The Chinese culture is so vast and wide that it should come as no surprise that there are so, so many different nuances to it. For example, when it comes to celebrating the Chinese New Year, I’ve noticed that a few of my Singaporean hometown traditions aren’t practiced here, which offer you a rather fun alternative to the typical local dumpling feast you might have taken part in one too many times.

The tradition of “lo hei” (known as 鱼生 yú shēng in Mandarin) is a much beloved one where I come from. Yu sheng is a customary Singaporean and Malaysian Lunar New Year dish, traditionally served on the 7th day of Chinese New Year, which is known as 人日 Rén rì. Renri means “every man’s birthday” so everyone becomes a year older on this day. In the past, yu sheng was only eaten on ren ri, however these days it is normal for a family to eat yu sheng numerous times throughout the New Year period and it is usually served at the start of every meal. Watch the video below to see how you put yu sheng together and why it’s so fun!

Comments from over the two years when I’ve introduced yu sheng to my friends include, “Wow this is exactly the opposite of what your mom says not to play with your food” and “It’s so delicious”. Plus, it’s almost vegetarian except for the salmon slices, so the kids will be eating plenty of nutritious stuff without knowing it.

Basically, you add each ingredient – chosen symbolically for its color or what the food represents (for example, the salmon or “fish” is a homophone for “fortune” in Chinese, and the crackers resemble gold pieces) then you mix it all up by grabbing a chopstick full of the stuff and raise it up above your head as you make a whole lot of noise yelling well wishes for the new year, then eat it! When mixed up with the savoury plum sauce and crispy crackers, the whole ensemble really comes together for a delicious mouthful that even kids enjoy.

This Year of the Dragon, Beersmith is serving up yusheng with Norwegian salmon slices everyday from Jan 15 to Feb 25 at dinner time. Prices start from RMB268 for the yusheng itself, or you can opt for their special beer-pairings at RMB368 and RMB388. Scan the QR code below to book your yusheng dinner celebration at Beersmith!

Alternatively, enjoy yusheng from the comfort of your home when you order your own set from the Singapore Foodie WeChat group from now until Feb 24. However please note that deliveries will not be available from Feb 13 – 16. Scan the QR code below to place your order!

Another fun South Chinese tradition is how we give a pair of mandarin oranges to a host every time we’re visiting their home. We hold the oranges in our hands as we enter their domicile and greet them with well wishes such as the perfunctory “新年快乐 xīn nián kuài lè” or “恭喜发财 gōng xǐ fā cái“. The host will accept our oranges and well wishes, and offer us their own pair of oranges and well wishes in exchange! This whole process was what we call “bai nian” which is basically “visiting during CNY”. To up your CNY game this year, here’s a list of better well wishes you can say to different people in the year of the Dragon.

To anyone: “龙年大吉！ Lóng nián dàjí!” (Wishing you luck in the year of the Dragon!)

For older individuals: “龙马精神！ Lóngmǎ jīngshén!” (May you be as vigorous as dragons and horses!)

For couples: “龙凤呈祥！ Lóngfèng chéng xiáng!” (Literal meaning: Dragons and phoenixes bring good fortune; Symbolic meaning: Have a harmonious marriage!)

For people focusing on their careers or students with major exams: “龙腾盛世！ Lóngténg shèngshì!” (Dragons soaring in a prosperous era!)

For young kids: “龙头马尾！ Lóngtóu mǎwěi!” (Literal meaning: Lead like a dragon, finish like a horse, Symbolic meaning: Have a good start and finish)

KEEP READING: What Traditional Foods Are Eaten During Chinese New Year in Beijing?

