The new year eve dinner is the most important eat for all Chinese. The whole country is in a revolutionary back-home-move for almost a month, just in order to catch a family reunion that sit next to your love ones, put down all troubles, and wish everyone another best new beginning. It's a family dinner, and sure varies from cities and regions, but all in a very traditional and special set. Meaningful ingredients, symbolized names, the way to cook and present, even the number of dishes served, are all very strict. It's not a good time to try mix-and-match, or east-meet-west.
It takes days ahead to plan and prepare traditional new year dishes form scratch, one step is to deep fry many of the ingredients.
I never like this task. It is hot, smoke, smelly, dangerous and could take forever. But I liked to visit my dad from time to time, when he did this all-night-long-and-alone job. I was a very devoted volunteer: I ate a meatball, then told him ahhh it's so hot, I'm not sure if too salty or not enough. Then could eat another one.... Or another one to be exact....
Now this deep fry pot become my special annual treat to my boys. Their favorite are spring rolls and shrimp chips.
What is your family festival memory?
Ginger and Scallop Steamed Chicken. Word "chick" sounds alike lucky in Chinese. And we need big chick, so that is big luck. My chick is doing good yoga posture. Instead of chop it, I like to top the sauce and serve it without bones, except legs and wings parts.
Don't you think my lemon and plum sauce roasted whole duck looks pretty? This sells better than French Duck a l'Orange in my house.
Steamed Fish. Yes, you get to have fish on table since it means extra. Enough is not enough, make sure even extra. And yes, as most of dish, you get to serve it as a whole, from head-to-tail shows sincere and perfect, also means doing things good through from beginning to the end.
Pork Belly and Taro. My hometown's must-have tradition. Only for the pork part, needs to broil, pricking, marinated, deep fry, steamed. It's an hours-after-hours labor of love.
Stuffed Meatball. Round and circle is a symbol of reunion and perfect. Oh I cannot tell how much efforts putting inside these things, you just cannot see. Mmm but the taste is perfect. One of my boys all time favorite.
Bean curd sticks. It means enough and rich. It is a simple look and never simple to make dish. Similar as how to get enough and rich?
Varies of mushrooms, bamboo shoot and carrots. A veg dish.
Lettuce. A must because pronounce similar as making money. Ahh how important that could be.
During the little "break" between roasting or steaming (6 burners are actually all on), I am able to make some dumplings. I'm a southern girl, dumpling is very much not my natural-born-skill. But neither is ribeye steak right?! I believe anything could work out fine, as long as you put your heart into it.
My heart here is the inside, therefore, please ignore the amateur outside look. Corn and Pork is my boys all time fav, chives and pork is a classic and lucky symbol. I use homemade chicken broth and spend time and elbow effort to seasoning and texture the meat, with a thin wrap and big and tasty inside, it becomes a blast of the night.
I cannot believe I finished cooking the whole meal within 2 hours this year, again. It is not healthy to anyone's heart. I need to reserve more time next year. Why this is the same lesson learned every time.
Wish you enjoy the best of any festival! Eat well, smile more.
