New Year’s Day is just around the corner, and it’s a time for stocking up on enough good luck to carry us through the coming year.
Every culture has its own traditional good-luck food meant to ensure prosperity.
Examples would be noodles for long life, dumplings for wealth, bamboo shoots to make your children grow strong and tall, and eggs for fertility.
Here are some good-luck recipes traditional to Chinese, Filipino and Japanese celebrations to round out your year-end meals or to share with loved ones as you gather to ring in 2014.
Pork and Chive Jiaozi (dumplings)
(For wealth and good fortune)
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup sliced chives (green portion only)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
Pinch white pepper powder
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 package wonton pi (round)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Mix ground pork with chives and add all the seasonings. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Put a small spoonful of filling at center of pi. Wet edges of pi with water and seal tightly. Use all of filling and pi.
In large skillet over medium-high, heat oil. Place dumplings in pan and cook until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Add chicken broth and quickly cover (oil will splatter, so be careful), and cook additional 2-3 minutes.
Serve hot with black vinegar or chili garlic dipping sauce. Makes about 24 dumplings.
Approximate nutritional information, per dumpling (not including chili garlic dipping sauce to taste): 90 calories, 3.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 125 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein, no fiber or sugar
Pancit Bihon
(For long life and good luck)
1 (8-ounce) package dry pancit bihon noodles (found in Asian aisles of supermarkets)
1/2 pound ground pork
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Maui onion, peeled and sliced
2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 of head cabbage, sliced into strips
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1 carrot, julienned
3/4 cup diced celery
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
Calamansi wedges, for serving
Soak noodles 10 minutes to soften; drain and set aside.
In large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, cook pork. drain fat. Add garlic and onions and cook 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth and remaining vegetables. Cook 3-5 minutes.
Mix in noodles; add soy sauce, cook about 5 minutes, until noodles are soft. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot with sliced calamansi on the side. Serves 6.
Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including salt to taste): 280 calories, 8 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 850 mg sodium, 42 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 9 g protein
Takikomi Gohan
(For good health)
2 cups rice
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons dry dashi (Japanese fish stock)
1-3/4 cups water
3/4 cup dried shiitake, reconstituted and chopped
3/4 cup julienned carrots
3/4 cup thinly sliced aburage (deep-fried tofu, sold refrigerated near other tofu products)
3/4 cup julienned bamboo shoots
Wash and drain rice. Place rice and rest of ingredients into a rice cooker; stir to combine. Set rice cooker to white-rice setting and cook.
When done, transfer rice to large bowl and mix before serving. Serves 6.
Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 350 calories, 3 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 600 mg sodium, 74 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 10 g protein
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"The Electric Kitchen" is presented weekly by Hawaiian Electric Co. More recipes from HECO’s archive of local favorites are available at www.heco.com.
