Lunar New Year
Step-by-step New Year’s Eve dinner recipe
Chinese New Year is a vibrant, family-centered celebration marking the beginning of the lunar new year, filled with festive traditions, delicious food, and hopes for good fortune and prosperity.
Explore new year's eve dinner ideas
Discover the stories behind Lunar New Year
Squid is marinated in a flavorful mix of soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and sugar. After marinating for 30 minutes, the squid is air fried for 20 minutes until crispy and delicious. It’s a quick and tasty dish with bold flavors!
Ground pork is mixed with ginger, salt, sweet potato starch, and oil to form meatballs. Mushrooms are placed at the bottom of a steaming bowl, and the meatballs are added on top. The dish is steamed for 20 minutes until the meatballs are fully cooked, resulting in a tender and flavorful meal.
These 8 New Year’s Eve dishes offer a festive mix of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors. From the refreshing Pickled Plum Tomatoes to the hearty Corn Chicken Wings Casserole, each dish combines fresh ingredients and bold seasonings, creating a flavorful and satisfying spread to celebrate the occasion.
These 6 New Year’s Eve dishes feature a variety of savory and tangy flavors, including rich braised pork belly, crispy fish, garlic-infused vegetables, and sweet and sour shrimp. Each dish offers a balance of tender meats, vibrant veggies, and aromatic seasonings, making for a flavorful and festive meal.
These three dishes offer a mix of savory and crispy flavors: Red-Braised Carp with a rich soy sauce, Pan-Seared Pomfret with a sweet-savory glaze, and Salt and Pepper Fried Fish for a crispy, flavorful snack. Perfect for a festive meal.
These two dishes feature flavorful fish preparations: Grilled Fish with Spicy Sauce combines grilled fish with a spicy, aromatic sauce and vegetables, while Pan-Seared Fish with Fish Tofu Stew offers tender fish in a fragrant broth with fish tofu and a tangy vinegar finish. Both are comforting and delicious.
Firecrackers during Chinese New Year
Driving Away Evil Spirits
During Chinese New Year, setting off fireworks and firecrackers is a long-standing tradition meant to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck for the coming year.
Celebrating Reunion
The loud sounds are believed to scare away monsters, particularly the mythical beast Nian, which is said to be afraid of noise and the color red.
Symbolism of Red
Fireworks are also used to celebrate the new year's arrival and to mark the joyous occasion, symbolizing the beginning of a new, prosperous year.
Extended Duration
Families typically light them at midnight on New Year's Eve, and in some regions, the celebrations can last for several days.
Spring Festival couplets
Wishing for Good Fortune
They often carry well-wishes like prosperity and safety for the new year.
Symbolizing Celebration
The red paper and gold characters represent luck and joy, setting a festive mood.
Cultural Tradition
Couplets showcase Chinese language beauty and pass down cultural wisdom.
Repelling Evil
Placed at doorways, they are believed to drive away bad spirits and protect the home.
FAQs
Chinese New Year FAQs
Delve into the following questions to learn how to make delicious homemade spicy food and, even more, to build confidence for your first attempt.
What is the significance of the Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner (年夜饭)?
The Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner is one of the most important meals of the year for Chinese families. It is a time for family reunions, honoring ancestors, and celebrating the upcoming year. Traditionally, families gather for this meal, which is often lavish and includes a variety of dishes symbolizing prosperity, happiness, and good luck.
What are some typical dishes served at the Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner?
Some popular dishes include:Dumplings (饺子): Symbolizing wealth because their shape resembles ancient Chinese gold ingots. Fish (鱼): Fish symbolizes surplus and abundance, often served whole to represent unity and completeness. Nian Gao (年糕): A sticky rice cake, representing growth, progress, and family unity. Spring Rolls (春卷): These golden, crispy rolls symbolize wealth and prosperity. Longevity Noodles (长寿面): Long noodles symbolize longevity and good health.
Why do people eat fish on Chinese New Year’s Eve?
Fish is an important symbol in Chinese culture, representing abundance and surplus. The word for fish, "鱼" (yú), sounds like the word for surplus or extra. Eating fish during the Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner signifies that the family will have enough and even more in the coming year. Typically, fish is served whole, symbolizing unity and completeness.
What does "Nian Gao" (年糕) symbolize in the Chinese New Year meal?
Nian Gao, or sticky rice cake, is a traditional dish made from glutinous rice flour. It symbolizes growth and progress because the word “nian” sounds like “year,” and “gao” sounds like “tall” or “higher.” Eating this dish is believed to bring growth in life, career, and family prosperity in the year ahead.
What is the significance of dumplings (饺子) during Chinese New Year?
Dumplings are a symbol of wealth and prosperity, as their shape resembles ancient Chinese gold ingots. Some families even place a coin inside one of the dumplings for good luck—whoever finds it is believed to have a prosperous year ahead.
Why are sweets and desserts important at Chinese New Year?
Sweets symbolize sweetness in life and the hope for a sweet year ahead. Popular sweets include Tang Yuan (汤圆), glutinous rice balls often filled with sweet fillings, which represent family unity. Other traditional desserts include fortune cakes (发糕) and sweetened lotus root (蜜莲藕), both of which are meant to bring good fortune and happiness.
Do people eat chicken or pork for Chinese New Year?
While chicken and pork are commonly eaten during Chinese New Year, the choice of meat can vary depending on the region. Chicken symbolizes family unity, and it's often served whole to represent completeness. Pork, especially braised pork belly or pork with cabbage, symbolizes good fortune and wealth.
What is the significance of the "hot pot" during Chinese New Year?
Hot pot is a popular dish during Chinese New Year, especially in northern and southwestern China. It symbolizes unity and togetherness because everyone gathers around the pot and shares food. The act of cooking together at the table also promotes bonding and harmony. The ingredients used in hot pot, such as fish, tofu, vegetables, and meats, all carry symbolic meanings of prosperity, health, and good luck.
What are some traditional drinks served during Chinese New Year?
Traditional drinks during Chinese New Year include Chinese tea, such as jasmine or oolong tea, which is believed to have health benefits and can help balance the richness of the meal. Additionally, some families may serve sweet rice wine (米酒) or baijiu (a strong Chinese liquor), which are thought to bring warmth and happiness for the new year.
Can you eat vegetarian food during Chinese New Year?
Yes! Vegetarian dishes are often served during the Chinese New Year feast, especially in regions or families where there is a focus on vegetarianism or Buddhist traditions. Common vegetarian dishes include stir-fried vegetables, tofu, and vegetarian spring rolls. These dishes still carry symbolic meanings of health, prosperity, and happiness.
Is it true that people should avoid certain foods during Chinese New Year?
Yes, there are a few foods that are traditionally avoided during Chinese New Year. For example, porridge (a symbol of poverty) is generally avoided, as is anything that might signify bad luck, such as bitter melon (which represents bitterness). In addition, some people avoid scissors or knives during the New Year, as cutting things may symbolize severing relationships or bad luck.