Chinese New Year panfried shrimp
Over the years, I鈥檝e learned a lot about the food traditions of other Asian cultures, especially during Lunar or Chinese New Year.
The Vietnamese, who celebrate Tet, celebrate with a host of different foods like听,听, candied fruit and lots of听.
In Singapore,听听is very popular. The Taiwanese eat听, and Indonesians have their own version of听听sweet pineapple jam encased in a crumbly shortcrust pastry.
I grew up following the same ole, same ole new year food customs so I鈥檓 always (pleasantly) surprised when I learn that other Chinese families have somewhat different customs and traditions.
Recently, I met听, a Master Gardener who specializes in growing Asian vegetables and cookbook author in the D.C. area. Like many Chinese families, her family always has dumplings on the table for Chinese New Year.
More often than not, the women and girls in the family make the dumplings. But in Wendy鈥檚 family, her dad is the master dumpling-maker. Instead of just the usual pork and Chinese (Napa) cabbage combination, Wendy鈥檚 dad stuffs his dumplings with an extra-special ingredient as well鈥揷rab meat. And for old time鈥檚 sake, he still follows the tradition of hiding coins in the dumplings. 鈥淲hoever finds them is said to have good luck for the rest of the year!鈥� Wendy says. (You鈥檒l have to buy Wendy鈥檚 cookbook ""听for her dad鈥檚 crab dumpling recipe reveal!) 听
Chinese New Year foods often comprise dishes that are homonyms for lucky words and phrases and/or symbols of good luck, prosperity and health. Wendy says there is always a shrimp dish because the word for shrimp, 鈥榟a鈥� in Cantonese, is a homophone for 鈥榟a ha鈥� as in laughter and 鈥榟a ha siu鈥� means 鈥渉a ha smile.鈥� Who doesn鈥檛 want to be happy in the new year?
Sometimes, Wendy鈥檚 mom will make a shrimp dish with tomato sauce because the color red is very auspicious. 鈥淩ed in Cantonese is 鈥榟oung,鈥� a homonym for fortune,鈥� explains Wendy.
Her mom also likes to use certain lucky numbers, says Wendy. 鈥淚n this dish, she will usually serve the shrimp in quantities of eight or 18 depending on the size of her party. Eight is pronounced 鈥榖aht鈥� in Cantonese, and fortune is pronounced similarly, 鈥榝aht.鈥欌�澨�
Everyone has their own interpretations right? Won鈥檛 you share yours below?
No matter what you鈥檙e having for Lunar or Chinese New Year,听I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Rooster! Xing Nian Kuai Le! Gong Xi Fa Cai!
Chinese New Year panfried shrimp
By Wendy Kiang-Spray
18 jumbo head- and tail-on shrimp
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon Shaoxing Chinese wine
1/4 cup cornstarch
陆-inch chunk of ginger, cut into a few slices
1 stalk Chinese celery, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Vegetable oil, such as corn or sunflower oil, for fryingInstructions
- To prepare shrimp: snip the heads up to the eyes with kitchen shears. Snip and remove the legs. Devein. Rinse and pat dry thoroughly to prevent oil from splattering later.
- Sprinkle both sides of shrimp with cornstarch.
- In a small dish, mix the soy sauce, sugar and wine.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok or frying pan. Add ginger and swirl around for a minute to flavor oil. In batches, pan fry shrimp on both sides for a few minutes until pink, slightly curled and cooked through. Remove shrimp and set aside.
- Wipe down pan with a paper towel. Add another 1 tablespoon oil to wok. Add shallots, celery and garlic. Stir for a minute or two until fragrant. Add shrimp and sauce to wok. Stir until hot and serve.
Notes
- Chinese celery's flavor is more intense than Western celery and can be found at Asian markets. Substitute with regular celery.
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