New Asian Cuisine » Chinese

Green Onion Pancakes

grace — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:46:58 +0000

Green Onion Pancakes

By Bee Yinn Low, Easy Chinese Recipes

Easy Chinese Recipes: Family Favorites From Dim Sum to Kung Pao

Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing.

My first experience with Green Onion Pancakes was when I visited Shanghai for the first time. One morning, I was feeling jetlagged so I headed down to the hotel’s lobby for an early morning breakfast. The breakfast set menu was traditional Chinese fare: freshly made soybean milk, you tiao (fried cruller), tea leaf egg and Green Onion Pancake.

As soon as my order arrived, I got a whiff of the green onions. The Green Onion Pancakes were crispy yet doughy in the middle, each bite was mildly salty and then the oniony fragrance surfaced. I enjoyed the pancakes thoroughly, especially with a glass of warm soybean milk, on that sleep-deprived morning.

The best Green Onion Pancakes are made with lard, so feel free to use lard (instead of oil) if you like.

Makes 8 pieces or serves 4 as an appetizer

1½ cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons salt
½ cup (125 ml) water
3 green onions (scallions), green parts only, trimmed and cut into small rounds, to yield about 1/3 cup
2 tablespoons oil
Some additional all-purpose flour, for dusting and rolling
Oil, for frying

1. Sift the all-purpose flour into a big bowl and then add the salt into the flour. Combine well and set aside.

2. Bring the water to a boil. Slowly add the water to the flour and knead the dough until it’s no longer sticky and the surface becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. If the dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water to the dough. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

3. Add the green onion into the dough and combine well.

4. Make the Green Onion Pancake by following the directions below.

5. Add about 1/ 4 inch (6 mm) of oil into a stir-fry pan or skillet over moderately high heat. Transfer a piece of the pancake into the pan or skillet. Shallow fry each side of the pancake to a light golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip the pancake over and shallow fry the other side. Add more oil, repeat the same for the remaining pancakes and serve immediately.

HOW TO MAKE THE GREEN ONION PANCAKES

1. On a flat and floured surface, divide the dough into 8 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a ball using your palm.

2. Working with one dough ball at a time, roll the dough to a thin disc using a rolling pin. Dust the rolling pin with some all-purpose flour as you go.

3. Brush the surface of the disc with the oil.

4. Roll the dough into a cylinder.

5. Coil it up like a snail.

6. Dust the rolling pin with the flour and roll the dough until flat, measuring about 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter. Set the dough aside on a baking sheet. Repeat Step 2–6 for the rest of the dough.

Steamed Scallops with Black Bean Dressing

grace — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:59:44 +0000

Steamed scallops with black bean dressing

By Periplus Editors, Quick & Easy Asian Tapas and Noodles

Quick & Easy Asian Tapas and Noodles: Recipes that are Easy, Delicious and Fun (Learn to Cook Series)
Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing.

Fresh scallops are a delicate treat and require quick cooking and unfussy embellishments in order to shine. A hint of salty black beans, some sweetish rice wine, a few Asian aromatics and a brief steaming give spectacularly flavorsome results.

Makes 12 scallops or serves 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 4 minutes

12 fresh scallops in their shells
2 green onions (scallions), green part thinly sliced lengthwise and soaked in cold water, to garnish

Black Bean Dressing
2 green onions (scallions), white part minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh young ginger root
1 to 11/2 tablespoons black bean garlic sauce (see note)
2 tablespoons rice wine or sake
11/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon olive oil

Shuck each scallop and discard the top shell. Rinse under running water to remove sand and dirt. Carefully remove the muscle and organ, leaving only the white flesh. Cut the stem to separate the white flesh from the shell with a paring knife. Stand the white flesh vertically on its shell to drain excess water. Shuck all the scallops in this manner.
Make the Black Bean Dressing by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Spoon 1 teaspoon of the Black Bean Dressing over each scallop and steam the scallops in their shells in bamboo steaming baskets for 4 minutes, making sure not to crowd or tilt the scallops inside the baskets (for best results, use stacked basket and steam the scallops individually). Serve hot, garnished with green onions.

