TOMORROW sees the start of the Chinese Year of the Tiger, the third sign in the country’s zodiac cycle.

When Chinese families visit each other to exchange new year greetings, a platter with either five meat or five vegetable dishes is often served.

This dish is called “the five blessings of the new year”, and refers to longevity, riches, peace, wisdom and virtue.

Now, whether you believe in this kind of thing or not doesn’t really matter.

The point is, it’s a great excuse to head down to your local farmers’ market to buy some quality ingredients and fix yourself a fabulous Chinese feast.

Beef is regularly used as one of the “five dishes” and the place to buy quality beef is at a Worcestershire farmers’ market.

Head to High Street, Bromsgrove, today, between 9am and 5pm, to pick up some quality beef to make a Chinese family-style shredded beef, from the Rochford Country Meats, Muddy Boots and Eye Game Larder stalls.

Next weekend’s markets are at Abbey Road, Malvern, on Saturday, February 20, 9am until 2pm, and Angel Place, Worcester, 9am until 3pm on Sunday, February 21.

RECIPE: Family-style shredded beef

Serves four

Ingredients

225g/8oz beef, shredded
15ml/1tbsp soy sauce
15ml/1tbsp oyster sauce
45ml/3tbsp sunflower oil
1 slice ginger root, minced
1 red chilli pepper, chopped
4 stalks celery, diagonally sliced
15ml/1tbsp hot bean sauce
5ml/1tsp salt
15ml/1tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
5ml/1tsp sesame oil
5ml/1tsp wine vinegar
freshly ground pepper

Method

Place the beef in a bowl with the soy sauce and oyster sauce and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat the oil and fry the beef until lightly browned then remove from the pan. Add the ginger and chilli pepper and stir-fry for a few seconds. Add the celery and stir-fry until half cooked. Add the beef, hot bean sauce and salt and mix well.

Add the wine or sherry, sesame oil and vinegar and stir-fry until the beef is tender and the ingredients well mixed. Serve sprinkled with pepper.