Chinese New Year is the best time of the year to pig out, and being the year of the pig, we have all the more reason to do so. Snacking is a huge part of the celebrations and often we find ourselves emptying entire boxes of pineapple tarts, bak kwa, love letters and cookies faster than our arteries can handle.

Sure, these classic favourites hold a special place in our hearts but perhaps it is time to step away from tradition and go for something a little more unconventional this upcoming Chinese New Year.

We explored the streets of Chinatown and found a couple of oddities—some are creative, while some are just plain exotic. Feeling ballsy? Here are 6 unconventional snacks to get this CNY.

UNIQUELY FLAVOURED JELLIES

Roam the streets of Chinatown and you’d find several stalls selling these individually packed jellies—a great substitute for the usual sweets we often see lying around in baskets. Coming in unique flavours such as Cherry Blossom and Coffee, these treats will definitely be a hit among children and adults alike!

GREEN BEAN PASTE PASTRY

Lunar New Year Snacks should not just stop at pineapple tarts and almond cookies. The aforementioned snacks are definitely must-haves in a Chinese household during the festive period, but do also make it a point to try out other pastries such as Green Bean Paste Pastry! Some may shun the idea of it, but we’re sure that this might become a new-found favourite amongst many.

PEANUT PUFF

Also known as Kok Chai, peanut puffs are actually traditional Malaysian snacks that are essentially made with sweet ground peanut encased within a crisp, buttery shell. Shaped like mini curry puffs, these goodies symbolizes abundant wealth for the year ahead and are extremely popular in Malaysia. Try these out this coming New Year!

DURIAN KUEH LAPIS

Love the pungent smell of the King of Fruits and the buttery textures of the various layers of kueh lapis? Imagine the two combined! It may sound like just another a calorie-loaded snack, but this sinful yet decadent cake might just be worth it!

LOBSTER BAK KWA

Feeling like a king? Ditch the pork slices and opt for something more premium to treat both yourself and your guests. There are several stalls serving Lobster Bak Kwa, and while the slices bear a huge resemblance to the usual pork slices, the prices sure speak for the difference in ingredients. 500 grams of Lobster Bak Kwa can set you back by S$40.

EXOTIC FLAVOURED BAK KWA

Yes, our foodie nation is always bursting with creativity when it comes to food trends, but to come up with Crocodile Meat Bak Kwa and Coffee Fusion Meat Bak Kwa is truly #nextlevel.

For the adventurous who are constantly on a lookout for something unconventional to try (or to prank someone), these would be it. To say that these flavours are exotic is truly an understatement!

We were feeling a tad bit sad that Christmas has come to an end but then we remembered that the Chinese New Year is just around the corner. We are excited to usher in the year of Pig and for us foodies, Chinese New Year means one crucial thing: another round of intense feasting!

Food and reunion meals are an absolute must for Chinese New Year. While many people prefer to whip up a reunion meal by themselves, sometimes it is almost impossible to feed the sheer number of guests you have.

But there are plenty of reputable and reliable catering companies out there that can do the job for you. One of these companies is Stamford Catering, and they are a common name when you need suggestions for stellar buffet line-ups to satisfy the masses.

This Lunar New Year, book your CNY Feast with Stamford Catering and the first 300 Plus! Members will receive 888 (HUAT HUAT HUAT) BONUS LinkPoints with a minimum spending of S$600 between 21 Jan to 24 Feb 2019. If you are not yet a Plus! Member, sign up for one via plus.com.sg/apply to participate and be blessed with tons of HUATs. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.stamfordcs.com.sg for details.Over the years, Stamford Catering has bagged numerous awards such as the Singapore Quality Award and Foodlines Most Popular Caterer, which reiterates how good the quality of their food has been over the years. 

What we love most about Stamford Catering is their reasonable prices despite the high-quality food. Prices start from as low as S$17.98 per pax for their Lunar New Year Buffet, making it one of the more affordable catering buffets out there.

What makes them even better is that they are Halal-certified, so you don’t have to worry about leaving your Muslim friends out from the festivities.