Note: The black bean garlic sauce normally used in this dish has large chunks of fermented black soybeans and is sold in small jars in Asian food markets. Whole fermented black beans may also be used with a bit of minced garlic and soy sauce added.

Tapioca Pearls with Sweet Coconut and Cantelope

grace — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Tapioca Pearls with Sweet Coconut and Cantelope

By Jaden Hair, Steamy Kitchen

Looking back through my blog stats, this is by far the most popular recipe searched. There aren’t a lot of Chinese cookbooks that feature this recipe, I wonder why? Its such a beautiful, exotic dessert. This is a recipe from my Mom – she used to serve this in the summer time to cool off. Usually its made with honeydew, but the cantelope was on sale, ripe and smelled so fresh! This isn’t a very well-known dessert in Asian American restaurants, but it can be found in dim-sum eateries in Hong Kong as a perfect ending to a meal. We served this as dessert after our Korean BBQ feast. It was just the right dessert to enjoy to cool us down after all the smoky heat of BBQ.

Tapioca Pearls with Sweet Coconut & Cantelope

Serves 8

3 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup 1mm small dried tapioca pearls
1 cup whole milk
2 cups full fat coconut milk
2 cups 1/2 inch diced melon (honeydew or cantelope)

In a medium sized pot, bring the water and sugar to a boil. When boiling, turn the heat to low and stir in the milk. When the mixture returns to a boil, turn off the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Make sure that you are not boiling the coconut milk (which would make it oily) Remove from heat, let cool to room temperature and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Soak tapioca pearls in cold water for 20 minutes. The pearls will expand and turn bright white. Drain. In a medium pot, add about a quart of water and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, add the drained tapioca pearls and stir constantly for 1 1/2 minutes. Immediately drain in fine mesh sieve and run cold water through the sieve to stop the tapioca pearls from cooking further. Combine with the coconut milk mixture and continue to chill in refrigerator. You can prepare everything above up to 3 days in advance.

To serve, ladle the sweet coconut milk with tapioca into a bowl and add a big spoonful of diced, fresh melon.

Notes: Do not combine the melon and the coconut milk until just before serving. Storing the honeydew and the coconut milk together in the same container makes the melon bitter. Do not overcook the pearls. If you are using the small sized pearls, follow the recipe exactly above and make sure you rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. If you use larger pearls, cook for a little longer time, maybe 30 seconds more, taste it and adjust time. Use full fat coconut milk. I rarely use lite because its just not worth it. Save your calories on something else, but not the coconut milk! I also get my coconut milk at an Asian market. I’ve tried other brands at regular supermarkets, but they never are as full flavored, thick and rich as the Thai brands. The brand that I consistently reach for is “Chaokoh.”

Tapioca pearls come in different sizes – I like using small size pearls, it goes really nicely with finely diced honeydew or cantelope

Mapo Tofu

grace — Sun, 29 May 2011 17:19:42 +0000

Mapo Tofu

Courtesy of Periplus Editors

Healthy and Simple Asian Recipes: For Delicious Everyday Meals (Learn to Cook Series)

Serves 2
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

1 cake (10 oz/300 g) soft tofu, cubed
2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 small chili pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon hot bean paste (see note)
2 tablespoons pickled mustard cabbage (gai choy), chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon wine
1/4 cup (60 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup (80 g) diced bell pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 green onion (scallion), thinly sliced, to garnish

1 Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Blanch the diced tofu for about 4 minutes. Rinse and drain.
2 Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the garlic and chili for about 1 minute. Add the broad bean paste and stir-fry until aromatic, about 1 more minute, then stir in the pickled mustard cabbage.
3 Pour in the wine, then add the chicken or vegetable stock, soy sauce, sugar and pepper, then mix to combine. Add the tofu and bell pepper, stirring carefully, then simmer over low heat for 2 minutes.
4 Add the cornstarch mixture and stir gently until the sauce thickens. Sprinkle with the sesame oil and serve hot, garnished with the chopped green onions.

