Chinese New Year 2014 is the Year of the Wood Horse and my year, I share it with Oprah Winfrey! Wood Horse only occurs every 60 years, so it’s very special. The New Year celebrations continues for 2 weeks concluding February 14 and coincided with Valentine’s Day. How fortuitous because it means double happiness!!!
It’s the time of year to ‘thank‘ all the people who’ve helped you and there’s no better way to do that than to celebrate at home with family and friends! I’m continuing the brilliant idea I started last year of hiring an assistant to help prep, decorate and get ready! It’s really the secret to throwing a good party. You’re less stressed and can enjoy your friends more.
This year, I did three rounds of Chinese New Year Progressive Feasts with dishes like Pineapple Fried Rice which signify long life and dumplings which signify prosperity and fortune, red and gold to signify luck. I really like the ‘progressive feast’ idea where I cook a meat dish and veggie dish, eat those while it’s fresh and hot before proceeding to the next few dishes. The downtime allows your palette to savor the food and settle in your tummy before starting on another taste journey. The most important point is that you eat the dishes while they’re still hot instead of having them warming in the oven (drying out) or serving them all at once and get cold at the table! Next time you throw a dinner party, try this progressive concept!
As a Horse, I’m energetic, active and start too many projects, so true! 2014 has started off with a bang and I’m very excited to see how the rest of the year unfolds. Go check out your zodiac predictions here.
Hope you get some ideas for your next progressive feast…remember it’s always about taste, texture and color in that order…
Feast three…uh, forgot to take photos of 1st course which were crispy dumplings with 3 dips. 3rd course: Buy some ready roast duck and char siu which just needs warming under the grill. Fry a simple shrimp dish with multi colored mini sweet peppers and sugar snap, lovely bright colors and went well with the roast meats and ice cold Tiger Beer. Dessert: Chinese cakes and Cara Cara sliced oranges, important to have oranges present, brings luck!
Underground chef, Shelley brought wonderful prezzies of homemade beets and beeswax lip balm decorated in red and gold, the 2 colors that signify luck! Sze, my web and online marketing goddess poses in my sister’s original, beautiful handmade vest, she looked adorable in it! Super my sister and her hubby could join us for Chinese New Year especially as it was freezing in NC!
Feast three…2nd course: There’s nothing better than fresh oyster and shitake mushrooms, simply stir fried with baby bok choy. This was a perfect complement to my signature Spicy Hoisin Ribs!
Feast two…1st course: Beef pho; 2nd course: Grilled Spicy Hoisin Ribs; Chinese Broccoli and red bell peppers; 3rd course: Buddha’s Delight with Chinese mushrooms, sugar snap, tofu and red bell peppers with Pineapple Fried Rice with Lap Cheong and lots of crunchy veggies. Dessert: Chinese cakes. So much fun with chatchowtv founders, Gio and Lauren and designers, Chris and Yumi.
Feast One…1st course: Beef pho soup; 2nd course: Grilled Spicy Hoisin Ribs and Ginger, Garlic Baby Bok Choy; 3rd Course: Pineapple Fried Rice and Kimchi; Dessert: Lychees, berries and Italian Ginger ice cream and special snacks like candied ginger, lotus seeds, lotus root only available during Chinese New Year. I was so glad to have gallery owners, Marian and Adam who we knew from Key West celebrate Chinese New Year with us! So good to catch up.
Hi, I'm Wok Star Eleanor Hoh, cooking teacher, blogger and presenter. What I enjoy most is sharing my knowledge and love of wok cooking! My NO-RECIPE, NO-MEASURING, NO-CALORIE COUNTING technique for one-dish dinners uses a few fresh ingredients and only 4 seasonings! I'll show you how with the right wok, the right wok hei (high heat), the right technique and quality ingredients. Anyone can Cook Like a Wok Star using my Wok Star Kit. I hope you'll enjoy visiting my website which is full of information, videos, resources and tips to make you a Wok Star!
