If Jan. 1 didn’t feel like quite the annual reset you were hoping for, you can celebrate now by cooking for the Lunar New Year. For this Year of the Dragon, it begins on Feb. 10, and the inaugural feast commences the night before. In China and other Asian countries that recognize the holiday, such as Singapore, Vietnam and South Korea, the festivities can last for two weeks, and the foods often symbolize promises for a better year ahead. But the immediate reward is something delicious to eat, whether you’re preparing a feast or just one dish.
1. Peking Duck With Honey and Five-Spice Glaze
A highlight of restaurant banquets, this dish can be made at home, too, especially with streamlined techniques from Kay Chun. It keeps with the tradition of serving whole poultry to signal abundance. But it also tastes more special than chicken and feels like a celebration in both the cooking process and in serving.
Long noodles symbolize long life, and there are endless variations for the holiday dish beyond classic Cantonese longevity noodles. This Singaporean version, topped with egg ribbons and crisp shallots, comes from Sharon Wee, the author of “Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen.” She suggests topping it with spicy sambal belacan, a hot sauce made savory with shrimp paste.
Recipe: Nonya Hokkien Stir-Fried Noodles