Chinese New Year Reunion Must-Have Dishes

My favourite holiday is Chinese New Year. Yes, I love my rice wines and it's featured especially heavily during Chinese New Year, but to me, Chinese New Year reunion dinners is using food as a medium to celebrate family, symbolism, and traditions passed down through generations. Every family has our own rituals, which brings us memories as we grow older. 

I thought I would share what's the most popular in my family growing up and definite must-haves for us. Among these dishes, rice wine plays a supporting role in a few key classics, especially those rooted in heritage cooking.

1. Hakka Chicken (客家鸡)

For many families, Hakka chicken is about recreating familiar childhood flavours and honouring ancestral cooking traditions. 

This dish is traditionally, slow-cooked, aromatic, and deeply savoury. For our family of 6, we use about 125 ml (about 1/4 of our Hakka Rice Wine bottle) for one chicken. Top secret: we do add in even more rice wine to our soups  to further enhance aroma, balance richness, and bring warmth to the dish. 

It’s subtle, but essential to achieving that unmistakable home-cooked depth.

2. Yu Sheng (Lo Hei 捞起)

Yu Sheng symbolises prosperity, growth, and new beginnings — often marking the start of Chinese New Year celebrations. I believe it's a tradition that is more popular in Singapore and Malaysia, and my foreign friends always get very surprised when they see  us toss this mixture into the air, shouting greetings and well wishes for the new year.

3. Bak Kwa (肉干)

Bak kwa represents abundance and generosity, commonly shared with guests throughout the festive period. Think of it as a sweet jerky, but in my opinion, much much better than the tough beef jerky that are popular in American supermarkets. It's chewier, not as tough, and has a sweet honey texture with barbecued fragrance. It is mostly enjoyed as a snack, but we always end up having leftovers and add it to fried rice or sandwiches. 

4. Hong Zao Chicken (红糟鸡)

One of the most iconic Chinese New Year dishes, hong zao chicken is deeply tied to rice wine culture, and honestly, my most favourite dish of all time. 

Made using red rice wine (hong zao), this dish is known for: its natural red hue (a symbol of good fortune especially during CNY), and its warming and nourishing qualities. This is where quality rice wine truly matters, as it defines both the flavour and colour of the dish. We usually consume it on Chinese New Year's Day and pair it with longevity noodles (mee sua).

5. Steamboat / Hotpot (火锅)

Steamboat symbolises reunion and togetherness — families gather around one pot, cooking and eating together. We actually use a much lighter broth as our soup base; and instead use rice wine to marinade the meats, so that when we cook the meats, the soup base becomes naturally sweet and flavourful. One "improvement" we've made from several of our customers' suggestion is using "Jiu niang" or fermented rice wine as a dipping sauce! 

6. Abalone (鲍鱼)

Abalone is prized for its symbolism of prosperity and is often served during important family meals. More importantly, it resembles a gold ingot (similar to the olden days as the most precious form of money). When braised traditionally, some families use: a small amount of rice wine to remove seafood odours or gentle simmering to enhance flavour and texture. 

We have a great recipe here that you can try out!

7. Mandarin Oranges (年柑)

Mandarin oranges symbolise good luck and wealth, exchanged during house visits. When you visit houses, it's a must-have to bring two mandarin oranges to exchange with your elders. This is a gesture of goodwill and blessings.

8. Pineapple Tarts (凤梨挞)

Pineapple tarts represent prosperity arriving and are a festive staple. They are flaky and buttery with a sweet pineapple filling inside. There are so many brands out there that I can't even name a favourite! 

Our Goal to Preserve Heritage Rice Wines

At Ye Traditions, our focus is on preserving these traditional rice wines, and when I think about how much these Chinese rice wines feature during Chinese New Year, it makes me feel really excited to celebrate again in the next month and have it in ALL MY FOOD. It also makes me happy that people are purchasing them to truly elevate and pick the best for their Chinese New Year reunion table. 

For families preparing classic Chinese New Year dishes, especially hong zao chicken and slow-braised reunion meals, choosing a well-made rice wine can really make a meaningful difference to flavour and aroma.

Wishing you a healthy Year of the Galloping Fire Horse!