly or fail) through these trips, we learn to appreciate each other’s culture through food. There are many tales from China that I would love to share with you, but it would be all the more sweeter if you could join me in person for a Sweet Mandarin Culinary Tour. For more information on my tours to Hong Kong click here.

Continue reading »]]> This series of blogs is addressed to Oprah and all those out there battling the bulge and excess weight. I am often asked by my clients to prepare for them a special detox meal over a period of a week to a month. The following recipes are just a sample of our offerings and are unique to Sweet Mandarin (www.sweetmandarin.com). If you would like a one-to-one consultation, contact me, Lisa Tse on lisa@sweetmandarin.com .

A noodle is food made from unleavened dough that is cooked in a boiling liquid. Depending upon the type, noodles may be dried or refrigerated before cooking. The word noodle derives from the German nudel (noodle) and may be related to the Latin word nodus (knot). In English, noodle is a generic term for unleavened dough made from many different types of ingredients. Noodles exist in an abundance of shapes.

The first written account of noodles is from the East Han Dynasty between AD 25 and 220. In October 2005, the oldest noodles yet discovered were found at the Lajia site (Qijia culture) along the Yellow River in Qinghai, China. The 4,000-year-old noodles appear to have been made from foxtail millet and broomcorn millet.

What Types of Noodles are there?

Noodles can be made from various ingredients, primarily wheat, rice, mung bean or mung bean.

Millet

Oldest known prehistoric noodles, from 2000 BC.

Indian ragi noodles, made from finger millet flour.

Wheat

Ramen, yakisoba

Egg Noodles or Lamian (hand pulled Chinese noodles)

Mee pok (flat, green Chinese noodles, popular in Southeast Asia)

Pasta (approximately 350 variants of Italian noodles)

Udon (thick Japanese wheat noodles)

Rice

Flat or thick rice noodles, also known as ho fun

Rice vermicelli: thin rice noodles

Mung bean

Cellophane noodles, also known as glass noodles.

Potato or canna starch

Cellophane noodles can also be made from potato starch or canna starch or various starches of the same genre.

Gnocchi, small Italian dumplings.

Noodles, when cooked properly do not get mushy or sticky. Noodles are the only pasta products made with egg solids which give them a more intense colour than other pasta.

Measuring Noodles

Most dried noodles doubles in volume when cooked. For accuracy, measure noodles by weight rather than by cup. The general rule is one pound of dry noodles will serve six as an appetizer or four as a main course. Remember – shapes may vary in size according to the manufacturer, so use these measurements as generalizations.

The easiest way to measure noodles is to use your digital scale.

4 ounces of uncooked noodles = a 1-inch diameter bunch of dry noodles = 2 cups cooked noodles.

How To Cook Noodles Properly

Important Rule: Noodles should be prepared just before serving it.

1. Use a Large Pot (A too-small pot and too little water cause the noodles to clump and stick together, thus cooking unevenly).
2. Use only COLD Water – fill that big pot 3/4 full of COLD water and cover the pot of cold water with a lid to help bring the water to a boil faster.
3. Add Salt to the boiling water about 2 tablespoons of kosher salt per pound of noodles.
4. Add the dried noodles to BOILING HOT water.
5. Cook the noodles uncovered and gently stir the noodles during the first 1 to 2 minutes of cooking.
6. Cook for 8 – 12 minutes until the noodles are soft and chewy when bitten into.
7. Turn off heat and add 1 cup of cold water – this will lower the temperature and stop the noodles from over cooking.
8. Drain the noodles immediately in a large colander standing in the sink and then pick up the colander with its contents and shake well to remove excess water. (Do not rinse – the starch from the noodles could make the noodles stick together).

Tip about when to add the noodles : Noodles added to cold or warm water end up getting mushy and stuck together as the noodles quickly begins to break down in tepid water as the starch dissolves. Only add the noodles once the water is boiling – as this boiling temperature “sets” the outside of the noodles, which prevents the noodles from sticking together.

.

Should I add oil? No. Oil will coat the noodles and prevent the sauce from adhering.

CHICKEN CHOW MEIN

This recipe for chicken chow mein mixes the noodles with the chicken and vegetables for a healthier chicken chow mein.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb (500 g) boneless chicken breast, cut in thin strips

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) soy sauce

• 1/4 (1 mL) salt

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) cornstarch

• 1 lb (500 g) Chinese-style steamed noodles or cooked thin egg noodles

• 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) Chicken Stock

• ¼ cup (62.5mL) Half an onion thinly sliced onions

• 1/2 cup (125mL) Chinese cabbage

• 1/8 cup (31mL) One small carrot thinly sliced

• 3 large dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked and thinly sliced or from a can

• 2 spring onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) sesame oil

• 3 cups (750 mL) bean sprouts, tightly packed

PREPARATION:

Combine chicken and marinade ingredients (soy sauce, salt and cornstarch), mix well and set aside.

Blanch noodles in large amount of boiling water with salt for 3 minute or as per package instructions.

Drain well and cool slightly. Plate up. Meanwhile, heat wok over high heat, add stock and bring to boil. Add ginger, onions, carrots, Chinese cabbage and mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Stock should thicken slightly. Add flowering chives or green onions and sesame oil; stir to mix for 1 minute. Add noodles, bean sprouts and mix together.

