While there are many traditions surrounding Lunar New Year, one of the best ways to celebrate is with food. Here is everything you need to know about recreating the Chinese holiday with your little ones – plus auspicious foods and recipes provided by Asian Inspirations to get them cooking for the next family feast.
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Did you know that around a quarter of the world’s population celebrates Lunar New Year? Or approximately two billion people? It’s a pretty big deal… These riotous festivities welcome in a new year on the Chinese calendar, with the date changing every year depending on moon cycles.
And each is recognised by a cycle of 12 animals: 2021 was the Year of the Ox, while 2022 (falling on 1 February) is the Year of the Tiger.
When ushering out the old, and welcoming in the new, the goal of Lunar New Year is always the same: to bring luck and prosperity to the next 12 months. Fireworks, colourful parades and lion dancing are all part of the festivities across Asia, with traditions tweaked depending on the country, city and age of revellers.
In Vietnam, the Lunar New Year (called Tet) is celebrated with music and dragon dancing and catch-ups with family.
While in Indonesia, the New Year (called Imlek) sees temples crowded with worshippers, fireworks in the streets and red decorations around the home – red signifies good luck.
And in Hong Kong, streets are set aglow with lanterns, markets overflow with fresh flowers and incense wafts from temples.
But one thing that never changes: the party doesn’t start until there’s food on the table. Think gathering with family and friends of all ages to prepare elaborate meals, then sitting down to clamorous feasts with dishes that are special, bring good luck and are always hotly anticipated.
The best part? You don’t have to live in Asia to celebrate. Most Lunar New Year specialty dishes are super simple, so you can get kids of all ages learning about tradition and culture while helping you prepare a magical meal full of memories. Who knows – you may even discover a favourite dish that you can incorporate into your weekly menu roster.
There are so many different types of dumplings you can make, to suit every taste and dietary requirement. Aside from being delicious, these bundles are highly auspicious: they look like little money pouches, signalling good fortune and wealth). They also bring the family together to spend time in the kitchen cooking. They’re typically wrapped on Lunar New Year’s Eve, ready to devour the next day as you start anew.
Dumplings can be boiled, steamed or fried – you can even make them in the air fryer! – and come with a variety of fillings. Try a vegetarian option with shitake and tofu. Or Chinese soup dumplings (xiaolongbao).
Alternatively, make Japanese-style curry prawn gyoza with an umami twist of prawn, snow peas and spring onion, flavoured with S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix and Yeo’s Pure Sesame Oil. When it comes to dipping, opt for a sauce made with Obento Rice Wine Vinegar to taste.
The Chinese word for fish sounds like ‘surplus’… which is what you want to have a lot of in the New Year, right? As a result, steamed fish (particularly carp and catfish) is on pretty much every Lunar New Year menu you’ll come across. Try steamed fish with soy sauce, Teochew-style steamed fish, or a truly Aussie incarnation: Steamed Barramundi Fish with Preserved Radish.
Whatever you opt for, be sure to leave a little extra on the serving plate – this shows there is ‘surplus’ for the New Year.
It makes sense to eat them during the spring festival, right? These tasty cylindrical morsels are known as a symbol of wealth and prosperity. The thin dough wrappers are traditionally filled with meat and vegetables, then deep fried… to resemble a bar of gold, or your wealth into the new year. Try them with noodles and herbs, or fresh, minus the deep-fried shell but with plenty of flavour.
Perhaps the tastiest of them all are cha gio spring rolls, that encapsulate the flavours of southern Vietnam. These babies have a unique flavour you won’t find in mainland Chinese versions. The secret? A zesty, tangy and umami dip with Squid Brand Fish Sauce, Yeo’s Pire Sesame Oil, lemon juice, garlic, sugar and bird’s eye chilli.
The longer the noodle, the better – each delicious strand symbolising longevity. You will often find dan dan noodles on the menu at Chinese New Year festivities, the tasty wheat noodles doused in an addictive sesame-based sauce. Traditionally, there’s a hit of tongue-numbing Sichuan spice, but the levels can be modified to suit junior palettes.
If you want to enjoy really long-lasting luck, try this Chicken yaki udon umami Japanese stir-fry. It requires only a handful of ingredients, including Hakubaku Organic Udon noodles, accompanied by chicken, cabbage and bean sprouts, all flavoured with Kewpie Mayonnaise.
Whether you’re roasting or steaming, cooking a whole chicken is the ultimate way to seal in the juices and flavours, making for a meal that is moist and utterly delectable. Traditionally, a whole chicken is steamed or roasted then cut into pieces, with diners offering a bite to ancestors before digging in themselves. This brings protection and blessings into the New Year.
As an added bonus, ‘ji’ (‘chicken’) is a homophone for ‘fortuitous’. You just know luck is on your side.
You don’t need to go over the top with sauces. Try steaming your chook with fragrant spring onion oil infused with sesame and soy. Or, opt for roasting it, Indonesian style, marinating your bird in a special marinade of ABC Sweet Soy Sauce, TCC Premium Coconut Milk, ginger, lemongrass, palm sugar and a mix of aromatic spices. You can just imagine the smell…
These sweet and sticky cakes are not only super easy to make, they are super fun to eat. The words ‘nian gao’ sound similar to the phrase ‘getting higher, year on year’ in Chinese. Which in turn, practically guarantees prosperity and improvement when you take a bite.
Flour, water, sugar, banana leaves and a steamer are the essential ingredients. When cooled, the cakes are often sliced and served with other delicacies, like fried with eggs, steamed again with coconut, or deep-fried with yam.
Think of these treats as steamed cupcakes, ones that form ‘petals’ while they are cooking away. The more petals that blossom as they steam, the more prosperous your year will be. While you can colour them any shade of the rainbow, pink is the most traditional shade at this time of year. Like nian gao, fa gao are quick and easy to make.
Not only are these lettuce cups a crowd pleaser, they also promise to bring your family good luck in the New Year – the Cantonese word for ‘lettuce’ sounds like ‘rising fortune’. There are so many fillings you can add to your san choy bow, from minced meat to seafood to loads of veggies. They’re crispy, saucy, healthy… and addictive.
While meat, chicken and fish are practically compulsory at the Lunar New Year table, there’s a special place set aside for prawns at any feast. The word for prawns in Cantonese is ‘ha’, and the idea is that eating prawns will bring you laughter and happiness – Ha ha… it’s true!
Try them in a fresh an flavourful Thai salad, made fragrant with Valcom Tom Yum Paste, Squid Brand Fish Sauce and a dash of creamy Kewpie Mayonnaise. You can add your favourite fresh veggies, but we recommend avocado, cucumber, heirloom tomatoes and rocket. These ingredients will cool the pungent hit delivered by the prawns.
This article is a Holidays with Kids digital exclusive and was produced in partnership with Asian Inspirations. Be the first to see more exclusive online content by subscribing to the enewsletter here.
Lead image © Asian Inspirations
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