Christmas Eve Chinese style buffet - dish ideas please!

[Keladrythesaviour]

When placing my food order earlier this month for Christmas we weren't sure who was joining us for Christmas and so ordered two options - a duck and large rib of beef. We now know who is coming and the beef is for Christmas day.
Originally I'd planned to freeze the alternative but as we will have 6 for Christmas Eve I've been thinking to use the duck. We don't tend to like a big heavy meal on the night before so I've decided to do a help yourself Chinese style buffet with the centre piece being duck pancakes - I'll roast and shred the duck earlier in the day.
So, I'm after a few side dishes, particularly vegetables. Frustratingly DF hates onion. I'll probably put chopped spring onion in a bowl so people can garnish dishes themselves.

Obviously with the duck we will have pancakes, and possibly some bao, sliced cucumber, hoisin and plum sauce options and the chopped spring onion.
Egg fried rice is pretty easy, or maybe a squid fried rice? DH is allergic to prawns but can eat crab, squid and scallops.
DB hates anything sweet, and DM is diabetic, so no sweet and sour options really. DM also hates peas but she's a bit more flexible and happy just to pick them out.

I'm a pretty good cook and don't mind putting in prep work, but I also don't want to be slaving away in the kitchen, since that will be happening the day after too.

Any ideas? I'm having a complete blank!
Thank you!

Chilli and sesame broccoli stir fry www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/chilli-and-sesame-broccoli/

Simple chow mein damndelicious.net/2019/05/17/easy-chow-mein/

I’d also make prawn toast and serve these for your DH www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/plant-pioneers/plant-pioneers-no-prawn-toast-123g

@WhatonEarth1 thank you so much - that broccoli dish is exactly the kind of the I'm after, that looks perfect. People can have duck on its own (not on pancakes) with that if they want.
And thanks for the link on the prawn toasts - I might try some in advance and see what they're like.

Thank you!

I like to make everything from scratch but at Christmas we need to be kind to ourselves . I usually avoid beige party food like the plague, as part of a buffet meal like this, I'd buy some mini spring rolls from the frozen party food section. They are usually really good, with a little dipping bowl of soy sauce. Also some bowls of prawn crackers served with a dipping bowl of sweet chilli sauce. (You could
Put teaspoons in the bowls if you are concerned about double dipping). My favourite Chinese dish is chicken and cashew nuts so I'd probably add some bowls of cashew nuts but might seem a bit random to others!

Salt and pepper chips are a good side as well… Salt and pepper chicken?
Chow mein is dead easy to make and always popular

Another simple idea is just toss broccoli spears in oyster sauce - one DSs Chinese partner showed us.

fish fragrant aubergines are gorgeous

www.theguardian.com/food/2020/sep/28/fuchsia-dunlops-fish-fragrant-aubergines

and not vegetarian but love cold chilli chicken
www.seriouseats.com/fuchsia-dunlops-cold-chicken-with-a-spicy-sic

@RockingMyFiftiesNot - thank you! We love cashew nuts here so definitely something for the table. And a top tip about the spoons! I'd thought about spring rolls, debating between buying and home made. I take pride in doing things from scratch (bao I will make, but I've learnt from experience my pancakes are not good) so will have a look at spring rolls and see whether I want to buy or not....

@SunndyD I'll look up the chips, thank you!

@countrygirl99 thank you, that's a great tip!

@myrtleWilson oh we love aubergine so that's great! Thank you. I'll have to see if I can get the chilli bean paste.

@Keladrythesaviour if you have freezer space, you could buy a box and try out. I've only had them from Tesco, they were fine, and definitely ok to serve alongside a family stir fry in the next few weeks If you decided not to serve to guests. I'm a competent cook but would feel they too fiddly to be experimenting with when you're entertaining. (Although you might have made them before, I haven't!)

This aubergine dish here is lovely.
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/food/2019/nov/09/sichuan-recipes-fuchsia-dunlop-chicken-prawn-minced-pork

These green beans are lovely:
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/food52.com/recipes/20767-fuchsia-dunlop-s-sichuanese-dry-fried-green-beans/amp

This spinach dish is cold and really nice (the same marinade also works well with green beans or brocolli). www.google.co.uk/amp/s/moonologynumnum.wordpress.com/2016/01/28/spinach-in-ginger-sauce-for-chinese-new-year-recipe/amp/

These potatos are lovely too: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/food/2020/jan/27/ofm-20-best-recipes-fuchsia-dunlop-stir-fried-potato-chilli-sichuan-pepper

Basically @BeyondOurReef and I are saying - follow Fuchsia - she's awesome!!

@myrtleWilson

Basically *@BeyondOurReef* and I are saying - follow Fuchsia - she's awesome!!

Yep. That is pretty much it. 😁

Haha I did notice the name cropping up! Thanks for the recommendation!