Remove from heat. Serves 4.

Each serving includes:

Calories 358, 43 g Carbohydrates, 33 g Protein, 6 g Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 100 mg Cholesterol, 5 g Fibre, 466 mg Sodium, 555 mg Potassium. An excellent source of vitamin D, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folacin, and iron. A good source of fibre, vitamin C, vitamin B-12 and zinc.

Lisa

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Brilliant news to hear that Victoria Pendleton has broken the world record. We met Victoria who joined us on the Sweet Mandarin Cookery School and she was such an enthusiastic cook – really keen to cook delicious Chinese cuisine and a fast learner.  She was also very humble about her achievements and we are so proud to have taught her how to cook Chinese cuisine.  The time Victoria and Jess Varnish scored today was 32.754 seconds – about the same time it took Victoria to make her amazing Firecracker Chicken dish under the skilful guide of Chef Lisa Tse.  Watch Victoria win gold at The Sweet Mandarin Cookery School below. If you want to book your place on the Sweet Mandarin Cookery School then click here

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Sweet Mandarin is a 10minute walk to the MEN Area. Perfect for a Pre-concert meal. Book here

Since The X Factor returned to our screens in August, we’ve been treated to more drama, more craziness, more fun and more judges’ putdowns than ever before – and things are only going to get more intense.

But imagine if you could see this year’s singing sensations LIVE at the MEN Arena. Oh, you can? OK, well there’s no need to imagine it then because The X Factor 2012 Live Tour tickets are now on sale and if you’re going – then visit Sweet Mandarin too.

The talent has been super–duper amazing so far and if you’ve loved what you have seen, then come and see it up close on stage. This year’s tour is certain to me massive, no sorry, make that MASSIVE, with the talent already seen at the auditions looking hot.

Its going to be one spectacular show. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

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On 14th February its Valentine’s Day  – a day that evokes such an amazing energy at Sweet Mandarin because the room is filled with love. The banquet this year comprises of amazing dishes  including blackbeans dried in spring sunshine and steamed with tender chunks of beef or the Love Dare which is tender strips of chicken breast lightly battered in a fruity Shanghai inspired sauce.

As the couples enter Sweet Mandarin, the excitement level is electric; as if they were on a first date. I see the ladies smooth their silky dresses, their fingers play across their hair to make sure all their pins are in place and some even resting a hand across their heart – probably to stop its desperate, anxious beating. The dimly lit room provides some solace for blushing men who delight in their partner’s soft mist of hair, their rosebud shaped painted lips and the warmth emanating from their body.

As each of the three courses are enjoyed the couples build up courage and they reach out to hold hands resting on the cool wenge wood surface. In between the courses, they don’t seem to move and their eyes interlock almost paralysed, too in love to move, too in love to speak. Finally I hear a gentleman look intently to his date and say ‘You are beautiful here (touches her heart) and here (touches her face).’ Her face glows with joy and love. It is such a tender moment that I am transfixed. It took willpower for me to turn away and head back to the kitchen and I could hear the blood pounding in my ears as the temperature soared.

The Valentine’s Menu at Sweet Mandarin is available for the whole of February 2012. To book a table click here

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Sweet Mandarin is a 10minute walk to the MEN Area. Perfect for a Pre-concert meal. Book here

Strictly Come Dancing 2011 winner Harry Judd will lead an all-star celebrity line-up at this year’s live Manchester shows.

Fellow finalists Australian acting and singing superstar Jason Donovan and local actress Chelsee Healey plus ex-Eastenders legend Anita Dobson, former footballer Robbie Savage, feisty property lawyer and entrepreneur Nancy Dell’Olio and ex-Olympic swimmer Mark Foster will join McFly’s Harry in Manchester for the Tuesday 31 January & Wednesday 1 February shows. Kate Thornton will return as the host of the live shows.

Alongside the exciting celebrity line-up will be judges Lee Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel Horwood, who is also directing the live tour for a second year running.

Former Blackburn Rovers footballer Robbie Savage said: I’m enjoying each week more and more and I’m really glad to be continuing the experience on tour. I can’t wait to be out on the floor every night, hopefully there won’t be any cameras to crash into this time!”.

Eccles-born Waterloo Road actress Chelsee Healey said: “I’m so thrilled to be part of the Strictly tour, the TV show has been more fun than I ever could have imagined and I can’t wait to carry on dancing every week”.

Jason Donovan added: “I have been overwhelmed with the support I have had so far on the show and I have really enjoyed dancing every week. Learning so many different dances has been an amazing experience and I can’t wait to see the new routines we’ll be performing on the tour”.

The ultimate in feel-good entertainment, Strictly Come Dancing Live features all the must-haves from the hugely popular BBC1 TV series. Stunning costumes, outspoken judges, dazzling dances from your favourite celebrity contestants and some brand new routines courtesy of the ever-popular professional dancers make this a must-see show.

More than 9 million viewers tuned in to watch the series’ launch show on BBC1.  The television format, also known as Dancing With The Stars, entered the Guinness Book of World Records three years ago as the world’s most successful reality television show and has been sold by BBC Worldwide to over 35 international broadcasters.  2010′s final saw more than 14 million people tune in to see Kara Tointon raise the Strictly glitterball.

