The recipe for Chinese New Year's Eve varies by region and ethnicity, but there are usually some traditional and auspicious dishes such as fish, dumplings, and rice balls. Here are some common Chinese New Year's Eve meals:
Braised pork: This is a very popular dish, usually made with pork belly as the main ingredient, stewed after blanching, stir-frying sugar and other processes, the taste is soft and glutinous and sweet, fat but not greasy.
Fish: Fish is an indispensable dish at the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, meaning that there is more than enough every year. Fresh fish is usually chosen and cooked in a steamed or braised manner.
Dumplings: Dumplings are one of the essential staple foods at Chinese New Year's Eve dinner in the north because they are shaped like ingots, which means that wealth is abundant. Dumplings are usually filled with coins, sweets, and other things that symbolize good luck.
Tangyuan: Tangyuan is one of the indispensable staple foods at the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner in the south, symbolizing family reunion and harmony. Fillings such as peanuts and sesame seeds are usually added to the rice balls.
Chicken: Chicken is also one of the common dishes at Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, meaning auspiciousness. Whole chicken or chicken wings are usually selected and cooked into dishes such as ginger hen and salt-baked chicken.
Spring rolls: Spring rolls are also one of the common dishes on Chinese New Year's Eve in the south, meaning "all-inclusive". Usually bean skin, vegetables, etc. are selected as fillings, and the texture is crispy and delicious after cooking.
In general, the dishes of the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner are very rich and diverse, and each place has its own special dishes and traditional customs. No matter what you choose, the most important thing is to get together as a family and celebrate the arrival of the New Year together.