East and Southeast Asians across the globe are preparing to mark the Lunar New Year, which this year kicks off on February 17 and stretches across 15 days.
Every Chinese zodiac year comes paired with its own element in the cycle – and as we usher in the Year of the Fire Horse, this particular zodiac brings justification for sweeping life transformations. It’s linked with high-stakes drama, personal development, and a turbocharged rhythm of living.
And given it only rolls around once every 60 years on the zodiac wheel, plenty of us won’t witness it again during our lifetimes.
To mark the Year of the Fire Horse, we caught up with author Angela Hui, who opened up about her passion for Lunar New Year and the treasured moments shared with family, alongside a mouth-watering recipe you can recreate at home.
But before you dash off to the kitchen for a go, fancy crafting your own fire horse using the Chinese tradition of paper folding, thanks to Tesco?
Just print the template below and follow along with the tutorial in the video above.
Marking the occasion with food and family.
(Image: Kenneth Lam)
Angela Hui says: Lunar New Year ranks as one of my absolute favourite periods. Known as “Asian Christmas” for countless families, it’s the most significant celebration on the calendar.
It’s a moment for family gatherings, paying respect to ancestors and inviting in good luck.
What I treasure most about returning home is the opportunity to cook alongside my chef mum. As cheesy as it might sound, food serves as our love language.
It’s our way of communicating with one another. When we prepare meals together, time appears to vanish entirely.
We chatter like old friends whilst folding dumplings or slicing vegetables in peaceful companionship. There’s something deeply soothing about that silent culinary dance.
Simply sharing each other’s company suffices, and conversation isn’t always necessary.
Cuisine also influences how we organise the festivities themselves. Within Chinese tradition, it’s conventional to present meaningful dishes that embody aspirations for the coming year.
(Image: Angela Hui)
We enthusiastically get excited about the family Lunar New Year feast days beforehand, exchanging recipe suggestions, snapshots, clips and audio messages. “Whole steamed fish is essential,” Mum declares: “年年有余, leen leen yow yu.”
In Cantonese, the term for fish, yu, echoes the expressions for surplus and plenty, connected to the desire for good fortune year upon year.
“How about dumplings?” I respond. Dumplings represent riches, and the more you consume, the wealthier you’re supposed to grow.
Their form mirrors historical golden nuggets, so loading your dish generously is highly recommended.
“We might prepare money pouch dumplings using lettuce leaves,” I propose.
We debate back and forth, we scheme until our message thread consists entirely of voice recordings, and we eventually decide on eight courses to represent prosperity, fortune and wholeness.
I’ve included my steamed fish recipe below so you can prepare it at home. Everything required to create this tasty dish can be purchased at Tesco.
A thrilling year lies ahead It could be a year of full steam ahead for major transformation, with new possibilities, individual development, and a more rapid rhythm of life, but the Lunar New Year also serves as a prompt to decelerate and unite with loved ones; to see off the previous year and welcome good fortune for the fresh one, whilst also creating space for a second stomach.
Explore more Lunar New Year inspiration at Tesco.