Simple Chinese New Year Foods You Can Cook - and Why We Eat Them

dumplings

🥗Healthier: vegetable dumplings

💰Cheaper: potstickers

Vegetable dumplings offer a lighter option while potstickers are budget-friendly.

fish

🥗Healthier: tofu

💰Cheaper: canned fish

Tofu provides a plant-based alternative, while canned fish is more economical.

glutinous rice

🥗Healthier: quinoa

💰Cheaper: regular rice

Quinoa is a nutritious substitute, while regular rice is more accessible.

sweet rice cakes

🥗Healthier: brown rice cakes

💰Cheaper: homemade rice cakes

Brown rice cakes are healthier, and homemade options can save money.

Introduce the dish and explain the significance of the foods for Chinese New Year.

Use 5 chicken legs, cut into drumsticks and thighs to reduce cooking time.

Arrange chicken in a 9 by 13 baking pan lined with parchment paper, skin side up.

Prepare the sauce by mixing 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of shaoxing wine, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of ginger until the sugar dissolves.

Pour the sauce over the chicken, ensuring even coverage.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping the chicken at the 20-minute mark, then flipping back to skin side up at the 40-minute mark, and baking for a total of 50 minutes.

Prepare snapper fillets by seasoning with salt and white pepper, and placing them on a plate for steaming.

Make a sauce for the fish with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of rice wine, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, stirring to combine.

Slice a thumb-sized piece of ginger into thin slivers and sprinkle half over the fish fillets.

Set up a wok with water and a trivet, bringing the water to a boil to create steam.

Place the fish on the trivet, cover with a lid, and steam for about 5 minutes.

Slice 2 green onions into julienne strips for garnish.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens