Let's get ready to celebrate Chinese New Year 2021! Everything you need to know about the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year recipes, traditions and more. We take you through all our best-selling foods and favourite dishes to ring in the Lunar New Year in style.
Chinese New Year Dishes
We’ve put together a few delicious recipes using some of our favourite ingredients. Check out these Chinese New Year recipes from Drogo’s Kitchen below! Make sure to tag us on social media if you try them. You can find all these ingredients in our Chinese New Year section too.
Braised Abalone with Aged Soy
Abalone is a gourmet delicacy that is highly sought after for its delicious flavour. It is a variety of edible sea snail that has a meaty texture that can be eaten raw or cooked. Check out our recipe here for a slow-cooking recipe that will tenderise the abalone and pair wonderfully with our aged soy sauces.
Red Cooked Wagyu Short Ribs
This is another fantastic slow-cooker recipe, this time involving our delicious wagyu short ribs. The ribs are braised using a traditional Chinese method that incorporates beautiful aromatic flavours and is enveloped in a sweet, sticky sauce.
Oysters with Blood Orange and Ginger
Who can resist fresh oysters? We’ve levelled up these fantastic rock oysters with a mignonette made using in-season blood oranges. Simple yet highly effective!
Grilled Tiger Prawns with Seaweed Butter
Another simple recipe that requires little effort to impress everyone at home. Grill up some of these stunning tiger prawns in seaweed butter and in no time you’ll have a wonderful seafood platter to share!
Miso Marinated Black Cod with Pickled Mooli
Our marinated black cod is a popular choice amongst our regular customers. Check out how we prepare ours here!
When is Chinese New Year 2021?
Chinese New Year is an annual celebration to mark the beginning of the Lunar calendar. The date varies each year based on the arrival of the new moon between the 21st January and 20th February. This year the Lunar New Year will begin on the 12th February. The Little Year or Festival of the Kitchen God falls the week before the Lunar New Year. This week is dedicated to preparations such as cleaning and stocking up on provisions ahead of the big festival. The main event, the Spring Festival officially begins on the 12th February and ends on the 22nd. From the 23rd to the 26th is the Lantern Festival.
Chinese Animal Zodiac
Ben Ming Nian refers to the Chinese Zodiac year or the animal associated with your year of birth. The zodiac follows a 12 year cycle and the arrival of the Spring Festival marks the transition from one animal to the next. There are 12 significant animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Each animal is thought to possess different traits and fortunes.
Year of the Ox
2021 is the Year of the Ox according to the Chinese animal zodiac. People with this zodiac animal are considered to be hardworking and patient. Ox are valued in Chinese culture for their practical use in agriculture and their characteristic of being reliable animals.
Chinese New Year Traditions
Cleaning
Clearing out last year’s clutter help sets a clean slate for the new year to come. The ritual of cleaning the house is an important tradition to get rid of any bad luck and is done in the days leading up to the Spring Festival. Dusting is avoided on New Year’s Day itself to prevent sweeping away good fortune. Replacing old clothes and wearing new garments for the Lunar New Year is also considered to bring good fortune.
Decorations
Colours such as red and gold are seen everywhere during the Spring Festival as these colours signify wealth and good fortune. Red decorations and lanterns are put up to symbolise wealth, and other bright colours and flowers are also used to decorate the home too.
Gifts
Red packets filled with money as well as food gifts are given out to bring blessings and good luck into the new year. Take a look at our gift cards and food gifts section for ideas to give to your loved ones at home this year. We have luxurious hampers filled with gourmet foods such as truffles, cheese, chocolates and more – or you can build your own!
Food
Food plays a huge role in the Chinese New Year celebrations. Our extensive seafood selection boasts some of the finest varieties and gourmet delicacies from fresh crab to oysters and sashimi grade specialist cuts. Chinese New Year is all about indulging and treating your loved ones with the best there is, and our stunning range of luxury foods will definitely impress everyone at home this year.
Try our finest Beluga caviar or pick up some Japanese A5 wagyu to create some fantastic dumplings. Create a spectacular seafood platter with fresh lobster and prawns. There’s also plenty of shellfish and specialist fish for you to explore. We also endeavour to track down specialist ingredients and fresh produce whether you’re cooking traditional recipes or looking to try something different this year.
Lucky foods for Chinese New Year
There are many rituals and traditions surrounding food for Chinese New Year, and there are certain foods that are considered to bring good fortune. Take a look at our list to help inform your Chinese New Year menu!
Plenty of fish
Fish is often eaten on New Year’s Eve and is a popular choice throughout the holiday too. We offer a wide variety of fresh fish from tuna to Hamachi and even sashimi grade too. Having a surplus of fish is believed to signify an increase in prosperity. Fish are often enjoyed steamed, boiled, or even braised.
Long noodles
Noodles, especially long ones signify happiness and longevity. It is considered good luck to eat uncut noodles on the first day of Chinese New Year served in a bowl of soup or fried with vegetables.
Dumplings
Dumplings are a popular dish anytime of the year, but are especially enjoyed during Chinese New Year. They are typically filled with minced meat or vegetables and can be steamed or fried. Sometimes a white thread or a coin is placed inside a dumpling and the person who finds it receives extra luck.
Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are another lucky dim sum food that are eaten during the Spring Festival, they also got their name because they are so popular at this time of year.
Sweet rice balls and glutinous rice cake
These sweet rice desserts are enjoyed during the Chinese New Year too. The roundness of the sweet rice balls represents family togetherness, while the glutinous rice cake is eaten for the promise of success and wealth.
Golden Fruits
Certain fruits such as pomelos and oranges are eaten during the Spring Festival too. These fruits especially are considered lucky as they are round and almost ‘golden’ which is a colour that is seen often around Chinese New Year.
Place your orders for Chinese New Year soon, and we hope you have a fantastic time celebrating. We wish you great happiness and prosperity for the New Year!