Hot bean paste (do ban jian or toban djan), or chili bean sauce, is a Sichuan-style chili sauce made from chilies and fermented black beans. It is used to add heat to cooked dishes or as a dipping sauce.

Tofu with Ginger and Black Bean Sauce

grace — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 04:25:00 +0000

Tofu with Ginger and Black Bean Sauce

By Periplus Editors, Healthy and Simiple Asian Recipes

Healthy and Simple Asian Recipes: For Delicious Everyday Meals (Learn to Cook Series)Healthy and Simple Asian Recipes: For Delicious Everyday Meals (Learn to Cook Series)

There are probably as many ways to prepare hong shao (red-braised) tofu, as there are cooks in China. This traditional method of cooking tofu, which by itself is a very bland food, allows the manifold flavors of the seasoning and sauce to penetrate the tofu, rendering this potent source of vegetable protein into a delicious dish. Each time you cook this dish, try a slightly different blend of flavors and proportions until you discover the style that best suits your taste.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins

5–6 dried black Chinese
mushrooms
1 cake (10 oz/300 g) firm tofu
3 tablespoons oil
1–2 dried red chilies, cut in half and deseeded (optional)
4–5 large cloves garlic, smashed
6 slices ginger
1 whole star anise pod (optional)
6 green onions (scallions), cut into sections

Sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon black or yellow bean paste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup (125 ml) water (or use chicken stock)

1 Soak the mushrooms in warm water for about 20 minutes to soften, then drain. Remove and discard the stems, cut the caps in half and set aside.

2 Cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes. Place in a colander to drain.

3 Combine all the Sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

4 Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet until hot, but not smoking. Add the chilies (if using) then the tofu, turning gently with a spatula until all the pieces are coated with oil and shaking the pan occasionally to prevent sticking. Fry until the tofu just begins to turn yellow but is not brown or crispy.

5 Add the mushrooms, garlic, ginger, star anise and half the green onions and stir-fry gently for 1 to 2 minutes.

6 Add the Sauce and stir carefully to blend. Cover the wok, lower the heat and braise for 5 to 6 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water if the Sauce becomes too dry.

7 Add the remaining green onions to the wok and transfer to a serving dish.

Clams with Black Bean Sauce

grace — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 04:14:19 +0000

Clams with Black Bean Sauce

By Vicki Liley, Dim Sum (Essential Kitchen)

Serves 6–8

1 lb (500 g) fresh clams in shells, shells cleaned

Black bean sauce
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup (3 fl oz/90 ml) water
2 tablespoons oyster sauce

Place clams in a bamboo steamer and cover with lid. Half fill a medium wok with water (steamer should not touch water) and bring to a boil. Place steamer over boiling water and steam until clam shells open, 3–4 minutes (discard any clams that do not open). Lift steamer off wok and carefully remove clams.

To make black bean sauce, heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Fry garlic and ginger until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add black beans, soy sauce, water and oyster sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Serve drizzled over clams.

Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing, a member of the Periplus Publishing Group.

Chinese Style Barbecue Pork

grace — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:35:57 +0000

Chinese Style Barbecue Pork

By Vicki Liley, Dim Sum (Essential Kitchen)

Makes 8 small servings

2 pork fillets, 12 oz (375 g) each
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons ground bean sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
3 tablespoons soy sauce
pinch of Chinese red food coloring powder (optional)
1 tablespoon brown sugar

This recipe can be used in dishes where Chinese barbecue pork is required such as Steamed Pork Buns.

Place pork fillets in a shallow dish. Combine hoisin sauce, ground bean sauce, garlic, five-spice powder, soy sauce, red food coloring and brown sugar, and mix well. Pour over pork and toss until well coated in marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Drain pork and reserve marinade. Place pork on a wire rack over a baking dish. Bake at 350°F (180°C/Gas 4) for 30 minutes, basting with marinade and turning pork during cooking. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve hot or cold.

Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing, a member of the Periplus Publishing Group.

