Feeding the Dragon: Celebrating Chinese New Year
No Comments | Written on January 18, 2012 at 5:00 pm, by The Editors
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The Chinese Year of the Dragon is almost here (January 23), a time to celebrate the lunar new year with foods that symbolize health, wealth, and happiness.
It’s said that folks born in the year of the dragon are ambitious, passionate, and live by their own rules. Sounds like the way some of us feel about cooking. So if you’re ready to dive in and cook like a dragon, try these recipes for Chinese food that will get the new year off to an adventurous start. And since the Chinese new year celebrations last for 15 days, you’ve got plenty of time to experiment and enjoy!
Foods that resemble Chinese money are always on the menu, to bring wealth (and a wealth of happiness and good health) to all that share them. Little golden dumplings and potstickers are at the top of the list.
This golden wonton soup, with pork, shrimp, and mushrooms is a classic first course.
Scallop and Shrimp Dumplings are delicately flavored and perfect for dipping in a garlic-and-ginger sauce. They’re lightly pan-fried for a crisp outside and a tender filling.
Noodles symbolize a long life, and are served with a wide variety of meats and vegetables. The Peanut-Sesame Noodles above are best served cold, and can be either a main dish or a side. Red pepper flakes and ginger add contrast to the smooth flavor that peanut butter lends.
Noodles with Cockles and Pork combine the best of land and sea, and are extraspecial when you make them with Chinese egg noodles (available in most supermarkets; check our recipes for ingredients on sale in your area).
Oranges and tangerines symbolize happiness, and you’ll find bowls of the fruit on display in many Chinese homes during this time. They’re also presented as gifts, to pass on the spirit of good fortune. Ramen noodles and cashews give this light Crunchy Mandarin-Orange Salad texture.
Lettuce is another metaphor for cold, hard cash. But the Mandarin word for lettuce is also similar to the phrase for luck on the rise. So lettuce cups filled with meats and vegetables are also served at the new year. This Chinese Chicken Salad is just the golden ticket.
Discover a world of Chinese food, for the new year, and all year, with our recipes for Chinese cuisine!
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Holidays & Parties | Tags: Chinese Cuisine, Chinese Dumplings, Chinese Noodles, Chinese Soup
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