Kung Hei Fat Choi! Celebrate the Year of the Rat with these delicious dishes.

[View this email in your browser]( Hello readers, The Lunar New Year is just around the corner! A festive time across China – and in many parts of Asia and the world – the season finds Chinese communities celebrating the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar. It is often marked by time off work or school and includes family visits, meals together, and games like mahjong. To celebrate, [SCMP Cooking]( has put together a few traditionally auspicious dishes the Chinese community loves. [Chinese braised abalone with conpoy and mushrooms for celebration]( Abalone and conpoy (dried scallops) is often served during the Lunar New Year holiday thanks to the expensive, auspicious ingredients that are supposed to bring wealth and happiness. [Traditional radish cake cooks up good luck]( Loh bok goh – often called radish cake/pudding, turnip cake/pudding, or (mostly in Singapore and Malaysia) carrot cake – is available year-round, but is especially popular at the start of the Lunar New Year because it’s supposed to bring good fortune in the coming months. [XO Sauce]( Although it's named after XO cognac, XO sauce doesn't contain alcohol. The name is meant to evoke something that's expensive and special. What is it? It's more a condiment than a sauce. It should always contain dried scallops, but depending on the maker, it can also have dried shrimp, Chinese ham and/or salted fish. These ingredients are cooked with oil, chillies, garlic and other flavourings. How to use: it's delicious eaten with certain types of dim sum or stirred into fried rice or fried noodles, and it’s a perfect match with Loh bok goh. Whether you are entertaining family or cooking for friends, tuck into these delicious dishes and celebrate the Lunar New Year with a culinary Chinese feast from SCMP Cooking. Want more? Get fresh recipes to your inbox every Friday, with the SCMP Cooking newsletter. From extravagant dinner dishes to easy midweek meals, there are recipes to suit every cook and kitchen. [SUBSCRIBE NOW]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Linkedin]( [Instagram]( [Youtube]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( South China Morning Post · 19/F Tower One, Times Square · 1 Matheson Street · Causeway Bay · Hong Kong