We’ve just entered the new Year of the Fire Horse. It only comes around once every 60 years and this one is suppose to be a doozy, according to Chinese Astrological forecasts. Fire horse can have lots going on, especially if you’re doing something that relies upon heat — like cooking. So turn on your stove and cooking something up. Here are a few ideas for you to cook up a wealth of wonderful flavors to welcome the new year. Do note that Lunar New Year (Tet in Vietnamese) is a festival that happens for days and the renewal spirit of the new year can linger and be celebrated for weeks.
Ideas for Lunar New Year celebrations
Lunar New Year is celebrated big time by Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese communities but there are many other folks who get in on the lunar calendar action. Look for celebrations wherever you are because you never know! Given the diversity of Lunar New Year, you can combine different dishes from various cuisines to make your table extra interesting. It’s not simply “Chinese New Year”. It’s Lunar New Year. It’s about moon phases. How to eat Tet? My Vietnamese table centers certain must-have dishes and these are what you’ll often find on mine.
Have a pan-Asian noodle time
You cannot go wrong with noodles, a symbol of longevity. Here are some favorites:
- Beef Chow FunĀ is a classic and favorite at Cantonese restaurants. Get my recipe to make it at home to guarantee flavors your way.Ā
- Garlic NoodlesĀ are a newish Vietnamese-American dish. There many renditions to choose from. Try myĀ basic garlic noodlesĀ recipe, theĀ chanterelle mushrooms and garlic butter noodles, or aĀ garlic and daikon “noodle” recipeĀ (they’re all on this website). Or, venture to my newsletter for anĀ umami shiitake garlic noodlesĀ or the deliciousĀ crab and asparagus garlic noodles.
- Singapore NoodlesĀ are spicy and sultry. Yes, you cake a batch from grocery store ingredients from my newsletter recipe here.
- Ginger, Carrot, and Scallion NoodlesĀ should be made with lots of young or mature ginger so they’re loaded with gingery sweet heat. Get the naturlly vegan recipe at my newsletter.
- Panfried noodles with a crown of beefy tomato stir-fry is a Cantonese classic. I return to this recipe over and over and so should you. If you’re gluten-free or just like rice noodles, panfry rice noodles into a pancake then top it with a saucy stir-fry. My crispy rice noodle pancake recipe and video how-to wild guide you.
- Pad Thai was influenced to a certain extent by Chinese foodways. Flat rice noodles are Chinese, for instance. If you serve me pad Thai, especially when it’s prepared from the recipe at my newsletter, I would not complain.
Sweet endings
You gotta end with touch of sweetness. Buy some fresh fruit like tangerines or oranges. If you shop at an Asian market, look for tropical fruit like longans, mangosteen, or lychee. Prepare a fruit plate or just wash them and set them out for people to help themselves. But if you have time, do make something!
- Candied Orange Peels or Candied Kumquats speak to the tradition of candied sweetmeats for the Lunar New Year.
- Not-too-sweet cookies are fabulous to nibble on alongside the fresh fruit and candied sweetmeats. My go-tos include Ginger Cookie Coins, this peanut cookie, this sinfully delicious almond cookie, and if I feel like fast-and-easy flourless baking, this almond cookie. For a very fun treat, make Vietnamese pig ear cookies, which are delectable because they are fried.
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