Images: Billy Jin, Vivienne Tseng-Rush, Pexels

It continues to befuddle me how similar and different the China Chinese and any overseas Chinese are. Southeast Asian Chinese say “骑脚车Qí jiǎo chē” (literally “ride leg car”) when they ride a bicycle, but here it’s “骑自行车 Qí zìxíngchē” (literally ride self moving car). Southeast Asian and Taiwanese Chinese call pineapples “黄梨 / 凤梨 Huáng lí/ fènglí” whereas here, it’s “菠萝 Bōluó” (which always made me think of some sort of carrot “萝卜 Luóbo“). The list goes on and on, but it’s more than just the words that are different. When it comes to Chinese New Year, I’ve noticed a few of my hometown traditions which aren’t practiced here, but which are rather fun and involve the whole family and friends if you’re looking for a twist on your CNY celebration!

The first tradition is that of “lo hei” in a mandarin dialect or 鱼生 Yú shēng in Chinese. Yusheng is a customary Singaporean and Malaysian Lunar New Year dish, traditionally served on the 7th day of Chinese New Year, which known as 人日 Rén rì. Renri means “every man’s birthday” so everyone becomes a year older on this day. In the past, yusheng was only eaten on renri, however these days it is normal for a family to eat yusheng numerous times throughout the New Year period and it is usually served at the start of every meal. Watch the video below to see how you put yusheng together and why it’s so fun!

Comments from over the two years I’ve introduced yusheng to my friends include, “Wow this is exactly the opposite of what your mom says not to play with your food” and “It’s so delicious”. Plus, it’s almost vegetarian except for the salmon slices, so the kids will be eating plenty of nutritious stuff without knowing it.

The second tradition is how we give a pair of mandarin oranges to a guest every time we’re visiting their home. We hold the oranges in our hands as we enter their domicile and greet them with well wishes such as the perfunctory “新年快乐 xīn nián kuài lè” or “恭喜发财 gōng xǐ fā cái“. The host will accept our oranges and well wishes, and offer us their own pair of oranges and well wishes in exchange! This whole process was what we call “bai nian” which is basically ” visiting during CNY”. To up your CNY game this year, here’s a list of better well wishes you can say to different people.

To anyone: “虎年大吉 hǔ nián dà jí” (Wishing you luck in the year of the Tiger!)

For older individuals: “虎虎生威 Hǔ hǔ shēng wēi” (Wishing you fullness of the vigor and vitality of the tiger)

For couples: “虎运连年 hǔ yùn lián nián” (Wishing you the luck of the Tiger year after year!)

For people focusing on their careers, or students with major exams: “龙腾虎跃 lóng téng hǔ yuè” (‘Dragon soaring and Tiger leaping’ (Wish you prosperous and thriving in new year)

For young kids: “如虎添翼 rú hǔ tiān yì” (Wishing you’re like a tiger with wings (i.e. doubly strong)

So if you’ve had it with dumplings this CNY, there’s still time for you to celebrate CNY with an overseas Chinese tradition that’s fun, tasty and educational! Scan the QR code to order your yusheng set from Grace who runs a Singaporean restaurant business here in Beijing.

KEEP READING: Dining Deals to Gorge on This CNY

Images: Billy Jin, Vivienne Tseng-Rush, Pexels

Ask any Singaporean, or even any visitor to the island city, and they’ll tell you that Singapore is a veritable food paradise. From the hawker centers on the street to the Michelin-starred restaurants at the tops of our iconic sky-scrapers, you can find anything from the most tender foie gras to the spiciest curry. There’s such a range of offerings from so many different cultures that you are really spoiled for choice, whether you have five or 500 dollars in your wallet. The shared ethnic and historical background between Singapore and China also means that there is a thriving population of Singaporeans living and working right here in Beijing. So it comes as no surprise that plenty of top-notch Singaporean restaurants have expanded to China’s capital city!

To help support and promote Singaporean restaurants during this festive Chinese New Year season, the Singapore Restaurant Festival is giving out a total of 1,000 cash vouchers to be deducted from your bill when you dine in at participating restaurants. It’s so easy! All you have to do is scan the QR code in the poster, choose the restaurant you’d like to dine at, and get a RMB 40 voucher off your bill! This is roughly equivalent to 10 percent off a standard two-person dining bill. Do note the terms and conditions that you may only use one voucher per bill, and a voucher cannot be used with other promotions. The festival ends on Feb 28, so redeem your vouchers now!

