Celebrate Lunar New Year

2022 • H A PPY LUNAR •YEAR • c NEW YEAR • 2 0 2 2 OF THETIGER elebrate

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Passing down recipes is key to the celebration!

Lunar New Year is all about the food for the Leung family. “The biggest part of our celebration is getting the chance to have multiple generations cooking together and sharing recipes and traditions,” says Sarah, from the family behind The Woks of Life. The blog, started by Sarah, sister Kaitlin, and parents Bill and Judy to document their family recipes, shares dishes, how-tos, and ingredients central to Chinese cooking. The family sees Lunar New Year as an opportunity to celebrate together with foods important to their culture and their family. Three essential dishes—steamed fish, noodles, and dumplings— each represent a hope for the year ahead. Dive into recipes that offer good fortune and long life to ring in the new year.

Steamed Whole Fish

ACTIVE 20 MIN. ✦ TOTAL 35 MIN. ✦ SERVES 4

1 whole striped bass or sea bass (about 1½ lbs, cleaned) 1 3-in. piece fresh ginger (about 1 in. thick), peeled and cut into thin matchsticks, divided 2 scallions, cut into thin matchsticks, green and white parts separated 8 sprigs fresh cilantro, roughly chopped ¼ cup soy sauce ¾ tsp sugar

Freshly ground white pepper

Kosher salt ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided 1 Steam fish: You’ll need a heatproof plate large enough to hold fish and a wok or other pot fitted with a rack (or use a metal can with both ends removed) on which to set the plate. Fill wok or pot with 2 to 3 in. water, cover, and bring to a boil. Rinse fish, place on plate, and steam, covered, until just opaque throughout, 9 min. Turn off heat. 2 Carefully pour off liquid accumulated on plate from steaming. Spread half of ginger and then green portions of scallions and cilantro over top of fish. 3 In bowl, mix together soy sauce, sugar, white pepper to taste, ¼ cup water, and ¼ tsp salt. Heat 2 Tbsp oil and remaining ginger in small saucepan on medium-high until just sizzling, then stir in sauce mixture and bring to a simmer. 4 Once simmering, add remaining ¼ cup oil and white portions of scallions and stir until liquid retur ns to a simmer. Spoon mixture evenly over fish; serve hot.

“Long life noodles are important for many a celebration, from wedding banquets to an elder’s birthday party, wishing them longevity and happin ess.”

Long Life Noodles

ACTIVE 15 MIN. ✦ TOTAL 20 MIN. ✦ SERVES 4

12 oz dry Yi Mein noodles ⅛ tsp sugar

Kosher salt 2 Tbsp oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce) 2 tsp regular soy sauce 2 tsp dark soy sauce ½ tsp sesame oil

Freshly ground white pepper 3 to 4 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided 5 shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced 8 oz Chinese chives, cut into 2-in.-long pieces, light and dark green parts separated 1 Cook noodles in boiling water 3 to 4 min., just until al dente. Drain immediately; set aside. 2 In small bowl, dissolve sugar and ¼ tsp salt in 1 Tbsp hot water, then stir in oyster sauce, soy sauces, sesame oil, and white pepper to taste. 3 Heat large wok until just smoking and spread 2 Tbsp oil around edge of pan. 4 Add mushrooms and light green parts of chives and stir-fry 30 sec., adding another Tbsp oil if mushrooms look dry. 5 Add drained noodles and stir-fry until war med through, 20 sec. to 1 min. 6 Drizzle prepared sauce mixture evenly over noodles and stir-fry, tossing, until noodles are well coated, 1 to 2 min. If necessary, spread another Tbsp oil around perimeter of wok to prevent sticking or add 1 to 2 Tbsp water, making sure to mix gently so noodles don’t break. 7 Add dark green parts of chives and mix until they turn bright green and noodles are heated through, another 1 to 3 min.