Lunar New Year Celebrations Feature Festive Cooking with Duncan Lu
Lunar New Year stands as one of the most significant annual celebrations globally, and this Tuesday, The Morning Show embraced the festive spirit. Home cook Duncan Lu made a special appearance to demonstrate how to prepare delicious braised pork ribs, a dish believed to bring good fortune, health, and prosperity in 2026.
Vietnamese Braised Pork Ribs: A Symbol of Patience and Balance
This recipe involves pork ribs slowly braised in a savory, slightly sweet sauce until they achieve a meltingly tender texture. Similar to the beloved thit kho, it emphasizes patience and the harmonious balance of salty, sweet, and umami flavors.
Preparation Details:
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cook time: 90 minutes
- Difficulty level: Easy—you’ve got this
- Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1kg Pork soft bone ribs or pork rib tips
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 ½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon anchovy salt
- 20ml Son fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon MSG (optional)
- 1L coconut water
- 400ml water
- 40g ginger, halved and crushed
- 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
Method:
- Blanch pork ribs in hot water for 2 minutes, then rinse well under cold water to remove impurities. Duncan’s tip: This step ensures a clear braising liquid by eliminating debris.
- Marinate pork ribs with anchovy salt, fish sauce, and MSG for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight in the fridge.
- In a large cast-iron casserole, add cooking oil and sugar, warming on low-medium until sugar turns copper brown. Immediately add marinated pork ribs and garlic, sautéing on medium-high for 5-10 minutes until most liquid evaporates.
- Deglaze with coconut water, add water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 60-75 minutes until tender.
- Season with fish sauce, sea salt, and MSG as needed. Duncan’s tip: Adjust seasoning and sugar to taste at this stage.
- Serve with freshly steamed rice, pickled baby leeks, fresh cucumber, and tomato. Duncan’s tip: Pair with Chinese stir-fry vegetables for a complete meal.
Traditional Vegetable Stir Fry: Simple and Vibrant
This side dish features shiitake mushrooms, Chinese broccoli, carrots, and garlic, cooked quickly over high heat with light seasoning to let the vegetables shine. It avoids heavy sauces, allowing their natural flavors to speak for themselves.
Preparation Details:
- Prep time: 1 hour (including soaking)
- Cook time: 10 minutes
- Difficulty level: Easy—you’ve got this
- Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 40g Shiitake Mushrooms
- 1 bunch Chinese broccoli, chopped into 4-5cm pieces
- 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons Cooking oil
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- ½ teaspoon anchovy salt
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Cracked black pepper
Method:
- Shiitake Mushrooms: Soak in water overnight in the fridge, using a plate to keep them steeped. Transfer to a pot, cover with water, add salt, boil, then simmer for 30 minutes until firm but tender. Strain, cool, squeeze out moisture, and thinly slice.
- Stir Fry: Blanch carrots for 2 minutes and Chinese broccoli for 1 minute in boiling water, then strain and rinse under cold water. Duncan’s Tip: This retains vibrant colors.
- In a large cast-iron pot or skillet on medium, add cooking oil and garlic, sautéing until aromatic and lightly golden.
- Add shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Duncan’s tip: Add 2 tablespoons of water if garlic browns too much.
- Add blanched carrot, blanched Chinese broccoli, anchovy salt, oyster sauce, and sugar, stir-frying on high heat for 2 minutes, then remove.
- Garnish with cracked black pepper and a drizzle of sesame oil, serving with steamed rice. Duncan’s tip: Perfect alongside the Vietnamese Braised Pork Ribs.
This festive cooking segment highlights how traditional recipes can bring luck and joy to Lunar New Year celebrations, offering easy-to-follow steps for home cooks to create a memorable feast.