As a hot-blooded Singaporean and true foodie, my recommendations would be the most famous seafood chain restaurant, Jumbo Seafood, particularly the location at Universal CityWalk which is spacious and well-lit with impeccable service. They are most well known for their Singapore chilli crab dish, though I personally find their cereal prawns and salmon skins unmatched.

Another recommendation would be Brotzeit, which offers delectable German food and beer. Their cheese spätzle, sausage platter, and Angus beef sliders are each a must-try on my list. For a taste of real Singapore, the Vanda Room offers plenty of authentic Singaporean dishes which are unique to the island nation, such as handmade curry puffs and Singaporean curry laksa.

What are you waiting for? Grab your free voucher and go indulge!

KEEP READING: Summing up Beijing’s Best Dim Sum Restaurants and What to Order

Images: Dianping, pexels

Beijing’s second branch of the Singaporean-based chain, Crystal Jade, has opened in Indigo Mall. Crystal Jade La Mian and Xiaolongbao serves up authentic Cantonese cuisine, with a contemporary twist. Dim Sum dishes include spring rolls, pork buns, dumplings, and xiaolongbao, with innovative fillings such as foie gras and ginseng. Some of the more popular dishes are from the wide selection of seafood, such as deep-fried mandarin fish with sweet and sour sauce and pine nuts, and sautéed shrimp with long jing tea leaf.

There is no separate kids’ menu, but plenty of enticing dishes to please the palate of younger diners. The fully bilingual menu comes with pictures and chili spice indicators, to help everyone choose their favorites. Kids will enjoy the pan-fried Shanghai pork buns (RMB 24), sweet and sour pork loin (RMB 48), egg fried rice (RMB 42), and sautéed rice cakes (RMB 42).

Our hungry diner is 7-year-old Julius Cheung, a Grade 2 student at Western Academy Beijing. Julius has been living in Beijing for six years. One of his favorite foods is burgers, but today Julius samples steamed Shanghai xiaolongbao (RMB 26) and cheese xiaolongbao (RMB 32), claypot braised meat with kelp and potato (RMB 52), sautéed bean curd with shrimp (RMB 52), and la mian with minced pork and vegetable wonton soup (RMB 38).

Julius loves the Shanghai xiaolongbao, the tender filling steeped in a tasty savory soup all wrapped up in delicate skins. The shrimps are big and juicy, the sautéed bean curd full of flavor, making for a great dish for kids. Crystal Jade’s la mian dishes offer up a mound of perfect handmade noodles. Swimming in delicious wonton soup, the minced pork version is a huge hit! To quench his thirst, Julius enjoys a refreshing watermelon juice (RMB 20) and samples the lemon tea (RMB 16).

The restaurant seats 65 with “al fresco” seating indoors, but underneath the Indigo solarium. The restaurant has a great atmosphere, and service is fast and efficient. It gets busy, especially at lunchtimes, so arrive early to ensure a table. Alternatively, you can make use of their take-out service. The chef is happy to prepare dishes to suit special dietary requirements where possible.

Family-friendly facilities:
The restaurant is non-smoking throughout. There are ample high chairs available. The mall has several clean, Western-style bathrooms with soap and toilet paper. Kids can run around and enjoy the big indoor space opposite, or head to the outside playground.

Crystal Jade 翡翠拉面小笼包
Daily 11am-9.30pm L1-25, Indigo Mall, 18 Jiuxianqiao Lu,
Chaoyang District (6184 1627) www.crystaljade.com
朝阳区酒仙桥路18号颐提港L1-25

This article originally appeared on page 28-29 of the beijingkids November 2015 issue. Click here to read the issue for free on Issuu.com. To find out how you can get your own copy, email distribution@truerun.com.

Photos by C.M. Studio