8 foods to celebrate the Lunar New Year

In Chinese culture, the word for “fish” phonetically resembles “abundance,” emphasizing a wish for prosperity and wealth in the coming year. Many cultures have their own version, from China, South Korea and the Philippines to Vietnam and Thailand. While its preparation varies, the dish is a New Year classic, and you’ll likely (but not always) find a combination of soy sauce, ginger, cilantro and scallions. For those in New York, we recommend the version from Che Li, a whole black bass with a sweet and sour sauce.

Banh chung is a savory sticky rice cake that’s a marquee item for Vietnamese families during Tet, Vietnamese Lunar New Year. It’s typically filled with pork and mung beans and wrapped in a banana leaf, symbolizing the earth and sky. It’s also often placed on family altars to honor their ancestors and pray for support in the new year.

Nian gao, or sweet rice cake, roughly means “higher year” and is a staple dessert for Lunar New Year. The treat originated in China but is popular in many countries, both to eat and bring as a gift for family and friends. While the ingredients are simple, this dish can be challenging to perfect. Luckily, it’s sold in most Chinese bakeries. For those local to Chicago, our favorite is Chiu Quon. The Filipino version of this is tikoy, and it’s pan fried until nice and crispy.

By now, you’ve probably noticed a rice cake trend, which is because rice is sticky and is believed to help the luck of the new year “stick around.” South Korea stays on theme with tteokguk, a savory rice cake soup with beef broth, scallions and egg eaten during Seollal, Korean Lunar New Year. Symbolizing new beginnings, the soup uses sliced rice cakes found in many New Year dishes because they resemble coins, representing prosperity.

If you frequent your local Chinese food spots, you may be familiar with hot pot, and it’s a great way to celebrate the Lunar New Year with friends or family since it’s very focused on togetherness and community. Traditionally, meat and vegetables are cooked in simmering broth along with various sauces to add. Hai Di Lao is a popular hot pot restaurant in China that now has locations in the U.S. too.

Long noodles are eaten on the New Year and birthdays because they symbolize longevity. The best part is that any long noodle will work, from pad thai to Chinese lo mein to Korean japchae. It’s also another dish that’s perfect for a restaurant celebration with friends.

Many families have a dumpling recipe passed down through generations, and Lunar New Year is when everyone comes together to make them. Dumplings are said to look like money pouches, so many believe preparing and eating them will bring wealth and prosperity in the coming year (some, like the Thai version, are even called money bag dumplings). Each culture has a version, from jiaozi to mandu. Lumpia, Filipino fried spring rolls, also symbolize wealth and good fortune because of their golden color. Typical dumpling fillings include pork, shrimp, cabbage and ginger.

Admittedly, tangyuan is not as universal as the dishes above. But it is traditionally served during the Lunar New Year and holds a spot in my top three favorite Chinese dishes. In fact, it’s entirely possible my unwavering love for them is why my family serves them every year. If you’re a dessert person, you might find this soup of rice balls in broth very unassuming. But when prepared correctly, the sweet and acidic rice wine broth poured over chewy rice balls filled with sesame paste is truly a dessert I dream about.