We Celebrate Our First Ever Chinese New Year

One of the perks of having foreign exchange students is the fact we get to  enjoy some different customs and foods.  Having two Asian students with us this year has given us the opportunity to experience Mid-Autumn day last fall and now in February, the Chinese New Year.  It is also the end of the first school semester, so the girls were all off for a couple of days, to prepare for their festivities.

Several of the school chums were invited, but in the end, only one other Chinese girl, and a German fellow were able to partake with us. 

Cherry, our Chinese student, spent most of the afternoon in the kitchen, preparing traditional Chinese dishes for us to enjoy.  I have asked her to be my guest blogger, naming and describing the various dishes she prepared.

The chef and her dishes

Jiao zi: boiled dumplings with meat in them. We had two types, mutton and chicken, with the soup. The sauce you may add on is made of hot pepper, vinegar, soya sauce and sugar.

Xi hong shi chao ji dan: stir-fried tomatoes and eggs

Xi qin xia ren: shrimp and celery chunks

Suan la tu dou si: potato julienne, with vinegar and pepper 

Zhu rou hu luo bo: stir-fried pork and carrots, cut in slices and cooked with soya sauce

Dou jiang: soy milk, the beverage of choice

Banana pancakes: this was not a traditional Chinese dish

P.S. We had green onions in every dish.

                        

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I was most impressed that a sixteen year old, who has never really prepared an entire meal by herself, was able to do such a bang up job, especially with invited guests hovering as well.  Her parents would be most proud of their daughter. I must say, all the dishes were most tasty.  Firstly, we had been shoveling snow for several hours in the fresh air, and secondly we didn't have to do any of the preparation work. 

And that is about all I have to say for today.

Musings and meanderings from the Musical Gardener.