Chinese New Year is just around the corner. It is a time for family gatherings and feasting. It is believed, abstaining from eating meat on the first day of Chinese New Year will enhance longevity.
Additionally, a vegetarian dish helps to purify and cleanse the body hence many families practice eating vegetarian on the first day.
There are two popular vegetable dishes during Chinese New Year – Braised Mushroom with Broccoli and Loh Hon Chai (Braised Mix Vegetables).
At times, scallops and dried oysters are added to the braised mushroom with broccoli dish. If you want a fully vegetarian dish, simply omit those.
Loh Hon Chai is a popular vegetarian dish, especially on the first day of the Chinese New Year. It is a simple braised mixed vegetable dish cooked with red fermented bean curd.
My mother always cooks this for us. When I asked her to teach me how to cook it, I was surprised at how simple it actually is to dish this out.
Braised Mushroom and Scallop with Broccoli
Equipment
- Wok
Ingredients
- 1 broccoli head
- 9 scallop
- 9 mushroom
- 1 tbsp dried wolfberries
- 1 carrot
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 250 ml water for braising
- 1 L water for blanching
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Cut broccoli into florets.
- Peel the skin of a carrot and slice.
- Soak mushrooms and dried wolfberries until soften.
- Boil a litre of water in a pot. Add 1 teaspoon of oil and salt into the water. Blanch broccoli and carrot in boiling water for 2-3 minutes max.
- Remove broccoli and carrot with a slotted spoon and plunge into a bowl of iced water. This helps to retain the freshness and colour of the vegetables.
- In a wok, heat oil. Brown chopped garlic.
- Add mushrooms.
- Add 250ml water.
- Flavour with oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and sugar.
- Cover the wok and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add scallop and continue to simmer for 1 minute.
- In a bowl, mix cornstarch with a tablespoon of water. Pour into the wok and stir until sauce thickens.
- Dish out onto the plate with the broccoli, leaving some sauce in the wok.
- Add wolfberries into the sauce.
- Pour wolfberries and sauce over mushroom and scallops. Arrange blanched carrot. Serve immediately.
Loh Hon Chai (Braised Mixed Vegetables)
Equipment
- Wok
Ingredients
Ingredient
- 1 cabbage head washed and drained
- 1 carrot peeled and cut into strips
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 cube red fermented bean curd
- 1 tbsp oil
- water
To soak
- 15 g glass noodles
- 15 g dried black fungus
- 15 g dried lily buds
- 9 pcs dried mushroom
- 3 pcs dried bean curd sheets
Sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Separately wash and soak glass noodles, wood ear fungus, dried beancurd and Chinese mushrooms in cold water until soft. Drain and set aside.
- Heat cooking oil in a wok.
- Stir fry garlic, bean curd (diluted with water) and sugar.
- Add cabbage, mushrooms and carrot. Mix the vegetable well with the red fermented bean curd.
- Add sugar.
- Add mushroom and black fungus.
- Season with vegetarian oyster sauce and light soy sauce.
- Add in the washed and drained ingredients.
- Add half cup water, cover and let it braise for 8 minutes.
- Transfer onto a serving plate and serve with steamed rice.
Now that you have your prosperity veges ready, do try out these 2 Abundance Fish Recipes and 2 Heavenly Chicken Recipes for Chinese New Year.
We can’t forget about our yee sang either when it comes to CNY—Roar in the Year of the Tiger with these Three Creative Yee Sang Recipes! And for dessert, let’s welcome the Year of the Tiger with these adorable Tiger Shaped Pineapple Tarts!
Motherhood wishes you and yours an auspicious Year of the Tiger blessed with an abundance of prosperity and good health! Gong Xi Fa Cai!
For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story.