Happy Chinese New Year!
In what’s something of a running joke around the family for years, if your new year resolutions are getting away from you, you’ve always got Chinese New Year to get back on track.
The quick history lesson
2019 marks the Chinese year of the pig.
As a symbol, the pig is the twelfth of the 12-year cycles of animals in the Chinese zodiac, related to the Chinese calendar, you see.
For my sins, I was born in a previous year of the pig, you can work that one out for yourselves.
13 Recipes for Chinese New Year
If you’re planning on celebrating this evening or this weekend, dining in, here’s a few recipes to get you started.
I’ve picked out ten recipes, half with a leaning on pork for the year that’s in it.
After serious food chats in the office this morning, I’ve got my eye on some pork belly provided I can find 2-3 hours this evening to cook it off.
- Braised bok choy, a simple Shanghainese dish
- Easy do, a cashew fried rice
- Chinese spareribs, a favourite
- Like spicey, peanuty noodles? Try this Dan Dan Mien
- Combine the fruits of the land and sea with a fresh pear and shrimp stirfry
- If you’ve got potsticker or wonton skins knocking about, these steamed pork and shrimp dumplings are a treat
- You could ditch the shrimp in this and go for a full vegetarian stir-friend napa cabbage
- Got a slow cooker? How about a honey, lime and ginger pork dish?
- Rebecca’s got an easy Garlic Ginger Glazed Sticky Pork recipe that looks divine
- Here’s a sweet and midly spicy hoisin pork stir fry dish. Grab some jasmine rice and mix up the veg
- I’m a big hoisin fan, so here’s a hoisin pork and broccolini dish to try
- Back to the slow cooker, here’s a tempting Chinese barbecue pork dish – cooked low and slow for 8 hours
- Bring all the tastes of a vibrant Chinese takeaway home with this sticky Chinese pork dish
There you have it!
If you’re planning on celebrating yourself or you’ve a twist on a Chinese dish that’s here, or have a recipe of your own to share, drop me a note below.
Also, if you’re near Dublin, check out the event guide or see what’s happening for Dublin Chinese New Year until 17 February.
