From braised pork to steamed fish to a sociable salad – here are some colourful New Year tips from our readers.
• The next challenge will be "global grain" dishes. See how to enter below – and take part in our grains quiz.
Regular contributors TwinnyDip not only suggested this week's theme – the Chinese Year of the Horse kicked off yesterday – but managed to get two recipes in, one of which proved to be the winner.
No mean feat in a strong field; my assembled group of Chinese banqueters each had their favourite, with Mayasari R's sweet and sour salad proving a hit as much for its performance element as its flavour, but the elegant simplicity of their striking steamed fish with black beans won the day.
Special mention to Sharon Maloney's lovely looking five-spice duck with wild rice stuffing; too long to include here unfortunately, but it's available at GuardianWitness.
*Annual surplus and prosperity (steamed fish with black beans and garlic (above))*
In Chinese culture, food symbolism is really important; as "fish" and "surplus" are homophones, fish is a must-have during Chinese New Year. Serving the entire fish also symbolises a good start and a good end to the year.
TwinnyDip, London, twinnydip.com
Serves 4-6 people alongside other dishes
*30g fermented black beans*
*3 garlic cloves, minced*
*1 tsp vegetable oil*
*1cm chunk of ginger, sliced*
*1 grey mullet, about 450g, scaled, gutted, washed, patted dry (or sea bass/sea bream)*
*1 tbsp dark soy sauce*
*1 tbsp vegetable oil*
*Steamed rice, to serve*
*1 *Prepare the steamer, or a pan of simmering water with a steamer set above it. Meanwhile, rinse and drain the beans, chop them roughly and mix with the garlic and vegetable oil.
*2 *Place the ginger inside the fish and place in the steamer. Top with the black bean and garlic mixture.
*3 *Cover and steam for 8–10 minutes or until the fish is just cooked and flaky.
*4 *Put on to a serving plate and drizzle the soy sauce. Heat the remaining oil in a pan or wok over a high heat, then drizzle over the fish evenly. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
*Braised caramelised pork with eggs*
Lunar New Year is also celebrated in Vietnam, where it's known as Tet. Thit kho tàu, or braised pork, is a classic, hearty family dish that's often part of a Tet spread; best spooned over rice and with some kind of pickled veggies to offset the richness. Nuoc màu (caramel sauce) is available at oriental grocers, but it's far cheaper to make your own: there's a recipe on my website: aliettedebodard.com/recipes.
aliettedb via GuardianWitness
Serves 4
*3 tbsp nuoc màu (caramel sauce)*
*400g pork belly, skin on*
*400g pork shoulder*
*2 tbsp nuoc mam (fish sauce), or to taste*
*1 onion, finely chopped*
*3 garlic cloves, finely chopped*
*½-1 tsp salt*
*1 tsp ground pepper*
*330ml coconut water*
*4 eggs*
*Sugar, to taste*
*Rice and pickled vegetables, to serve*
*1 *Cut the pork into small, chopstick-sized chunks. Put a heavy-bottomed pan on a medium heat, and add the caramel sauce (nuoc màu). Stir in the pork, and fry for a few minutes until the meat is coloured.
*2 *Add the fish sauce (nuoc mam), onion, garlic, salt, pepper and coconut water; the coconut water should cover the meat by about 1cm so you can top up with more nuoc mam, or plain water, if necessary.
*3 *Lower the heat, cover, and braise for at least an hour, but the longer the better; 2½ hours if you have time. Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs, drain, cool and peel, then cut each in half lengthways.
*4 *About 15 minutes before the pork is done, uncover it, stir in the eggs and leave on a low heat for for the remaining cooking time. Season to taste, adding sugar if necessary; the sauce should have thickened a bit, but should still be liquid. Serve over rice with pickled vegetables.
*Tang yuan (glutinous rice balls)*
The round shape of these small, sweet dumplings symbolises family togetherness; the stickiness echoing the fact that family should stick together. They are traditionally consumed on the first full moon of the new year; in our family we always like to have them right after the new year countdown.