Continue reading »]]> Lisa Tse, CEO of Sweet Mandarin was invited to speak to Becky Want on her show Retail Therapy, BBC Radio Manchester. Lisa talked about Chinese New Year and brought an array of delicious dim sum and Dragon cocktails to celebrate.  They also discussed the Sweet Mandarin Cookery School and the fact that Sweet Mandarin has beaten 10,000 restaurants to win the Best Local Chinese Restaurant on Gordon Ramsay’s F Word Show. To listen to the fun interview click here .

To book a table at Sweet Mandarin click here

Continue reading »]]> This series of blogs is addressed to Oprah and all those out there battling the bulge and excess weight. I am often asked by my clients to prepare for them a special detox meal over a period of a week to a month. The following recipes are just a sample of our offerings and are unique to Sweet Mandarin (www.sweetmandarin.com). If you would like a one-to-one consultation, contact me, Lisa Tse on lisa@sweetmandarin.com.

Lisa

Bean sprouts and Chinese Chives

This dish calls for Chinese chives, which have a lighter, more “oniony” flavour. Beansprouts are delicious, healthy and ideal for yang (warm bodied people) as these are yin foods. (Dear Reader – Please refer to my earlier post on Yin and Yang balancing of foods.)

Serves 2 – 3

INGREDIENTS:

1 sprig of flowering garlic chives or scallions.

3 cups (about 5 1/2 ounces) mung bean sprouts

3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon sugar

PREPARATION:

1. Wash and drain the mung bean sprouts.
2. Wash and drain the chives, and cut into strips about the same length as the bean sprouts.
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a preheated wok.
4. When the oil is hot, add the minced ginger and stir briefly until aromatic (about 15 seconds). Add the mung bean sprouts and stir-fry until they change colour (about 1 minute), then add the chives, soy sauce and sugar.
5. Stir-fry for about another 1 – 2 minutes, until the chives have just turned limp, taking care not to overcook the bean sprouts.
   

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Dear Friends,

Wishing you all a very Happy Chinese New Year for 2012 and thank you for your continued support and friendship.

1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000

People born in the Year of the Dragon are healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered, and stubborn. They are also honest, sensitive, brave, and they inspire confidence and trust. Dragon people are the most eccentric of any in the eastern zodiac. They neither borrow money nor make flowery speeches, but they tend to be soft-hearted which sometimes gives others an advantage over them. They are compatible with Rats, Snakes, Monkeys, and Roosters.

Please do book via our Book a Table page (below or click here) and we look forward to accomodating you.

Follow me on Twitter @sweetmandarin

Wishing you a very Happy Chinese New Year

All the best and see you soon.

Lisa, Helen and Janet
www.sweetmandarin.com

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A New Year’s Message to You All

HELLO!

We hope you have recovered from all the Christmas festivities and raring to go for 2011. At Sweet Mandarin there are early preparations  to make the celebration of  the year of the Rabbit a magnificent one. As we await this celebration, let us see what is in store for the year of the Rabbit.

To ease you into the brand new year why not start the new year with our lovely jubbly tips to get the NEW YEAR OFF TO A BANG and most importantly a NEW YOU…Every day we keep you up to date with New Recipes and Cooking tips on our blog.

We are open on Saturday 1st January 2012- book your table here

Happy New Year To YOU

Best Wishes and Sweet Dishes to You and Your Family

Lisa, Helen and Janet

TIP TOP TIPS FOR 2012

1. LOOK FORWARD
2012 welcomes the Year of the Dragon – the sign symbolizes strength and innovation.  Reward yourself with a dinner at Sweet Mandarin to celebrate your year ahead.

2. RECHARGE YOU
A great Chinese proverb: ” Getting up when the sun is up and rest when the sun is down” Remember to recharge your batteries after the christmas rush. Enjoy a sumptuous meal at Sweet Mandarin and book a table (click here).

3. COOKING YOUR WAY TO HEALTH
Try something different by taking part in the Sweet Mandarin Cookery School (Featured in the Sunday Times and CityLife). Learn how to make fast, healthy super suppers and impress you, your friends and family.

4. TREAT THE NEW YOU
Calorific mouthwatering dishes at Sweet Mandarin to celebrate the new year – Try the Sizzling King Prawns bursting with fresh vegetables and light soya flavour. Join Sweet Mandarin’s fortnightly detox menu and see the New You.

5. ME MYSELF AND I
Take advantage of the special offers for Sweet Mandarin Newsletter subscribers. Win a bottle of champagne, a meal for 4 or a place on the Sweet Mandarin Cookery School. Enter here and we wish you luck on the monthly prize draw.

Continue reading »]]> This series of blogs is addressed to Oprah and all those out there battling the bulge and excess weight. I am often asked by my clients to prepare for them a special detox meal over a period of a week to a month. The following recipes are just a sample of our offerings and are unique to Sweet Mandarin (www.sweetmandarin.com). If you would like a one-to-one consultation, contact me, Lisa Tse on lisa@sweetmandarin.com .

Best wishes and Sweet Dishes to You and Your Family

Lisa

“Cutting stalks at noon time

Perspiration drips to the earth

Know you that your bowl of rice

Each grain from hardship comes?”

(Cheng Chan-Pao, Chinese philosopher)

Rice is the staple diet of the Chinese around the world – a symbol of life itself. The Chinese greet each other by asking “Have you had your rice today?” rather than “How are you?”. If you haven’t eaten all your rice, it is considered an insult to the host.

