13 Recipes to Celebrate Lunar New Year
As the Year of the Ox comes to an end, it’s time to ring in the Year of the Tiger! Lunar New Year is a time for celebration and family reunions. Here are 10 recipes that will help you celebrate in style. From dumplings to Kung Pao Chicken, there’s something for everyone in this roundup. So get cooking and enjoy the festivities!
1. Chow Mein
Chow mein is a quick and simple dish to prepare, perfect for adding to any meal. It can be served hot or cold, so you can make it ahead of time if necessary. And because it’s delicious on its own, it’s also great for packed lunches!
2. Nian Gao (Sticky Rice Cake)
Nian Gao is a traditional Chinese New Year cake that symbolizes growth and prosperity. It’s also tasty as a snack with your favorite dipping sauce! And as with the chow mein, it’s easy to make ahead of time so you can focus on being with family this Lunar New Year.
3. Mapo Tofu
After an indulgent holiday season, Mapo Tofu makes a great dish for keeping it light. It might seem intimidating to cook with Sichuan peppercorns, but they are easily found in most Asian markets.
4. Steamed Whole Fish
Fish is a popular dish in Chinese cuisine. At Lunar New Year, when the family gets together to celebrate with fish, it has to be the Year of the Tiger Fish for good luck. This recipe uses a whole fish, so it’s a little more work than usual, but the rich flavor and creamy texture are worth every step.
5. Cantonese Roast Duck
Roast duck is another popular dish in the Cantonese cuisine of southern China. This recipe uses traditional Chinese flavors to enhance your new year’s celebration meal.
6. Yu Sheng
Yu Sheng is a super easy salad to whip up, but the key is placing the yu sheng in this wonderful sauce for just long enough that it absorbs all that flavor.
7. Dumplings
Dumplings or wontons are a staple in northern and central China. These simple dumplings can be filled with meat and vegetables and quickly steamed or boiled to make an easy appetizer for any celebration meal.
8. Kung Pao Chicken
Kung pao chicken is a classic dish that symbolizes prosperity, traditionally served at celebratory banquets for Chinese New Year. This Quick Kung Pao Chicken Recipe is much better than takeout.
9. Dragon Fruit Salad
The Dragon Fruit’s scales and red “fruit armor” make for a powerful Chinese New Year dish. The fruit itself is also rich in antioxidants, beta carotene, vitamin C, and lycopene. This salad is light and sweet with the perfect balance of textures from crunchy pear, soft dragon fruit, and crispy wonton chips.
10. Mini Egg Rolls
Tiny, bite-sized treats that will disappear in a flash! Egg rolls are the perfect finger food for party appetizers. At Lunar New Year celebrations they can be found stuffed with pork and shrimp, but this version is made smaller so you get more of the crunchy delights.
11. Basic Fried Rice
You can’t celebrate Lunar New Year without rice! We try to make the dish as traditional as possible, but variations like crab-fried rice and vegetable fried rice are also delicious. The eggs here let you play with your food – crack open the top and fry sunny side up, or leave it on top of the rice until it cooks through.
12. Sweet and Sour Pork
We also believe in not wasting leftovers – any leftover pork can be turned into this dish. The sauce is made with pineapple (high in Vitamin C), orange (prevents stroke), and tomatoes (boosts skin’s collagen production.)
13. Mandarin Orange Magarita
This festive twist on a margarita brings some Asian flair to your table. Made with mandarin oranges, it’s a great accompaniment to any Chinese dishes you might be serving up!
We hope you’ve enjoyed our roundup of 10 Lunar New Year recipes. Do you have any other great dishes to share with us? Tag @ventraykitchen on Instagram so we can see what’s going down in the kitchen!
