TRADITIONAL LUNAR NEW YEAR RECIPES MADE EASY

With Lunar New Year right around the corner, gathering around the table with loved ones, celebrating new beginnings and indulging in traditional dishes that bring good luck and prosperity are the most important things. No matter if you’re hosting a grand dinner party, or a small intimate dinner with family and friends, the food is still just as important for either, and just as challenging if you either aren’t confident or just simply don’t have the time. With kitchen appliances, you can simplify anything from dumplings to steamed fish, leaving more time for you to enjoy spending time with family and friends.

Not sure what food to start with? Take a look at our favourite traditional Lunar New Year food below:

1. Dumplings

A symbol of wealth and prosperity. No Lunar New Year celebration is complete without dumplings. Their shape, reminiscent of gold ingots, symbolises wealth and good fortune. While making dumplings from scratch might seem time-consuming, if you have a Magimix Cook Expert, it’s effortless. Here’s how:

• Dough Prep: Use the food processor bowl to combine and knead your dumpling dough in minutes.
• Filling: Using the sharp blades, create perfectly minced fillings, whether you’re going for pork and chive, chicken and mushroom, or vegetarian options.
• Steaming: Switch to the thermo bowl to steam your dumplings to perfection, ensuring they’re cooked evenly every time.

Pro Tip: Don’t overfill your dumplings. A teaspoon of filling is often enough to ensure they stay intact while cooking.
Want to try something unique? Try our Tofu Gyoza recipe here for some inspiration. Or watch our demonstration video below.

2. Spring rolls:

A crunchy classic Spring rolls, representing renewal and prosperity, are a must-have for Lunar New Year. These crispy delights can be filled with your pick of vegetables, meats, or seafood. The key to making these lies in the prep and maintaining that all-important crunch. Here’s some tips on how to make the process simpler:

• Vegetable Prep: Use a food processor to slice, chop, grate, or shred ingredients like carrots, cabbage, and spring onions in seconds. With the Magimix food processor you can use the grating and slicing discs for ease. This ensures consistent filling and avoids surprise chunks.
• Meat Preparation: For meat fillings, the food processor can finely mince chicken, pork, or shrimp, saving you from tedious manual chopping.
• Crunch Perfection: Ensure your rolls are tightly wrapped to prevent oil seeping in, and fry in small batches to maintain the oil temperature for optimal crispiness.

Pro Tip: Keep your rice paper or wrappers moist to avoid tearing while rolling.

3. Whole steamed fish

A whole steamed fish is a traditional Lunar New Year dish symbolising prosperity and abundance. A thermo cooker like the Cook Expert can steam fish with ease, simply push a button and away you go. Make sure to serve it with the head and tail intact to represent a good beginning and ending to the year.

• Preparation: Season your fish with ginger, scallions, soy sauce, and a drizzle of sesame oil.
• Steaming: Place the steamer basket attachment into the thermo bowl of the Cook Expert, then the fish with 500ml of water underneath and steam to perfection, locking in moisture and flavour. If you have the XXL Steamer accessory, you can use this instead.

4. Longevity noodles

Longevity noodles are a must-have, symbolising long life. The key to this dish is keeping the noodles intact - breaking them is considered bad luck. One tip is to strain the noodles as soon as they’re cooked and start to separate.

• Cooking Noodles: Boil your noodles until just tender, then drain and toss in a wok with soy sauce, vegetables, and protein.
• Vegetable Prep: Use the food processor slicing and grating discs to shred or julienne vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, and zucchini for a vibrant and nutritious stir-fry in seconds.

Pro Tip: To prevent noodles from sticking, toss them with a little oil after boiling and before stir-frying.
Looking for a recipe? Try our Chicken Stir Fry recipe and simply use long life noodles!

Celebrating Lunar New Year is about more than just delicious food; it’s about the joy of coming together with loved ones and welcoming a prosperous year ahead. With the help of kitchen appliances like the Magimix Cook Expert and food processors, you can take the stress out of preparation and focus on creating memorable moments.

Wishing you a Lunar New Year filled with happiness, good health, and, of course, delicious dishes!