Chinese New Year: A Holiday Recipe Collection
By Beth100
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Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and it is celebrated with a feast on New Year`s Eve. The following recipes are easy to follow and will help you create an atmosphere to celebrate. Enjoy the meal starting from the soup to finishing with a sweet treat! As there are many dialects in the Chinese language, I will use Cantonese to say: “Gung hay fat choy” (may you become prosperous) and “sun nien fai lok” (Happy New Year)!
Soup is often served as an appetizer to the feast and can be filling, such as won ton soup, or light, like the following recipe.
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Egg Drop Soup
This is a very easy soup to make and tastes great. The trick for a fantastic looking soup is to turn the heat off when stirring in the egg. This will provide finer threads of egg rather than chunks of it.
Ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
2 ½ cup chicken broth
1 tsp. finely chopped green onion (preferably only the green)
White pepper
Salt
Sesame Oil (Optional)
On high heat, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add pepper, salt and sesame oil to taste. Turn the heat off. Holding the bowl with the beaten egg above the chicken broth, slowly pour the beaten egg into the broth while stirring in one direction. Garnish with green onions.
This recipe can easily be converted to Egg Drop Pea Soup by adding fresh hulled peas or frozen peas to the boiling broth. To maintain the fresh green in the peas, do not overcook. You can also add fresh sliced shitake mushrooms or white mushrooms for added texture.
For the main course entrees, here are a few suggestions.
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Chinese Chicken Fried Rice
Instead of chicken, you can substitute turkey, pork, beef or tofu. If you prefer a vegetarian dish, omit the meat and eggs.
Ingredients:
3 cups rice, cooked and cold
1 cup chicken, chopped and cooked
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp. soya sauce
1 tbsp. oyster sauce (or teriyaki sauce)
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup peas and carrots, frozen mix
1 green onion, chopped
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Salt
Black pepper
Ideally, fried rice should be cooked in a wok, but if you do not have one, a large pan or skillet will work.
Heat the wok on medium heat. When hot, add the oil. Once is oil is hot, but not smoking, add the cold rice and garlic. Stir continuously for approximately 3 minutes or until the rice is separated and hot. Next, add frozen peas and carrots. Mix thoroughly.
Add the soya sauce and either the oyster or teriyaki sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Once the flavouring is mixed thoroughly through the rice, add the cooked meat. Cook until the meat is heated through, approximately 4 minutes.
Push the fried rice to one side of the wok and add the beaten egg, cooking it like scrambled eggs. Once cooked, mix the egg in with the remainder of the fried rice. Add the green onions and mix thoroughly. Serve hot.
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Kung Pao Chicken
Chicken is always served on the eve of New Year’s as well as on the day. It is said that when one serves chicken, then there is discipline in the house.
Ingredients:
1 egg white
Salt
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 lb. chicken breast, skinless, boneless
1 tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. Soya sauce
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. hot chilli paste
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp. water
2 tsp. peanut oil
4 dried Sichuan chilli peppers, seed removed and discarded
3 cups steamed broccoli florets
¼ cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped, unsalted
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white, salt and cornstarch until smooth. Pat the chicken dry and dice into ¾” cubes. Add the chicken to the cornstarch mixture and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce, vinegar, soya sauce, sugar, chilli paste and garlic with 3 tbsp. water. Set this aside.
Heat the peanut oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok. Add the peppers and cook until blackened, stirring as needed for approximately one minute. Transfer the peppers to a plate with a slotted spoon. Reserve the small amount of oil in the skillet.
Return the skillet to the heat. Add the chicken mixture. Cook by tossing lightly until the chicken becomes translucent, but not brown, for approximately 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken and any pan juices to a plate and keep warm.
Return the skillet to the heat. Add the hoisin sauce mixture, cooking and stirring constantly for 30 seconds.
Stir in the chicken, broccoli and peppers. Cook and stir gently for approximately 3 minutes until heated through. Sprinkle with peanuts. Serve immediately. Steamed white rice is often the side dish to this entree. This recipe makes approximately 4 servings.
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Lemon Chicken
This is a classic restaurant version that we have in our family. It’s easy to prepare and one serving is never enough.
Ingredients:
2 ½ lbs. chicken breast, boneless, skinless
For the marinade:
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. soya sauce
For the batter:
2 eggs, large
White pepper
¼ cup cornstarch
½ tsp. baking powder
Oil, for deep frying
For the sauce:
1 cup chicken broth
⅓ cup sugar
1 ½ tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. lemon juice
¾ tsp. salt
3 slices of lemon, peeled
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. lemon zest, grated
Wash the chicken breasts and pat dry. Cut into 1” cubes and place in a bowl. Mix the cubed chicken with soya sauce and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Beat the eggs until the texture is evenly mixed. Add a pinch of white pepper, cornstarch and baking power. Whisk together until mixed. Coat the marinated chicken with this batter.
Heat the deep fryer to 350⁰ F. In batches, deep fry the chicken until fully cooked. Set aside on plates lined with paper towels. If you do not own a deep fryer, you can use a wok to cook the chicken. After the chicken has drained, transfer to a serving plate.
For the sauce, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, chicken broth, lemon juice, salt and lemon zest until well combined. Add the lemon slices to the sauce.
In a wok, heat 2 tbsp. oil. Stir in the lemon sauce and heat until well mixed. The sauce will become clearer. Remove the lemon slices and pour the sauce over the chicken. Mix until the chicken becomes coated with the sauce. Serve hot. Accompanying side dishes include steamed rice.
Sweet desserts add a final touch to the feast.
Chinese Almond Cookies
This is a recipe that is a variation of what my father makes. The key ingredient is the lard as this is what gives this cookie its unique flavour. You can substitute shortening or butter, but be warned, the final product is not quite the same as the authentic almond cookie.
Ingredients:
2 ¾ cup flour
1 cup sugar
½ baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup lard
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. almond extract
Sliced or whole almonds for decorating
Preheat the oven to 325⁰ F.
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Cut in the lard until the mixture resembles cornmeal, as you would when making pie pastry. Add the egg and almond extract. Mix thoroughly.
Roll the dough into 1” balls, placing them on an ungreased cookie sheet approximately 2” apart. Flatten the cookie slightly. Decorate with an almond or almond slices. Brush the tops with egg for a finished, glazed look.
Bake for 15 – 18 minutes. Cool on cookie racks. This recipe makes approximately 2 dozen cookies.
Chinese Egg Tarts
This is one easy recipe, especially if you purchase the tart shells lined with premade pastry. For those who like to make their own pastry, I have included the recipe and method. Many times, I simply bake the filling in a glass dish and serve the custard from it once baked, thus omitting the pastry for those who are calorie conscious.
Pastry:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 cups flour
1 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
⅛ tsp. vanilla extract
Mix together the sugar and flour in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture forms small crumbs. Stir in the egg and vanilla extract until the mixture forms a dough. The dough should be slightly moist. If it is too dry, add more butter. If it is greasy, add more flour. Shape the dough into 1 ½” balls. Place the balls into tart shells and press until the bottom and sides of the shells are covered. Pinch the dough edging with your fingers into an inverted “v”.
Preheat the oven to 450⁰ F.
Filling:
⅔ cup white sugar
1 ½ cups water
9 eggs, beaten
⅛ tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk, either evaporated or whole
In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil, cooking until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Strain the eggs through a sieve and whisk in the sugar mixture. Stir in the vanilla and milk. Strain the filling through a sieve. Fill the tart shells.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown and the filling has puffed up. Serve warm or cold. This recipe makes approximately 16 – 24 tarts depending on size of tart shells.
Written by: Beth100
February 8, 2010
© 2010
The Lion Dance, or Dragon Dance, is my favorite dance to watch during the festivities. This clip is from the 2006 Championship held in Malaysia and is of the c
Millionaire Tips -- They taste even better than they look!! :) Thank you and a belated Happy New Year to you too!
melodyandes -- Thank you and I hope that you have had the opportunity to try a few of these delicious recipes. :)
Hello, Beth, I just happened on your hub, 2 years after the writing, and enjoyed it tremendously. It is very interesting, and you presented it beautifully, with all your lovely pictures and videos. Very, very nice indeed! Thank you.
These look delicious. Happy New Year to you!
Great hub. Thanks for sharing this wonderful Chinese Recipes, Beth100.
