Chinese New Year: A family affair
Photo: (Clockwise from bottom left) Almond Cookies, dried fuits and candied walnuts
Photography by Edward Pond
Celebrating my roots comes to a high point during Chinese New Year, which falls anywhere from mid-January to mid-February for a 15-day period of the lunar calendar. It's a time of peace and happiness for family and friends, and we celebrate with symbolic dishes representing good luck, prosperity and health. In our home there are must-haves, such as noodles, which represent long life; a whole steamed fish, which symbolizes abundance; and a sweet tray, which brings togetherness and good fortune.
WORK PLAN
Two weeks ahead:
• Make and freeze pancakes for Roast Duck Rolls.
• Make Almond Cookies and freeze.
One week ahead:
• Make sauce for Roast Duck Rolls.
• Make and refrigerate pancakes for Roast Duck Rolls if not already frozen.
• Make Sugared Walnuts.
Five days ahead:
• Make Almond Cookies if not already frozen.
Three days ahead:
• If using frozen duck, transfer to large rimmed tray and defrost in refrigerator.
Two days ahead:
• Marinate duck cavity for Roast Duck Rolls.
One day ahead:
• Cook duck in water; glaze duck.
• Blanch bok choy for stir-fry; refrigerate.
• Make Mum's Sticky Rice; refrigerate..
• Make Home-Style Crab Egg Foo Young; refrigerate.
• Remove pancakes and cookies from freezer; thaw in refrigerator.
Two to three hours ahead:
• Roast duck for Roast Duck Rolls.
Forty minutes ahead ahead:
• Assemble platter for Roast Duck Rolls and set up steamer basket for pancakes.
Just before feasting:
• Cook fish for Poached Pickerel.
• Reheat Mum's Sticky Rice.
• Reheat Home-Style Crab Egg Foo Young.
• Steam pancakes for Roast Duck ROlls.
• Cook Bok Choy Stir-Fry.
Recipes
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Roast Duck Rolls
Duck, symbolizing happiness and fidelity, is essential at every banquet during Chinese New Year. You can make this authentic version or buy roasted du... -
Pancakes
Pancakes for Roast Duck Rolls. -
Bok Choy Stir-Fry
Next to rice, vegetables are the most important staple in Chinese cooking. Now there's a wide variety of Asian vegetables available in the supermarket... -
Poached Pickerel
My mother told me that we cook the fish whole because it brings togetherness and abundance for the new year. So to this day, I always serve this with ... -
Mum's Sticky Rice
In our family, we prepare rice for all occasions, so this is a definite must-have for Chinese New Year. My mother combines long-grain and glutinous ri... -
Home-Style Crab Egg Foo Young
One of my father's favourite dishes, egg foo young is similar to an omelette but with Chinese ingredients and flavourings. -
Chinese New Year Almond Cookies
When my sisters and I visited our grandparents at home, there was no lack of treats, such as these crispy cookies. -
Sugared Walnuts
These sweets are part of the candy tray known as the tray of togetherness, which brings good fortune.
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