A steamed whole fish with Ginger, Scallion, Soy and cilantro is a big favorite on any Chinese table, and it’s almost always served at holiday meals and special occasions. This is definitely true for Cantonese families at formal wedding and Chinese New Year banquets, but also for family gatherings at the significance of fish: In Mandarin, the Chinese word for fish, 魚 (yú) sounds like the word for surplus (餘) and there’s a Chinese New Year greeting or proverb, 年年有餘 (nián nián yǒuyú), that you say to wish someone abundance and surplus year after year – food, health, wealth, love, etc. is implied. Steamed fish (清蒸魚) is a symbol of auspiciousness according to Chinese tables, and it is one of the most emblematic dishes of Chinese New Year. What dishes are served for the Chinese New Year? During the Chinese New Year celebrations, a number of dishes are consumed based on what they represent. They are first and foremost supposed to bring luck. These 'lucky' preparations are thus served Among many classics, steamed fish is no doubt the most popular type as it retains the best natural taste of the fish. As the centrepiece of a multi-course meal for festivals and special occasions (e.g. Chinese New Year feasts), the fish is supposed to be whole with the head, tail and fins all in place. As I mentioned in my recipe for Sweet How to make Chinese steamed fish. Making Chinese steamed fish is quite easy and fast: Score the fish. Stuff ginger and green onion into the fish, and place extra on the top and bottom. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with Shaoxing wine. Steam the fish until just cooked through. Remove the ginger and green onion from the top. Chinese Steamed Fish for Celebrations. Whole steamed fish is a traditional famous dish on the Chinese Lunar New Year and celebrations dinner menu. It's also widely known as ' Chinese New Year Fish '. Having a whole fish at the family dinner means wealth and prosperity for the coming whole year. The whole fish has to have a head and tail, and it Food served during the Chinese Lunar New Year is full of significance, and one of the most important dishes is a whole fish. It symbolizes plentiful prosperity for this year and the next. It's also one of the most simple dishes to make. Here, it's steamed, then topped with fermented black beans, garlic, chili flakes, cilantro and ginger for plenty of fresh, deep flavor. How To Make Steamed Whole Fish. Stuff 2 stocks of green onion and 3 thin slices of ginger in the fish. Pour on 2 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine and steam for 20 minutes. This Chinese steamed fish topped with ginger and scallion, served in a lightly sweetened soy sauce, is a classic fish dish enjoyed as part of the daily meal, for banquets, and also for Lunar New Year due to its auspicious symbol, just like pan fried dumplings and turnip cake (lo bak go). This steamed fish recipe is takes only 20 minutes to make Chinese steamed fish is a traditional Chinese dish that is served at celebrations and family dinners all over the world. It is not only easy to make, but it is packed with flavor. This recipe is a step-by-step guide on how to make this yummy dish, and includes how to adjust it for a Chinese New Year celebration. Chinese New Year is a time for feasting, and no feast is complete without a delicious fish dish. Here are three of the best fish recipes to try for your Chinese New Year celebration: Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger and Scallions: This classic Chinese fish dish is simple to prepare and bursting with flavor. The fish is steamed with ginger and 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. This steamed whole fish dish is a must-have for Chinese New Year celebrations, representing wishes for abundance and a smooth year ahead. The fragrant ginger, scallions, and soy sauce complement the tender fish, while the sesame oil adds a rich, nutty flavor. However, if you're making this in line with a traditional Chinese celebration, make sure you get a whole fish. Especially for Lunar New Year, it's important that the fish is not missing anything. Having a complete fish on the dinner / prayer table is considered "yùhn méih 完美", which means perfect, consummate. Chinese New Year celebrations revolve around food and family Fish holds special symbolic importance and is integral to the traditional reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve The pronunciation of fish in Mandarin and Cantonese sounds like the words for “surplus” or “abundance”, so eating fish represents hopes for prosperity in the coming year. While celebrating the Chinese New Year, represent a good beginning and ending for the year to come by preparing this delicious Steamed Chinese Fish recipe. Directions. Clean the fish (gutted, scaled, fins removed) and score 3 lines along both sides of the skin. Insert ginger slices into the score marks on both sides and season the fish with salt. As you can see, fish and surplus have different Chinese characters, but phonetically, they sound the same, lending thoughts and hopes for surplus for the new year when consuming fish. A white fish is bought live from a tank (if possible), marinated with a light salt rub and shaoxing wine, and then steamed whole with ginger and scallions. The tradition of celebrating Lunar New Year goes back 3,500 years, and marks the end of winter, the beginning of spring, and the start of a new cycle in the Lunar Calendar, per Wake Forest University. Every year, people around the globe celebrate Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival in China or, more commonly, the Chinese New Year (via Cnet).Legend has it that at the beginning of each year, a monster by the name of Nian, the Chinese word for "year," would come and eat villagers.
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