Lunar New Year Recipes | Fooditude

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

Lunar New Year is a moment for a fresh start. It's a chance to share good vibes, richly flavoured food and vibrant decorations.

Food is the glue that brings people together during this 16-day festival, with much-loved recipes stealing the show, each with its special meaning. For example, noodles represent life and prosperity.

Lunar New Year is packed with Chinese symbolism; family and friends gather around to share a meal to bring good luck in the year ahead.

At Fooditude, we're all about supporting workplaces to bring the world's biggest festivals to the canteen menu. We bring clients a warm, feel-good canteen vibe with special menus throughout the year.

Lunar New Year is no exception! ...it's a highlight.

Our talented chefs are marking the occasion with a special menu inspired by the celebration's iconic tastes.

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: