Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, is this Sunday. Traditionally, there’s feasting to be had on the eve of the new year. On the actual new year’s day, a vegetarian dish, Buddhist’s Delight or jai is served.
Certain dishes symbolize certain things. Dumplings for prosperity. Noodles for long life (make sure not to cut the noodles). Dried bean curd (tofu) for wealth and happiness. Mixed vegetables for family harmony and serving items whole to represent family unity and togetherness.
Appetizers
Stuffed Tofu Puffs with Chili Garlic Sauce
Deep-fried tofu puffs stuffed to overflowing with a potato-carrot filling, steamed and then topped with a chili garlic sauce.
Cream Cheese Wontons
Baked cream cheese and spinach wontons, a delightful concoction of east meeting west.
Main Dishes
Mock Chicken
Kinda looks like roasted white chicken, but it’s not. Bean curd sheets rolled with a mushroom filling and steamed. I could eat the whole thing by myself.
Roasted Tofu with Leeks and Black Bean Sauce
Golden roasted tofu cubes tossed in a savory black bean sauce. Lucky me. I mean you, lucky you.
Asian Styled Seitan and Vegetable Stew
Seitan chunks braised with potatoes, carrots and daikon, seasoned with star anise. A red-colored dish to ward off evil spirits.
Cantonese Style Vegetable Chow Mein
Baked crispy noodles topped with a medley of stir-fried bok choy, snow peas, bean sprouts and mushrooms. Remember not to cut the noodles.
Side Dishes
Vegetarian BBQ Pork Fried Rice
Rice stir-fried with veggies and bbq veggie pork (another “red” item to keep away those evil spirits).
Stir-Fried Yu Choy Sum
A simple stir-fry of chinese greens with just a bit of garlic. Keep it whole for that whole unity thing.
Dessert
Baked Banana Tempura
Not exactly a Chinese dessert but what a sweet and yummy ending.
Tangerines and oranges
Sweet, refreshing and symbolic of luck and wealth.
Wishing you health, wealth and happiness in the Year of the Tiger.
Happy Lunar New Year!
Thanks for this–an excellent roundup of your always amazing dishes and pics. Happy New Year!
omg, looks seriously amazingly delicious!! i really wish i had better asian food making skills. happy new year to you!
This is fantastic! Thank you so much!
All of this looks absolutely fantastic! Delicious food, and the relevance to the New Year celebration is really interesting. Great post!
What a fantastic display! Thanks for the ideas.
wow, what a feast!
Wow, that menu looks absolutely incredible!
WOW. Beautiful Photo.
What I had was something slightly different – a very simple CNY set, one of the dish is Yusheng which is singapore creation –
http://chicvegetarianfood.blogspot.com/2010/02/experience-peranakan-thai-cny-cuisine.html
Wishing you a happy and prosperous lunar new year :)
Cheers crystal
wow you were very busy cooking. It all looks very appetizing.
i made your bean curd chicken for the chinese new year feast i went to and it was a hit! only wish i had made more since it went to fast. thanks again for this amazing recipe!
Looks amazing! But overwhelming – I don’t know where to start.
Hello! Just wondering if you had tried Enjoy Vegetarian Restaurant in SF. Serves Cantonese Chinese style cooking in addition to others and has tons of options. I’ve been with family and left with 13 boxes of leftovers..
Just thought I’d pass it along in case you hadn’t been (:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/enjoy-vegetarian-restaurant-san-francisco-3
Louise – I haven’t heard of the restaurant before but if I’m in the area, I’ll check it out. Thanks for the tip! :-)