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by wenhousecrafts.com

Chinese New Year's Eve Dinner

6 Feb 2008

China has a highly developed food culture, every festivity is marked by its featured dinner party. But no dinner is more important than that on Chinese New Year's Eve, which is the ultimate revelation to the core values of the Chinese culture: family, unity and harmony.

On a Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner, traditionally, there is one dish that is considered as absolutely indispensable: a whole fish (全鱼). Fish in Chinese has the same preconception as abundence, so the fish must not be cut into sections, nor should its head and tail be chopped off (so as to keep the abundence intact from beginning of the year to the end); and the fish shall not be all eaten (let abundence extend to the next day).

Silver Flowers 银装素裹

Ingredients:

Cabbage heat 12
White fungus 15g
Cornstarch
Chicken stock

Preparation:

1, Soak white fungus in water until tender, remove roots and wash thoroughly. Place in a boiling water until well cooked.

2, Heat wok over high heat, add chicken stock and oil, bring to boil. Add cabbage hearts and cook until done, season with salt and sugar. Remove to a plate and arrange in a circle.

3, Heat wok over high heat, add oil, then white fungus, stir fry for a white, season with salt, sugar and stock, bring to boil. Cook covered over low heat for a few minutes, add cornstarch, blend well and bring to boil. Place on the middle of the cabbage circle.

Fragrant Heart 香菇菜心

Ingredients:

Green cabbage 12
Dry mushroom 25g
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Cornstarch

Preparation:

1, Soak dry mushroom until tender, wash in running water thoroughly.

2, Place dry mushrooms in a bowl, season with soy sauce, sugar and a bit water, steam until well done.

3, Heat wok over high heat, add a bit water, salt and oil, bring to boil. Roll in cabbage hearts, stir until tenderly cooked. Place in a plate, and arrange the cabbage as shown in the picture.

4, Heat wok over medium heat, add steamed dry mushrooms and dissolved cornstarch, mix well, bring to boil. Place on the middle of the cabbage circle.

Jade Case 翠绿玉镯

Ingredients:

Cucumber ½
Pork mince 75g
Rice wine 1 teaspoon
Soy sauce 1 teaspoon
Sesame oil 1 teaspoon
Corn flour 1 teaspoon
Shallots
Peper

Preparation:

1, Cut cucumber into two as shown in picture, spoon out the content. Chop shallot into small pieces.

2, Chop the cucumber content into pieces, mix with pork mince and shallot pieces, season with rice wine and soy sauce.

3, Fill the mix in the cucumber, seal with cornstarch paste.

4, Place the cucumber in a bowl in the way as shown in the picture.

5, Steam until done, add sesame oil.

Eight Treasures Rice 八宝饭

Ingredients:

Sticky rice 50g
Red jujube 20
Walnut meat 50g
Pumpkin seeds kernels 50g
Red beans 50g
White sugar 100g
Lard

Preparation:

1, Soak jujube in water until tender. Roast walnut meat until done. Steam sticky rice. Cook red beans untill tender, then mash into a paste.

2, Spread lard evenly over the surface a big bowl, place pumpkin seeds, jujube, walnut meat first, then add a layer of cocked sticky rice, then add mashed red beans, then more sticky rice. Steam over high heat for 20 minutes.

3, Remove the bowl from the steamer, cover with a plate then invert to allow the content to be transferred to the plate.

4, Topping with white sugar, mix even while serve.

(Photos: 航空 .forum.xinhuanet.com)

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