According to local folktales, five celestial deities rode into the Guangzhou area of China on five rams, each with an ear of rice in its mouth. The immortals gave the rice ears to the farmers and promised them that there would never be famine in Guangzhou. This is the region where my family originated from and like other farming families, we grew rice as well as soy beans.

Rice is used to make porridge or ‘congee’ and also a type of noodle. It is an ideal alternative for those with a wheat allergy who cannot eat bread or wheat pasta.

A harvested rice kernel contains a bran layer, and is enclosed by a hull. White rice has had both the bran and hull removed during the milling process. By contrast, brown rice has had only the hull removed. The result is a much more nutritious dish, containing protein and several minerals. However, parboiled white rice has been processed before milling and thus retains most of its nutrients.

Rice Types

The Chinese normally use long grain rice, which produces a fluffier rice. If you are following a recipe that calls for long grain rice, and need to use medium or short grain rice instead, remember that rice grains have different absorption rates and adjust the amount of water accordingly. (In this case you would reduce the amount of water by 1/4 to 1/2 cup per cup of rice).

In China, glutinous or “sticky” rice is used mainly for snacks and sweets. However, in other parts of Asia it is used in place of regular rice. For example, a reader recently shared with me his experience living in Laos and northern Thailand, where glutinous rice is a staple food. The rice is soaked for at least two hours, and then steamed. People take the steamed rice and knead it in a ball. It is then dipped in one of the courses and you use a finger to collect some of the course. (Glutinous rice is available at most Asian grocery markets).

Two less well-known types of rice are black rice and red rice. Grown throughout Asia, red rice is a member of the glutinous rice family. It is not considered to be very edible, but there is a great deal of interest in the potential health benefits of red rice extract. You’ll often find it in health food stores, as it is believed to help lower cholesterol levels and improve blood circulation.

Grown in China and Thailand, black rice is also a type of sticky rice. A layer of bran covers the rice grains, giving them a brown or blackish colour. Black rice is used mainly in Chinese, Thai and Pilipino desserts. Like red rice, black rice is considered to have numerous health benefits, particularly the purplish-black variety.

MAKING PERFECT BOILED RICE

Here are classic rice recipes that you’ll want to learn how to make.

Like hard boiling eggs, cooking rice is one of those tasks that appear to be easy, but can go wrong very quickly if you don’t follow the right steps. Here are simple instructions that will help you make rice that turns out light and fluffy every time.

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups of long grain rice

41/2 cups of cold water

PREPARATION

1. Rinse the rice – rinsing rice helps get rid of any starch and impurities. Rinse until the water is clear and not cloudy.
2. Combine the long grain rice and water – For every cup of long grain rice, add 1 1/2 cups water.
3. Boil the rice – Bring the rice to a boil, uncovered, at medium heat.
4. Turn down heat put rice at an angle – When the rice is boiling, turn the heat down to medium low. Place the lid on the pot, tilting it to allow steam to escape.
5. After the rice has been cooking for a few minutes, check for holes or “craters.”
6. When you can see the holes or craters, put the lid on tight. Turn the heat down to low.
7. Simmer the covered rice for another 15 minutes. Fluff it up with a fork and serve hot.

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Dear Friends,

I don’t know where the year went but its nearly Christmas already. Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We are closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day – my only two days off in the whole year and I can’t wait :0)

Some dear customers have asked how do the Chinese celebrate Christmas…I guess in response, the Chinese like any other nationality celebrate with Family and Food.

Our family has always cooked two turkeys for Christmas. One British style with pork and sage stuffing, baby sausages wrapped in bacon, roast potatoes and Brussel sprouts, and the other braised in soy sauce and crammed with glutinous rice and mushroom. Both are delicious and typically represent my identity being British Born Chinese (‘BBC’).

At Christmas, we also remember our dearly beloved grandmother, Lily Kwok who passed away in 2007, aged 89. My grandmother had so much courage. Pop, thank you for your sacrifice and determination. I wish you were here.

Wishing you and your family a safe happy Christmas filled with love and good food.

Lisa, Helen and Janet

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Every Christmas, we reflect on our lives and pay our respects to our grandma who passed away December 2007. I loved my grandma. She was my hero. More than pop stars. More than footballers. She had integrity and courage.  She was my hero, because she was kind to everyone. She didn’t bow to peer pressure and he didn’t care who you were. She just cooked for everyone and satisfied everyone’s hungry bellies. What a chef. I wanted to be just like my grandma and now I’m living my dream. I wake up every day to cook for my customers at Sweet Mandarin and this Christmas, is our 8^th Christmas and we’re still standing tall, still looking after our customers, still teaching people how to cook healthy Chinese at the Sweet Mandarin Cookery School and loving everything we do.

One day, when I was a few years younger with a dodgy fringe do, I remember the Christmas banquet at Sweet Mandarin we cooked the crab claws in ginger and spring onion. They were the most massive of crab claws and it was as big as her hand!  My did she enjoy that! What a memory. Unconditionally beautiful. It was an amazing night. Filled with delicious food, hearty laughter and tears of joy.