Each buffet set up consists of a complete professional table setting with Chinese New Year decorations, skirting, drink dispensers, warmers as well as silk floral arrangements. Stamford Catering will also provide a full set of environmentally-friendly disposable dining ware.

All of Stamford Catering’s menus will be available for events from 14 January to 24 February 2019 and only Chinese New Year menus are available for events from 4th February to 8th February 2019.

BLOSSOM FEAST BUFFET 

If you’re looking for an all-rounded menu to suit the needs of your various guests, we highly recommend their Blossom Feast Buffet (S$23.33 per Pax, min. 30 Pax) that comes with an array of delectable dishes that are sure to keep everyone’s bellies full and happy.

For the carbs, you can expect delicious platters of Braised Ee Fu Noodles with White Shimeiji Mushroom as well as Wok-Fried Rice with Smoked Duck.

We especially enjoyed their Wok-Fried Rice with Smoked Duck where the rice was cooked to just the right texture; the wok hei was perfect for us. The duck also added a nice, smokey taste to the overall dish which left us begging for seconds.

Everyone at our office party was a fan of the Ginseng Double-Boiled Chicken in Superior Broth. Chicken wings, as much as we love them are a common item in buffet lines but are often messy to eat. This whole chicken dish is definitely a healthier option and one that doesn’t require you to dirty your hands!

Ours came with three fleshy, full-sized chickens that were double-boiled to perfect tenderness in a divine superior broth. Every part of the chicken was soaked in the tasty broth, giving it an aromatic herbal fragrance. The older folks would really appreciate this dish!

Other dishes to expect in the line-up are Fortune Royal Thai Pacific Dory Fillet, Sautéed Sliced Mutton with Capsicum, Pandan Prawn Cake with Thai Dip as well as Assorted Vegetables with Abalone Sauce and ‘Fatt Choy’.

The Pandan Prawn Cakes with Thai Dip deserves a special mention. These little chunks of prawn cakes swaddled in pandan leaves feature sweet prawn bits, making each bite springy and incredibly addictive. The accompanying Thai dipping sauce also complemented the flavours of the prawn cake and the overall taste profile is that of sweet and sour notes.

Beef lovers can also expect to indulge in some Cantonese Style Bean Paste Sliced Beef, which, by the way, is best eaten with the Wok-Fried Rice with Smoked Duck for the ultimate flavour explosion.

If you’re still riding on the salted egg trend, you’d be thrilled to know that the Blossom Feast Set comes with delicious Prosperous Salted Egg Yolk Prawns. These succulent prawns are fried to a golden crisp in a decadent amount of thick, rich salted egg sauce, making it perfect for anyone who is obsessed with salted egg.

End off the feasting by indulging in their cooling desserts. This time around, we were served their very refreshing Chilled Sea Coconut with Aloe Vera and Nata De Coco. The concoction had just the right amount of sweetness to it and the bowl was swimming with generous amounts of white fungus, sea coconut, aloe vera chunks and nata de coco.

PROSPERITY IMPERIAL ABALONE PLATTER “YU SHENG”

It would be a crime to omit yu sheng at a Chinese New Year feast and Stamford Catering is well aware of that. Therefore, each of their Blossom Feast Buffet sets also come with the popular Prosperity Imperial Abalone Yu Sheng platters.

If your guests prefer to have smoked salmon you can always top up S$6 for an additional portion. Value for money, right?

Stamford Catering’s yu sheng has all the works of a good yu sheng platter; the vegetables were fresh and incredibly crunchy, the abalone slices were of just the right amount of thickness and delightfully chewy and the sauce added all the right flavours and bound the whole dish together.

So, this Lunar New Year, instead of slogging it out in the kitchen, why not just relax, put your pots and pans down and allow yourself to bask in the festivities while Stamford Catering does the hard labour for you! The amount of convenience it brings is definitely worth it and you get to properly enjoy the New Year surrounded by delectable food as well as your loved ones.

