The tranquility and calm of 2011's The Year of the Rabbit is met head-on by 2012's Year of the Dragon, which promises intensity, excitement, exhilaration and unpredictability (How do they predict THAT?).
The 15-day celebration is designed around the gathering of friends and family who partake in 8 or 9 courses of meaning-laden foods. The New Year's Eve meal (called tuan neen) is the most important because it unites the family (and by custom it is just the immediate family at home on the Eve) for thanksgiving.
The dish Jai (often referred to as Buddha's Delight in English) is always eaten on New Year's Day to cleanse the body and increase longevity. No fish, chicken or livestock is killed for food on the first day of the year. Traditionally, there must be 18 ingredients since the number 18 signifies wealth and prosperity. Some households, however, eat a simplified version of Jai.
I've chosen a simplified recipe from Whole Foods to share with you since hunting for authentic ingredients may prove frustrating if you haven't a nearby Asian market. Serve over white or brown rice or cooked noodles. Remember to cook the noodles without breaking them so you don't "break their longevity". Tofu should always be stirfried and never served white during Chinese New Year because the color white symbolizes mourning in the Chinese culture.
Get your rice or noodles cooked and your Buddha's Delight mise en place set before stir fry begins and you'll have dinner on the table is a Dragon's Breath Flash! Yu yuen yee sheung. (May your wishes be fulfilled!)
Buddha's Delight
Makes 3 to 4 servings.
3 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoon toasted dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 (14-ounce) package soft tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 cups small broccoli florets
1 cup diagonally sliced carrots, about 1/4 inch thick
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
1 cup fresh or frozen and thawed cut green beans
1 cup sliced green onions
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger root
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Combine tamari, sesame oil, mirin, rice vinegar, tofu and red pepper flakes, tossing gently to coat. Cover and marinate for 1 to 2 hours. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving the marinade.
Heat the canola oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and stir-fry for 5 minutes, until lightly browned on all sides. Remove tofu and set aside. Add broccoli, carrots and water chestnuts and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until just crisp-tender. Add green beans and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add green onions, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes more, until aromatic. Return tofu to wok.
Combine vegetable broth with arrowroot powder and reserved marinade, stirring well to completely dissolve the arrowroot. Add this to the wok and stir until sauce thickens. Season to taste with black pepper and garnish with cilantro.
