Chinese New Year 2024: Easy reunion dinner recipes by Singapore’s top Chinese chefs

Edward Chong, executive chef at Peach Blossoms

“As a Hakka individual, our family tradition involves starting the first day of the Lunar New Year with a vegetarian meal. This Hakka-style vermicelli hot pot, prepared by my family each year, holds a special place in my heart. 

It evokes memories of past Lunar New Years when I could leisurely sleep in, wake up naturally, and enjoy a carefree and happy start to the year with my family. Despite the current bustling nature of my Lunar New Year due to my culinary career, this dish remains a symbol of a joyful reunion with family. 

This dish has transformed into a precious memory, now lovingly prepared by my wife early in the morning on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Given the abundance of meat consumed during Chinese New Year celebrations, this hot pot provides a refreshing and cleansing start to the year.”

INGREDIENTS

• Half a head of napa cabbage 
• 1 carrot
• 10 florets of broccoli, 10 florets 
• 10 pieces of black fungus (cloud ear fungus)
• 5 shiitake mushrooms
• 2 bamboo shoots
• A small handful of vermicelli
• A small handful of black moss
• One box of braised dried tofu
• 2 pieces of red fermented bean curd
• 1 piece of white fermented bean curd
• 20g minced garlic
• 1 small piece of ginger
• 200g oyster sauce
• A small handful of crushed peanuts
• 2 litres chicken broth

METHOD

1. Wash and clean the ingredients including the napa cabbage, carrot, broccoli, black fungus, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, vermicelli, and black moss. 
2. Soak black fungus, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, vermicelli, and black moss in water until soft.
3. Cut napa cabbage, carrot, and shiitake mushrooms into pieces; cut bamboo shoots and vermicelli into segments; and remove the hard parts from the bottom of the black fungus. 
4. Mix red fermented bean curd and white fermented bean curd together. 
5. Prepare boiling water, blanch the black fungus and carrot slices in water for about five minutes, then remove them. 
6. Sauté minced ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add napa cabbage, carrot, broccoli, bamboo shoots, and black fungus, stir-fry. 
7. Then add the mixed fermented bean curd sauce, chicken broth, vermicelli, and black moss. Simmer for about five minutes. 
8. Top with crushed peanuts and serve.

Read more: The best Chinese New Year menus to ring in the Year of the Dragon in Singapore 2024

Cheung Siu Kong, Chinese chef of Summer Pavilion  

“Pen cai, also known as the Prosperity Pot, is a literal pot of treasures containing premium and nutrient-rich ingredients that are believed to bring prosperity and luck. These include the braised sea cucumber, abalone, goose web, fish maw, black moss, and whole scallops, all of which rest on a bed of roast meats and braised baby cabbage. I also like to include more seafood such as sea perch and Hokkaido scallops in my version of the Prosperity Pot.

Growing up, my family and I would always prepare pen cai for our reunion dinner. We didn’t have much, so being able to make this dish once a year was an absolute treat! We would splurge on high quality dried seafood and roast meats in the hope that the New Year would be just as plentiful.

An earthen claypot is always used not only because it presents the dish well, but also because of its practicality. It’s non-stick, and boasts superior heat retention capabilities as compared to stainless steel.”

INGREDIENTS

• 400g–500g coarsely chopped Chinese cabbage
• 2 roasted duck legs
• 200g–300g roasted pork
• 10 sea perch fillet, pan-fried (optional)
• 10 fresh scallops, pan-fried (optional)
• 10 whole dried scallops 
• 10g black moss, soaked overnight and blanched briefly 

Fish maw

• 1 fish maw, rehydrated and cut into 10 pieces
• 500ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

Sea cucumber

• 1 sea cucumber, rehydrated and cut into 10 pieces 
• 1 piece dried sole fish
• A handful of scallions
• 3 slices ginger
• 300ml chicken stock
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tbsp dark soy sauce
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp Shaoxing wine

Mushrooms

• 10 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked overnight and de-stemmed 
• A handful of scallions
• 4 slices ginger
• 400ml water
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar

Abalone

• 10 pieces of canned 6-head Australian abalone
• 6 chicken feet
• 100g chicken meat
• 100g pork leg meat
• 30g Jinhua ham, chopped into coarse chunks
• 1 small piece of star anise
• 1g dried tangerine peel
• 1 slice ginger
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• 5g rock sugar
• 1 tbsp groundnut oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 600ml water or chicken stock

Goose web

1. 10 pieces goose web, cleaned 
2. 100g pork leg meat
3. 30g Jinhua ham
4. 1 small piece star anise
5. 1 slice ginger
6. 300ml chicken stock
7. 5g rock sugar
8. 1 tbsp light soy sauce
9. 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
10. 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder

METHOD

Cabbage

1. Quickly blanch Chinese baby cabbage in boiling water with a dash of salt and drain. 

Fish maw

1. Prepare chicken stock with seasoning to a boil, then cool in an ice bath. 
2. When chicken stock is cool, soak fish maw in chicken stock for several hours, preferably overnight. 

Sea cucumber

1. Repeat the steps for the fish maw preparation with the sea cucumber. 

Dried scallops

1. In a bowl, rehydrate the dried scallops with water and steam for 45 minutes. Scallops should be tender but not falling apart. 
2. Drain and keep the leftover liquid.

Chinese mushrooms

1. Lightly fry ginger and scallions, then add water and bring to a boil. 
2. Add salt, sugar and rehydrated mushrooms.
3. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes and let it sit. Once simmered, drain and discard liquid.
4. Keep simmered mushrooms aside.