We’re not from a rich background. In actual fact, I lived in a very poor, working-class estate in an urban sprawl called Middleton, about 8 miles north west of Manchester. My father and mother ran a chip shop and after years helping out in the business, I grew out of my ashamedness of poverty. It became almost noble. Also, everyone I knew was in the same situation, and I had everything I needed. Also I was happy and learnt how to cook my way out of poverty. A huge relief for my parents. You see, growing up where I did, mums didn’t hope as high as their kids growing up to be doctors; they just hoped their kids didn’t go to jail. So I guess I’ve not done too badly – seeing as I grew up above a chip shop.

There are two things my grandma was fastidious about – the first was be honest. She instilled in me to live an honest life and for that you need the truth. That’s the other thing I learned from my childhood, that the truth, however shocking or uncomfortable, in the end leads to liberation and dignity.

The second was “Do unto others as you would do to yourself”. So I live by that.

My offering at Sweet Mandarin is just that; honest good food which I love and hope my clients will love too. I’m not perfect but I strive to try my best and look after my clients the way my grandma looked after hers. During this Christmas season, I am grateful for my life, for Sweet Mandarin and my clients. I live to cook for you good people and hope to do so for four decades – just as my grandma did. Thank you to my grandma, Lily Kwok – who passed me her curry recipe, and her love.

When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. May you treasure the times you have at Sweet Mandarin with friends and family. I am honoured to cook for you.

Wishing you and yours the sweetest Christmas.

Love

Lisa

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It was a pleasure to meet all the Team of Project One. As promised to Hayley and Sharon, here’s a little video keepsake of your Christmas do at Sweet Mandarin. The soundtrack is All I Want For Christmas – Hayley’s favourite Christmas track. Enjoy!

If you want unique gifts for Christmas, buy a Sweet Mandarin Cookery School Gift Voucher for your friends and family. Click here for our courses, course dates and purchase an evoucher via paypal.

Continue reading »]]> I’ve often been asked to provide a lunchbox of foods to help my clients overcome their illness. I believe in the power of food – that certain foods can make you better and certain foods can make you worse. Here is a short excerpt from my handwritten book that I look to when cooking for my clients.

Nosebleeds may be a symptom of high blood pressure so if you are getting them regularly please please please go check yourself at the doctors.

The best thing to alleviate nosebleeds is good ole fashioned tea. PG tips is my favourite breakfast tea. Its the tannin in the tea that prevents nosebleeds. The used cold teabags can be placed on the nose to stop the bleeding. I know you might feel like a plonker, but its worth it.

Continue reading »]]> This series of blogs is addressed to Oprah and all those out there battling the bulge and excess weight. I am often asked by my clients to prepare for them a special detox meal over a period of a week to a month. The following recipes are just a sample of our offerings and are unique to Sweet Mandarin (www.sweetmandarin.com). If you would like a one-to-one consultation, contact me, Lisa Tse on lisa@sweetmandarin.com .

Best wishes and Sweet Dishes to You and Your Family

Lisa

Ginger Tea

Treat yourself to a cup of piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that’s great for digestion.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 thin slices raw ginger

• water

PREPARATION:

Boil enough water to fill your cup, remove from heat, and add the slices of ginger. Allow to steep to desired strength (3-5 minutes), strain and enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Ginger – Besides being appreciated for its distinct flavor and ability to diffuse other strong odors, ginger has long been used as a digestive aid. Thought to get rid of air in the body, it is used to treat both stomach acidity and motion sickness. In China, women customarily drink a mixture of ginger cooked in wine and sesame oil shortly after giving birth.

Continue reading »]]> I’ve often been asked to provide a lunchbox of foods to help my clients overcome their illness. I believe in the power of food – that certain foods can make you better and certain foods can make you worse. Here is a short excerpt from my handwritten book that I look to when cooking for my clients.

Coeliac Disease is an inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract caused by the intolerance of the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. Basically no bread allowed. It can be quite serious as the gluten damages the intestinal lining, therefore the sufferer cannot absorb nutrients.

Some clients didn’t even know they had this disease – but often felt bloated, tired, anaemic, depressed, had pain in their joints or even had diarrhorea or constipation. If in doubt, just go check it out at your GP.

What I have done at Sweet Mandarin is to thicken our sauces with potato starch so there is no gluten involved. For the aromatic peking duck, we replace the pancakes with lettuce wraps. Spring rolls which are wrapped in wheat pastries are replaced with cabbage leaves. One can no longer enjoy the good ole chow mein…but don’t worry, I’ve created the most amazing Singapore Vermicelli (made with rice noodles) that you won’t even miss the chow mein! Even the batter for the salt and pepper chilli ribs or the sweet and sour chicken uses potato starch and not corn flour, so its all good at Sweet Mandarin. If in doubt, email lisa before you visit and I’ll personally oversee your dinner is gluten free.

Continue reading »]]> This series of blogs is addressed to Oprah and all those out there battling the bulge and excess weight. I am often asked by my clients to prepare for them a special detox meal over a period of a week to a month. The following recipes are just a sample of our offerings and are unique to Sweet Mandarin (www.sweetmandarin.com). If you would like a one-to-one consultation, contact me, Lisa Tse on lisa@sweetmandarin.com .

Best wishes and Sweet Dishes to You and Your Family

Lisa

EGG DROP SOUP

The basic recipe for Egg Drop Soup (also called Egg Flower Soup) is very simple; I’ve included a few variations below. Serves 3 to 4.