Stamford Catering
24 Senoko S Rd
Singapore 758098
Tel: +65 6852 3338

https://www.stamfordcs.com.sg/

This post is brought to you by Stamford Catering and NTUC Link. 

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When it comes to Chinese New Year, there are a few things that immediately spring to mind: Family reunions, hot pot dinners, red packets (ang pao) and of course, the green light to snack non-stop.

Filled with a multitude of pastries, cookies and sweet treats galore, no Chinese New Year celebration is complete without festive goodies. Period. Time to start stocking up, but in case you don’t know where to start, here is our list of 10 Chinese New Year Snacks that every Chinese household should have in 2019.

BAK KWA

Commonly known as rou gan or barbecued pork jerky, bak kwa is a must-have of any Lunar New Year celebration and a treat that can easily be found in most Chinese households during the festive season.

The barbecued snack stands out for its intense smoky flavours that are derived upon barbecuing the meat over charcoal and the sweet-savoury flavours that melts on the tongue.

PINEAPPLE TARTS

Made of rich, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth pastry, these bite-sized delights are topped with pineapple jam and baked. Some prefer the pineapple to be encased within the buttery pastry while others prefer the two separated, but what we can all agree upon is that this delight is addictive as heck.

Photo Credit: eatwhattonight

LOVE LETTERS

No, we aren’t referring to those romantic love letters in literature. Here, we’re talking about egg roll biscuits, which are also better known as love letters.

Made using wheat flour, sugar, butter, egg and some vanilla flavouring, love letters are extremely thin, crispy biscuit sheets that symbolise good fortune for the year ahead.

Photo Credit: AliExpress

BLACK MELON SEEDS

Though not the most convenient to eat, black melon seeds are one of the most addictive goodies to snack on especially when you chatting with relatives.

The Chinese character for seed also means children in Mandarin, so black melon seeds (or any other seed) typically signifies having lots of sons and grandsons in the year ahead.

Photo Credit: healthynibblesandbits

ALMOND COOKIES (OR ANY NUT COOKIE)

As do many treats that originate from China, almond cookies (or any other nut cookies) symbolise good luck and fortune. The nut, which is often found in the centre of the cookie, represents luck while the circular pastry beneath represents coins.

Well-loved for their melt-on-your-tongue pastry and the crunchy texture of the nut atop, a container of these in your house will surely bring a smile to your guests, kids and adults alike!

Photo Credit: liebherr

CASHEW NUTS

The Chinese believe that Cashew nuts would help one’s family prosper financially, as these nuts take on the shape of gold ingots from the olden days and hence represent wealth.

Packed with multiple health benefits such as boosting your immune system and lowering the risks of cardiovascular disease, it sure is easy to munch away and finish an entire bottle of cashew nuts in one sitting.

Photo Credit: savouriesandsweets

SPICY DRIED SHRIMP ROLLS

Also known as hae bee hiam, spicy dried shrimp rolls are one of those snacks that you either love or hate. Spicy dried shrimps are wrapped in a crisp, crunchy, golden-brown crust, bringing out a good bite which then reveals an aromatic fragrance from the dried shrimps within.

KUEH LAPIS

Originating from Indonesia, Kueh Lapis is essentially a multi-layered steamed butter cake. Though jam-packed with tons of calories, we reckon that this sweet treat is worth the exercise after. 

Photo Credit: bakeking

KUEH BANGKIT

A Chinese New Year favourite in both Singapore and Malaysia, kueh bangkit are also known to many as tapioca cookies or coconut cream cookies.

Made with tapioca flour and coconut cream, these cookies are light, airy, smooth and so addictive.

NIAN GAO

Sometimes directly translated to ‘Chinese New Year’s Cake’, nian gao is a glutinous rice cake and is a popular gift during the Lunar New Year due to its significance and meaning behind.

In Mandarin, the Chinese word nián is identical in sound to “year”, while the word ‘gao’ is identical in sound to “tall”. As such, eating nian gao symbolises raising oneself to greater heights year after year.