HEARTY & HEALTHY

10 Chinese New Year Recipes for Vegetarians to Enjoy

February 17, 2020

For many Chinese in Malaysia, it is a norm to maintain a vegetarian diet on the first day of the Chinese New Year. This tradition comes from the Buddhist teaching as a form of self-purification and to get good karma for the New Year.

Here are ten dishes worthy of a vegetarian New Year feast. Happy Year of the Rat!

If you want to prepare these dishes on the first day of Chinese New Year, it is easier if you buy frozen vegetarian food in Malaysia as you will find everything you need.

1. Chinese Seaweed Salad

This amazing fresh salad has a lot of benefits and it is an ideal food for losing or keeping weight. A great addition to this kelp salad is a spicy dressing.

Make sure to eat this salad at the beginning of the meal. It would take you about 10 minutes to do it.

2. Luo Han Zhai

Luo Han Zhai, also known as Buddha’s Delight, is a well-known vegetarian dish from China. The authentic Buddha’s Delight contains eighteen ingredients.

If it is difficult to find all the ingredients, you can modify the recipe. However, the most important ingredients are:

Shiitake mushroom
Dry lily buds
Cabbage
Bean curd sheet and sticks (also known as tofu skin, yuba, bean curd skin, bean curd sheet or bean curd robes).
Cellophane or mung bean vermicelli

The best way to find these ingredients is to contact a vegetarian food manufacturer in Malaysia, such as Everbest.

3. Jiaozi / Dumpling

Jiaozi or dumplings are commonly served at the Chinese New Year as they have the shape of gold or silver ingots, which symbolizes prosperity. To make them vegetarian, use soya food products.

Chinese dumplings can be cooked in different ways including boiled, steamed, soup and pan-fried.

4. Bean Curd Rolls

Bean curd rolls are made with roasted seaweed in sweet season rice. These curd rolls are a popular snack during Chinese New Year celebrations. Remember to make sure they are filled with soya bean products.

5. Spring Rolls

Spring rolls are usually filled with meat but in our vegetarian recipe, they are made with vegetables. They include carrots, sweet potatoes, jicama, and kabocha squash.

It is another great snack to offer friends and family during the New Year. They are crispy, savory, and if it is possible, serve them with a sweet dip. These frozen vegetarian food of Malaysia are easily available. Make sure to buy enough as they will be a favourite for your guests.

6. Braised Beancurd with Mushrooms and Broccoli

This is a popular dish to celebrate New Year’s as leafy green symbolizes a long life for parents. To soften the beancurd skin, just place it in a large shallow dish with boiling water, and leave it there for 15 minutes or until soft.

Find an experienced tofu manufacturer in Malaysia, such as Everbest to buy the skin to make this delicious recipe.

7. Pineapple Cookies

This traditional Chinese New Year recipe from Malaysia is the perfect way to start the new year. They are made into small bite-sized pastries filled with pineapples. Pineapple cookies are great to finish a delicious meal.

8. Chinese No-Meat Balls

The Chinese balls are made with beef flavoured soy crumbles. They are a convenient way to substitute the ground beef at the party. Serve them as appetizer. Get them from the frozen vegetarian food supplier in Malaysia or find soy meat products in a wet market.

9. You Po Mian

Who doesn’t love Chinese noodles, especially in the New Year as they represent longevity? You Po Mian are commonly made with wheat noodles but if you want a lighter and gluten-free version, try using rice noodles instead.

10. Sesame Soy Tofu Noodle Bowl

Tofu Malaysia is one of the most popular ingredients for any vegetarian dish. In this recipe, the tofu is marinated in a sauce made of tahini, lime, soy, and hot sauce, and then tossed with vermicelli noodles. For a delicious combination, serve it with roasted peppers and sautéed red onions.

In a Nutshell

All of the above recipes are great to eat as part of your Chinese New Year’s traditions. They are full of flavour and super delicious.

Find a good vegetarian food supplier to have all the ingredients you need! Happy Chinese New Year!