Traditionally, the broth for Egg Drop Soup is rather bland, allowing the egg flavor to stand out.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups chicken broth or stock

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 -2 spring onions finely sliced

• Salt to taste

• A few drops of sesame oil (optional)

PREPARATION:

In a wok or saucepan, bring the 4 cups of chicken broth to a boil. Add the salt, and the sesame oil if using. Cook for about another minute.

Very slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a steady stream.

To make shreds, stir the egg rapidly in a clockwise direction for one minute. To make thin streams or ribbons, gently stir the eggs in a clockwise direction until they form.

Garnish with spring onion and serve.

Nutritional Breakdown – 4 servings

Each serving contains: Calories 81, 2 g Carbohydrates, 8 g Protein, 4 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 106 mg Cholesterol, trace Fibre, 866 mg Sodium

Egg Drop Soup Variations

These would be added after the seasonings. After adding, let the soup cook for a few more minutes and then add the beaten egg.

**1/2 cup frozen peas (defrosted).

**1/2 cup sweetcorn and finely diced chicken breast meat (cooked) – this makes Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup.

**If you are preparing the soup for someone who is ill, try adding a slice of fresh, grated ginger. Among its many benefits, ginger is believed to be helpful in treating colds and flue.

Egg Drop Soup is frequently thickened with cornstarch in restaurants. To add a cornstarch thickener, mix 2 – 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/2 cup water. Just before adding the beaten egg, stir in the cornstarch/water mixture, remove the soup from the heat, and then add the beaten egg.

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I’ve often been asked to provide a lunchbox of foods to help my clients overcome their illness. I believe in the power of food – that certain foods can make you better and certain foods can make you worse. Here is a short excerpt from my handwritten book that I look to when cooking for my clients.

Put your hands up if you have a cold – that awful sneezing, wheezing, blocked up nose, cough and temperature. Its man’s worst enemy and it spreads virally – in the air, by touch and pounces on those with a weak immune system or are stressed.

Here is my suggested diet to fight away a cold – foods rich in vitamin C and zinc, spiced up with ginger, chillies and ginger.

Oranges for breakfast or dessert. Lots of them. Whole or juiced – preferrably raw.

Sizzling king prawns with ginger and spring onions. Ginger itself has healing qualities that warm the body and fight infection.

Wok tossed kale greens with fermented blackbeans and garlic – rich in vitamin A (beta carotene), super delicious and fast to cook up.

Noted if you have catarrh – avoid chocolate or foods which are fatty – these are mucus forming and could really make your situation worse.

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Its great being a short 10minute walk away from the MEN Arena because we get to meet all the stars that perform at the MEN Arena. If you are going, be sure to book your pre-concert dinner at Sweet Mandarin (click here ).

Following her Arena show in May of this year, the Barbados-native returns next October and November to showcase tracks from Loud – including the UK number one single Only Girl (In The World) - alongside the chart-topping hits Umbrella, Don’t Stop The Music, SOS, Disturbia and Shut Up And Drive.

Earlier this year Rihanna became the first female artist of the past decade to score six number one’s on Billboard’s Hot List 100 when Rude Boy topped the charts.

Earlier this year Rihanna became the first female artist of the past decade to score six number one’s on Hot List 100 when topped the charts.

The second single to be taken from Rihanna’s fifth studio album – What’s My Name? featuring Drake – is out now.

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A couple of days ago, a young lady by the name of Alicja dropped off an invitation for the opening of the Holiday Inn Express which is 30 footsteps, yes 30 footsteps away from Sweet Mandarin. So tonight, we went to meet the team and look at the hotel and rooms. I must say, Bob and his team are THE most friendliest staff in the hotel industry that I have ever met. They are a big brand but they integrate well into the local community and include people like us, and other local businesses to help foster a neighbourhood community feel which is fantastic. We welcome you with open arms and look forward to serving your team and your guests at Sweet Mandarin.

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This series of blogs is addressed to Oprah and all those out there battling the bulge and excess weight. I am often asked by my clients to prepare for them a special detox meal over a period of a week to a month. The following recipes are just a sample of our offerings and are unique to Sweet Mandarin (www.sweetmandarin.com). If you would like a one-to-one consultation, contact me, Lisa Tse on lisa@sweetmandarin.com .

Best wishes and Sweet Dishes to You and Your Family

Lisa

STEAMED FISH WITH GARLIC BUTTER

Serves 3 – 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 fish fillets, about 4 – 6 ounces each

• 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons butter

PREPARATION:

Prepare the wok for steaming. Rinse the fish fillets and pat dry with paper towels. Cover and steam the fish over high heat until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork (10 – 15 minutes).

Separately, in a small pan, melt the butter, adding the chopped garlic and salt –mix until garlic goes golden brown. Take off the heat.

Place the fish fillets on a deep, heat-proof plate that will fit inside the steamer basket. Pour the garlic butter mixture over the fish.

Serve hot with steamed leafy greens.

Nutritional Breakdown for Steamed Fish (based on 4 servings of 6 ounces fish each) Each serving contains: Calories 157, 3 g Carbohydrates, 31 g Protein, 2 g Total Fat, 73 mg Cholesterol, trace dietary Fibre, 232 mg Sodium, 774 mg Potassium.