TwinnyDip, London, twinnydip.com
Makes 24
For the filling
*100g peanuts/sesame seeds, or nut of your choice, toasted and ground*
*50g sugar*
*4 tbsp melted lard/butter*
* *For the dumplings
*225g glutinous rice flour*
*2 tbsp rice flour/tapioca starch*
*100g desiccated coconut/toasted sesame seeds (optional)*
*1* Mix the filling ingredients together and chill for 30-45 minutes, or put into the freezer for a few minutes.
*2 *Meanwhile, mix the glutinous rice flour and rice flour or tapioca starch with 150ml luke-warm water to make a soft dough, adding more water if necessary. Divide in half and, on a lightly rice-floured surface, form into cylinders about 4cm thick. Cut each into 12 pieces.
*3 *Divide the filling into 24 portions. Take a piece of dough and flatten it with your thumb, making an indent in the middle. Place the stuffing into the indent, seal carefully and gently roll into a ball. Repeat.
*4* Cook in a pot of boiling water until they float, and look almost translucent. Roll in desiccated coconut or sesame seeds to coat.
*Soy sauce chicken*
This aromatic "red cooked" chicken is Chinese comfort food; perfect when it's cold outside. Garnish with sliced red chillies for festive colour.
TheHomeCook via GuardianWitness
Serves 4 (or more if eaten as part of a new year feast)
*6 tbsp dark soy sauce (or 6 tbsp light soy sauce and 1 tbsp brown or palm sugar)*
*8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs *
*3-4 star anise*
*5cm strip of orange zest*
*A few good dashes of ground white pepper*
*2 spring onions, sliced*
*Steamed rice and Chinese greens, to serve*
*1 *In a heavy-bottomed pan, large enough to accommodate the chicken in 1 layer, heat the soy sauce (with the sugar if using), until it starts to bubble and the sugar has dissolved.
*2 *Add the chicken, skin-side down, along with the star anise, orange zest and pepper. Cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes, turning every 15 minutes or so to colour the thighs evenly. Keep an eye on it towards the end of the cooking time as the sticky sauce can catch (though I quite like that, myself).
*3 *Garnish with the spring onion, and serve with steamed rice and Chinese greens.
*Yee Sang – a sweet and sour salad*
This beautiful dish is a classic New Year dish in the Chinese communities of Singapore and Malaysia. This year I brought it to my London office and celebrated with my colleagues.
MayasariR via GuardianWitness
Serves 2 (or 6 as part of a feast)
For the salad
*1 carrot, shredded*
*1 white radish (daikon), shredded*
*1 cucumber, shredded and moisture squeezed out*
* *For the garnish
*2 raw salmon fillets, thinly sliced*
*Juice of ½ lime*
*1 tsp Chinese five spice*
*Pinch of salt and pepper*
*2 tbsp sweet plum sauce (or apricot jam, diluted with water)*
*1 tsp grated ginger*
*1 tsp sesame oil*
*1 tbsp sunflower oil*
*1 tbsp roasted crushed peanuts*
*1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds*
*3 crispy crackers (traditionally deep-fried wonton wrappers)*
*50g pomelo, peeled and torn into chunks*
*1 *Assemble the dish by putting a mound of carrots in the centre of the serving plate, then the rest of the shredded vegetables in little piles around it to create a colourful rainbow effect. Put on the table with the remaining ingredients arranged round the dish.
*2 *The leader amongst the diners then adds the remaining ingredients, making auspicious wishes as each ingredient is added or pointed out: raw fish for abundance, lime for good luck, five spice and pepper for good fortune, sweet sauce for a honeyed year, white radish for success, carrot for eminence, ginger for good luck, oil for good fortune and luck, peanuts for prosperity, crackers for prosperity and gold, and pomelo for luck and auspicious value.
*3 *Then the whole table joins in; everyone dips in with their chopsticks and tosses the ingredients together, lifting them high and crying "lo hei"– Cantonese for "tossing luck". The higher the toss, the greater the prosperity.
