These are my essential dishes for Lunar New Year

It’s like Christmas and Thanksgiving rolled into one. [Today On The Spruce]( [The Spruce Daily]( [Today On The Spruce]( [Today On The Spruce] [Lemon Heading Photo]( [These Are My Essential Dishes for Lunar New Year]( [Patty Lee]( The countdown I always looked forward to as a kid wasn’t the one on December 31, but the days leading up to [Lunar New Year](. It typically occurs sometime at the end of January or beginning of February (this year it falls on January 25), bringing some much-needed cheer to an otherwise cold and dreary time of year. While I’m most familiar with how it’s celebrated in China, the holiday is observed by several countries—Vietnam and [Korea]( both have their own unique traditions. To me, Lunar New Year feels like Christmas and Thanksgiving rolled into one big holiday. There are gift exchanges in the form of [sweet treats]( and red envelopes, and lion dancers take over Chinatown. But the best part is, undoubtedly, [the food](. For Chinese families, the biggest feast takes place on Lunar New Year’s Eve, when everyone gathers for a reunion dinner full of auspicious dishes. It always includes [whole steamed fish](, which not only symbolizes abundance, but is one of the easiest, hands-off ways to cook fish. [Noodles](, representing longevity, will likely make an appearance. And no celebration would be complete without a whole chicken (for unity)—[this simple poached version]( is popular in Guangzhou, the southern Chinese province my parents are from. I know some families that kick off the new year with [dumplings]( (homemade [chili oil]( isn’t necessary, but highly recommended) and others who make sure [turnip cake]( is on the table. Of course, no holiday is complete without [special desserts](. We’ll usually have [sesame balls](—a [dim sum]( staple—but my favorite are these bouncy, chewy tang yuan, mochi-like orbs filled with black sesame paste. [Tang yuan]( is usually eaten on the final day of Lunar New Year, a sweet way to wrap up a week filled with food and family. -Patty Lee Editor, The Spruce Eats [READ MORE]( [Today On The Spruce](#) Recipes We Love [Sugar]( [Soft and Crispy Pan-Fried Pork Potstickers]( [Chicken Chow Mein Is Ready in Under an Hour]( [Sugar]( [Classic White Cut Chicken Is a Lunar New Year Centerpiece]( [Traditional and Symbolic Treats to Celebrate the New Year]( [Today On The Spruce](#) One Thing [Heading Living Room]( [How to Make Brown Sugar Milk at Home]( [Watch & Learn]( [Today On The Spruce]( [Spruce Eats Banner]( [Today On The Spruce](#) More From The Spruce [Mini Cheesecakes]( [40 Popular Chinese Recipes You Can Easily Recreate at Home]( [Make the Most of Asparagus Season With This Vibrant Salad]( [Trending Topics](#) [Breads]( [Slow Cooker Meals]( [All-Star Pastas]( [Seasonal Produce]( [Soups, Stews, and Chili]( [Breakfast Casseroles]( Did somebody forward you this email? [Sign Up for The Spruce Eats Newsletter!]( [The Spruce]( [The Spruce]( [The Spruce]( [The Spruce]( You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to The Spruce Eats newsletter. [Unsubscribe](page=spruce) © 2020 Dotdash.com — All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy.]( A DOTDASH BRAND 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10036