Steamed Pork Buns

grace — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 03:55:49 +0000

Steamed Pork Buns

By Vicki Liley, Dim Sum (Essential Kitchen)

Dim Sum (Essential Kitchen Series)

Makes 16

Dough
11/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) warm water
1/4 cup (13/4 oz/50 g) superfine (caster) sugar
1 cup (4 oz/125 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) self-rising flour
3 teaspoons butter, melted

Filling
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
3 teaspoons cornstarch (cornflour) mixed with 1 tablespoon water
8 oz (250 g) Chinese barbecue pork,finely chopped
6 scallions (shallots/spring onions),finely chopped

To make dough, in a small bowl combine yeast with 2 tablespoons warm water, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour. Mix until well combined. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand in a warm place until frothy, about 15 minutes.

Sift remaining all-purpose and self-rising flour into a large bowl. Add remaining sugar, yeast mixture, remaining warm water and melted butter. Using a wooden spoon, mix to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 3–5 minutes. Place dough in a large oiled bowl, cover and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

To make filling, heat oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat and fry ginger and garlic until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch and water mixture, bring to a boil and stir until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pork and scallions. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely.

Punch down dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Divide dough into 16 pieces and roll or press out each piece to form a 21⁄4-inch (6-cm) circle. Cover dough with a damp kitchen towel.

Working with one round of dough at a time, spoon 2 teaspoons of filling into the center. Gather edges together, twist to seal and cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining dough.

Cut out 16 squares of parchment (baking paper) and place buns, sealed side down, on paper. Half fill a medium wok with water (steamer should not touch water) and bring to a boil. Working in batches, arrange buns in steamer, cover and place steamer over boiling water. Steam for 15 minutes, adding more boiling water to wok when necessary. Lift steamer off wok and carefully remove buns. Using scissors, snip the top of each bun twice, to resemble a star. Serve warm with soy sauce and hoisin sauce.

Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing, a member of the Periplus Publishing Group.

Steamed Siu Mai Dumplings

admin — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 20:33:35 +0000

This is a standard Chinese dim sum dish made with ground pork. Recipe is from Andrea Nguyen, author of Asian Dumplings Cookbook. This is a fantastic book to have, as it illustrates step-by-step dumpling folding techniques.

Siu Mai Open-Faced Dumplings Recipe

Shāomài (in Mandarin)

Reprinted with permission from Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More by Andrea Nguyen, copyright © 2009. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. Photo credit: Penny De Los Santos © 2009

Makes 30 dumplings, serving 6 to 8 as a snack

Filling
2/3 pound coarsely ground pork, fattier kind preferred, coarsely chopped to loosen
4 large dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted (see page 13), stemmed, and chopped (1/2 cup)
Generous 1/4 cup finely diced water chestnuts (fresh preferred)
3 tablespoons finely chopped scallions (white and green parts)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Generous 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon light (regular) soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
11/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 large egg white, beaten

30 small round siu mai skins (page 64)
11/2 tablespoons finely diced carrot, or 30 peas, for garnish
Light (regular) soy sauce
Chinese hot mustard or Colman’s English mustard

1. To make the filling, in a bowl, combine the pork, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and scallions. Use a fork or spatula to stir and lightly mash the ingredients together so they begin to blend.

2. Put the salt, sugar, white pepper, cornstarch, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, and egg white into a small bowl and stir to combine well. Pour over the meat mixture, and stir, fold, and mash everything together until they cohere into a compact mass. Cover the filling with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight, returning it to room temperature before assembling the dumplings. You should have a generous 2 cups of filling.

3. Before assembling the dumplings, line steamer trays and/or a baking sheet with parchment paper. For the baking sheet, lightly dust the paper with cornstarch to prevent sticking. Set aside. Hold a skin in one hand. Scoop up about 1 tablespoon of filling with a bamboo dumpling spatula, dinner knife, or fork and position it in the center of the skin, pressing down gently. Pick up the skin and gather and pinch it together to form an open bag (see page 74). Crown the dumpling with some finely diced carrot or a pea.

