Chinese New Year of the Rooster 2017

The Year of the Fire Rooster will start on January 28, 2017 and last until February 15, 2018.

According to the Chinese zodiac, the rooster is the 10th animal in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac signs.

The Years of the Rooster are 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029...
The Rooster is almost the epitome of fidelity and punctuality.

For our ancestors who had no alarm clocks, the crowing was significant because it awakened people to get up and start to work.

In Chinese culture the chicken is also a symbol of exorcising evil spirits.

Famous roosters include Justin Timberlake, Elton John, Jennifer Aniston, Anna Kournikova, Bette Midler, Cate Blanchett, Diane Sawyer, Elijah Wood, James Marsters, Jessica Alba, Matthew McConaughey and Matt Damon.

Talented thespian Natalie Portman is a rooster, as are Catherine the Great, Amelia Earhart, Rudyard Kipling, Groucho Marx, Peter Ustinov, Tagore and tennis greats Roger Federer and Serena Williams.

So, don't be chicken. Celebrate the year of the Rooster with this scrumptious recipe.

Pork firecracker salad

4 lean pork leg steaks, 2cm thick

lime wedges for garnish

Salad

2 cups Chinese cabbage, shredded

5 small radishes, thinly sliced

3 spring onions, sliced diagonally

50g snow peas, finely sliced

1 1/4 cups bean sprouts

Dressing

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp chilli oil

2 tbsp mirin vinegar

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 small red chillies, minced

Brush the pork steaks with a little oil and season with salt and pepper.

Pre-heat a griddle pan for 1-2 minutes over medium heat.

Place the pork steaks in the griddle pan, cook 6 minutes, turn steaks and cook 2 more minutes.

Remove steaks and keep warm.

Place all the salad ingredients into a large bowl and toss well to combine.

Place the dressing ingredients into a large jar and shake well to combine.

Pour dressing over the salad.

Just before serving, toss salad well to coat with dressing, slice pork steaks thickly and place on top of salad.

Garnish with lime wedges.

Serves 4.

Recipe from www.pork.com.au