5 tips to create Instagram-Worthy Chinese New Year dishes in 2023

1.Rainbow dumpling platter

Dumplings are a classic Chinese New Year dish and they're perfect for sharing. To make them even more Instagram-worthy, try making a variety of and colors with the dumpling skin.

Such as using spinach juice for green, beet juice for pink and spirulina powder for blue.

You can also use food colour dyes from bakery stores or superfood powders from health supplies store to save time.

Arrange them on a platter clockwise and snap a photo before you dig in!

2. Lace your prized dish with gold foil

Pick your most prized dish, whether it the stewed abalone, the fish maw, a dish of shiitake mushrooms or anything really, top it with some gold foil which is easily accessible from any bakery supply stores.

BAM! The easiest instagrammable dish right there!

3. Whole fish presentation

A whole fish is a must for CNY as its symbol of prosperity and abundance.

To make it Instagram-worthy, consider presenting it in a beautiful floral platter or serving it on a bed of colourful vegetables. Don't forget heaps of shredded curly white spring onion to top the fish to make the whole dish pop.

4. Lunar New Year Charcuterie Board

Chinese New Year is all about sharing, and what better way to do that than with a beautiful charcuterie board? Load up a platter with a variety of Chinese-inspired snacks like dumplings, spring rolls, and bao buns, and don't forget to include some colorful fruit and vegetables for balance

5. Rainbow Lo Hei

A must-have dish for Chinese New Year celebrations.

This colorful salad is made with raw fish, crunchy vegetables, and a variety of seasonings, and is served with a sweet and tangy sauce. The fun part? You get to toss it all together with your family together on the table and raise a toast to good luck and prosperity for the coming year.

Try to use a good variation of vibrant vegetables and raw sashimi. Here's a recipe to try:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups shredded purple cabbage

• 1 cup julienned carrots

• 1 cup julienned daikon radish

• 1 cup julienned red bell pepper

• 1 cup julienned yellow bell pepper

• 1 cup julienned cucumber

• 1 cup julienned mango

• 2 bowls of rice noodles, cooked and soaked in ice water

• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

• 1/2 cup chopped mint

• 1/2 cup chopped basil

• 1/2 cup chopped scallions

• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

• 1/2 cup sesame seeds

• 8 ounces raw salmon, thinly sliced

• 8 ounces raw tuna, thinly sliced

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup sweet and sour sauce

• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon of sriracha

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded Napa cabbage, julienned carrots, daikon, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, mango, pineapple, red apples, green apples, cilantro, mint, basil, scallions, peanuts, and sesame seeds.

2. Arrange the raw salmon and tuna slices on top of the salad mixture.

3. In a small bowl, mix together the sweet and sour sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar to make the dressing.

4. When you're ready to serve, have everyone gather around the table and toss the salad together while making a toast to good luck and prosperity.

5. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss again to combine.

6. Serve the lo hei immediately and enjoy!