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Best 10 Chinese Recipes for Traditional Foods in 2024
For the Chinese, the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year is only the biggest celebration. In the Chinese New Year celebration, families come together, colorful parades take place, and delicious traditional foods abound. Indeed, it’s the time when families reunite in order to respect the motherland as well as to receive red packets of money and most importantly, an abundance of symbolic dishes meaning prosperity, fortune, and bliss for the next year.
In 2024 this holiday would make a very special one, with a fresh start for everybody. And what better way to celebrate than by plunging into some of the most requisite traditional dishes passed down through generations?
Whether this is the first-time recipe or you are familiar with the ingredients that go into Chinese New Year’s dishes, this guide shares the importance every food prepared has. The dumplings symbolize wealth; the rice cakes represent growth-a rich history, meaning, and, of course, taste accompanies every recipe!
Well then, let’s get in that Chinese New Year 2024 mood as we dig into these delectable dishes that make your celebration not just authentic but also unforgettable.
A Short Primer on Chinese New Year Traditions
We are going into the kitchen, but first, let’s appreciate what Chinese New Year is all about. This festival lasts for 15 days with New Year’s Eve being the start and ending with the Lantern Festival. It’s just another ritual every day-clean the house to welcome good fortune, set off firecrackers, ward off evil spirits. Above all of this, though family gatherings and abundance of food prepared have been the main focus to ensure that the year is filled with wealth and happiness.
Indeed, the reunion dinner during New Year’s Eve probably is one of the most important components of the celebration. It could be called the most important meal of the year. This would mean sharing stories and catching up with quality time with the family, enjoying traditional dishes-all of which have their own meanings. Now, let’s go through those special must-try dishes that will make your Chinese New Year really special.
1. Jiaozi (Dumplings): The Symbol of Wealth
Why It’s Special: Being the gold goody of Chinese New Year, the dumpling symbolizes wealth as it is thought to be the figure of ancient gold ingots used in China. Making the dumplings with the family will be a nice bonding session, which is the sign of harmony and prosperity.
Ingredients
- 300g ground pork
- 200g chopped cabbage
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Readymade or Homemade dumpling wrappers
- Salt and pepper according to taste
Method:
- Combine the ground pork, shredded cabbage, chopped spring onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a big mixing bowl
- Put small quantity of filling inside a wrapper of dumpling. Wet the sides with water, make a half-moon shape of the wrapper, and press the sides to seal it.
- Continue doing this until you use all your filling.
- Boil a big pot of water. Add your dumplings and get them floating to the top (5 minutes). Or pan-fry for a more crispy finish.
- Dip in soy sauce, vinegar, and a dash of chilli oil for that added kick.
Anecdote: I still clearly remember the very first time that I assisted my family in preparing dumplings at our home. We could laugh at the shaped or misshapen forms, but it was the laughter and bonding that made this process memorable. The well-shaped ones were delicious, but even the badly shaped ones tasted like little sacks of happiness!
2. Nian Gao (Sweet Rice Cake): Symbolizing Growth and Progress
What’s Special: Nian Gao literally means ‘sticky rice cake’. It is the iconic dish that symbolizes advancement and a greater harvest in the following year. The sugar in the cake then represents a desire for a sweet life in the following year.
Ingredients
- 400g glutinous rice flour
- 200g sugar
- 400ml water
- Red dates (optional, for decoration)
Method:
- Dissolve sugar in warm water and mix with glutinous rice flour until you get a smooth batter.
- Grease the round cake tin, put in the mixture and then cover with red dates for garnish.
- Steam for 45 minutes or until it is firm-set.
- Cool before cutting into pieces for serving. It can even be pan-fried which yields crispy edges and a soft middle.
Anecdote: My yah-ya always insisted on having some extra red dates on top of the Nian Gao, saying that the more the dates, the sweeter would be next year. She’d chuckle and say, “A little extra sweetness never hurts!”
3. Yusheng (Prosperity Toss Salad): Wishing for Abundance
Why It Matters: Yusheng, or the prosperity toss, is a vibrant salad made with fresh fish, shredded vegetables, and many sorts of sauces. In fact, it’s said to be ritual-ously tossed together for good luck and prosperity.
Ingredients
- 200g fresh salmon or other sashimi-grade fish
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 1 daikon radish, shredded
- 1 cucumber, shredded
- Pickled ginger, sesame seeds, crushed peanuts for garnish
- Dressing: 2 tbsp plum sauce, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp sesame oil
Method:
- Shred all the vegetables spread it on a large platter with the slices of salmon placed on top.
