You've barely broken your resolutions from Jan. 1, and now you've got another New Year to celebrate — the Year of the Monkey, which begins Thursday.
According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the New Year celebration falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice and ends two weeks later.
In China and Southeast Asia, the event is marked by fireworks, lion dancers parading through the streets, visiting relatives and lots of foods symbolizing good luck and prosperity for the coming year. In Utah, you'll find celebrations at Chinese restaurants and among families of Chinese heritage.
"Gung Hay Fat Choy!" is the traditional expression wishing prosperity for the Chinese New Year.
A big part of the celebration revolves around food "because the Chinese like to eat; we think eating is the most enjoyable thing in life," said Hui-Jen Yeh "Jennifer" Mangelson, a Taiwan native who teaches Chinese cooking and language classes. Now living in Farmington, Mangelson's cooking classes with the city's Leisure Services fill up fast. Here, she demonstrates how to make dishes such as Almond Chicken, Wonton Soup and Beef with Broccoli.
"Most of the restaurants here serve American-style Chinese food," she said. "The Chinese eat lots of vegetables and not so much meat. China was poor for a long time, so if the people had a little meat they really cherished it, They also have a lot of different sauces. There's more steaming and stir-frying and not much deep-frying, unless for special occasions."
In fact, according to historical sources, some typical "Chinese" foods — chop suey, fortune cookies and even General Tso's chicken — evolved here in the United States.
The first wave of Chinese immigrants came to America in the 1850s and 1860s, during the California Gold Rush and to help build the transcontinental railroad. They were mainly from Canton, on the Chinese coast, Mangelson said, and they brought their customs and eating habits with them to San Francisco, where the first Chinatown developed. So Americans are more familiar with Cantonese food, which is known for its sweetness and use of fruit in savory dishes. The sweet-and-sour chicken and pork dishes evolved to suit American tastes, she added.
The fortune cookie's origin is a matter of debate. In 1914, Makoto Hagiwara introduced cookies bearing thank-you notes at his Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park and served them at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exhibition, San Francisco's world's fair.
David Jung, founder of Los Angeles' Hong Kong Noodle Co., also claimed to have invented the cookies in 1918, putting cheerful sayings in them for the post-World War I unemployed.
"In China, all we have is a piece of fruit, that's dessert for us," Mangelson said. "We eat a lot, but we don't put on weight as easily because we don't have the rich desserts."
Many customs surround the New Year celebration, also known as Spring Festival because it marks the beginning of spring. All cleaning and food preparation is done beforehand to keep bad luck away.
"You can't use a knife on New Year's, because you will bring danger into your life," Mangelson said. "You can't say any bad words. And if you sweep, it's like sweeping all the good luck out of the house. If you do sweep, you sweep from the corners to the center of the house."
It's also traditional to eat 10 different types of vegetables, "because 10 is considered the perfect number," Mangelson said. "In China, they have a lot of different green leafy vegetables that Americans don't have here. You also need to have some type of fish, because it means a long life."
For her own family, she will often make a "hot pot" — a soup with vegetables and meat. The round pot, she said, represents a continuation, or full circle.
In the wheat-growing areas of northern China, dumplings (pot stickers) are eaten because they're shaped like coins. "So they believe they will bring good fortune for you," Mangelson said. In the rice-growing areas of southern China, it's more traditional to eat rice.
Most Chinese New Year dishes have names that sound like something fortunate, and rice cake ("nian gao") sounds like "advancement" or "promotion" in Chinese.
"Eating rice cake means that every year you will be promoted in your job or progress in school," Mangelson said.
The colors red (for good luck) and gold (for prosperity) dominate the color scheme of the New Year's parties. Red envelopes containing money are often given as gifts. Fancy red envelopes can be found in local Asian markets for those who want to use them as favors for their own Chinese New Year celebration.
Another New Year's tradition is the Lion Dance — part dance, part martial arts, with the purpose of chasing away evil spirits and bringing the house or restaurant good luck for the coming year. The dance is accompanied by loud drum music to dispel evil. The Mandarin in Bountiful, Xiao Li in Salt Lake City and ABC Mandarin in Roy are all hosting Lion Dance performances during the New Year.
"When we didn't have it last year, I couldn't believe how many people said they were disappointed," said Angel Manfredini, The Mandarin's pastry chef. The martial arts instructor they used in the past had moved to Arizona, so The Mandarin contacted Master Cheng Tsang Lu's troupe, which will be performing this year. The dramatic climax of the Lion Dance is "Picking the Green" — vegetable leaves tied to a piece of string. The string is hung above the door of the house or business, and the lion "chews" the leaves, then spits out the leaves to signify an abundance of everything in the coming year.