If steaming right away, place each finished dumpling in a steamer tray open side up, spacing them 1/2 inch apart, and 1 inch away from the edge if you are using a metal steamer. Otherwise, place the waiting dumplings on the baking sheet a good 1/2 inch apart.

Keeping the finished dumplings covered with a dry kitchen towel to prevent drying, form and fill wrappers from the remaining dough. Dumplings made several hours in advance of cooking should be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. For longer storage, freeze them on their baking sheet until hard (about 1 hour), transfer them to a plastic container, and keep them frozen for up to 1 month; partially thaw them before steaming.

5. To cook, steam the dumplings over boiling water (steaming guidelines are on page 17) for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dumplings have puffed slightly and their skins have become translucent. Remove each tray and place it atop a serving plate.

6. Serve immediately with the soy sauce and hot mustard. Invite guests to mix up their own dipping sauce.

Chinese New Year 2011!

admin — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 19:56:19 +0000

Chinese New Year 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit!

Chinese New Year begins on February 3, 2011 and is celebrated for 15 days. Each year, the date is different, it begins with the new moon of the new year and ends on the full moon.

Gong Hay Fat Choy! (in Cantonese) Gong Xi Fa Cai! (in Mandarin)

This will be the year of the Rabbit – and according to The Holiday Spot, here’s the horoscope for 2011:

A placid year, very much welcomed and needed after the ferocious year of the Tiger. We should go off to some quiet spot to lick our wounds and get some rest after all the battles of the previous year.

Good taste and refinement will shine on everything and people will acknowledge that persuasion is better than force. A congenial time in which diplomacy, international relations and politics will be given a front seat again. We will act with discretion and make reasonable concessions without too much difficulty.

A time to watch out that we do not become too indulgent. The influence of the Rabbit tends to spoil those who like too much comfort and thus impair their effectiveness and sense of duty.

Law and order will be lax; rules and regulations will not be rigidly enforced. No one seems very inclined to bother with these unpleasant realities. They are busy enjoying themselves, entertaining others or simply taking it easy. The scene is quiet and calm, even deteriorating to the point of somnolence. We will all have a tendency to put off disagreeable tasks as long as possible

Money can be made without too much labor. Our life style will be languid and leisurely as we allow ourselves the luxuries we have always craved for. A temperate year with unhurried pace. For once, it may seem possible for us to be carefree and happy without too many annoyances.

***

Chinese New Year Recipes

I’ve compiled a list of Chinese New Year Recipes from Steamy Kitchen and New Asian Cuisine for you – but first read up on some of the food superstitions – what to serve and what NOT to serve (especially if you want to keep your job in the Year of the Rabbit! ;-)

Recipes from Steamy Kitchen

My Mother’s Famous Chinese Egg Rolls (egg rolls look like gold bars, which symbolize wealth)
Chinese Boiled Pork Dumplings (also symbolize wealth)
Pan Fried Shrimp & Pork Potstickers (wealth)
Fresh Pear and Shrimp Stir Fry (shrimp for happiness and joy)
Shrimp Fried Rice (shrimp for happiness and joy)
Hainanese Chicken Rice (for Chinese New Year, serve chicken whole and cut at table)
Chinese Broccoli Beef Noodles (noodles for longevity)
100 Flower Blossoms Dish (broccoli and cauliflower look like blossoming flowers to represent blossoming prosperous new year)
Long Life Fertility Noodles and Happy Shrimp
Chinese Lettuce Cups (lettuce = rising fortune)
Stir Fried Beef with Nectarines (nectarine = happiness, health)
Chinese Whole Steamed Fish (having more than enough for this coming year)
—> more Chinese New Year Recipes on Steamy Kitchen

Recipes from New Asian Cuisine

Prosperity Cakes
Singapore Pineapple Tarts
Chinese Pork Ribs with Daikon and Dried Oysters
Tangerine Pie
Red Roast Duck with Baby Bok Choy
Teochew Braised Duck

Other Chinese New Year Recipes

I’ve handpicked more Chinese New Year Recipes for you – let me know in the comments if you have any more suggestions! Would love to know some of your favorite recipes!

