Philippines: Lunar New Year foods

Lunar New Year, also called Tsinoy New Year in the Philippines, is celebrated throughout the country by Filipino and Chinese communities.  The day is marked by dragon dances, fireworks and the sharing of food including tikoy (sticky rice cake) and noodles, like this Pancit canton (Filipino pork and prawn noodles).

“No party in the Philippines is complete without pancit – noodles dishes. Pancit represent longevity, so the noodle threads are left long. For Lunar New Year, the dish of choice is pancit canton – wheat noodles coated in a glossy peppery umami sauce stuffed with pork, prawns and cabbage,” says food writer Yasmin Newman.

Vietnam: Tết foods and traditions

In Vietnam, Lunar New Year is celebrated as Tết, a holiday that focuses on spending time with loved ones, honouring ancestors and enjoying a meal together. Families often celebrate with a traditional feast with dishes including pork, sticky rice cakes, spring rolls and vegetables.

“A favourite in my family for Lunar New Year is a modern taken on fried sesame balls, or bánh cam – literally ‘orange cake’, although there’s no orange in the recipe; it just loosely looks like the fruit. This recipe is super easy, and can be made ahead of time. I make these in bite-size pieces, so you can have multiple pieces per serve,” shares chef Trinh Richards.

China and Hong Kong: Chinese New Year dishes

In China and Hong Kong, Chinese New Year is a time for family reunions, ushering good fortune, exchanging red envelopes and feasting on steamed fish, lobster in noodles, braised vegetables and soups.

“This is my mum’s recipe. I didn’t come from a rich family. Toothfish was not a cheap fish in Hong Kong 30 years ago. But mum would also buy it for me. Every time I eat it, it makes me so happy! This is why I got into cooking – to put a smile on people’s faces,” says chef Sam Young.

Thailand: Thai-Chinese Lunar New Year foods

Different to Thai New Year (Songkran), Lunar New Year is celebrated by the Thai-Chinese community. Celebrations include dragon dances, red lantern and a feast that combines Thai and Chinese flavours including rice balls, noodles, steamed fish and pork belly.

“This is a family recipes, which celebrates the cooking techniques that Chinese migrants brought to Thailand. Chinese and Thai people celebrate Lunar New Year together, and we developed this recipe for our Chinese friends. A top tip is to stir-fry the garlic chives at a very high heat for a short period, to let the chives stay crunchy,” says chef and co-founder of Thai restaurant Porkfat, Narin Kulasai.

Indonesia: Imlek foods and traditions

In Indonesia, Lunar New Year – known locally as Imlek – is celebrated primarily by the Chinese-Indonesian community with family gatherings, ancestral prayers and vibrant festivities. Dishes including sticky rice cake, spring rolls, fish dishes and sweet treats made from mandarins and oranges.

“A special dish enjoyed among the Indonesian Chinese community on Java island, especially at the end of Lunar New Year. Lontong cap go meh is typical of the cross-cultural influence that have shaped Indonesian cuisine over the centuries. ‘Cap go’ means fifteen and ‘meh’ means night, signalling the end of two weeks of celebrations,” shares Indonesian chef Petty Elliot.

Korea: Seollal foods and traditions

In South Korea, Lunar New Year is called Seollal, one of the country’s most important holidays, centered on family and respect for ancestors. Food is a central part of Seollal celebrations: the most iconic dish is tteokguk, a soup made with thinly sliced rice cakes, symbolising getting a year older and starting fresh. Other traditional foods include savoury pancakes and braised short ribs.

“Tteokguk (Korean beef and rice cake soup) is a must-have during Lunar New Year celebrations. It consists of a flavourful meat broth with thinly sliced rice cakes, egg and a seaweed garnish,” says Korean-born chef Jung Eun Chae.

Related story: 55 auspicious dishes for a Lunar New Year feast