*Monk's vegetables, or Buddha's delight*
Traditionally eaten on the first day of the New Year, each ingredient bestowing its own symbolic token to the mix, this is one big pot of health, wealth and happiness. What I love most is the contrast in textures; the smooth slipperiness of the cellophane noodles, the "meaty" chewiness of the shiitake mushrooms, the crunch of the cloud ear fungus, tender spinach, and crisp mange tout. Feel free to make substitutions - nothing is set in stone!
Igglybuff via GuardianWitness
Serves 4
*6 dried shiitake mushrooms, stalks removed *
*6 dried 'cloud ear' or black fungus*
*1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine *
*A slice of fresh ginger *
*1 tsp sugar *
*100g mung bean (cellophane) noodles (dry weight)*
*1 tbsp sunflower oil, for frying *
*80g mangetout *
*1 carrot, shredded *
*A small bunch of spinach, washed and drained *
*8 cubes of fried tofu, each cut into 3 slices*
*2 tbsp sesame oil *
*2 tsp sesame seeds *
*1 *Rehydrate the dried mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes. Trim any tough or hard bits off and cut the shiitake in half, or quarters if very big. Rinse well, and place in a small pan with enough water to cover.
*2 *Add the wine, ginger, sugar, and a good pinch of salt. Cover, bring to the boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Drain.
*3 *Rehydrate the noodles by soaking in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain, and refresh in cold water.
*4 *Heat the sunflower oil in a wok. Add the mangetout, carrot and spinach and stir-fry for a minute, then add the tofu, noodles, mushrooms and about 3 tbsp of the mushroom cooking liquid. Cover and simmer for about 4 minutes until the vegetables are crisp but cooked. Drizzle with sesame oil and seeds and serve immediately.
*Send us your global grains recipes *
Ever heard of teff? Know a good quinoa recipe?
We're on the lookout for recipes using unusual wholegrains from around the world.
Recipes will appear on 15 February.
Email your recipe suggestions to recipes@theguardian.com or upload your recipes and images to theguardian.com/witness by noon on Wednesday 5 Feb.
Please include your name, address and phone number (conditions apply: see theguardian.com
Why not join in our quiz: how well do you know your ancient grains?
Twitter: @guardianfood Reported by guardian.co.uk 20 hours ago.
• The next challenge will be "global grain" dishes. See how to enter below – and take part in our grains quiz.
Regular contributors TwinnyDip not only suggested this week's theme – the Chinese Year of the Horse kicked off yesterday – but managed to get two recipes in, one of which proved to be the winner.
No mean feat in a strong field; my assembled group of Chinese banqueters each had their favourite, with Mayasari R's sweet and sour salad proving a hit as much for its performance element as its flavour, but the elegant simplicity of their striking steamed fish with black beans won the day.
Special mention to Sharon Maloney's lovely looking five-spice duck with wild rice stuffing; too long to include here unfortunately, but it's available at GuardianWitness.
*Annual surplus and prosperity (steamed fish with black beans and garlic (above))*
In Chinese culture, food symbolism is really important; as "fish" and "surplus" are homophones, fish is a must-have during Chinese New Year. Serving the entire fish also symbolises a good start and a good end to the year.
TwinnyDip, London, twinnydip.com
Serves 4-6 people alongside other dishes
*30g fermented black beans*
*3 garlic cloves, minced*
*1 tsp vegetable oil*
*1cm chunk of ginger, sliced*
*1 grey mullet, about 450g, scaled, gutted, washed, patted dry (or sea bass/sea bream)*
*1 tbsp dark soy sauce*
*1 tbsp vegetable oil*
*Steamed rice, to serve*
*1 *Prepare the steamer, or a pan of simmering water with a steamer set above it. Meanwhile, rinse and drain the beans, chop them roughly and mix with the garlic and vegetable oil.
*2 *Place the ginger inside the fish and place in the steamer. Top with the black bean and garlic mixture.
*3 *Cover and steam for 8–10 minutes or until the fish is just cooked and flaky.