Steamed Chicken in Lotus Leaf – RasaMalaysia
Stir Fried Pine Nuts with Corn and Peas – RasaMalaysia (dish means “full of gold and jade”)
Stir Fried Broccoli and Scallop – RasaMalaysia (“richness and abundance”)
Baked BBQ Pork Buns – RasaMalaysia
Soy Sauce Chicken – RasaMalaysia (though serve your chicken whole & cut at table for Chinese New Year)
Chinese Almond Cookies – Simply Recipes (beautiful, Garrett, just beautiful!)
Fortune Cookie Recipe – Martha Stewart
Fortune Cookie Recipe video – Cookbook Maniac (love her tips for fortune cookies)
Chocolate Fortune Cookies – Martha Stewart
Vegetarian Buddha’s Delight – Epicurious
Orange Peking Duck – recipe from Ken Hom, author of Ken Hom’s Top 100 Stir Fry Recipes
Sweet & Sour Pork – recipe from Grace Young, author Breath of a Wok
Buddha’s Delight with Tofu & Brocooli- Cooking Light
Peanut Sesame Noodles – Appetite for China
Water Chestnut Cake with Ginger – Appetite for China
Dragon Well Tea Shrimp – Appetite for China
Dan Dan Mian – Appetite for China
Scallion Pancakes – Tigers and Strawberries (perfect recipe. we made these many times)
Chinese White Cut Chicken – Sunday Nite Dinner (serve your chicken whole & cut at table for Chinese New Year)
Tea Smoked Duck – Cooking Channel
Nian Gao Cake - Asian Grandmother’s Cookbook
Shanghai Style Nian Gao – Donna Cooks (“rising higher each year” This dish is a must for our table – I love the soft, chewy noodles. This is also one of my Dad’s hometown dishes)
Stir Fried Shanghai Nian Gao – mmm-yoso
Lion’s Head Meatballs – NY Times (lion = strength; big round meatballs = family togetherness)
Fuscshia Dunlop’s Braised Pork Belly – Cookbook Maniac
Year of the Rabbit Cookies – Lily’s Wai Sek Hong (cookie with rabbit cutout – you can find rabbit cookie cutter usually as part of big box of 100 cookie cutters, like this one or this)
Chinese Walnut Cookies – Lily’s Wai Sek Hong
Paper Lined Cup Sponge Cake – Lily’s Wai Sek Hong
Dragon Cookies – Lily’s Wai Sek Hong (love this idea – we’ll make these dragon cookies w/my kids)
Almond Cookie Cresents – Lily’s Wai Sek Hong
Double Sided Gold Noodles – Lily’s Wai Sek Hong (one of my favorite noodles as a kid)
Steamed Pork Bun Recipe + how to fold Chinese buns video – Christine’s Recipes
Braised Chinese Mushrooms – Christine’s Recipes (easy dish to make, we always have whole Chinese mushrooms on CNY)
Egg Custard Pastry – Christine’s Recipes (with a cheater crust! brilliant)
Stir Fried Glutinous Rice – Christine’s Recipes
Stir Fried Broccoli with Fish Fillet – Christine’s Recipes
Butter Cookies – Christine’s Recipes
Baked Coconut Cake – Christine’s Recipes
Radish Cake – Christine’s Recipes

Do Not Eat for Chinese New Year

Squid: means to get fired
Tofu – white color of tofu signifies death

***

Chinese New Year Gifts

Part of the Chinese New Year tradition is the act of graciously giving and graciously receiving. I remember making the rounds as a kid in Hong Kong – my parents would present baskets of fruit, a special dish or a bottle of wine; and all the kids got Red Envelopes or “hong bow.” If you’re invited to someone’s house to celebrate Chinese New Year, there are certain gifts that symbolize wonderful things….and then there are the no-no’s.

