Dumplings, sticky rice cakes, steamed buns… a feast at home for the Chinese New Year
This January 22, the Chinese New Year will open under the sign of the rabbit. This festive period offers the opportunity to discover the specialties served on New Year’s Eve. To celebrate the event, you can get your hands dirty or have small exotic dishes delivered. Manual.
One of the common points between the French and the Chinese? A passion for cooking! In China, meeting around a table is, in fact, one of the key convivial rituals, especially at the time of the Lunar New Year. In 2023, this event which marks the entry into the year of the rabbit – the previous one having been that of the tiger – falls on January 22. In China, for 15 days, the festivities are open. It’s a holiday period during which we go home, we find our loved ones, and we all start cooking together. Lunch and dinner, we share a festival of homemade dishes.
Ravioli are the stars, with pork, of course, a very popular meat in the country, but also with beef, chicken or even vegetarians. Recipes vary by region and family. A local legend says that the more dumplings a person eats during New Year’s celebrations, the more they will see their income increase in the New Year.
Lucky dishes
Fish, often steamed with fragrant sauces, especially with soy or ginger, also generate abundance. Spring rolls are also on the menu. They bring good luck and their shape, which evokes an ingot, rhymes with wishes for prosperity.
Another must: noodles, the length of which symbolizes longevity. Many other specialties complete the feasts, such as great classics such as lacquered duck. Desserts are also included. The niangao, sticky rice cakes seasoned with sugar, chestnuts, jujubes – kinds of Chinese dates – and lotus leaves are musts. Eating it at New Year’s is said to “rise year by year”.
Exquisite sweets, the tangyuan also conclude these feasts. These are large pearls made from rice flour decorated with a kind of ganache that is served, among the greediest, in a syrup. A delight that celebrates “the joyful reunion”. This is mouth-watering and makes you want to get into New Year’s time at home. To discover the manufacturing secrets of these specialties, there is a bible: Bao Family, Chinese cuisine between tradition and modernity by Céline Chung (Hachette Cuisine editions, 256 pages, 35 euros), founder of the Bao Family, i.e. four Parisian restaurants, ambassadors of real Chinese cuisine.
In delivery
Another option, simpler, to enjoy at home by having these dishes delivered by restaurants that defend Chinese gastronomy in France. There is no shortage of addresses that offer this type of service. In Paris, for example, Madame Ly’s lacquered duck is a real benchmark. The noodles at Le P’tit resto are pure wonders. We will also devour the steamed shrimp ravioli from the Maison Wok located in Neuilly-sur-Seine. For the people of Lyon, head for Lady Bao who, in addition to her baos or steamed buns, offers jiaozis, the famous Chinese ravioli in all sorts of variations… And these are just a few examples. Because there are many excellent representatives of quality Chinese gastronomy all over France which allow you to discover at home the best of this very varied and often unknown cuisine.
Addresses for delivery on epicery.com