Daisy Storm -- Aw, thank you! :)
Yummy! :) I have to bookmark this one!
Nikki1 -- Thank you, and I'll see you at the food feast in the forums. I'll bring something yummy! :)
nicely done/thumbs up. Love Chinese food : )
Faybe -- Now you can feed your addiction on demand!!! lol Enjoy and thanks Faybe! :)
My Hero! Almond cookie recipe! I was all but addicted now I can make them. Great hub!
PDH -- So glad to hear that you enjoyed the fried rice. You can sub the chicken for shrimp that's been marinated in soya sauce, corriander, salt and pepper. I'm really happy that you tried the recipe. Thanks Maita! :)
Hey Beth, I tried chicken fried rice last week, yum yum yum, Thank you for this one again, Maita
BP -- I hope you enjoy these! You can always substitute chicken or beef with prawns in the fried rice. :) Bon apetite moi friend!
Oh Beth I am in awe of Chinese food. I am going to treasure the recipes on this hub forever and ever.
Sandyspider -- Then, it's time to COOK!!! lol
Great collection of recipes. I'm hungry!
Steven -- I know you are. :) You know to reach me! ;)
Sheila B. -- Thank you for stopping in...let me know how you like my recipe! Enjoy!
I love egg drop soup and now I'm going to use your recipe and make my own. Thank you very much!
Don't worry, I am happy with my life even when I am alone. In fact, if there's one thing I learned from life it's that it can always be a lot worse, so you have to learn to enjoy the little things about life. That's one of the many things I learned from you Beth. Besides, I was just saying that because I miss you that's all. I can't help it if you'll always be special in my eyes. :)
Steven -- That's sweet but you should always be happy, even when you're alone. Happiness comes within, not without.
Rmcrayne -- These are very easy recipes to make. The lemon chicken is fantastic! Happy New Year Rose Mary!!
Ladybird33 -- Do try! It's a snap to make, and healthy too! I'm doing well, and hope you are too. Happy Valentine's and happy New Year!
Hriy2k -- I'm glad that you have the recipe now. You can "wow" your family with your great cooking! Enjoy! Thank you coming and leaving your positive feedback. Happy New Year!
yum yum.... my all family members like lemon chicken which is shown on this site.i think all will like it... i have seen it first time.. i m very thankful to this site
Learn something new everyday and I certainly did from this. I am going to try the Egg Drop Soup. Thanks for sharing! Hope you are well.
Excellent selection of recipes, and you make them sound do-able. I especially love fried rice and lemon chicken.
lol. that's cool. I don't mind. Besides, as long as I'm with you, Beth, then I'm happy. ;)
Steven -- Looks like there'll be more than just you and me...Maita and Anglnwu will be here to party too! lol Hope you can handle three girls like us! ha ha ha
Iraqidinar -- Yes, this dance is world famous, and Malaysia is the leader!! It really is one of my favorite dances to watch, and the competitions are mesmerisizing. I really urge friends to watch if they've never seen and they are always amazed. Watching it live is even more exciting!! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Dexterdunn -- The lemon chicken -- once you taste it, you'll never go back to the restaurant one again! Enjoy!
Abchs_princess -- Not only do they sound delicious, they taste heavenly! You must try! :)
Sound just delicious! All of them!
Great info, I can not wait to try the the Lemon Chicken.
the lion dance i9s the most famouus in malaysia..it has been 9 years for world championship~great~thands for posting it.it so bravo~
lol. We still do, but I don't see what the problem in asking you out for another date before then. ;) Besides, you know how much I can't enough of being around a great girl like yourself. ;)
Tina -- It's hard to resist, isn't it? Especially since it is so healthy!
Ladylux -- ha ha ha Looks like you're not the first to get hungry after reading this! Now, go, cook and enjoy! :)
Dfelker -- Oh yeah, the authentic way of calling it!! Don-tart or in Hoisun, Un-tart! mmmm either way, it tastes delish!!! Can't get enough of it!
Anglnwu -- Of course your invited!!! We can really celebrate! I haven't been home for a few years too, but not as long as you. We'll make it authentic with the sesame balls, soya chicken, bar-b-que duck, cha sui, and.... ohhh, I'm making myself hungry!!! XD
Steven -- Didn't we have a dinner date for Valentine's? At least that's what I recall..... lol
Georgina -- Ahhh, what I would do for a real good, authentic Dim Sum!! It would even fall on New Years and Valentines! When I lived in the big city, I had the same problem with the egg tarts. Now, whenever I get a craving for them, I whip up a batch at home. :)
Purple Perl -- I'm glad you like the collection and I hope you try them! They taste as good as the look, maybe better! lol
Am I invited too? You, Maita and I could have a celebration! I miss real Chinese New Year--have not gone home for real CNY celebration for 13 years! Your hub makes me miss home so much... I love egg-tarts, so maybe I'll try to surprise myself with these delicious treats. Thanks for sharing.
OMG, I love don-tart, that's what we called it! I've never tried to make it before, but now I've got to try. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh man. You're making me hungry! Thanks for the great recipes!
Me too. I love asian cooking
Wonderful recipes,Beth.
You have some great recipes here. I'll be trying a few. Am bookmarking this hub and bumping it up. I'm very fond of chinese egg custards. When I lived in the city and was able to go for Dim Sum on Sundays you had to get your order in really quickly for those, because they sold out first - always!
oops sorry, didn't realize i made a typo. i meant a to say, "only if a pretty girl like you is willing to join me though. ;)" lol. sorry about that.
lol. sure, only if a pretty girl like is willing to join me though. ;)
Ann -- ha ha ha I was ravenous at 1 in the morning when I finished adding the photos! I made the lemon chicken tonight because it tempted me too much after I posted the photo. lol All the recipes are easy to make, so try and enjoy! Thanks for always leaving me your feedback. I appreciate it greatly. :)
Steven -- There's nothing like home cooking! So, grab some ingredients, print the page and start cooking!! When you're done, send me some! :)
Joyceann0129 -- Thank you for stopping by!
yummy..^^tnx 4 sharing^^
Wow, thanks for the great recipe ideas beth. I'll be sure to try them out sometime. It kind of reminds me of the food, that my mom used to make when I was a kid. I miss eating Chinese food. Don't get me wrong, I still eat chinese, but just not as often as I used to. However, after reading this hub, you kind of made me hungry for some. lol. thanks again beth for the great read.
Hmm, and I thought I could only get this stuff at a restaurant! I really want to try this, Beth! And what makes it worse is I am hungry RIGHT NOW! haha
PDH -- We could always meet halfway! You bring some, and I'll bring some and we could part-ee all weekend long!!! Good am to you too, my dear friend. :)
yum yum yum Beth, I wish you are near here, I will try the egg drop soup, and the fried rice your version, thank you dear and good am, Maita,
Welcome to the Weekly HubMob. This week's topic is the Chinese New Year, and the following RSS Feed provides many more great hubs on this subject.
- Honoring Dogs During Chinese New Year Festival
February 11, 2010 The fifteen day Chinese New Year Festival is a time of celebration and fun. Most of the activities center around family and friends. This is a time for people to get together... - 2 years ago
- Chinese New Year: A Holiday Recipe Collection
Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and it is celebrated with a feast on New Year's Eve. Recipes include egg drop soup, kung pao chicken, lemon chicken, chicken fried rice, Chinese almond... - 2 years ago
- My Time as a Waitress in a Chinese Restaurant
I worked in a Chinese restaurant called Asia Garden, when I was seventeen. The place was run by a married couple, Anne and Danny Hom. He was from Cleveland, Ohio, but Anne was from the Cantonese... - 2 years ago
- Colors and Their Meanings in Chinese Culture
Have you ever wonder what are the meanings of colors? Well in China, there are meanings to every color. The traditions and culture of the Chinese people are the subjects of so many studies and... - 2 years ago
- Chinese New Year Celebrations: I Miss Chinese New Year Like Crazy
Chinese New Year celebrates the coming of spring. The festivities that come with Chinese New Year bring much joy and excitement. Having moved away from Singapore, I miss the occasion terribly. - 2 years ago
For good health in the coming year:
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Beth100 2 weeks ago
mizjo -- The beauty of cooking is that it never ages. The recipes and methods stand the test of time, so it is never too late to come across a good recipe. I'm very glad that you found this gem. Thank you and I hope that you try one of these tantalizing dishes. :)