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
