Whew!  We just finished our New Years and it’s time for Chinese New Years – 2010 the Year of the Tiger!  For us New Year is just a day or a weekend,but in China it means that everything shuts down for two weeks!  Wouldn’t we just love a holiday like that?

 Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar, so this year it occurs on Valentines Day, February 14.  It was a real dilemma when it came to blog writing! This year is the Year of the Tiger – part of the Chinese Zodiac (think our astrological signs)

As it turns out, most of the country really only quiets for a week, but there is truly a different celebration for almost every day from the first, Family Reunion Dinner , to the Seventh (Everybody’s Birthday) to the final Lantern Festival.

Much of the celebrations and customs have to do with tradition and superstition.  Many foods are considered lucky because the name sounds likes other words in Chinese for good fortune, prosperity and long life.  Gifts of oranges and tangerines abound as representations of gold and good fortune. Decorating colors are also red and gold. This link will take you to a great overview of the holiday season.

On the eve of the first day, Family Reunion dinner, the main dish served is typically a whole carp, not fully eaten so there  will be prosperity for the New Year, with enough left over to carry you through. Traditionally, the first day itself is vegetarian, and everything needs to be prepared in advanced – no cutting allowed in case you cut short the good luck for the New Year.

To make a symbolic dish that everyone will love, I go back to our family favorite – longevity noodles (long noodle-long life).

Longevity Noodles

  This is so simple you don’t really need a recipe.  Take your favorite vegetables and blanch or stir fry them (be sure to include those golden carrots).  Then take and soak a package of rice noodles in boiling water(takes 5 minutes or less) and toss with a dressing that includes rice vinegar, a tiny bit of sesame oil, vegetable oil, garlic and fresh ginger.  This is one night when noodle slurping is definitely allowed, no noodle cutting allowed!

If you want to add an American flair, then try the TSG version of a dipping sauce for pot stickers and spring rolls;

Two Sisters Gourmet Dipping Sauce Recipe

2 Tbsp Sweet and Spicy Pepper Jelly

1/2 cup Island Ponzu Sauce

1 green onion thinly sliced

2 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Mix ingredients in small bowl and serve with pot stickers or spring rolls

The Chinese know about family relations too!  The third day of the New Year, everyone stays home.  It’s known as the Day of Squabbles! Even in the West we know that family relations get strained on the third day. This is a great time to learn about some of the great and varied dishes that people use to celebrate.  If you live in a city with a Chintown, go down to a local bakery and try some of their sweets – sticky rice balls for dessert or rice candy for the perpetual Tray of Abundance (sweets kept out for everyone to snack on during the holiday – not unlike the Italian tray with 12 tastes for the Twelve Days of Christmas).

Tray of Abundance

Bring them home for the Seventh Day Feast – Everyone’s Birthday! Traditionally in China, individual birthdays were not celebrated, and everyone turned a year older on the same day.  This is a day for much feasting and festivals. What a great tradition!

Happy New Year!

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