Lunar New Year: 5 recipes from Vancouver chefs, bakers to help you celebrate

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With Lunar New Year celebrations underway, we asked five Vancouver culinary talents to share their favourite recipes to enjoy with loved ones during the festivities. From delicious dumplings to a traditional sweet rice pudding — and a gin-based cocktail — here are the dishes they shared.

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Pork, shrimp & chive dumplings with soy and chili oil

Recipe by: Chef Deseree Lo.

“Dumplings are one of the most popular and stable foods during the Chinese New Year. The shape, which looks like a money pouch as well as the ancient silver and gold ‘sycee’ or ingot (元寶), symbolizes wealth and prosperity. Making dumplings is also a great way for families to get together during this time. Who doesn’t like a dumpling wrapping party! These little pillows of juiciness can be filled with meats, seafood, vegetables and even cheeses. Basically anything you want!

My go to is always the pork, shrimps and chives fillings. I just love the garlicky flavour and bold aroma from the chives! There are many different brands and styles for the dumplings wrappers: Northern style (thicker) or Hong Kong Style (thinner and yellow in colour due to the addition of the alkaline solution, which makes the wrappers more “bouncy” and chewy). Steam, boil, pan-sear or deep fry! Condiments are very important too. You will need a good dipping sauce.” — Desiree Lo

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Dumplings

12 oz (340 g) ground pork (preferably 70% lean and 30% fat)

9 oz (256 g) raw shrimps, peeled, deveined and rough chopped

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) white ground pepper

1 tsp (1 mL) granulated sugar

2 tsp (10 mL) cornstarch

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt

.2 oz (6 g) minced garlic

.2 oz (6 g) minced ginger

2 tbsp (30 mL) soy sauce

1 tbsp (15 mL) Shaoxing wine

2 tbsp (30 mL) canola or vegetable oil

3/4 cup (180 mL) water, cold or room temperature

4.4 oz (125 g) chopped chives

1 tbsp (15 mL) canola or vegetable oil 1 tbsp sesame oil

1 package of dumpling wrappers of your choice

A small bowl of water for sealing the wrappers

2 tbsp oil for pan searing

1/2 cup water

Cilantro and scallions to garnish (optional)

Chef’s tip: Keep the wrappers under a damp paper towel, as they tend to dry out quickly, which makes folding more difficult.

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In a small bowl, mix the chopped chives with the canola or vegetable oil and sesame oil and set aside. The oil is to prevent the water coming out of the chives and making the fillings watery.

In a large mixing bowl, add ground pork, chopped shrimps, garlic, ginger, dry ingredients and liquid, and mix well. I prefer using long chopsticks to mix my dumpling mix, but you can also use a spatula. Mix until all the ingredients are fully incorporated. The consistency should be loose. The water is beaten in to emulsify with the pork fat and to make the filling moist and juicy.

Fold in the seasoned chopped chives into the pork and shrimp mix and mix well. There is your dumpling filling! There are many different ways of wrapping dumplings. You will need a bowl of water to “glue” the wrappers. Add 3/4 tbsp of fillings into the centre of the wrapper. Dip your finger into the water and wet the upper half of the wrapper. Fold into half moon shape while pushing the fillings into the centre and sealing the top by pinching the wrapper together.

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You can also try the two or four pleats by pinching or folding one side of the wrapper (will need more water to secure the pleats). There is no wrong way of wrapping the dumplings and practice makes perfect!

For pan searing or pan frying the dumplings, heat up a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp oil and carefully lay the dumplings (a little gentle push to flatten the bottom) in the pan. Add the water, turn to medium/high heat and place a lid over the pan.

Cook until all the water has evaporated and now you are searing the dumplings. Do not walk away! Carefully open the lid and gently shake the pan to loosen up the dumplings. Once the bottoms are golden brown, remove from heat and transfer to a plate or bowl.

Garnish with cilantro and green onions (optional) and serve with the dipping sauce.

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Dipping sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp chili oil

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Makes about 40 dumplings.

Veggie Pancit (noodles with vegetables)

Recipe by: Kyle Roberts and Louwella Malda of The Filipino Noodle Joint.

“Noodles are always a key dish to have at Lunar New Year celebrations, and this vegetarian recipe features egg noodles, symbolizing happiness and longevity.” — Kyle Roberts

1/2 medium red onion, sliced

1/2 tbsp (7.5 mL) garlic, minced

3 oz (86 g) cabbage, sliced

3 oz (86 g) celery, sliced

3 oz (86 g) red peppers, julienned

3 oz (86 g) carrots, julienned

3 oz (86 g) green beans

3 tbsp (45 mL) soy sauce)

1 tbsp (15 mL) fish sauce

1/2 cup (124 mL) chicken or vegetable stock

Ground pepper, to taste

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20 oz (566 g) package egg noodles

In a pan, quickly sauté onions and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add all the veggies to stir fry until it’s half done. Add veggie stock sparingly or water to simmer to bring out flavour. Simmer for one minute, just enough to cook the noodles. Season with soy sauce, fish sauce, and ground pepper. You can also add a preferred meat to this recipe if desired.

