food to glow

Food has always been a big part of Chinese culture, but never more so than at Chinese New Year. Although officially kicking off this year on the 19th of February, feasting and celebrating is already evident in major cities across the world. Lanterns of gold and red, as well as paper cut outs of this year’s symbol, the goat, decorate restaurants, shops and homes. But this is all just so much window dressing. The real event is the food. Masses of it. Gleaming, steaming mounds of it.

Outside of Asia itself, London has the biggest celebrations. A few years ago I was lucky enough to accidentally get caught up in a colourful – and very loud – rag-tag parade in London’s Chinatown . On a bitter bitter February day, looking for somewhere to eat (naturally), my family and a few ex-pat friends turned a corner and found ourselves in Chinatown. In seconds it transformed from a bit crowded and merry, people jostling and shouting good-naturedly, to ear-piercing firecrackers, clacking cymbals and arrythmia-inducing drums. And dragons.

Ducking and weaving like kites on a string, these silken, multi-hued dragons dove into the crowd, playfully waggled their tails, and then disappeared to pop up somewhere else, on another street. We temporarily forgot our by now gnawing hunger and followed the throng of happy people, going wherever it was they were going. We ended up in a fantastic restaurant, somehow bagging a spot despite it being the most crowded restaurant I had ever been in. I think rules may have been broken. Codes contravened. But it was fantastic. We felt the huge excitement of families getting together, telling stories, slurping noodles, pulling sticky lacquered flesh from fragile bones; seeing frocked and besuited children running around, high on unnaturally-coloured sweets.

You couldn’t hear yourself think. The steamed up windows and clacking of many dozens of chopsticks said it all. Grey and low though the sky might have been, the colours, sounds and smells of this tiny tangle of London streets made it a February day to remember. And you can’t often say that about February, can you?

Today’s recipe to celebrate Chinese New Year is a vegetarian redux of a popular Sichuan region street food. The name ‘dan dan’ refers to the type of poles used to carry the pots of noodles and spicy broth along the street – pedlar’s noodles. Usually these contain spicy minced pork (Sichuan is known for its fiery, nose-running cuisine), but with just a few adjustments, plain tofu makes a fantastic substitute – healthier too. My family actually thought these Dan Dan noodles had pork in it. I had to tell them at least twice that it was crumbled and spiced tofu. That might freak some of you out, but I think it was more that this dish isn’t bland (which tofu is unless you tinker with it), and I did a rather convincing job with my crumbling. If you have a sceptical family, perhaps go with a half and half approach of organic, free-range pork mince and organic tofu.

My recipe is also a lot less spicy and oily than more traditional ones. Loads more vegetables too. If you want to ramp up the fire, add chilli oil and lay on the Sichuan pepper for an electric shock treatment to your nose and tongue.

That can’t be a bad proposition on a February evening, can it? Beats going to a shockingly bad movie that shall remain nameless… 😉

This post is sponsored by Cauldron Foods, makers of organic tofu. Check their Ultimate Guide To Streetfood for recipes and tips on global vegetarian food around the world.

PS >> You still have time to win a copy of Gut Gastronomy (UK residents only). See here for rules and how to enter.

Similar On Food To Glow:

Asian Broth with Awesome Add Ins (Pho)

Butternut Squash and Tofu Laksa

Coconut and Lemongrass Tofu Soup

Crispy and Sticky Black Pepper Tofu

Fragrant Tofu Thai Green Curry

My Ma Po Tofu

Tea-Smoked Tofu Gado Gado

Tamarind and Shiitake Tofu

Tofu and Aubergine Lime-Basil Stir Fry

Recipes From Others:

Asian {Veggie} Noodle Salad – The Muffin Myth >> Katie and I are often on the same wavelength. She published this at the same time as I did my own!

How To Make A Bowl Of Noodles – Fuchsia Dunlop (expert on Sichuan cookery), in The Guardian

Gochujang Spiced Dumplings with Roasted Winter Squash and Mushroom – Franglais Kitchen

Steamy Kitchen has tons of links to her own and others’ recipes – mostly meaty or seafood, but some veggie ones too

One Green Planet has loads of vegan Chinese New Year links

 

**This week I am linking up to A Mummy Too for Emily’s Recipe of the Week round-up; to No Croutons Required, co-hosted by Lisa (Lisa’s Kitchen) and Jac (Tinned Tomatoes); and to Extra Veg (founders: Helen/Fuss Free Flavours and Michelle/Utterly Scrummy) hosted this month by Kerry. Why not enter your recipe, or look for some cooking inspiration?**