Chinese New Year Recipes You Can Make At Home

While the Chinese New Year often conjures images of dragon dances and fireworks, it is also synonymous with great food. But if you think you have to travel to places like Binondo to enjoy these dishes, you are in luck. Here are some of the best Chinese New Year recipes you can make right at home to celebrate. 

Chinese New Year recipe no. 1: Tender Chinese Braised Pork Belly

Pork dishes are one of the staples of any Chinese New Year celebration, with pork belly being a sought-after part. This recipe features small pork belly pieces that have just the right crunch on the outside and juicy inside. It is great on its own but you can also use it as a filling on cuapao buns and topped with toasted peanuts and green vegetables. 

Ingredients

• ½ kilo pork belly, sliced into 2 inch thick pieces
• ¼ cup Japanese soy sauce
• ¼ cup dark soy sauce
• ½ cup Chinese rice cooking wine
• 8 sprigs green onions, chopped
• 1 ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ⅓ brown sugar

Steps

1. Boil water in a large pot. Add the pork belly and let simmer for 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove the pork belly and pat dry with paper towels. 
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add the pork belly and brown on all sides. 
3. Combine the soy sauces, sugar, wine, green onions, and ginger in a large pot and bring to a boil. Stir around the sauce to further dissolve the sugar. 
4. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the pork pieces: Cover and let simmer for ½ to 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Add water as needed to submerge the pork in liquid. 
5. Serve with hot rice or cuapao buns. 

Chinese New Year recipe no. 2: Pancit Canton

Chinese culture has influenced our own greatly throughout the centuries, and that extends to our love for noodles. Of the different pancit variants we have, Canton is one of the closest to Chinese stir fry noodles. This recipe uses pork as one of the main ingredients but you can always opt for chicken, as well as add your own choice of vegetables. 

Ingredients

• 250 grams flour noodles (pancit canton)
• 4 ounces pork, thinly sliced
• 1 piece Chinese sausage, sliced
• 8-10 pieces shrimp
• 10-12 pieces snow peas (chicharo)
• ¾ cup carrots
• 1 piece cabbage
• 1 piece onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1./2 cup flat-leaf parsley
• 1 ½ cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional)
• ¾ cup water
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil

Steps

1. Place 3 cups of water and 2 cups ice in a bowl and set aside. 
2. Boil 6 cups of water in a pot and blanch the chicharo, carrots, and cabbage for 35-40 seconds. Quickly submerge the vegetables in the bowl of ice water for two minutes.
3. Heat a large wok and add cooking oil. 
4. Saute the onion and garlic, then add the pork. Cook for 2 minutes
5. Add the soy sauce and oyster sauce and stir. 
6. Pour in chicken broth and water add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-10 minutes. 
7. Add shrimp and parsley and cook for another 3 minutes. 
8. Put in the flour noodles and toss gently until the noodles absorb the sauce. 
9. Add the vegetables. Toss and cook for 2 minutes. 

Chinese New Year Recipe no. 3: Tikoy 

Tikoy is a popular Chinese pudding made from glutinous rice or malagkit. The malagkit is molded into shape and steamed. You then coat it with an egg batter and fry. Premade tikoy is available in Chinese delicacy stores during the new year but you can make your own batch. 

Ingredients

Tikoy

• 2  cups malagkit
• 1 cup Chinese dates
• ½ cup warm water
• 5 tablespoons refined sugar
• Chinese dates
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 6-8 tablespoons water, as needed

Egg wash batter

• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon fresh milk
• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup canola oil
• ¼ cup desiccated coconut (ginadgad na niyog)

Steps

1. Mix the boiling water and sugar in a bowl. Stir continuously to break down the sugar then let cool. 
2. Soak the Chinese dates in hot water for 30 minutes to soften them. Cut into halves and remove the pits. 
3. Place the malagkit in a bowl and make a hole in the middle. Add the sugar and water mixture from earlier. Add the milk and start shaping the dough. 
4. While kneading, add a tablespoon of water at a time into the dough until it becomes smooth and has a satiny texture. Mix in half of the dates or other dried fruits you want. 
5. Grease a 7-inch square cake pan with vegetable oil and place the dough in it. Spread it using a spoon or spatula until you have reached the edges. 
6. Decorate with the remaining dates. Steam the cake on medium to high heat for 45 minutes. 
7. Remove from the heat and let cool. Use a knife to loosen the edges, then remove the cake from the pan. 
8. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate overnight. 
9. To make the egg wash batter, beat the egg and add the other ingredients. 
10. Slice the tikoy into small pieces and dip each into the batter until coated. 
11. Fry in canola oil until each side is golden brown. 

Feast on these Chinese New Year dishes

Whether or not you are Chinese, these Chinese New Year recipes are sure to satisfy your craving. And what’s great is that you don’t need to wait for the new year to feast on them. Cook these recipes whenever you want and celebrate a prosperous year. And check out more places where you can feast on Chinese cuisine.