Traditional Chinese New Year Recipes?

Question

I'm doing a school project on the chinese new year, and i have to have enough small food samples for about 35 people. I'm looking for something made with ingredients that i could find around my kitchen or easily in a grocery store that aren't super expensive either.

So, I'm thinking maybe some kind of drink (if alcoholic, maybe alochol could be substituted for sprite or something- it's for high school sophomores lol) or soup.

Any help is much appreciated, thanks!

Answer 1

uhm...chinese new year is past. But if you need samples made cheap. I'd suggest egg drop soup.

it has NOTHING to do with Chinese new year but it is chinese, lol. Or chinese restaurant american.

couple cans chicken broth (any kind, campbells is good)

heat it to a simmer.

beat a couple of eggs in a bowl until it's yellow, and while stirring the broth, slowly pour the egg into the broth. It'll flake and turn into strings. (and that's actually the way it's made, btw. Anyone who tells you you need chicken meat and water to start is just making more work)

there is no drink, no alcoholic drink associated with it.

if you want to go whole hog authenthic?

go to your supermarket in the asian food section, buy a box (it looks like a cornstarch box) called Blue Star (by Koda Farms) Mochiko (aka glutinous rice flour)

it costs a few bucks or you can buy it at the asian store for less

put it in a bowl with 2 and a half cups of dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of vegatable oil, and enough water to make something that should look like a milkshake. Thick, but liquid. Start out with a little and add more until it looks right.

spray a bowl or something with pam, or grease it up (it needs to be heatproof and large enough to hold the mix) put it in a steamer and steam for a couple of hours. (at least two, the middle should be like grape jelly, set but not rubbery) longer doesn't hurt. You don't want it liquid.

let it sit on the counter for a few hours and flip it out on a greased whatever, wrap it with saran wrap and let it sit for a couple of hours and cut into little pieces.

It's VERY sticky.

it's called gau or chinese new years cake. It's uber traditional. I make it every year.

Answer 2

That's a lot of people to have to provide "samples" for. I second the motion for the egg drop soup. You might wanna add a bag of frozen peas and carrots (for color) and maybe dice up some tofu in really small pieces.

Do YOU actually have to prepare the food? Why not go to one of those $1 Chinese food spots and pick up some noodles (because that's hella traditional - means LONG LIFE).

I MADE a Chinese dinner for like 5 of my friends and it cost me a small fortune for all the ingredients and it took forever to cook. Good luck!