- Over that sprinkle the same pickled ginger, sesame seeds, and crushed peanuts.
- Now dress it with all those dressing.
- Gather the whole family around a table, toss the salad while holding it as high as possible and shout “Lo Hei!” (in Chinese, it means “toss up” for good luck).
Anecdote: The funnest part of Yusheng is really the pandemonium when everyone wants to stretch for his chopsticks to toss the salad. They say that the higher it is tossed, the better auspices are attached, you know!
4. Tangyuan (Sweet Rice Balls): Togetherness and Harmony
Why it’s awesome: Sweet glutinous rice balls called tangyuan represent family bonding. Even though it is mostly consumed during Lantern Festival, Tangyuan might be eaten during New Year.
Ingredients
- 200g Glutinous Rice Flour
- 100ml Water
- Your fillings of choice
Method:
- Combine the glutinous rice flour and water until a sticky dough is formed.
- Roll the dough into very small balls, flatten it slightly. Put a little spoonful of filling in the center and wrap it around with the dough and roll it into a ball.
- Put water in a pot, add the Tangyuan and boil until the balls float (about 3-5 minutes).
- For serving warm sweet ginger syrup.
Anecdote: This time what was fun to cook with the kids was that everyone could have his or her favorite filling so we had a colorful mix. This is a sweet reminder that as varied as our taste may be, we all come as one.
5. Spring Rolls: Celebration of a New Beginning
Awesome: Spring rolls are pan-fried until crispy golden and golden in color, or gold bars equivalent to wealth. These are extremely yummy as a side dish, or as everyone’s..
Ingredients:
- 300 g shredded cabbage
- 100 g carrots, julienned
- 100 g bean sprouts
- 200 g ground chicken or pork
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- Spring roll wrappers
- Oil for frying
Method:
- Brown the ground meat; add vegetables and soy sauce and cook until tender. Let it cool.
- Fill some of this filling into a spring roll wrapper, roll up tightly, and make a little water seal the edges.
- Heat it in a pan using a little oil; get it golden brown, then serve with sweet and sour dipping sauce.
Anecdote: My uncle is the master roller of spring rolls. He taught me how to fold it so tight, nothing would happen when frying it; that is, it wouldn’t fall apart. I’m still not as good as he is, but something is comforting about the process-like wrapping little parcels of happiness .
6. Lion’s Head Meatballs: Symbol of Family Unity
Why You Should Care: This is huge meatballs made from ground pork meat that was already browned with vegetables. It has the name power and oneness for the family. The name is derived from the shape, a lion head representing power.
Ingredients
- 400g ground pork
- 2 spring onions chopped
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 egg
- Nap cabbage leaves to braise
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
- Stir-fry the ground meat until cooked, then add the vegetables and soy sauce, cooking until tender. Let it cool.
- Place a spoonful of the filling onto a spring roll wrapper and roll tightly, sealing the edges with a little water.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry the spring rolls until golden brown.
- Serve with a sweet and sour dipping sauce.
Anecdote: Every time I cook meatballs, I always remember the comforting version of mom, which she served with extra cabbage. This hearty meal feels like a warm hug from home, especially on winter nights.
7. Fish (Yú): For Abundance and Prosperity
Why It’s Cool: You see fish every Chinese New Year because the word for fish, “yú,” is itself a homophone for “surplus” or “abundance.” This protein will ensure one will have an abundant year.
Ingredients:
- 1 whole fish like snapper or sea bass
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp ginger, thinly sliced
- 2 spring onions, cut to lengths
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Method:
- This shall be clean and put in a steamer over a plate with sliced ginger and green onions spread upon the fish.
- Steam for about 10-12 minutes until it’s done.
- Mix soy sauce with sesame oil in a small pot and warm and drizzle the sauce on the fish before serving.
Anecdote: Every time my family eats dinner, there will always be a little fish left uneaten at the table, and what that simply means is that a surplus will spill over into the following year. It’s a bit of perhaps; however, it was definitely one of those traditions which felt like a promise of good fortune to come.
8.Fa Gao (Prosperity Cakes): Fortune Rising
Why Is It Important: Fa Gao is also called Fortune Cake. As it is already a dough made from rice flour, it denotes increase and good luck. Now, once the cakes are steamed, they “bloom” or crack open upon steam release. One believes that after cracking, a good luck and fortune will come.
