Popular Foods To Celebrate The Year Of The Water Dragon

Chinese New Year begins on January 23 and will end 15 days later. It is the "Year of Dragon", the Water Dragon, to be precise. Therefore, it is obvious that you will make some popular foods to celebrate it. Food is inherent to Chinese culture, just like every other culture in the world and no where is this as evident as during the Chinese New Year celebrations. So, to make your celebrations as colorful, here are some of the popular foods, which you would like to make for the festive spirit:

1) Steamed Dumplings

These dumplings are a treat to eat and to make as well. Made with Chinese cabbage, scallions, pork, and seasoning, these yummy balls turn out to be much more than just food when you serve them on your New Year dinner table.

2) Sesame Chicken

Sesame seeds are an important condiment in Chinese culinary parlance, not only for their taste but for their nutrient value too. Therefore, this sesame chicken is a must on the New Year menu. Making it is very simple and you can make it with just a few ingredients.

3) Sweet ‘n Spicy Pork  

This different recipe brings together the yumminess associated with the sweet and the tanginess of spice in perfect balance, just like your ‘yin and yang’ should be. Just the right way to start your New Year!

4) Chinese Cabbage Salad

This salad is an amalgamation of good vegetables and delicious noodles along with the tangy rice vinegar and the seasoning is lent by pepper and ramen seasoning. Do add this to your menu on the occasion of the Year of the Water Dragon.

5) Egg Foo Yung

This makes for a perfect side dish, when you are organizing a Chinese meal. What is better is that you can use the leftover chicken, or any other meat and just sauté it with vegetables of your choice, and, of course, eggs.

6) Chicken Lo Mein

This dish is delicious to taste and the tender chicken is complimented by the strong flavors of ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. If you add fresh cilantro, chopped, to it when it is ready, you will have taken this dish to just another level.

7) Chinese New Year Turnip Cake

Now for something sweet but not exactly a dessert! This turnip cake is kind of a ‘quick bread’ used by Chinese throughout the year but especially made on the occasion of New Year. You can make it in advance and then warm the slices just before serving. It will taste just as good as fresh.

8) Pork Dumplings

These dumplings, along with the steamed dumplings, work as perfect appetizers to your Chinese meal. However, for maximum impact, serve them with Hoisin sauce and toasted sesame seeds.

9) Chinese Tea Leaf Eggs 

This is a traditional Chinese recipe, which is still made best only by the Chinese. The hard boiled eggs are combined with subtle flavors of star anise and subjected to the onslaught of black tea and soy. The best part about these eggs is the cracked pattern that appears on the outside from the cracked shell.

10) Asian Orange Chicken

To round up the Chinese New Year Menu, here is a tangy offering from the Oriental, Asian orange chicken, which is a citrus recipe of chicken and adds the flavor of the oncoming times for you and your family.

These popular foods are worth giving a try on the occasion of the Chinese New Year, or the Year of the Water Dragon. Do let us know what you plan to do this New Year and whether you have tried any of these dishes.

Image Courtesy: theholidayspot.com, ifood.tv