Chinese New Year Recipes. The Lunar New Year, known in China as chūnjié (春节) or Spring Festival, is a festive time for many all over the world. The holiday features fireworks, new clothes, money-filled red envelopes (or hóngbāo – 红包) for kids, lots of red, and most importantly, tons of good food. Chinese New Year food traditions Chinese-style braised pork knuckle is a popular Chinese New Year dish in Cantonese. The pork knuckle is cooked with black moss called fat choy, dried mushrooms, and dried oysters. It is incredibly flavorful, and the umami from the dried seafood is exceptional. This auspicious Chinese New Year meal is popular because the name has a unique meaning. In Chinese, "fish" (鱼 Yú /yoo/) sounds like 'surplus'. Fish is a traditional Chinese New Year dish on the Chinese New Year dinner menu. Chinese people always like to have a surplus at the end of the year, because they think if they have managed to save something at the end of the year, then they can make more in the next year. Gong Hei Fat Choy. That's Cantonese for happy new year. Year of the Tiger arrives on Feb.1. For many East Asians — including Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai — Lunar New Year is the Our Chinese New Year Menu for experienced cooks is a high-bar test of endurance, knife skills, precision, timing, and sheer dedication. Some of our best, tastiest, and most beloved Chinese New Year dishes are included here, so this menu is high risk, high reward. You pull this off and Chinese New Year’s dinner at your house will become legend. The Year of the Snake 🐍 (蛇年) is fast approaching!In 2025, the Chinese Lunar New Year falls on Wednesday, January 29, and the celebration lasts at least 15 days.To help you prepare for celebratory meals, I’ve curated 30 popular recipes for this most important occasion. Related: 100 Chinese New Year Wishes to Honor the Lunar New Year In addition to a traditional Chinese rice pudding recipe below, you'll also find recipes for dim sum and more classics like Dan Dan This recipe is a popular dish served during the Chinese New Year. This dish is the Chinese version of German ham hock, German pork knuckle, pig knuckle, or pork shank. Unlike traditional German recipes, it is braised with Chinese spices instead of roasting in a baking tray at low oven temperature with bay leaves and other western herbs and Photographer: Jacob Fox, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco. With its roots in Buddhist tradition, this dish can be found on the tables of many Cantonese families on the first day of the Lunar New Year. While bean thread noodles are a must, you can use a variety of veggies. 21 Recipes to Celebrate Chinese New Year. Planning a feast for Chinese New Year? From festive fish and dumplings to sticky rice pudding and peanut cookies, this symbolic selection of delicious recipes and traditional foods will help you plan the menu. In addition to fueling your celebration with family and friends, these Chinese dishes will Cantonese Char Siu, or Chinese BBQ Pork, is a beloved dish often prepared for Chinese New Year to symbolize prosperity and good fortune. The pork is marinated in a sweet and savory sauce, then roasted to a beautiful, caramelized finish. Cantonese steamed fish is a simple, traditional Cantonese meal often served as the last dish at a Chinese banquet (right before the last rice and noodle course). Finished with a light soy sauce, it is healthy, simple, and suitable for any occasion. If it’s served at Lunar New Year banquets, you know it’s special. Check out our extensive list of 2017 Chinese New Year recipes and plan your menu for the festivities! We cover fish dishes, meat dishes, noodles, soups, & more! Cantonese Specialties: Lap mei, nian gou and nose to tail dining “Festive dishes in the olden days are much simpler and did not have fancy names,” says chef Hooi Kok Wai of Dragon Phoenix. “in the 1950’s and 1960’s, most people could not afford to dine at restaurants, and going to one was a big deal.” The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a time of joy, family reunions, and, of course, indulging in delicious food. Each dish served during this festive period carries a special meaning, symbolizing prosperity, luck, and togetherness. Traditional Chinese New Year Recipes. Traditional Chinese New Year food usually carries symbolic meanings. Each dish is coined a beautiful poetic name, carefully chosen to bring blessings for a better year. Nian Gao (Lunar New Year Sweet Rice Cake 年糕). This sweet glutinous sticky rice cake is a must every Chinese New Year! All of the dishes prepared for Chinese New Year have a symbolic meaning. We prepare particular dishes because the name of the food sounds like auspicious greetings or words people say to each other in the new year. In the case of sweet fried dumplings, those who eat the dumplings will have an outstanding new year. Cantonese Specialties: Lap mei, nian gou and nose to tail dining “Festive dishes in the olden days are much simpler and did not have fancy names,” says chef Hooi Kok Wai of Dragon Phoenix. “in the 1950’s and 1960’s, most people could not afford to dine at restaurants, and going to one was a big deal.” Most Americans consider January 1 the start of the new year, but many Asians and Asian-Americans don’t. Instead, they follow Lunar New Year, also referred to as Chinese New Year in the U.S., which begins on January 29, 2025. (That’s the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac, BTW.) From main dishes to pastries, appetizers to snacks, these Chinese New Year recipes will steal the spotlight and the hearts of your family. Chinese New Year has always been dear to my heart. While the heartwarming traditions and vibrant celebrations remain etched in my memories, it was the food that I couldn’t forget.
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