Ingredients
- 200g of rice flour
- 100g of sugar
- 200ml of water
- Baking powder
Method:
- Wet well the rice flour, sugar, and baking powder in a bowl.
- Pour the batter into a small-sized muffin cup.
- Steam at high heat about 20 minutes when cakes crack open at top
- Serve once it has cooled.
Story: Fa Gao makes me think of the drama I as a child used to feel, sitting around waiting to see if the cakes would open up just right. My mom always said, the bigger the crack, the better luck!
9. Long Life Noodles: Good Fortune in Having a Long Life
Why It’s Good: Long life noodles always have to be cooked in Chinese New Year. That is because they symbolize long life, and the longer noodles are, the longer is the life that it should bring. Please don’t break them when you cook!
Ingredients:
- 200g fresh egg noodles
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 100g sliced mushrooms
- 100g bok choy
Method:
- Cook the noodles according to your package, don’t let them break.
- Sauté in garlic, mushrooms, and bok choy in a hot pan
- Add noodles, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Toss everything together till well coated and well combined.
- Serve hot.
Anecdote: It’s one of those healthy competitions in my family about who can slurp up the longest noodle without breaking it. It’s one of those little things that makes the dinner table come alive with laughter.
10. Whole Chicken: Wholeness and Togetherness
Why It’s Special: The whole chicken represents an entire family and gathering together. It is usually cooked in the most simple, basic way to reunite the entire family.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cooking wine
- 2 spring onions
- Ginger slices
Instructions
- Rub soy sauce and cooking wine all over the chicken
- Steam with ginger and spring onions for over 30 min until it is fully cooked.
- Best enjoyed with your favorite dipping sauce of soy sauce, ginger, with a hint of chilli.
Anecdote: My grandmother used to say that whenever she was going to cook a whole chicken, it means the year is going to be “complete.” This is one of those foods that will readily bring familiarity in tradition to the table, but the rest of the meal may well be really modern.
Conclusion: Food as a Method of Celebrating Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is family traditions and, of course, that really delicious food prepared with hopes and promises for new things. Every dish that is placed on the table, every steaming pot, is more than a meal-it’s about good fortune, health, happiness. Warm encounters in the kitchen with fun, especially during this season, I wish.
Whether with family, friends, or just testing it for yourself, let’s not forget that the heart of Chinese New Year is in how we connect and memories that we make. To a prosperous 2024: filled with love, laughter, and enough gastronomy!
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are traditional foods served at Chinese New Year?
Traditional foods: These include the varieties of dumplings, Nian Gao or sweet rice cake, Yusheng or prosperity toss salad, Tangyuan or sweet rice balls, and longevity noodles. All of them symbolize something during the New Year celebrations.
- Why is it that people consider dumpling as the prototype traditional food for Chinese New Year?
In shape, dumplings are said to take the shape of money. Traditionally, it is said to be an image of ancient Chinese gold money, thus the first food in the line of wishes for wealth in the coming New Year.
- Do I have to use store-bought wrappers for dumplings?
Yes, commercial wrappers are super duper easy to use and will bring in the same magic as homemade, though work a little faster if you’re really short of time.
- How long does Nian Gao last?
Nian Gao can be kept in the fridge for as long as one week. Slice them up and pan-fry for that crunchy effect.
- How best is Tangyuan to be eaten?
The perfect food for such a setting is the tangyuan, best enjoyed steaming hot with a sweet ginger syrup or your favourite filling: a dollop of black sesame or peanut butter does very well, or red bean paste.
- May I substitute something else besides salmon for Yusheng?
Of course, you can use other sashimi-grade fishes like tuna or yellowtail, so long as it is fresh and safe to be consumed raw.
- How do you prevent spring rolls from falling apart while frying?
Roll it tightly and seal the edges with a drop of water or beaten egg before frying so that they will not open up during frying.
- Why do we have to eat fish on Chinese New Year?
Fish represents abundance and prosperity. A whole fish would be left for the next year.
- Are longevity noodles only consumed during Chinese New Year?
Longevity noodles could be eaten at any time, during the birthday celebration, since they want to live long.
- Should dinner plate only have whole chicken on New Year’s Eve?
A whole chicken is a metaphor for unity and wholeness, so if you cannot afford to have this, you can still circumvent this by having chicken dishes that would mean bringing the family closer as you dine together.