Abalone

1. Flash fry chicken feet, chicken and pork meat in hot oil until they turn golden. Drain well to remove excess oil.
2. In a pot, simmer the fried meats, abalone, chicken stock, seasoning, star anise, ginger and Jinhua ham for 2 hours. Remove and keep abalone aside.
3. Boil the rest of the ingredients until stock reduces to about 300ml.
4. Strain and discard debris, while keeping the stock aside.

Goose web

1. Briefly blanch goose webs in boiling water, and flash fry goose webs in hot oil until they turn light golden. Set aside and drain excess oil.
2. In a separate pan, flash fry pork meat in hot oil, until golden. Drain to remove excess oil.
3. In another pot, simmer the fried meat, chicken stock, seasoning ingredients, star anise, ginger, and Jinhua ham for 2 hours.
4. Add goose webs to the pot and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes (or until a chopstick passes through the palm of the goose web without resistance).
5. Gently remove and set aside the goose webs. Strain the stock and discard the debris, leaving only the liquid.

Assembling the pot

1. Layer cabbage evenly as the base of the claypot.
2. Layer desired ingredients over the cabbage as you wish, with the dried scallops in the middle to prevent them from falling apart.
3. Wrap claypot in cling film and steam.

Pen cai sauce 

1. While claypot is steaming, make the sauce by combining leftover braising liquid from the abalone, goose web, and dried scallops in a pot. Add more oyster sauce to taste if desired.
2. Thicken sauce to your desired consistency with corn starch slurry. Add dark soy sauce if desired.
3. Pour completed sauce over the reheated prosperity pot and bring pot to a rolling boil on the stovetop. Serve immediately.

Daniel Cheung, executive chef of Shang Palace

“As we usher in the Chinese New Year, indulging in a prawn dish carries a symbolic meaning of laughter and joy throughout the year. Seafood is an essential ingredient in New Year's dishes, representing abundance and prosperity. This family-friendly dish, with its delightful combination of sweet and slightly tangy tomato sauce, is sure to be a hit with both adults and children alike. The simplicity of preparation ensures that it won't take up too much of your time, enabling you to create more precious moments of togetherness with your loved ones.”

INGREDIENTS

1. 100g ketchup
2. 20g white vinegar
3. 100g water
4. 70g sugar 
5. 4 prawns (approximately 100g)
6. 1/3 teaspoon minced garlic 
7. Scallions for garnish

METHOD

1. Mix ketchup, water, sugar, and white vinegar evenly; set aside.
2. Clean and devein the prawns, then cut open the stomach of each prawn; set aside.
3. In a hot pan with oil, pan-fry each side of the prawns for about half a minute. Remove and set aside.
4. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, then add the prepared ketchup mixture. Bring it to a boil and add the pan-fried prawns. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until cooked through.
5. Arrange the prawns on a plate, drizzle with the sauce, and sprinkle with green onions. Serve.

Cheung Siu Kong, Chinese chef of Summer Pavilion  

“This dish, also known as tang yuan, represents familial reunion. Back in Hong Kong, I would make them with my grandmother for special occasions—a wedding, reunion dinner, or the winter solstice. At Summer Pavilion, I want to showcase and elevate this traditional dish that is of significance to me, in a savory form stuffed with Ibérico pork and served in a rich chicken stock.”

INGREDIENTS

Tang yuan skin 

1. 520g glutinous rice flour 
2. 470ml of warm water 

Ibérico pork filling

1. 200g finely diced Ibérico pork meat
2. 40g dried shrimp, rehydrated and minced
3. 50g fine chopped garlic chives
4. 75g rehydrated Chinese mushrooms, finely diced
5. 10g oyster sauce
6. 4g chicken bouillon powder
7. 5g sugar
8. 2 tsp light soy sauce
9. 1 tsp sesame oil
10. Ground white pepper, to taste
11. 4 tbsp chicken stock
12. 1tsp corn starch (rehydrated with 2 tsp water to make a slurry)

METHOD

Tang yuan skin 

1. Add 460ml of warm water to 520g of glutinous rice flour gradually while stirring until it becomes a dough. Add more water if dough feels dry, and then let the dough rest.
2. Start a pot of boiling water and break off a small piece of dough (about the size of a ping pong ball) into the boiling water.
3. Once the small piece of dough is cooked, strain and add it to the rest of the uncooked dough and knead (this step is important to ensure tang yuan is tender and chewy).

Ibérico pork filling

1. In a non-stick wok, stir-fry the diced Ibérico pork meat. 
2. When the natural fat is released from the meat, add minced dried shrimp and stir-fry until fragrant. Then, add the finely diced garlic chives, and diced Chinese mushrooms.
3. Add chicken stock, oyster sauce, chicken bouillon powder, sugar, sesame oil, pepper, and light soy sauce and mix.
4. Turn heat to low, and gradually add cornstarch slurry to the mixture while folding. Do not add the slurry all at one go as it will form uneven clumps in the mixture. Turn up the heat to bring it to a boil; the mixture will thicken instantly.
5. Turn off the heat and spread filling out onto a clean baking tray to let it cool. 
6. Place tray in the chiller for a few hours to let it solidify further.

Assemble the tang yuan

1. When dough is well-rested, portion into 15g pieces and keep them under a slightly damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.
2. When Ibérico pork filling is cooled, portion into little balls of 9g each. Then, freeze them for an hour or so to ensure that they hold their shape during the assembly process. 
3. Stuff 9g of Ibérico pork filling into the dough and roll with your palms until they form a smooth round ball of tang yuan.

Cook the tang yuan

1. Bring chicken stock up to temperature over low-medium heat.
2. In another pot, boil tang yuan until they are fully cooked (tang yuan will float in boiling water once cooked).
3. Place cooked tang yuan in a bowl and garnish with chopped Chinese celery.

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