Garlic is claimed to help prevent heart disease including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cancer. Garlic is also useful to treat a common cold, and help regulate blood levels

Butter in moderation is allowed.

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GOADSBY STREET, MANCHESTER, ENGLAND

Hotel Reservations : 0871 423 4876

The brand new, modern and contemporary Holiday Inn Express Manchester City Centre-MEN Arena is situated right in the heart of Manchester on the doorstep of Sweet Mandarin (www.sweetmandarin.com).

The Northern Quarter, MEN Arena, Printworks, Arndale Centre, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Millennium Square and the big wheel are just a few minutes walk. Located in the vibrant northern quarter with its cosmopolitan mix of boutique shops, captivating nightlife, fashion designers, creative agencies, art galleries, home to the iconic Afflecks Palace, popular cafes, bars and restaurants, the northern quarter is the cultural heart of Manchester. The Manchester Central convention complex, Man Utd & Man City Football Stadiums are all within easy reach. Ideally located for the business and leisure traveller the hotel provides you with the gateway to what the city has to offer.

To book a table at Sweet Mandarin click here

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We met Sion (@RevHoly) and Jo (@basketcasejo) on Twitter (@sweetmandarin). Sion and Jo are celebrating Sion’s birthday with a masterclass at Sweet Mandarin Cookery School. On the Intermediate course, they learnt Sweet and Sour Chicken bonus dish Salt and Pepper chicken balls (Sion’s favourite), beef green peppers and blackbean, Singapore Vermicelli, Steamed fish with ginger and spring onions, Sichuan spicy prawns and the perfect egg fried rice. Bon Appetite and enjoy your video. Love Lisa and Helen
www.sweetmandarin.com Tweet us (@sweetmandarin). Like our facebook page www.facebook.com/sweetmandarins

Song  is Photosynthesis by Frank Turner (Sion’s favourite song)

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CING stands for The Creative Industries Networking Group – and boasts some of the most connected people on social media i.e. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn. So when they invited me to join their panel of speakers to share how Sweet Mandarin uses social media, it was an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down. I tweet my +7,000 followers, Facebook my +2,000 fans, write blogs to my 10,000 website visitors per month and create YouTube videos for over 10,000 viewers. So the CING network is something that excites me, and to be invited to speak is a great honour. Meeting the other speakers and listening to audience commentary in real life as well as on live tweet made the talk electrifying. Just a huge thanks to the CING team – Phil and Benny for organising – and their members for making me feel so welcome. All CING members are most welcome at Sweet Mandarin. Follow us on Twitter (@sweetmandarin).

Here is a youtube video giving a snapshot of the talk I gave at CING (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJlTukvXLlk).

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Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Chinese Moon Festival, takes place at the 15th day of the eighth Chinese lunar month. The reason for celebrating the festival during that time is that it is the time when the moon is at its fullest and brightest.

2011 Mid-Autumn Festival will be on September 12, and the China public holiday for this festival lasts for three days from September 12th to September 19th.

The Mid-autumn festival is one of the two most important occasions in Chinese calendar (the other being the Spring Festival or the Chinese New Year) and it is an official holiday. It is a time for families to be together, so people far from home will gaze longingly at the moon and think about their families.

The traditional food for mid-autumn festival is the moon cake which is round and symbolizes reunion.

History and Origin of Mid-autumn Festival

Celebration of Mid-autumn festival has a long history. Chinese Mid-autumn FestivaIn ancient times, the emperors had the tradition of worshiping the Sun in spring, and the Moon in autumn. The word “Mid-Autumn” first appeared in the famous ancient book “Zhou Li” (The Zhou Rituals, a book telling the rituals in the Zhou Dynasty). However, it was not until the early Tang Dynasty that the day was officially celebrated as a traditional festival. It became a established festival during the Song Dynasty, and has become as popular as the Spring Festival since the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Celebrations has continued ever since and more customs for marking this occasion have been formed.

There are several explanations on when and where the festival began and some of the most convincing versions are as follows:

Version One: Nanjing and Mid-autumn Festival

A much-told story about the beginning of the Mid-autumn Festival celebration comes from Niuzhu (a place in ancient Nanjing). As early as 1,600 years ago, Nanjing which was called Jianye served as capital of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. On a Mid-autumn night when Xie Shangyue, the governor of Niuzhu, was boating on a river he met Yuan Hong, a poor, frustrated but gifted scholar who had to earn his living by renting boats. Admiring his ability, Xie made friend with him and Yuan had a rise to fame with the help of Xie. Later on, having heard of the story, many refined scholars from all over the country followed suit to boat in the river, climb up the towers, and watch the moon. Famous poets like Li Bai and Ou Yangzhan were all touched by the story, and then wrote numbers of poems about it. Because of this, the tradition of watching the moon on Mid-Autumn Festival gradually came into being.

Version Two: Season and Climate

The Mid-Autumn day is the very moment of rice maturity. And at that day farmers will worship the local God of land, whose birthday is exactly on that day. Mid-Autumn day is possibly an old tradition of telling the coming of autumn. In terms of the seasons in a year, the Mid-Autumn day can be named as “Harvest Day”, when the crops sowed in the spring can be reaped. Since ancient times, people would drink, dance, and sing on that day, celebrating the harvest. This scene can be found in the Books of Odes (the earliest collection of poems in ancient China).

