Chinese New Year Cuisine
Food is the cornerstone of the celebration. During Chinese New year, every dishes have a significant meaning. Here are some healthy Chinese New Year recipes that signifies fortune and prosperity!
#1 Raw Fish Salad (Yu Shang) – 'Increase in Abundance!'
Ingredients (Serves 2)
(A) Main Cast – 9 main ingredients 1) 1 carrot, skin peeled 2) 1 white radish (daikon), skin peeled 3) 1 cucumber 4) 2 tbsp Japanese red pickled ginger 5) Pomelo, peeled and sacs separated, about 50g 6) 1 packet of Pok Chui crackers 7) Red yam strips
8) green yam strips
9) Raw fish slices (salmon sashimi/ mackerel/ abalone)
(B) Supporting cast
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp roasted peanuts, chopped finely
1 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
a small dash of Chinese white ground pepper
1 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
(C) Sauce
2.5 tbsp Chinese plum sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
a tbsp of hot water
Directions:
(A) Main Cast – 8 main ingredients 1) Wash and slice the carrot, white radish and cucumber. Set aside. 2) Wash and slice the yam strips and color with red and green coloring. After that, deep fry the yam strips for 3 minutes. Set aside. 3) Arrange all the ingredients on a round plate.
4) Toasted the sesame seeds to nice golden brown.
5) Arrange all the supporting cast in separate shallow dishes.
6) Add Chinese plum sauce, sesame oil and hot water in a small bowl and mix till evenly dissolved.
7) Arrange the ingredients in separate shallow dishes.
8) When all the ingredients have been piled on the plate, then everyone, on cue, proceed to toss the shredded ingredients into the air with chopsticks while saying auspicious wishes out loud to mark the start of a prosperous new year.
The higher you toss, the greater your fortunes!
Further Reading: http://www.noobcook.com/yu-sheng-chinese-new-year-raw-fish-salad/
#2 Chinese Dumpling (Yuan Bao) – 'Bringing in Wealth and Treasure!'
Ingredients:
7 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup oil
1 1/4 lbs ground pork
1 egg
7 cups Chinese chives, chopped finely
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
Salt to taste
Directions:
Put the flour in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add the water to the flour and knead into a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for an hour.
Add oil to a small pot and heat the oil for 7 minutes and allow it to cool. Once the oil is cooled, add in the ground pork, egg, chives, sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt. Stir it well.
Divide the dough into size of thumb.
Roll the pieces into circles and add about 1 ½ tsp of filling to the center.
Fold the circle in half and press them together.
Boil them into boiling water until they float.
Serve with vinegar or chilli sauce!
Further Reading: http://thewoksoflife.com/2014/12/pork-chive-dumplings/
#3 Longevity Noodles (Chang Shou Mian) – 'Wish for Longevity!'
Ingredients:
1 packet dried Hong Kong Ee-Fu Noodles, about 12oz
8.5 ounces chicken stock
4 tablespoons Oyster Flavored Sauce
1 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3.5 ounces small dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked till soften & squeezed dry
7 ounces beansprouts with roots removed
1 bunch yellow chives, cut into sections
1 tablespoon Pure Sesame Oil
1 splash cooking wine
1 dash pepper
Direction:
1. Boil and cook noodles for about 5 minutes or until softened. Drain and set aside.
2. In a wok or frying pan, heat 2 tbsp cooking oil and sauté the mushrooms over low heat for about 3 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add the mixture of chicken stock, Oyster Flavored Sauce and Dark Soy Sauce. Bring to a boil. Add the noodles and toss to coat with the sauce before adding beansprouts and yellow chives.
4. Give the mixture a good stir. If it is too dry, add another 2 oz. chicken stock or hot water and simmer over low heat until most of the liquid has evaporated (about 5 minutes).
5. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Add cooking wine, pepper and Pure Sesame Oil. Remember to serve hot!
Further Reading: http://food52.com/recipes/40132-chinese-new-year-longevity-noodles
#4 Chicken (Ji) – 'Unity of Family!'
Ingredients (serve 4 – 6)
4-5 pound broiler-fryer chicken
5 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 ounce fresh ginger (thumb-sized piece for poaching)
4 cloves garlic
4 quarts ice water
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons green scallions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons ginger, finely shredded
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions:
1. Remove any excess fat from the chicken. Rub chicken with 2 teaspoons of salt, then rinse under cold water and place onto a rack to drain.
2. In a large stock pot, bring about 3 quarts water, ginger, garlic and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil over high heat. Slowly add the chicken, breast-side up. Add more boiling water if necessary to cover the chicken completely. Return water to a boil and boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes, removing any scum on the surface. Cover pot, turn off heat and let the chicken sit for 20 minutes.
Uncover the pot and return to a boil for 3-4 minutes. Carefully remove from pot and place the chicken in 3. a colander in the sink. Slowly pour ice water over the chicken in the colander. Transfer chicken to cutting board and rub it with sesame oil. Allow chicken to cool before chopping the chicken with a meat cleaver. Reserve chicken broth for future use.
4. Place scallions, ginger and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a small heatproof bowl. In a small skillet or saucepan, heat vegetable oil over high heat until very hot, but not smoking. Carefully, pour the oil over scallion mixture. The oil will make a crackling sound and may splatter when it hits the scallion mixture. Serve the chicken warm or room temperature with scallion-ginger sauce.
Further reading: http://sundaynitedinner.com/chinese-white-cut-chicken/
#5 Mustard Greens (Chang Nian Cai) – 'Wish A Long Life for Parents!'
Ingredients (Serve 4)
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
500g mustard greens, washed and torn into large pieces
2 Tbsp chicken or vege broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil
Direction:
1. In a large sauté pan, sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat until the onions begin to brown and caramelize, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more, until fragrant.
2. Add the mustard greens and broth and cook until the mustard greens are just barely wilted. Toss with sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Further Reading: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/mustard_greens/
#6 Fish (Nian Nian Yiu Yu) – 'May You Always Have More Than You Need!'
Ingredients:
1 whole striped bass or sea bass, cleaned
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely julienned
2 scallions, julienned with green & white parts separated
8 sprigs fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup light soy sauce
Fresh ground white pepper to taste
Direction:
Clean the fish and steam for 9 minutes.
Carefully pour off all of the liquid accumulated on the plate from steaming and spread half of the ginger, the green portions of scallion, and cilantro over the fish.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil and the other half of the ginger in a saucepan until the ginger begins to sizzle. Next, add the water, salt, soy sauce, and fresh ground white pepper and heat the mixture until simmering.
Once simmering, add the rest of the oil and white portions of the scallion and stir until the liquid begins to simmer and sizzle once again.
Spoon the entire mixture evenly over the fish and serve hot!
Further reading: http://thewoksoflife.com/2015/05/steamed-whole-fish/
