Chinese New Years Eve Decor and Recipe for Fire Cracker Shrimp with Tangy Chili Sauce

Tomorrow, February 19th is the Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year.  So we are setting up a nice little spread for the Chinese New Years Eve festivities.  Typically, families gather for a special New Years Eve dinner, during which fish and dumplings are the most important dish in Northern China. These two dishes signify prosperity. The majority of Chinese will have New Year's Eve dinner at home instead of a restaurant.  On New Years Day red packets of money are given to young children.  Red is the main color of décor for this celebration and you will see lanterns and paper cuttings hung in the color for décor. 

We started with oranges wrapped in orange tissue for each place setting.  Displaying and eating oranges is said to bring wealth and good luck.  Traditionally, families will have clusters of oranges displayed at tables or alters, but it is never grouped in fours as the number four is associated with death.

 

We added other Chinese elements to the décor, such as chopsticks and pretty frosted white Chinese takeout boxes filled with fortune cookies.  You could also add almond cookies or Niangao, the traditional year cake, which is prepared and for the celebration. 

 

 

Hand painted silk parasols added to the theme.  We found these parasols bellow as well as the takeout boxes above on a party favors website that carries Asian wedding favors.  However, the parasols can often be found in shops at your local China Town. 

 

 

Staying with our theme and coordinating with last week's Chinese Fire Crackers, our table setting was complimented by Fire Cracker Shrimp with Tangy Chili Sauce that accented our red decorations perfectly.  This hot item goes perfectly with Dim Sum that my little toddler loves.

 

My recipe for the Tangy Chili Sauce is ever so simple and makes a quick dipping sauce when you are in a rush.

 

Sweet Chili Sauce

 

Ingredients:

 

1/4 Siracha Red Hot Chili Sauce

1/4 Ketchup

 

Method:

 

Mix the two ingredients together and serve. 

 

It is as easy as that!  You can find the recipe for Fire Cracker Shrimp at Foodily.

 



 

Happy Lunar New Year!