BEEF WITH BROCCOLI
1/2 pound broccoli
1/2 pound beef, cut lengthwise
Marinade:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine
1 teaspoon oil
For cooking:
4 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
Marinate beef in cornstarch, soy sauce and rice wine for 5-10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon oil before stir-frying so meat will separate easily during frying. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a wok or frying pan until hot. Stir-fry beef, cover and cook until steamy. Remove beef, reserving liquid, and stir-fry minced garlic for 10-15 seconds. Add broccoli and 2 tablespoons water. Cover and cook until steamy. Add cooked beef and oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Turn off heat. Mix well before serving. — Hui-Jen Yeh Mangelson
EGG ROLL
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cups finely chopped cabbage
3 teaspoons salt
Dash black pepper
2 teaspoons MSG (or 1 teaspoon sugar)
1 16-ounce package egg roll wrappers
1 egg for sealing rolls
1 cup vegetable oil for stir-frying
4 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
Stir-fry meat in a wok or frying pan, drain the fat and set meat aside. Put 1 cup vegetable oil in frying pan and add onion and stir for 1 minute. Add cabbage and cook for 2 minutes. Add ground beef and cook for another minute. Add salt, MSG and pepper to taste. Drain and discard excess liquid. Let filling cool. Spoon filling onto the egg roll wrapper and roll up. Deep-fry until golden brown. — Hui-Jen Yeh Mangelson
ALMOND CHICKEN
1/2 pound boneless chicken (cut into cubes)
Marinade:
1/2 tablespoon rice wine
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
For cooking:
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup diced zucchini or celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced potato (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped skinless almonds
Mix rice wine, cornstarch and soy sauce. Marinate chicken in this mixture for 5-10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil so chicken separates easily during frying. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok or frying pan and stir-fry chicken until medium well-done. Move chicken to side of pan and stir-fry minced garlic for 15 seconds. Add zucchini or celery, carrots, potato. Stir it, turn the heat to medium high, cover and cook until steamy. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar. Mix well. Turn off heat and add almonds. — Hui-Jen Yeh Mangelson
DAN DAN SESAME NOODLES
This Szechuan (Sichuan) dish is similar to the one that The Mandarin is serving during the New Year celebration. "Dan dan" is the Chinese equivalent for the distinctive noise made by the noodle vendor who sold this dish in the alleys of China.
1 pound boneless pork loin
Marinade:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine or sake
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon crushed Szechuan peppercorns (optional)
Spicy Sesame Dressing:
8 cloves garlic
2 1-inch-square knobs fresh ginger, peeled
1 teaspoon crushed dried chiles or dried chile flakes
6 tablespoons Chinese toasted sesame paste (stirred well before adding)
4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
5 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine or sake
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons chicken broth or water
1/2 pound thin egg noodles, such as angel hair or spaghettini
2 1/2 tablespoons canola or corn oil
2 cups minced scallion greens
Cut the pork loin into thin slices about 1/4 inch thick, then cut the slices into thin, matchstick-size shreds about 1 inch long. Put the shreds in a bowl, add the marinade and toss lightly to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let the pork marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or longer in the refrigerator.
Put the Szechuan peppercorns (if using) in a skillet and toast over medium heat about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are fragrant. Let them cool slightly and then crush into a powder with a rolling pin or mallet.
Drop the seasonings of the Spicy Sesame Dressing in descending order into the feed tube of a good processor fitted with a steel blade while the machine is running. Mix together to a smooth sauce. Add the peppercorn powder and mix. Pour into a serving bowl.
Bring 3 quarts water to a boil, add the noodles and cook about 5 to 6 minutes, or until near tender. Drain in a colander, rinse lightly to remove the starch and drain again thoroughly. Divide the noodles into six portions in soup bowls.
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet until very hot. Add the pork and stir-fry over high heat, about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, until the meat changes color and is cooked. Scoop it into a colander to drain; then spoon it over the individual servings of noodles and sprinkle about 1/3 cup minced scallion greens on top of each. Ladle some Spicy Sesame Dressing over all, and serve. — "A Spoonful of Ginger," by Nina Simonds
Some local Chinese New Year celebrations include:
Salt Lake City's Main Library, 210 E. 400 South, 2 p.m. Saturday. Festivities include crafts for children, dance and music performances, food and seminars. Sponsored by the Committee of the Greater Salt Lake Chinese Community, Joy's Deli and the Salt Lake City Library. (534-8200)
Murray High School auditorium, 6:30 p.m. Saturday. A program of traditional music and folk dances, sponsored by organizations with members from mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The Mandarin, 348 E. 900 North, Bountiful, will host a Lion Dance performance for diners Jan. 28, 7 p.m. During the two-week New Year season, a special eight-course menu can be ordered for parties of four or more for $20 per person. (298-2406)
Xiao Li, 307 W. 200 South, will host a Lion Dance performance for its diners Thursday, 7:30 p.m. A 10-course New Year's dinner will be served for $35 per person. Diners can also order from the regular menu. Reservations are required. (328-8688).
E-MAIL: vphillips@desnews.com