The Lunar New Year Dishes That Bring Us Together, Their True Meaning – And The Sauces To Pair With Them

If there’s one thing that unites people over Lunar New Year, it’s food. Across the generations and for hundreds of years, people all over the world have come together over this period to reflect on the year that has passed and express hope for the year ahead.

Families share dishes that symbolise joy and abundance, in hopes of bringing in good fortune in the new year. Across Asian cultures, each dish carries with it a deeper meaning. 

As children grow up and the faces around the family table change, it is the dishes that remain timeless. Recipes and rituals are passed down through the generations, and food is what connects us to our heritage, our history, and our loved ones past and present. Now, more than any other time, food is more than just food. Rich with significance, these Lunar New Year dishes represent a common thread that connects us across the years. Here are six dishes from across Asia, what they mean at this most special time of year – and the perfect Lee Kum Kee sauce to accompany them.

Steamed fish, China  

Chinese-style steamed fish is simple to prepare, but tricky to master. They key is in selecting the freshest fish possible; its natural delicate flavour is brought to life by a drizzle of soy sauce and a sprinkling of finely chopped ginger and spring onions.  

Steamed fish may symbolise prosperity, but it also tells a story of familial devotion. From the grandmother who goes to the market first thing in the morning to select the catch of the day, to the father who serves the choiciest parts to his adult daughter, as he has done for her since she was a child. Even the chorus of admiration as the fish is set proudly on the table tells a story of love, expressed through the food we share. 

The sauce: Steamed fish doesn’t need much: a splash of soy sauce brings out its exquisite, subtle flavour. Lee Kum Kee’s classic Soy Sauce is the perfect accompaniment.

 

Poon choi, Hong Kong SAR 

Poon choi is rich, savoury communal meal created by layering a wealth of premium ingredients into a deep dish. When braised in a rich stock, the flavours blend together into a delicious whole – just as families are united by food and flavour during this period of celebration. This dish – commonly eaten in ancestral villages in Hong Kong and southern China – represents unity, while the individual ingredients also come laden with significance: abalone represents abundance, for instance, while prawns represent joy. And it’s not just families; entire villages gather in the winter to enjoy a warming poon choi feast and celebrate their common ancestry. 

The sauce: The many flavours of poon choi are united by Lee Kum Kee’s Premium Oyster Sauce. This classic condiment was discovered in a stroke of serendipity in 1888, when the company’s founder Lee Kum Sheung left a pot of oyster soup boiling for too long – and discovered a uniquely transformative sauce. Rich and savoury, its intensely umami flavour brings this classic Chinese New Year dish to life. 
 

Tteokguk, South Korea 

Korean families welcome Seollal – the first day of the lunar calendar – with a comforting dish made with tteok, chewy rice cakes, in a clear beef broth. According to Korean belief, everyone becomes one year older on Seollal, and this collective birthday must be celebrated by eating tteokguk. The milky-white broth represents a clean slate for the new year, while the oval tteok resemble coins, and are eaten to attract prosperity. Over the new year period, you’ll hear the phrase “have you eaten tteokguk yet?” as a greeting all over Korea. It truly is a blessing in every bite.

The sauce: A dash of soy sauce brings together the flavours in this wholesome dish. Lee Kum Kee’s Salt Reduced Soy Sauce enhances flavour while controlling your sodium intake.

 

Lo hei, Singapore and Malaysia

Lo hei, also known as yee sang, is an exuberant affair that turns dining into a shared experience of joy and connection. Popularised by Chiu Chow immigrants to Singapore and Malaysia, lo hei is made with a wealth of ingredients including raw fish, julienned vegetables, peanuts and crunchy wonton skins. Chopsticks in hand, diners collectively toss the salad high into the air while calling out auspicious phrases. Each ingredient tossed in represents a wish for the new year: fish for abundance; carrots for luck; peanuts for wealth; ginger and spring onion for zest and vitality. The higher the toss, the more luck flows into the new year. 

The sauce: Pair lo hei with Lee Kum Kee’s sweet and tangy Plum Sauce and aromatic Sesame Oil. The sweetness of the plum sauce represents a sweet and joyful year to come.  

 
Taro cake, China
In Chinese cooking, cakes don’t necessarily refer to a sweet dessert. Taro cake is a savoury dish made of diced taro, cured meats, dried shrimp, conpoy (dried scallop) and more. Since it’s easily made in advance, it’s a simple way to offer house guests a hot, hearty snack over Chinese New Year. Simply slice what you need and pan-fry for a wonderfully fragrant dish. These savoury cakes symbolise achieving new heights, and so it’s considered auspicious to share among friends and family. 

The sauce: Lee Kum Kee’s bestselling Chiu Chow Chilli Oil is the perfect spicy dipping sauce to bring out taro cake’s savoury flavours.  
 
Thit Kho Tau, Vietnam 
Sweet, salty and utterly delicious, Thit Kho Tau is a staple dish served during Tet, or Vietnamese New Year. Made with caramelised pork belly, eggs, soy sauce and coconut water, this hearty stew is made in large batches, making it perfect for family gatherings or for serving to guests. The preparation of Thit Kho Tau is typically a family activity, and as such it is a symbol of togetherness, renewal and new beginnings. Indeed, for many Vietnamese, the loving preparation of Thit Kho Tau ahead of Tet celebrations is a potent collective memory. 

The sauce: soy sauce is a key ingredient in Thit Kho Tau; the saltiness of Lee Kum Kee’s Soy Sauce serves as a counterpoint the sticky, sugary caramelised pork. Stir it into the coconut water with a splash of fish sauce to give the rich gravy a deliciously umami kick.
 
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