Delicious recipes for Lunar New Year

Psst. Scroll down the page to get recipes for Shiitake pot stickers (pan-fried dumplings) and chilli condiment. 

This Lunar New Year: it’s time to welcome the Year of the Dragon. The celebration originates from China but is celebrated widely by many cultures to usher in the beginning of Spring.

The festivities start with the lunar calendar’s first full moon and continue for 15 days. This time is for family and friends to share each other’s company and participate in traditional customs. Many customs focus on driving away the bad and bringing forth goodness. 

Legend has it that the ‘badness’ harks back to a beast called Nian (Year) who terrorised villagers but was scared off by bright lights, noises and the colour red—this folklore permisses various indulgences, from the crackling of fireworks to hearty feasting. 

The Lunar New Year is a significant event in the Fooditude calendar, and our chefs create a special menu to celebrate the flavours associated with the occasion.

Without further ado, here are some delicious recipes inspired by the Lunar New Year celebrations. by Chef Susi:

Shiitake pot stickers

The Ingredients:

For the dough you’ll need:
100g Plain flour
50g Boiling water
½ tbsp Sesame oil
Corn flour (for dusting)

For the filling you’ll need:
1 tsp Veg oil
150g Shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced)
20g Ginger (finely chopped)
2 Spring onions (thinly sliced)
1 Clove of garlic (minced)
1 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Rice vinegar

The Method:

Here’s how to make the dough:

1. Sift the flour in a bowl, then make a well.  Slowly add 50g of boiling water, whilst stirring with chopsticks and a fork until the dough starts to come together in small clumps.

2. Mix in the sesame oil into the dough, then place the dough onto a work surface and knead for 5-10 mins until it becomes smooth. Afterwards, roll it into a log shape, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 mins.

Here’s how to make the filling:

3. Add sliced Shiitake mushroom, garlic, spring onions and ginger into a pan. Sauté over medium heat until the vegetables become softened and lightly browned. Then add the soy and vinegar and cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Afterwards, place the mix into a food processor and pulse to a course constituency. Lastly, place the mix into the fridge in order to chill.

4. Remove the dough from the fridge, and cut the log into 12 pieces and cover with a damp cloth. Roll each of dough into a ball shape, then press onto the work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a circular shape. You can use a cutter if you want perfectly round dumpling wrappers. Dust each wrapper with corn flour to stop it from becoming too sticky.

Now to bring everything together:

5. Place a wrapper in the palm of your hand and put a heaped teaspoon of the filling onto the centre of the circle.

6. Dip your finger in water, then brush your wet finger around the edge of the wrapper, then slowly bring the edges of the wrapper’s skin together. Pinch pleats along one side, then press each pleat against the opposite flat side of the skin. With every pinch, ensure that you are sealing the parcel and keeping the filling in the centre. Place each dumpling onto a tray dusted with corn flour.
Need a little help? Check out this video guide here.

7. To cook the pot stickers, heat a non-stick frying pan with 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Fry the dumplings on their bottom side for about 2 mins until golden brown.

Homemade chilli condiment:

The Ingredients: 

500ml Veg oil (or another neutral oil)
6 Star anise
4 Bay leaves
1 Shallot (thinly sliced)
4 Cinnamon sticks
15 Cardamom pods
40g Chilli flakes
6 Garlic cloves (crushed)
25g Ginger (grated)
2 tbsp Soy sauce
1 ½ tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Rice vinegar
1 tsp Salt

 

 

The Method:

1. Place the oil, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon and shallot in a sauce pan and slowly bring the ingredients to a simmer. Continue to cook over low heat for approx. 20 mins, stirring occasionally until shallots are brown and crisp.

2. Place the ginger, chilli flakes and garlic in a medium sized bowl. Strain the oil mixture (from step 1) through a fine-mesh sieve that’s set over the bowl, then stir. Let the shallots cool on the sieve and discard the spices. Be careful as the oil may splatter!

3. Allow the oil mixture to sit for a few minutes, then stir in the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and salt. Once the oil has cooled, add in the shallots. Place in a jar and store it in the fridge. Enjoy!