Flavorful Feast

The Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, or Nian Ye Fan, is more than just a meal—it’s a cherished tradition filled with symbolic dishes that represent wishes for prosperity, health, and good fortune in the coming year. These ten classic homestyle recipes are perfect for creating that special festive spread at home. They balance flavor, meaning, and tradition, ensuring your family table is both abundant and auspicious. Let's get cooking!

1. Enoki Mushroom "Flourishing Wealth"

This visually stunning and popular dish, representing "blooming wealth and honor," is a true showstopper.

Why it's special: Beautiful presentation, savory garlic flavor, and a lucky meaning. It's always the first plate to be emptied!

How-to: Remove the ends of enoki mushrooms and shred them into sections. Arrange them neatly on a plate to form a "flower" base. Beat an egg and slice some ham. Arrange the ham artistically on top of the mushrooms. Create a fragrant garlic sauce by pouring hot oil over minced garlic and chili, then season with salt, chicken essence, sugar, and a little oyster sauce. Spread this sauce evenly over the mushrooms and ham. Steam over high heat for 8 minutes. Finish with a drizzle of light soy sauce and sizzling hot oil with scallions.

2. Stir-Fried Firm Tofu with Pork

This humble dish becomes extraordinary with one simple trick to remove the beany taste.

Why it's special: Incredibly savory and satisfying, a perfect companion to steamed rice.

How-to: Slice firm tofu sheets. Blanch them in boiling water with a spoon of dark soy sauce—this is the key to eliminating any unwanted beany flavor. Drain. In a hot wok, stir-fry pork slices until their fat renders. Add minced garlic, chili, and chopped green peppers, stir-frying until fragrant. Add the blanched tofu, season with salt, chicken essence, light soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir-fry everything together over high heat for one intense minute. Serve hot.

3. Crisp Wood Ear Mushroom & Chinese Yam Stir-Fry

A light, nutritious, and refreshing dish that balances a rich feast.

Why it's special: A clean, crisp texture and a healthy combination that aids digestion.

How-to: Slice Chinese yam and prepare wood ear mushrooms. Blanch both in boiling water with a pinch of salt and a dash of white vinegar for about two minutes to retain crispness. Drain. Sauté ginger, garlic, and bell peppers until fragrant. Add the yam and mushrooms back in, season with salt and chicken essence. Thicken with a little starch slurry, give it a quick toss, and serve. It's a wholesome palate-cleanser.

4. Salt-Baked Prawns

Experience the pure, unadulterated sweetness of shrimp with this simple, no-water method.

Why it's special: Intensely flavorful, concentrating the shrimp's natural briny sweetness. Far superior to simple steaming or boiling.

How-to: In a dry pot, spread a layer of coarse salt. Add scallion segments, ginger strips, and your prawns. Sprinkle a few Sichuan peppercorns and another layer of salt on top. Cook over low-medium heat, covered, for about 10 minutes. The salt crust traps steam, cooking the prawns in their own juices. The result? Tender, incredibly sweet, and fragrant shrimp.

5. "Adding Flowers to Brocade" (Choy Sum with Mushrooms)

A dish whose name means "adding splendor to something already beautiful," symbolizing continuous improvement.

Why it's special: Vibrant green vegetables, umami-rich mushrooms, and an auspicious name for the new year.

How-to: Cut choy sum in half and slice shiitake mushrooms. Blanch the greens briefly in water with a little oil and salt to keep them bright green. Arrange them decoratively on a plate. Blanch the mushrooms separately to remove any earthy taste. Sauté garlic and chili, add the mushrooms, then pour in a sauce made from light and dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, sugar, and starch water. Let it reduce until glossy, then pour over the arranged greens.

6. Scrambled Egg & Tofu

A deceptively simple combination that delivers incredible comfort and flavor.

Why it's special: Silky tofu enveloped in fluffy eggs, creating a harmonious and deeply satisfying texture.

How-to: Dice soft tofu. Pour beaten eggs over it. Heat oil in a wok, add the tofu-egg mixture, and stir-fry quickly so the egg coats each tofu cube. In a separate pan, sauté garlic and chili until fragrant, then add the tofu and eggs back in. Season with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, and chicken essence. Stir-fry for two minutes until flavorful, finish with garlic sprouts. It's a humble dish that outshines rich meats.

7. "Lotus Pond Moonlight" Stir-Fry

A colorful, crisp vegetable medley with a poetic name, symbolizing family harmony.

Why it's special: A feast of colors and textures—crunchy, fresh, and light.

How-to: Trim snow peas. Blanch all your chosen vegetables (like carrots, lotus root, snow peas) in oiled, salted water for a very short time (about 30 seconds) to lock in color and crispness. Sauté garlic and shrimp until pink. Add the blanched veggies, season with salt and chicken essence, toss to combine, and thicken with a light starch slurry. This vibrant stir-fry is a refreshing counterpoint to heavier dishes.

8. Stir-Fried Shiitake Mushrooms

When you're tired of meat, these mushrooms offer a wonderfully meaty and savory alternative.

Why it's special: The shiitake mushrooms become incredibly tender and soak up all the delicious sauce.

How-to: Slice shiitake mushrooms thickly. Blanch them for a minute in boiling water and drain. This step softens them and prepares them to absorb flavor. Sauté garlic and chili until fragrant. Add the mushrooms, season with salt, chicken essence, light soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir-fry over high heat until the sauce is absorbed. Add bell peppers for a final quick toss. Simple, savory, and utterly moreish.

9. Scallion-Braised Wood Ear Mushrooms

A powerhouse of nutrition and flavor, often praised for its health benefits.

Why it's special: Earthy, chewy texture with a rich, savory brown sauce. A healthy and delicious staple.

How-to: Soak dried wood ear mushrooms (adding a little flour to the water helps clean them). Blanch for three minutes. Make a sauce with light and dark soy sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce, salt, chicken essence, starch, and water. Sauté garlic and large scallion segments until wonderfully fragrant. Add the mushrooms and the sauce, letting it all simmer together until the sauce thickens and coats the mushrooms beautifully.

10. Stir-Fried Zucchini with Pork

The perfect final act—a crisp, savory vegetable dish that cuts through the richness of the feast.

Why it's special: The zucchini stays remarkably crisp and pairs perfectly with savory minced pork.

How-to: Cut zucchini into strips, salt them for 10 minutes, then rinse. This draws out excess water, ensuring a crisp fry. Stir-fry minced pork until its fat renders. Add aromatics and a spoon of chili bean paste for color and spice. Toss in the zucchini strips, season with chicken essence, sugar, and soy sauces. Stir-fry over high heat for just a couple of minutes to retain that perfect crunch. It's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

From dishes representing wealth and beauty to those offering crisp refreshment and deep comfort, this selection has everything you need to create a memorable and meaningful New Year's Eve celebration. Each recipe brings not just flavor, but a wish for good things to come