According to the previous descriptions, the ancient emperors had the tradition of worshiping the moon, yet the day was initially on the day of Autumn Equinox, and not on the Mid-Autumn day. However, the Autumn Equinox is not a fixed day and there may or may not be a full moon on that day. Therefore, the day for worshipping the moon was accepted as a convention on the Mid-Autumn day, when the moon is in its fullest.

Meanwhile, it’s proven by scientific research that the inclination of the earth and the sun will gradually increase in autumn, thus the cool air up in the sky will fade away while the northwest wind is still very weak. In this way, the moisture is removed and the air in the sky would become pure and clean. So the moon would appear to be relatively fuller and bigger. And this would be the best time to appreciate the beauty of the moon.

Version Three: Moon Cake


The tradition of eating moon-cakes on this festival has a long history in China, yet there are different versions of statements about its origin.

The most common version is that during the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, Taizong ordered his ablest general Li Jing to go for a battle against the Turkic clan in north ancient China to suppress their frequent invasions. The 15th day of the 8th month was exactly the day for the general’s triumphant return. In order to celebrate his victory, fireworks were set off and music was played in and out of Chang’an City (the capital of the Tang dynasty), and citizens were happily enjoying a riotous night together with warriors. At that time, a business man, coming from the Tubo Kingdom (the ancient name for Tibet), presented Taizong with a kind of round cakes to celebrate Tang’s victory. Taizong gladly received the magnificently-decorated boxes and took the multi-colored round cakes out of the boxes and handed them out to his officials and generals. From then on, the tradition of eating round moon-cakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival was formed.

Versions Four: Wuyan


One of the legends behind this festival tells the story of a plain girl named Wuyan, who was from Qi; an ancient nation in China. Wuyan was chosen for the Emperor’s palace because of her outstanding morality but she never attracted the attention of the Emperor due to her appearance.

However, as a youngster Wuyan had worshipped the Moon and this gave her special powers so that on the night of the 15th of August, when she met the emperor in the moonlight, he saw her as beautiful and fell in love with her immediately. Wuyan later married the Emperor and became the queen of Qi, and from this moment on the tradition of worshipping the Moon on the 15th of August began.

However, young Chinese ladies to also worship the Moon for another reason – in the hope that they can become as beautiful as Chang’e, a girl who, according to Chinese legend, lives in the moon.

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Thank God for Peter Kay. I love the Bolton born comic and man-of-a-thousand-faces who loves Chinese food.
Here’s my favourite joke (thanks Peter) ….. So I went to the Chinese restaurant and this duck came up to me with a red rose and says “Your eyes sparkle like diamonds”. I said, “Waiter, I asked for a-ROMATIC duck”.

Finally, Peter has returned to us in Manchester with his tour which has people in stitches as he turns the most trivial of daily nuisances in the world of the working class family, and turns them into comedy gold. Without this man, life would, quite simply, be a bit boring.

I’ll feed Peter and I’ll feed all you lovely people who are going to see Peter Kay’s show at the MEN. We are next door to the Crowne Plaza Hotel which is a short 5-10 minute walk to the MEN Arena. Approximately 40 furry footsteps and you are door to door. Click HERE for the AA Routeplanner and Map.

OK, and I’ll get you revved up with that uber-annoying (because once heard you can’t get it out of your head) ‘Is This The Way To Amarillo’ song that Peter forced upon us, Peter Kay at his exasperated best.

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Sweet Mandarin Address: 19 Copperas Street (off High Street), Manchester M4 1HS

Continue reading »]]> This is what our previous guests have said about their Sweet Mandarin Cookery experience…

‘I have just returned from our one day cooking course with Lisa Tse and wanted to say thanks for such a fantastic day!! We were very much made to feel involved in everything and can’t wait to try out the recipes at home!  My daughter had booked this course for me as I have always wanted to learn how to cook Chinese food and this will be one that I’ll always remember.

The amount of information imparted was immense and I am now studying the recipes to practice so that I can impress my wife and produce something similar, although unlikely to be quite so good! It was also of course great fun, and I have not laughed so much for about ten years.

Please pass on my best wishes and thanks to all the team and especially to Lisa -  the world would not be the same without your amazing Cookery School at Sweet Mandarin!!!

Dr Sharma

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I’ve often been asked to provide a lunchbox of foods to help my clients overcome their illness. I believe in the power of food – that certain foods can make you better and certain foods can make you worse. Here is a short excerpt from my handwritten book that I look to when cooking for my clients.

Cystitis is a bladder infection. When one goes to wee, only a few drops pass but the burning sensation could possibly knock you to the ground its that painful. If left untreated, the kidneys may get infected especially if you are passing blood. Gorry stuff, but it should be talked about so people can understand its common – not embarrasing – and more importantly, can be treated with a bout of anti-biotics.

There is the humble cranberry that when drank in 50ml doses can halve the risk of getting cystitis and lessen the onslaught of the attack. If you feel the burning sensation – stop drinking tea, coffee and alcohol. Drink plenty of water to dilute the urine which makes it less painful to pass as well as reducing infecting bacteria. Chemists have packets of potassium citrate that neutralizes the urine so takes the pain out of going to the loo.  Ultimately, the message is whilst cranberry juice can help, if you get these symptons, go to the doctor immediately.