As soon as the tree has been undressed and the pine needles have been hoovered up, it’s time to start thinking about Chinese (aka Lunar) New Year. This year the big day falls on January 28th, but it’s New Year’s Eve that we get really excited about. As is the case with most big holidays, having a feast to celebrate is mandatory. New Year’s Eve is traditionally set aside for families to reconvene from far and wide, sharing dishes that symbolise good luck, health and prosperity for the year to come.

Some family feasts can be rather elaborate affairs. If you’re looking for a fun and simple way to celebrate Chinese New Year at home, you’ve come to the right place. Today’s chicken recipe is super simple, and quite fitting given that we’re ringing in the Year of the Rooster. This dish is a stir fry, which is pretty much the holy grail of speedy cooking. By cooking vegetables at a really high heat while moving them constantly, the ingredients in the wok get cooked to the core whilst still retaining their satisfying crunch. Making use of the three tips below will also help you to achieve full-flavoured stir fries in a flash:

Flavouring: Sometimes you only need a small number of punchy seasoning ingredients to make a big impact. In this recipe, the ginger, soy sauce and sweet chilli carry the dish.

Quick-cooking ingredients: Some vegetables cook faster than others, and also require less cooking to be at their most delicious. The mangetout used in this recipe is the perfect example.

Minimal chopping: Sometimes people are put off stir fries because there seems to be a lot of chopping work going on. Minimise your chopping time by selecting ingredients that only require a quick slice in half, or no chopping at all. Think button mushrooms, edamame and cashews.