Cooking with the dragon for chinese new year 2012

'Gong Xi Fa Ca!'   - (wishing you prosperity in mandarin)

I'm sure you all know by now that tomorrow is the eve of Chinese New Year, the year of the Dragon.

Many households will be cooking up a treat to celebrate this special time. I for one will be too. What's your menu for the celebrations? I'd love to hear from you, see the message at bottom of post.

Many of course will be attending restaurants, probably with set menus at inflated prices!!!  Nothing wrong with that of course, but if like me, you refuse to pay extra to enjoy your meal, cook up a feast at home and invite the dragon too!

Dragon carved carrots.

Here's a few ideas for your menu, some of my all time go to chinese recipes. Click on the individual recipe title and join in the celebrations.....

Char Siu Pork

A classic chinese favourite, we enjoy it best served with pancakes, spring onion, cucumber and hoi sin sauce.  Makes a change from peking duck and quicker to prepare to.

Mini Spring Rolls

This recipe is for my vegetarian version, but of course you can add pork, chicken, prawns; whatever takes your fancy.

Either way, this is an amazing treat!

Chicken satay with spicy satay sauce

Everybody loves these delicious satays.  The spicy dipping sauce is perfect for that little extra kick too.  Of course if you don't like spicy just leave out the chillies!

What could be better than perfectly succulent juicy chicen with a dipping sauce?

BBQ spare ribs

Succulent, juicy and sticky sweet spare ribs.  Yes please.

Sometimes, we enjoy various dishes to pick up and nibble, just like those listed above for our menu.  Of course a full meal is amazing too.  But, sometimes it can be more fun to enjoy various dishes throughout the evening rather than eating formerly with all dishes served at the table at once.

What are you serving  for the New Year celebrations?  Leave a comment below with a link to your dishes and I'll post a roundup of my favourite recipes!