12 Dishes You Have To Try This Lunar New Year

Who could say no to tasty food AND good fortune? U.S. Bank is proud to celebrate this Lunar New Year.

1. Dan Dan Noodles

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Noodles are a well-known must for Lunar New Year because they symbolize longevity. While all sorts of noodle dishes are acceptable, dan dan noodles, a classic, spicy dish that has its origins in Sichuan, are unfailingly delicious. Try this recipe, which also teaches you how to make roasted chili oil at home.

2. Rice Cakes

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Popular in southern China, most notably Shanghai, stir-fried rice cakes are a New Year's Eve mainstay symbolizing good fortune for the coming year. They're usually cooked with pork and leafy greens (Shepherd's Purse is traditional), but a good vegetarian recipe (like this one) can also be supremely tasty. Of course, New Year's rice cakes come in other delicious forms as well, like tteokguk, the rice cake soup traditionally eaten on New Year's Day in Korea. Try making it yourself with this recipe.

3. Braised Whole Fish

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Whole fish is eaten on New Year's Eve to symbolize abundance: The most traditional diners eat only a tiny portion, leaving the rest for the next day as "surplus." You won't go wrong with a traditional steamed fish preparation with ginger, scallions, and soy sauce — popular in both China and Vietnam. And if heat is your thing, you'll want to try this Sichuan-style recipe for trout braised in a chili bean sauce.

4. Spring Rolls

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There's nothing quite like biting into a spring roll fresh from the fryer, with its delightfully thin and crispy skin and hot, tender filling. The rolls, when fried to golden brown perfection, are thought to resemble bars of gold, bringing wealth into the new year. Learn how to make them with this recipe.

5. Hot Pot

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The best part of hot pot is that it's completely customizable. Choose the raw ingredients you want to eat, and mix up your own dipping sauces to taste — the broth is up to you (even plain chicken broth will do in a pinch). To celebrate the new year, try a spicy red chili broth for good luck, an assortment of seafood, thinly sliced beef, tofu, veggies like napa cabbage, and vermicelli rice noodles for longevity. If you're completely new to homemade hot pot, there are plenty of guides to help. Try this recipe for a simple broth, shrimp balls, and two different dipping sauces.

6. Bánh Tét

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With both savory and sweet varieties, bánh tét is a staple at every Vietnamese New Year's meal. The banana leaf–wrapped sticky rice rolls embody the significance of rice in Vietnamese culture, and making the cakes is often an opportunity for families to bond. The most traditional fillings are mung bean paste and pork, which you can make at home with this recipe.

7. Smiling Sesame Balls

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Representing happiness and laughter, “smiling” sesame balls quite literally look like round, smiling faces thanks to the signature cracks that appear on the cookies while they’re frying. The classic Cantonese treat is easy for the home cook to take on, and the payoff — golden cookies that are crispy and soft on the inside — is definitely worth it. Learn to make them with this recipe.

8. Red-Braised Pork Belly

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Considered lucky due to its color, red-braised pork (which gets its iconic hue from stewing in soy sauce and caramelized sugar) is popular throughout China, with all sorts of regional variations. The best versions are cooked to the point where they melt in your mouth and have a rich flavor. Adding in hard-boiled eggs (which symbolize fertility), like this excellent recipe does, brings even more to the dish.

9. Lettuce Wraps

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Many Lunar New Year dishes are considered lucky thanks to wordplay. In Cantonese, “lettuce” sounds like “increasing wealth,” making the leafy green a symbolic food to eat on New Year’s Eve. Try this recipe for lettuce cups with crunchy pine nuts and jicama (water chestnuts will also do) — or simply sauté the greens with garlic for a more minimalist approach.

10. Whole Chicken Soup

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Chicken soup is popular in so many cultures for good reasons: It's nourishing, healthful, and tasty. New Year's Eve chicken soups are often decked out with things like fish balls, egg dumplings, and vermicelli rice noodles, coming together to symbolize a happy family. Make sure to use a whole chicken and try this basic chicken soup recipe with your favorite add-ins.

11. Jiaozi, or Pot Sticker Dumplings

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Especially in northern China, where (delicious) carbs reign supreme, jiaozi (pot sticker) dumplings are mandatory on New Year's Eve. You can buy premade wrappers from your local Asian grocery or make the dough yourself. Pork and chives are a popular traditional filling, but you can play around with ratios and veggies to your taste. Likewise, you can choose to boil, steam, or fry your dumplings based on personal preference. Here's a complete recipe, dough included.

12. Sticky Rice Ball Soup

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Tang yuan, or "soup balls" — those sweet, round dumplings made of glutinous rice (mochi) flour — are a New Year's classic. They can be as little as marbles or as large as golf balls and are often stuffed with sweetened black sesame paste or red bean paste. The round, white shapes are said to reference the first full moon of the year, making them an auspicious treat to eat on Lunar New Year. Whipping up good tang yuan at home takes skill, but here's a recipe anyone can master. Have them in a dessert soup after dinner or, better yet, for breakfast on New Year's Day.

What a delicious way to celebrate! U.S. Bank is proud to celebrate this Lunar New Year.