The Chinese are already a superstitious group, but come Chinese New Year, it escalates to an illogical fervor. The traditions range from the quaint (wear red, eat dumplings, launch fireworks) to the bizarre (do not: take out the trash, cut your hair, or shower), but the one common theme is that it is all meant to increase your luck, specifically as it pertains to money. I would try to mount a defense about not all Chinese people being money-obsessed but I would have zero pieces of evidence to submit.
– jeffrey
My dad once told me, “The older a civilization is, the more of a mess it is today.” I used to think this was his way of subtly throwing shade at the Middle East… but the more I think about it, it proves to be true. Societies do seem to accumulate the collective traumas they’ve experienced, over time using these experiences to drive them deeper into their convictions.
In the case of the Chinese, constant flood, famine, and other miscellaneous misfortune drove people so insane that they resorted to worshipping the number 8. On the surface it sounds odd, and yet, I can relate to the idea that those who constantly feel like things outside of their control are mapping the course of their lives will look anywhere in an attempt to find some meaning, or at the very least, luck.
I made this dish with 8 key ingredients for Chinese New Year because I could use some luck.
Preparation time: 60 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total cook time: 90 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 medium cucumbers
- 1/4 small red onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 6 shitake mushrooms
- 2 stalks of celery
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup woodear mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic
- 10 medium size shrimp (peeled and de-veined)
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon of corn starch
- Olive oil or vegetable oil
- Salt
- 1 large package of wide mung bean noodles (should contain 6 bundles)
For the sauce
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Thinly julienne the cucumbers. Place in a bowl with a teaspoon of salt and set aside (before assembling, drain the excess water). Thinly julienne the red onion and place in a bowl of ice water to remove some of the strong taste (strain before assembling). Thinly julienne the carrots and saute for 5 minutes with a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and set aside. Repeat the same process with the shitake mushrooms, and then again with the celery (for these two, add a teaspoon of oyster sauce when cooking). Beat two eggs and, using a nonstick pan on low heat, make a thin omelette by pouring just enough egg mixture to coat the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat as soon as the egg is set. Once the 2-3 omelettes are cooked and cooled, slice into thin strips. Saute the woodear mushrooms with a pinch of salt and the 3 cloves of garlic minced. Slice shrimp into 2-3 strips lengthwise and coat them with a teaspoon of cornstarch. Saute with a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch salt.
Once all the components are prepared. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the mung bean noodles for 30 minutes. While the noodles are cooking, mix the sauce ingredients together. When the noodles are cooked (should be tender but still have a little bit of chewiness), drain and rinse with cold water. Using a large serving bowl, toss noodles with a teaspoon of sesame oil to keep them from sticking together as they cool. I like to take each of the eight ingredients and divide them into two. Place each at 12 and 6 o’clock, 1 and 7 o’clock, 2 and 8 o’clock… etc. As you can see I ran out of space and dumped the woodear mushrooms in the middle. The importance of finding a large enough bowl! Add the sauce and mix the entire dish thoroughly and serve.