Chinese New Year's Eve

Today is the Lunar New Year's Eve or Chinese New Year's Eve.  One of my best friends in high school Sarah Lee was 1st generation Chinese born in this country.  I felt very honored that her family considered me close enough that I was included in their New Year's celebrations with them.  I wanted to pass the traditions of the holiday onto my son even if I'm not Chinese by blood.  Since New Year's is traditionally a time when families come together for a reunion, we've decided to push family night up a day early and say goodbye to the Year of the Snake and welcome in the Year of the Horse.

The dishes that they eat are very symbolic.  Symbolism is a big part of their culture.  So the dishes that they eat either sound like good fortune, longevity, luck, prosperity, and wealth or they resemble gold or money. 

New Year's Eve Menu

Steamed Fish(Surplus) with vegetables and rice

Vegetable Spring Rolls(gold bars)

Oranges(good luck and abundance)

Sticky Rice Cake(getting higher or advancing)

The cake needs to be made as early as you can.  The day before is ideal, since it tastes better the day after you make it.  Starting it early in the morning should be fine as well.

Sticky Rice Cake

2 3/4 cup Sweet Rice Flour

1 13.5 oz can Coconut Milk(add milk to this to make 3 cups)

1 1/4 cup Raw Sugar

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 cup Olive Oil

3/4 cup Nuts(almond or walnut), chopped

2 tbsp Untoasted Sesame Seeds

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees.  Mix all the ingredients together except for the nuts and sesame seeds.

Stir in the nuts.  

Pour into a greased 9" x 13" pan.  Sprinkle with Sesame Seeds.  

Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

After Dinner we may continue my friend's family's tradition and may make dumplings(old coins) to eat at Midnight and throughout the next couple of weeks.  We are definitely heading down into China Town this weekend to see what festivities are going on down there.

Other Recipes you may like
Asian Style Steamed Fish
Broccoli Beef
Chicken Stir Fry

One kind word can warm three months of winter.

-- Chinese Proverb