Good Gifts:

Red Envelopes: Children (and in our tradition, children also means any unmarried person) get Red Envelopes, pronounced hoong bow (red pouch). Another wait to say red envelopes is lai see. Inside the red envelope is money, and it can be as little as $2.00 to whatever bill denomination you want. But try to keep the dollar amount an even number – happiness comes in pairs! Odd numbers are are for funerals. Try to get crisp new bills from the bank. How much to give? It’s just a nice tradition and gesture, so you really don’t have to go crazy (edit from my kids “unless you’re my grandparents then go ahead and stuff the envelopes fat!”…heeheehee!)
A bottle of wine or spirits.
Fruit such as kumquats, oranges, pomelo and mandarin oranges (with leaves attached is good!) symbolize happiness, good fortune, good health
Blossoming flowers, especially plum blossoms and chrysanthemums (both symbolize prosperity)
Live chickens. Okay, this was in the olden days. I think we can scratch this one off.
Food and sweets – like pastries, cookies, candy, chocolates.
Round candy tray – filled with sweets and seeds

***

Chinese New Year Superstitions

In addition to food…there are some traditions that are important to welcome in the new year.

Clean your house to rid of bad luck! But please make sure you do this BEFORE the first day of Chinese New Year. You don’t want to clean on February 3 as that would mean sweeping or dusting away your good fortune. On New Year’s eve, open up all your windows to expel the bad and old!
Wearing new clothes: Wearing new clothes on Chinese New Year is something I’ve done since I can remember! This symbolizes having more than enough for the new year. You want to try to look as fresh and new as possible. However, do NOT wash your hair on New Year’s day – it would mean washing away good luck! Wear bright red (happiness & joy) or gold (prosperity).
Blooming Flowers: Fill your house with beautiful blooming flowers and plants, especially plum blossoms and chrysanthemums (both symbolize prosperity), pussy willows, bamboo, pine (longevity), peony. Flowers and plants represent new growth and a blossoming new year.
No fighting, kids: Your temperment on Chinese New Year will set the tone for the rest of the year! So no complaining, swearing, fighting…banish bad thoughts!
Firecrackers: Are meant to scare off the bad spirits.
Color Red: Colorful bright vivid red scares off bad spirits and demons too! Red also symbolizes virtue, joy and happiness.
Dragon Dance: Ushers in the New Year bringing good luck.
Do not say the number “four” – which symbolizes death in Chinese

***

Books For Kids

These are all books that we own, and I’ve listed them in the order of our favorite first!

Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes by Nina Simonds ($14.28)

I love that this book has recipes! Nina Simonds is a very well respected cookbook author, she’s a specialist in Chinese cuisine. ~Jaden

Filled with delectable recipes, hands-on family activities, and traditional tales to read aloud, this extraordinary collection will inspire families everywhere to re-create the magic of Chinese holidays in their own homes. They can feast on golden New Year’s dumplings and tasty moon cakes, build a miniature boat for the Dragon Boat Festival and a kite at Qing Ming, or share the story of the greedy Kitchen God or the valiant warrior Hou Yi.
This stunning compilation from bestselling cookbook author Nina Simonds and Leslie Swartz of the Children’s Museum, Boston, is the perfect gift for families that have embraced Chinese holidays for generations–and for those just beginning new traditions.

Chinese Feasts & Festivals: A Cookbook by S.C. Moey ($18.21)

Beautiful hand-illustrated book with authentic Chinese recipes for many different Chinese festivals, such as The Dragon Boat Festival, Mooncake Festival and of course Chinese New Year. Gorgeous book and definitely worth every penny. ~Jaden

The rich culinary tradition of China is largely inspired by a calendar year filled with joyous occasions for eating, drinking and making merry. Food, fittingly enough, plays a leading role in everything from festivals to reunions and weddings to anniversaries. The combination of flavors and symbols, such as wealth, happiness, luck, and prosperity, involved in many of these dishes are a spiritual celebration and an earthly pleasure.
In Chinese Feasts & Festivals, author S.C. Moey assembles facts and fancies along with a collection of festival specialties that every Chinese food lover will read and enjoy. Full of delicate, subtly-rendered illustrations, this exquisite and yet functional cookbook will inspire you to cook up a feast no matter what the occasion.

China: DK Eyewitness Books by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore ($10.87)

You’ll learn much more than about Chinese New Year in this beautifully photographed book. Highly recommended and great for all ages -Jaden

China investigates the present-day culture of the most populous country on the planet, and Oil takes a look at the controversial substance responsible for the beginning-and, if we’re not careful, the end of life as we know it today. Includes clip-art CD and wall poster.

Dragon Dance: A Chinese New Year Lift the Flap Book by Joan Holub ($6.99)

It’s Chinese New Year and there are so many fun things to do! Shopping at the outdoor market for fresh flowers, eating New Year’s dinner with the whole family, receiving red envelopes from Grandma and Grandpa, and best of all-watching the spectacular Chinese New Year’s parade! Introduce the customs of Chinese New Year to even the youngest readers with this festive new lift-the-flap book.

Illustrated by Benrei Huang.

Celebrating Chinese New Year by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith ($6.95)
Review from School Library Journal: Grade 1-5 Hoyt-Goldsmith and Migdale have done a stellar job of bringing readers into a holiday celebration. Beginning with the pre-New Year preparations, children follow 10-year-old Ryan Leong and his family as they celebrate the Chinese New Year in San Francisco. Through big, bright photographs and a clear, easy-to-follow text, readers see the preparations and festivities and learn about the history and traditions. The author includes the symbolic meanings of the foods eaten and other customs, an explanation of the Chinese Zodiac, and an in-depth look at the Lion Dance. The book is more detailed than Kate Waters’s Lion Dancer (Scholastic, 1990) and June Behrens’s Gung Hay Fat Choy (Children’s, 1982). The color photographs make it more inviting than Tricia Brown’s Chinese New Year (Holt, 1995). Hoyt-Goldsmith’s excellent book makes the Chinese New Year celebration accessible and understandable to all children. (c) Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The Dancing Dragon by Marcia K. Vaughan

Review from School Library Journal: Kindergarten-Grade 2-In rhymed couplets, a Chinese-American child describes the excitement, preparation, and festivities of the Chinese New Year, culminating in a parade that includes a magnificent dragon carried aloft on sticks. The format of the book is foldout cardboard; for best effect, after reading it aloud, stand it on a table to show the eight-page panorama of this fine, fierce creature and the appreciative throng of celebrators in the streets of Chinatown. The watercolor-and-gouache illustrations are full of bright colors and action, reflecting the culture and the festivities. Combine this title with Kate Waters and Madeline Slovenz-Low’s Lion Dancer (Scholastic, 1990), which is more detailed and full of vibrant photographs. Carolyn Jenks, First Parish Unitarian Church, Portland, ME Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn

Amazon.com review: It’s Chinese New Year in Chinatown, and young Sam has four dollars of New Year money burning a hole in his pocket. As he and his mother are milling through the crowded streets–alive with firecrackers, lion dances, and shoppers–Sam accidentally steps on the foot of a homeless man who is buried in a pile of red paper. Flustered, Sam hurries back to his mother, and is soon distracted by the char siu bao and other sweets he might buy with his gift money. When he sees fish-tail cookies that remind him of toes, he remembers the old man again, and Sam starts to think of his “lucky money” in a new light. Karen Chinn’s winning story is perfectly complemented by the vibrant watercolors of Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu, creators of the award-winning Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree and A House by the River. Voted “Pick of the Lists” by American Bookseller, Sam and the Lucky Money succeeds at telling a simple story, while allowing young readers to explore the sights and sounds of an American urban Chinatown during the Chinese New Year. (Ages 4 to 8)

More Resources for Chinese New Year

Customs and Traditions of Chinese New Year – Chinatown Connection

Celebration of the Chinese New Year – Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco

Fun Chinese New Year crafts for kids – Enchanted Learning

A Guide to Chinese New Year – About.com

Free Chinese wallpapers, info on zodiac calendar – The Holiday Spot

Chinese New Year teacher resources – Teacher Planet

Chinese New Year e-Cards from Blue Mountain

Dragon Dance videos – YouTube