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Chinese New Year is one of the most awaited and celebrated festivals in China and different regions of the world. The nation wears a grand look with festive decorations, and every house decks up in vivid hues. Among its myriad facets of festivities, a few signature foods, fruits and culinary fares need a special mention. It nudges many chefs worldwide to prepare the traditional grubs of Chinese New Year. "The Chinese new year, also referred to as the Lunar New Year, is a week of relaxation, time to feast, visit and have a family reunion. Many people focus on cleaning their homes to get rid of the negativity of the past and welcome positive energy," informs Benjamin Lalhmangaiha, Chef De Cuisine, Zega, Sheraton Hyderabad. As he mentions, this merriment time emphasises togetherness, and food plays a significant role in bringing harmony, good luck and solidarity.
Chef Benjamin adds that for the celebrations, many unique dishes are prepared to enjoy the feast with family members and near and dear ones. "The most popular dishes served on the occasion, which is also part of our special Chinese New Year menu, are longevity noodles, rice cake stir fry, dumplings, steamed fish and soya stewed chicken, to name a few."
Often the perception of Chinese foods remains restricted to noodles, fried rice and soups. But if culinary experts are to be believed, there is a sea of dishes. "Many people do not know that Chinese food is one of the healthiest foods in the world. It is also known for having the most varieties of flavours and a diverse range of cuisines representing the 34 provinces, so you can never eat the same dish twice. The Chinese eat almost everything that moves and use a variety of vegetables in their cooking. When it comes to preparing traditional desserts, they are almost completely dairy-free and made very soft or bite-sized for ease of eating with chopsticks. Seasonal fruits are the most common form of dessert," articulates Chef Benjamin. He is a dynamic epicurean who likes to explore quirky and unusual ingredients to offer guests an extraordinary Pan-Asian dining experience. For this vibrant occasion, he shares a classic steamed prawn dumplings recipe.
Har Gao Dumplings
Classic prawn dumplings, Image Source: Zega, Sheraton Hyderabad
Quantity: 15 pcs
Ingredients
- Hand-crushed prawns 100 gm
- Finely chop bamboo shoot 10 gm
- Finely chopped carrot 6 gm
- Finely chopped water chestnut 8 gm
- Finely chopped ginger 6 gm
- Seasoning Shaoxing wine 5 ml
- Sesame oil 6 ml
- Seasoning broth powder 3 gm
- White pepper powder pinch
- Dough Potato starch 30 gm
- Wheat starch 20 gm
- Hot water 40 ml
- Refined oil 2 ml
Method
- Add all ingredients in a bowl along with seasoning and mix well.
- Knead the dough and keep it aside. Let it rest for 10 min in an air-tight container
- Cut the dough into 15 equal small balls, and roll them individually.
- Put 12 gm of the stuffing mixture in the centre and fold it.
- Steam and serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.