*4 *Put on to a serving plate and drizzle the soy sauce. Heat the remaining oil in a pan or wok over a high heat, then drizzle over the fish evenly. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
*Braised caramelised pork with eggs*
Lunar New Year is also celebrated in Vietnam, where it's known as Tet. Thit kho tàu, or braised pork, is a classic, hearty family dish that's often part of a Tet spread; best spooned over rice and with some kind of pickled veggies to offset the richness. Nuoc màu (caramel sauce) is available at oriental grocers, but it's far cheaper to make your own: there's a recipe on my website: aliettedebodard.com/recipes.
aliettedb via GuardianWitness
Serves 4
*3 tbsp nuoc màu (caramel sauce)*
*400g pork belly, skin on*
*400g pork shoulder*
*2 tbsp nuoc mam (fish sauce), or to taste*
*1 onion, finely chopped*
*3 garlic cloves, finely chopped*
*½-1 tsp salt*
*1 tsp ground pepper*
*330ml coconut water*
*4 eggs*
*Sugar, to taste*
*Rice and pickled vegetables, to serve*
*1 *Cut the pork into small, chopstick-sized chunks. Put a heavy-bottomed pan on a medium heat, and add the caramel sauce (nuoc màu). Stir in the pork, and fry for a few minutes until the meat is coloured.
*2 *Add the fish sauce (nuoc mam), onion, garlic, salt, pepper and coconut water; the coconut water should cover the meat by about 1cm so you can top up with more nuoc mam, or plain water, if necessary.
*3 *Lower the heat, cover, and braise for at least an hour, but the longer the better; 2½ hours if you have time. Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs, drain, cool and peel, then cut each in half lengthways.
*4 *About 15 minutes before the pork is done, uncover it, stir in the eggs and leave on a low heat for for the remaining cooking time. Season to taste, adding sugar if necessary; the sauce should have thickened a bit, but should still be liquid. Serve over rice with pickled vegetables.
*Tang yuan (glutinous rice balls)*
The round shape of these small, sweet dumplings symbolises family togetherness; the stickiness echoing the fact that family should stick together. They are traditionally consumed on the first full moon of the new year; in our family we always like to have them right after the new year countdown.
TwinnyDip, London, twinnydip.com
Makes 24
For the filling
*100g peanuts/sesame seeds, or nut of your choice, toasted and ground*
*50g sugar*
*4 tbsp melted lard/butter*
* *For the dumplings
*225g glutinous rice flour*
*2 tbsp rice flour/tapioca starch*
*100g desiccated coconut/toasted sesame seeds (optional)*
*1* Mix the filling ingredients together and chill for 30-45 minutes, or put into the freezer for a few minutes.
*2 *Meanwhile, mix the glutinous rice flour and rice flour or tapioca starch with 150ml luke-warm water to make a soft dough, adding more water if necessary. Divide in half and, on a lightly rice-floured surface, form into cylinders about 4cm thick. Cut each into 12 pieces.
*3 *Divide the filling into 24 portions. Take a piece of dough and flatten it with your thumb, making an indent in the middle. Place the stuffing into the indent, seal carefully and gently roll into a ball. Repeat.
*4* Cook in a pot of boiling water until they float, and look almost translucent. Roll in desiccated coconut or sesame seeds to coat.
*Soy sauce chicken*
This aromatic "red cooked" chicken is Chinese comfort food; perfect when it's cold outside. Garnish with sliced red chillies for festive colour.
TheHomeCook via GuardianWitness
Serves 4 (or more if eaten as part of a new year feast)
*6 tbsp dark soy sauce (or 6 tbsp light soy sauce and 1 tbsp brown or palm sugar)*
*8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs *
*3-4 star anise*
*5cm strip of orange zest*
*A few good dashes of ground white pepper*
*2 spring onions, sliced*
*Steamed rice and Chinese greens, to serve*
*1 *In a heavy-bottomed pan, large enough to accommodate the chicken in 1 layer, heat the soy sauce (with the sugar if using), until it starts to bubble and the sugar has dissolved.
*2 *Add the chicken, skin-side down, along with the star anise, orange zest and pepper. Cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes, turning every 15 minutes or so to colour the thighs evenly. Keep an eye on it towards the end of the cooking time as the sticky sauce can catch (though I quite like that, myself).
*3 *Garnish with the spring onion, and serve with steamed rice and Chinese greens.