Serves two.

Nian Gao (traditional Lunar New Year sweet rice pudding)

Recipe by: Jackie Kai Ellis, host of House Special docuseries.

“Nian Gao is a traditional Lunar New Year dessert, a sticky rice “cake” that is often steamed. This recipe was featured in the last episode of the House Special docuseries that highlighted Lunar New Year in Grande Prairie, Alberta.” — Jackie Kai Ellis

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1 x 400 g (14 oz) package of glutinous rice flour

2 cups (500 mL) water

5 slabs (325g) Chinese slab sugar

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) fine sea salt

15 red dates

Vegetable oil for greasing

Candied walnuts for garnish (optional)

In a small pot, heat together water, sugar, salt and dates until the sugar is melted. Let cool until warm to the touch. Remove and reserve the dates for garnish.

In a large bowl, sift in the rice flour and create a well in the centre. Slowly pour in the sugar syrup and mix with a spatula until homogeneous. Scoop the dough into heatproof vessels for steaming. Top with the dates.

Steam the dishes over simmering water for 30 minutes for the small cups and up to 1 1/2 hours for larger vessels. This pudding can be served hot from the steamer but is more traditionally served cut into slices, dipped in egg and pan-fried to reheat.

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Makes 1 large 8-inch cake or 15 individual teacup-sized cakes.

White Rabbit candy cupcakes

Recipe by: Amy Ho, Author of Blooms and Baking.

“If you asked me what sweets I grew up eating, I would tell you white rabbit candy was my candy of choice. Tucked inside the iconic blue, red, and black wrapper, white rabbit candy is a creamy, vanilla-scented candy similar to nougat or taffy in texture. So here is my homage to my favourite candy, just in time for Year of the Rabbit — a light vanilla cupcakes topped with the fluffiest white rabbit candy buttercream. White rabbit candies are cooked down in milk to create a white rabbit syrup, which is then whipped into the buttercream. Each cupcake gets its own little candy to make sure you get an extra treat with your treat. — Amy Ho

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2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

3/4 cups (180 mL) all-purpose flour

3 tbsp (45 mL) cornstarch

3/4 tsp (4 mL) baking powder

1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking soda

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

3 tbsp (45 mL) full-fat sour cream

2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil

1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla extract

1/3 cup (80 mL) whole milk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F and line a cupcake pan.

In a bowl of a mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and mix until incorporated. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk to combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a measuring cup, combine sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and milk.

Add the dry ingredients the butter mixture and while the mixer is running on low, slowly add the milk mixture. Mix until combined.

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Fill cupcake liners 3/4 way full and bake for 14 — 16 minutes. They are done when they are lightly golden brown and when a toothpick comes out without wet batter stuck to it. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

White Rabbit candy buttercream

8 pieces white rabbit candy

2 tbsp (30 mL) milk

2/3 cup (160 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups (500 mL) icing sugar

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract

In a small pot over medium heat, combine white rabbit candy and milk. The candy will slowly melt and turn the mixture syrupy. Keep on stirring with a rubber spatula until all the candy has fully melted. Once the candy has all melted, set mixture aside and let cool.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add icing sugar, one cup at a time, and mix until fully incorporated. Add vanilla and cooled white rabbit candy syrup. Continue beating buttercream on high speed until fluffy, 3 — 5 minutes. Transfer buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip and decorate away.

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Makes six cupcakes.

Năm Tốt Tea

Recipe by: Anh and Chi.

“A bright and balanced gin based cocktail to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Full of juicy blueberries with subtle botanical notes of elderflower and juniper. Oolong tea syrup dances between bitter and sweet, and its luscious red colour welcomes the new year with love and luck.” — Caleb Lopez, bar manager at Anh and Chi

1 1/2 oz (45 mL) blueberry-infused Bombay Sapphire

1/2 oz (15 mL) Odd Society Spirits Elderflower Liqueur

3/4 oz (22 mL) Oolong tea syrup

3/4 oz (22 mL) lemon juice

Rosemary sprig, for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, mix liquid ingredients. Fill cocktail glass with ice and pour mixture into glass. Garnish with rosemary sprig.

Serves one. 

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