Make Your Own Chinese New Year Dishes

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

31 Jan 2008 03:03 PM

Mark your calendars--this year Chinese New Year begins on February 7th. Which means you have exactly one week to finalize your party menu... or make dinner reservations at your favorite Chinese restaurant.

Actually, the point of this blog is to encourage the former instead of the latter, more convenient option. I grew up in Hawaii where Chinese New Year is celebrated with huge block parties featuring massive buffet tables lined with the most delicious homemade Chinese delicacies.

Growing up my favorite Chinese New Year treat was Soy Zing Dan Gow, a steamed Chinese sponge cake that is specifically made for special occasions such as the New Year. Unfortunately, I don't have the recipe for that dish, but I am posting the recipes for two other Chinese dishes that my grandfather used to make year round.

The first one is a tasty noodle dish (goodness knows you don't have to be Chinese to love Chinese noodles), which features bacon and loads of vegetables. Strict traditional recipes call for Chinese bacon or Chinese pork sausage, which you'd have to hunt down in Chinatown or a Chinese grocery store. But for simplicity sake you can substitute with regular bacon found in your local market.

The second recipe is a chicken dish, and honestly, I don't even know if it is a traditional Chinese dish, but my grandpa made it on Chinese New Year and it complements the noodle dish so I thought I would include it in this post.

I hope you try these recipes next week to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Rat (I was born in a rat year so I plan to have an extra helping of noodles).

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

GON LO MEIN

Ingredients for the Noodles:

2 tablespoon sesame oil

3 pounds Hong Kong fried noodles (thin noodles available in the Asian section of most markets; you can also find them at Chinese grocery stores)

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup oyster sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Other Ingredients:

1 pound bacon, diced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, sliced

3 stalks celery, julienned

1 carrot, julienned

1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

1 cup chives in 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup sliced cabbage (optional)

Ingredients for Garnish:

1 cup sliced green onions

1 bunch chopped Chinese parsley (a.k.a cilantro), leaves only

Directions:

Combine noodle ingredients, except vegetable oil, and marinate for 30 minutes.

In a wok (or large pan), fry bacon to crisp; remove bacon and grease.

Add vegetable oil to wok. Stir-fry vegetables until tender. Set aside and add bacon.

Add 3 more tablespoons of oil to the wok and reheat.

Add noodles and brown. Return vegetables to noodles and stir well.

Top with garnishes.

Serves 12.

BBQ PEANUT CHICKEN

Ingredients:

5 pounds chicken boneless thighs cut in cubes

12 wooden skewers

Ingredients for Marinade:

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon miso

1 tablespoon peanut butter

6 cloves garlic, minced

6 slices ginger, minced

2 tablespoons mirin

1/2 cup green onion

1/2 teaspoon garlic chile paste

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions:

Combine marinade ingredients and marinate chicken for at least one hour.

Place chicken on a grill or stir-fry until fully cooked.

Serve pieces on wooden skewers.

Makes about 12 sticks.

Related Articles:

Celebrating Chinese New Year in Hawaii

Chinese Tea Cookies

Chinese Steamed Buns with Roast Pork (Cha Shao Pao)

Vegetarian Peanut Butter Noodles

Chinese Beef with Green Peppers

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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