*Yee Sang – a sweet and sour salad*
This beautiful dish is a classic New Year dish in the Chinese communities of Singapore and Malaysia. This year I brought it to my London office and celebrated with my colleagues.
MayasariR via GuardianWitness
Serves 2 (or 6 as part of a feast)
For the salad
*1 carrot, shredded*
*1 white radish (daikon), shredded*
*1 cucumber, shredded and moisture squeezed out*
* *For the garnish
*2 raw salmon fillets, thinly sliced*
*Juice of ½ lime*
*1 tsp Chinese five spice*
*Pinch of salt and pepper*
*2 tbsp sweet plum sauce (or apricot jam, diluted with water)*
*1 tsp grated ginger*
*1 tsp sesame oil*
*1 tbsp sunflower oil*
*1 tbsp roasted crushed peanuts*
*1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds*
*3 crispy crackers (traditionally deep-fried wonton wrappers)*
*50g pomelo, peeled and torn into chunks*
*1 *Assemble the dish by putting a mound of carrots in the centre of the serving plate, then the rest of the shredded vegetables in little piles around it to create a colourful rainbow effect. Put on the table with the remaining ingredients arranged round the dish.
*2 *The leader amongst the diners then adds the remaining ingredients, making auspicious wishes as each ingredient is added or pointed out: raw fish for abundance, lime for good luck, five spice and pepper for good fortune, sweet sauce for a honeyed year, white radish for success, carrot for eminence, ginger for good luck, oil for good fortune and luck, peanuts for prosperity, crackers for prosperity and gold, and pomelo for luck and auspicious value.
*3 *Then the whole table joins in; everyone dips in with their chopsticks and tosses the ingredients together, lifting them high and crying "lo hei"– Cantonese for "tossing luck". The higher the toss, the greater the prosperity.
*Monk's vegetables, or Buddha's delight*
Traditionally eaten on the first day of the New Year, each ingredient bestowing its own symbolic token to the mix, this is one big pot of health, wealth and happiness. What I love most is the contrast in textures; the smooth slipperiness of the cellophane noodles, the "meaty" chewiness of the shiitake mushrooms, the crunch of the cloud ear fungus, tender spinach, and crisp mange tout. Feel free to make substitutions - nothing is set in stone!
Igglybuff via GuardianWitness
Serves 4
*6 dried shiitake mushrooms, stalks removed *
*6 dried 'cloud ear' or black fungus*
*1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine *
*A slice of fresh ginger *
*1 tsp sugar *
*100g mung bean (cellophane) noodles (dry weight)*
*1 tbsp sunflower oil, for frying *
*80g mangetout *
*1 carrot, shredded *
*A small bunch of spinach, washed and drained *
*8 cubes of fried tofu, each cut into 3 slices*
*2 tbsp sesame oil *
*2 tsp sesame seeds *
*1 *Rehydrate the dried mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes. Trim any tough or hard bits off and cut the shiitake in half, or quarters if very big. Rinse well, and place in a small pan with enough water to cover.
*2 *Add the wine, ginger, sugar, and a good pinch of salt. Cover, bring to the boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Drain.
*3 *Rehydrate the noodles by soaking in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain, and refresh in cold water.
*4 *Heat the sunflower oil in a wok. Add the mangetout, carrot and spinach and stir-fry for a minute, then add the tofu, noodles, mushrooms and about 3 tbsp of the mushroom cooking liquid. Cover and simmer for about 4 minutes until the vegetables are crisp but cooked. Drizzle with sesame oil and seeds and serve immediately.
*Send us your global grains recipes *
Ever heard of teff? Know a good quinoa recipe?
We're on the lookout for recipes using unusual wholegrains from around the world.
Recipes will appear on 15 February.
Email your recipe suggestions to recipes@theguardian.com or upload your recipes and images to theguardian.com/witness by noon on Wednesday 5 Feb.
Please include your name, address and phone number (conditions apply: see theguardian.com
Why not join in our quiz: how well do you know your ancient grains?
Twitter: @guardianfood Reported by guardian.co.uk 20 hours ago.