25 Tasty and Traditional Menu Ideas To Celebrate Chinese New Year 2009 - By: Hillary Marshak

Those who celebrate the Chinese New Year will welcome the year of the Ox this January 26th with all sorts of delicious recipes. If you're in need of ideas on what to serve, let Recipe4Living help you plan your Chinese New Year menu!

Marked by the lunar calendar, the Chinese New Year is actually celebrated globally by various communities of not just Chinese but many other Asian ethnicities as well. This holiday, also called Spring Festival lasts 15 days with a different tradition for each day. In 2009, the festival runs from January 26th to February 9th.

I've put together a menu of tasty and traditional dishes to serve on Chinese New Year's Eve (Sunday night, January 25th) or for any Chinese New Year gathering you plan to have.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Hillary
Your RSVP Editor

Appetizers
Begin with a classic Chinese soup or some delectably spicy chicken wings!

Hot and Sour Prawn Soup with Lemongrass
Baked Hoisin Sauce Chicken Wings
Won Tons
Cha Shui (Chinese Pork Appetizer)
Egg Drop Soup with Veggies

Main Courses
An elegant shrimp dish or a classically flavored sweet and sour pork will keep your guests happy at their Chinese New Year celebration!

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Pork
Hor Me Dor Shrimp
Crockpot Chinese Beef and Pea Pods
Chinese Spare Ribs
Chinese New Year's Chicken

Side Dishes
Chinese New Year Sweet Rice
Chinese Noodle Salad
Fried Rice
Plum Sauce
Chinese Hot and Spicy Asparagus Salad

Desserts
Many traditional Chinese New Year desserts include puddings, spiced nuts, fortune cookies and the like.

Chinese Steamed Cake
Chocolate Dipped Fortune Cookies
Chinese Coconut Pudding
Sugared Peanuts
Pomegranate Blueberry and Peach Sorbet

Beverages
Serve a drink that's orange or red to symbolize wealth or happiness.

Orange Ratafia
Zingy Red Punch
Ginger Orange Creme Fraiche
Tomato Juice Cocktail
Orange Julius

Presentation Pointers:
1. No Chinese New Year celebration would be complete without red lanterns somehow incorporated into your decorations. Buy some paper red lanterns at your local party store or some paper goods with Chinese New Year or red lantern designs.

2. Create a "tray of togetherness", a tradition at every Chinese New Year. Use an existing tray and form eight sections. Fill the compartments with the following 8 symbolic ingredients: candied melon (symbolizing good health), red melon seed (joy), lychee nut (strong family), kumquats (prosperity), coconut (unity), peanuts (longevity), longan (many good sons), lotus seeds (fertility) (list courtesy of Evite.com).

3. Have your guests decorate their own red envelopes (for money) with Chinese symbols. Supply the envelopes and gold paint pens for a fun and traditional activity!
Past Chinese New Year Menus:
Chinese New Year 2008
Chinese New Year 2007

Future Chinese New Years:
2010 - February 14 - Year of the Tiger
2011 - February 3 - Year of the Rabbit
2012 - January 23 - Year of the Dragon

About the Author

Hillary Marshak is a writer and editor for Recipe4Living.com, a popular recipe sharing Website. For more articles like this, or for a large collection of recipes, visit the site at http://www.Recipe4Living.com.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Hillary-Marshak/17666

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