Saturday, January 21, 2012

Chinese New Year - Food to Celebrate the Year of the Dragon














Parade to celebrate Chinese New Year complete with red lanterns and a dragon.

Chinese or Lunar New Year is also called Spring Festival. It is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The year 4710 - the year of the dragon - begins on the 23rd of January and will last for 15 days. Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on its darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the lunar month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. Legend has it, that in ancient times Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality traits. Those born in the Year of the Dragon are powerful, energetic, sensitive, trustworthy, brave, strong and sometimes excitable. I'll bet they also love to eat. Food is an important part of the New Year celebration and certain foods are included for their symbolic value; noodles are served for longevity, oranges for wealth and prosperity and a whole fish for abundance and togetherness. I thought this would be a good time to reprise some of the Chinese recipes we've posted here. I want to wish all who will be celebrating, a happy and auspicious New Year. Gung hay fat choy, 恭喜發財.







Long Life Noodles















Nian Gao - Sticky Rice Cake
















Open Mouths Laughing - Kou Xiao Gao















Pearl Balls - Louie's Chinese Meatballs














Crock-Pot: Asian-Style Country Ribs with Garlic Black Bean Sauce














Shrimp Cakes with Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce

















Shanghai Noodles



















Yangzhou Fried Rice


















Salt and Pepper Pork Chops


















Stir Fried Chicken with Broccoli

















Orange Ginger Chicken
















Lamb Shreds with Deep Fried Cellophane Noodles

















Chow Fun















Shrimp Omelet from the Pearl River Delta
















Salt Roasted Chicken
















Garlic Stewed Spareribs

















Singapore Noodles
















Chiang Mai Curry Noodles with Chicken


















Spicy Noodles with Curried Peanut Sauce















Lion's Head Meatballs
















Minced Chicken with Oyster Sauce



















Chinese-Style Almond Cookies

33 comments :

Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine said...

Very cool photo's Mary how fun!

Ginny Hartzler said...

What a wonderful selection you have given us, I'm deciding which to look at first. And I'm thinking it will be the sticky rice cakes. I'm especially interested in this post because my granddaughter is Chinese!

Miss Migas said...

Hey! I click on the shrimp omelette link and it's not working, just to let you know =)
The recipes look incredible!!

Nisha said...

Whoa! That's a lot of dishes from Chinese cuisine you've made!

Several links to the recipe post aren't working, Mary.

Pondside said...

I'd like to try the noodles - love to try different sorts of peanut sauces. The links aren't all working, but I'll come back later.
Last week we went out for Dim Sum to Victoria's most famous Dim Sum restaurant. What a treat it was!
Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Jeannie said...

Great post, love the wonderful dishes you posted:) and the photos too of course!

Barbara said...

Actually, none of the links work.

Red Nomad OZ said...

I don't know what kind of luck I'd be having if I actually finished such a sumptuous feast!! Now my mouth's watering ...

Happy New Year!!

Meatloaf Recipe said...

OMG! what a great posting! Thanks a lot for sharing with us :)

Diane said...

Mary please can you check your links, none of them are working!!
Thanks for all the information though. Diane

Kim said...

Wow! I never realise, before today, taht there was so much chinese recipes on your blog. everything looks really good to celebrate chinese New Year. Think I'm gonna prepare some chinese food to, you inspired me. Have a nice week end Mary!

Mary Bergfeld said...

All links have been restored. Thanks for letting me know. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

Victor said...

OMG! Great post. I'm impressed that you cooked all these Asian dishes in the past.

I love the fact you made Chinese New Year Cake - Nian Gao.

Claudia said...

Didn't know the Buddha legend but you know I love it. And this is the year of Dragon! And I am a dragon - looking forward to a dynamic year. Happy Chinese New Year, Mary.

Claudia said...

Pressed "send" too early. You know I went straight for the noodles - but thinking will be doing orange chicken. Something about the bright citrus in January.

Top Cuisine avec Lavi said...

This is a great menu! Love your blog!

KimH said...

Im still getting 404 errors to the links.
So many sound & look so good.. Yum! Cant wait to try a few of them! Thanks for a great post!

Joanne said...

what a fabulous collection of recipes! I've been trying to decide on a traditional dessert to bring into work for CNY...and this is a great help!

Chelsea said...

Thank you for sharing that info! I never knew much about Chinese New Year- so interesting!

Valérie said...

So many links! Thank you for sharing. Happy Chinese New Year to you!

Culinary Collage said...

These dishes all looks amazing! I love the curry and peanut sauce combo....one of my favorite dishes....yum!

Jeanette said...

Love your Chinese New Year roundup! Happy Year of the Dragon!

Bicultural Mama said...

Great photos and info...Happy Chinese New Year!

Amy said...

Gong Hay Fat Choy to you! :) What a lovely post and wonderful collection of recipes. Thanks for sharing. Wish you a wonderful weekend.

abbi said...

Thanks for posting these, I've been on the look out for some good, authentic Chinese dishes!

MegSmith @ Cooking.In.College said...

Wow what interesting and gorgeous food! Thanks for sharing :-)

Nicole said...

Everything in this round-up looks fabulous. I'd especially love to try the Kou Xiao Gao, the "Open Mouths Laughing". Love the name!

Shannon Hilson said...

Yum! What delicious-looking food. I was born in the Year of the Dragon and I definitely love to eat.

Melinda said...

Now I am hungry!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Melinda

Tanna said...

Your post looks like a Chinese buffet of MY DREAMS!! Oh, everything looks good!!!

Just to let you know, we enjoyed the Chicken with the Salsa Fresca tonight!! I added avacado and sea salt to the salsa... my socks are STILL going up and down!! We loved this. Thank you, Mary. Yours are the go-to recipes I enjoy. blessings ~ tanna

David said...

Mary, Sooo many great recipes and so little time! I especially liked the slow cooked Asian Ribs and the salt & pepper pork chops. Mouth is now watering... Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Becki's Whole Life said...

Wow Mary - this is a great collection of recipes for Chinese New Year. We had a little celebration at my house last night and the girls helped me to make steamed dumplings. I didn't know you had so many great noodle recipes...I am going to have to make these for the actual day...they all sound divine!

lena said...

yeah, the chinese believe that those born in the year of dragon are powerful, one of the strongest animal in the animal zodiac chart..not suprised to see more couples working towards for dragon child this year. great chinese food you hv there!

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