When Chinese food is mentioned in the UK, many people immediately picture a Friday night takeaway: a box of sloppy chow mein, sweet and sour chicken, and chips drenched in curry sauce. Comforting as it may be, much of this familiar spread would be unrecognizable to the average Chinese person as it is often shaped by convenience and pre-made sauces rather than the flavours found in Chinese homes. With Chinese New Year approaching on the 17^th of February, I want to share three of my favourite dishes that are actually cooked at this time of year—recipes rooted in tradition and symbolism, each chosen to welcome the Year of the Horse with luck, prosperity, and a table full of good food to share with friends and family.

Veggie Dumplings (饺子jiǎozi)

Dumplings are one of the most traditional foods eaten during Chinese New Year, particularly in northern and central China. They are believed to bring prosperity and luck into the new year because their crescent shape resembles ancient Chinese gold ingots. During New Year celebrations, some families even hide a coin inside one dumpling, and whoever finds it is thought to be especially lucky for the year ahead. Although dumplings come with various fillings, these veggie dumplings with shredded carrots, mushrooms and scrambled egg is one of my personal favourites as my mum would make them for Chinese New Year and they are a comforting reminder of home.

Ingredients (for 25 dumplings):

• 25 dumpling wrappers (you will be able to get these at your local Chinese supermarket, try Asa Mart in Cardiff city centre or Jing Xing Seafood Supermarket on City Road)
• 2 carrots, julienned into thin strips
• 5-6 shiitake mushrooms, diced into small cubes
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• Ginger, finely chopped or grated
• 5 eggs
• Light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, regular/vegan oyster sauce, sesame oil

Method:

1. Scramble your eggs on medium heat until they become small, golden chunks and are no longer runny, set aside for later use.
2. Sautee your carrots for 1-2 mins until softened.
3. In a large bowl, mix your cooked carrots and eggs with the shiitake mushrooms, spring onions, and ginger.
4. Add in 2 spoons of light soy sauce, 1 spoon of dark soy sauce, 1 spoon of oyster sauce, 1-2 spoons of sesame oil and mix until combined.
5. Place a dumpling wrapper on your palm, fill it with one spoon of filling making sure you leave space around the edges. Wet the edge of the wrapper with your finger and some water, then fold the wrapper over, pinching the wrapper together at the top so that it seals.
6. Seal the two ends of the dumpling wrapper by using a finger to fold the wrapper inward and pressing the edges firmly together.
7. Starting from one end, pinch along the sealed edge to close the dumpling completely. Create four small pleats by pressing your thumbs and index fingers together as you go. Or simply seal the dumpling however is easiest for you, as long as the filling does not spill out.
8. Repeat steps 5-7 until you make 25 dumplings.
9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in your dumplings and stir gently to prevent sticking. When the water boils again, add ½ a small bowl of cold water and cover. Repeat this twice until your dumplings float and are plump.
10. Scoop your dumplings out of the water, serve on a plate with soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili crisp to dip.

Sweet and sour ribs (糖醋排骨tángcù páigǔ)

One of my favourite dishes of all time, sweet and sour ribs is one of the authentic sweet and sour dishes that Chinese takeout takes inspiration from. Its tangy from the dark, aged vinegar that perfectly balances out the rock sugar’s sweetness. Requiring little ingredients, it’s easy to make and always a guaranteed showstopper. Often prepared for Chinese New Year, the dish is believed to symbolise progress and success because the ribs’ segmented form evokes the phrase “rising step by step in life” (节节高升), as the Chinese character 节 (jié)  can refer to both the word for ‘segment’ and to ‘stages in life’.

Ingredients:

• Pork ribs, chopped into 1inch pieces, 500g
• Soy sauce 1.5 tbsp
• Dark soy sauce 1 tbsp
• Chinese cooking wine 2 tbsp
• Ginger, 3-4 slices
• Chinese black vinegar 2.5 tbsp
• Rock Sugar 3.5 tbsp
• Cooking oil 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Fill a pot with cold water and add in the chopped pork ribs.
2. Heat water until boiling then simmer for another 3 minutes, sifting out any bubbling fat on the surface with a spoon.
3. Take the ribs out and pat dry.
4. In a wok or deep pan, add the oil. When hot, add the rock sugar and cook on medium heat until sugar dissolves (be careful not to burn the sugar).
5. Add in the ribs and stir to coat each piece evenly, then add in the slices of ginger.
6. Add in the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vinegar, cooking wine and just enough water to cover the ribs.
7. Cover with lid and cook for 40 minutes on low heat.
8. Once the water level is quite low, turn to medium-high heat, stirring until the sauce thickens into a glaze.
9. Serve with a handful of white sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Stir fried eggplant, potato, and peppers (地三鲜 dì sān xiān)

This dish is a staple from the Northeastern region of China. It is a stir fry of different veggies in a thick umami glaze. The starchy softness of the potatoes and the silky texture of the eggplants pair perfectly with the crunchy, fresh peppers. Although not traditional to Chinese New Years, its heartiness and simplicity makes it a great dish for beginners to Chinese cooking.  

Ingredients:

• 1 aubergine, peeled and chopped (1-inch chunks)
• 1 potato, chopped (1-inch chunks)
• 1 large green chili pepper (not sweet pepper), chopped (1-inch chunks)
• 1/2 large red chili pepper, chopped (1-inch chunks)  
• Garlic, 1 tbsp, finely chopped
• Corn starch, 1 tbsp

Sauce (combine in a bowl)

• Sugar ½ tbsp
• Soy sauce, 1 tbsp
• Dark soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp
• Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp
• Corn starch, 1 tbsp
• Water, 100mL or approximately half a small bowl

Method:

1. Add 1 tbsp of corn starch to a bowl with the aubergine, mix in until coated.   
2. Add oil to pan, wait until it heats up before adding the potatoes and chili peppers. Stir fry until golden and cooked through, then set aside for later.
3. In the same pan, add in your aubergine and fry until golden, then cover with a lid for 2 mins until aubergine softens.
4. Add and stir in the garlic before adding the cooked potatoes, and peppers.
5. Add in sauce mixture and stir fry until the sauce thickens and coats all the veggies evenly.
6. Serve with a handful of spring onions if you feel like making it look fancier for your Chinese New Year celebrations!

Words by Eiriana Zhou

Featured image courtesy of Alex Hu via Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image licence found here.