There’s a whole lot to know if you’re going to celebrate Chinese New Year properly, and this year I plan on doing everything by the book and sticking as close to tradition as possible, partly to teach my little girl this side of her heritage and partly to finally satisfy the curiosity I’ve had for it all these decades. So, join me as I explain every Chinese New Year tradition that’s about to take over the city.
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In Chinese culture, the celebration of the Lunar New Year is deeply rooted in traditions and symbolism, and one culinary element that takes center stage during these festivities is fish. Eating fish during the Chinese New Year is considered an essential and promising practice, laden with symbolic meaning. The Chinese word for fish, 鱼 yú, sounds similar to the word for abundance, 余 yú, making it a symbol of prosperity and good fortune. As a result, fish dishes, particularly whole steamed fish, are prominently featured on New Year’s Eve feasts. This straightforward dish is healthy and delicious. Check out this recipe with our recommendation of kid-friendly fish (the ones without the teeny-tiny bones).
Ingredients:
- 1 whole fish (such as sea bass or tilapia), cleaned and scaled
- 3 slices of ginger
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Pro Tip: We recommend using sea bass or tilapia since these two types of fish are mild in flavor and don’t have small bones. To make your fish extra flavorful, we recommend making cuts or slashes along the sides of the fish to help the flavors penetrate and to make it easier to eat.
Instructions:
- Clean the fish thoroughly and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Make 2-3 diagonal cuts on each side of the fish, ensuring they go through to the bone. This helps the flavors penetrate the fish.
- Place the fish on a heatproof dish that fits inside your steamer.
- Scatter ginger slices and half of the green onions over the fish.
- In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and salt until well combined.
- Pour the sauce over the fish, ensuring it covers the entire surface.
- Bring water to a boil in your steamer. Once boiling, place the dish with the fish into the steamer, cover, and steam for about 12-15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
- Carefully remove the dish from the steamer, sprinkle the remaining green onions and fresh cilantro over the fish.
- Serve the steamed fish with the sauce from the dish poured over the top.
Curious about more CNY foods? Check out this article on traditional CNY foods.
Images: Bing, Uni You
