a tablescape filled with oranges, a bottle of Sichuan Gold, and festive decor

LUNAR NEW YEAR HOSTING WITH WHEN & WHERE

Court and Jess Eu of NYC supper club @when__and__where share personal tips and a festive appetizer for hosting the hottest Lunar New Year dinner party of the season.

COLD AND SPICY BEANCURD KNOTS

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By When & Where

A light and bright appetizer to prepare for friends, fam, or yourself. Pair with Sichuan Gold or Sichuan Chili Crisp for an added electric kick. Recipe crafted by Court and Jess Eu of @when__and__where).

Cook time: 5 min Prep time: 10 min Serving size: 8 servings

Ingredients DISH

1 packet of fresh beancurd sticks or knots (the thinner the bean curd the better)

spring onions, chopped, to garnish
sesame seeds, to garnish

SAUCE

1 - 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp 10-Year-Aged Black Vinegar
2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp Sichuan Chili Crisp
1 - 2 tbsp Sichuan Gold
salt to taste

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook tofu skin for 1-2 minutes.

Once the tofu skin has softened, drain and place in ice cold water to cool.

Prepare the sauce. Combine minced garlic, grated ginger, 10-Year-Aged Black Vinegar, sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, Sichuan Gold, Sichuan Chili Crisp, and salt to taste.

Place the drained and cooled tofu skins in your serving dish, and cover with sauce. Mix well. Place in the fridge until cold.

Once guests are seated, garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds as desired. Serve and enjoy right away!

FBJ: What are three must-haves for your idea of the perfect dinner party?

W&W:

1. A good playlist. Have your friends choose a song before the dinner, and create a playlist using those songs as the base. That way, they’ll feel moments of familiarity at the dinner, which is a great way to ground them in the moment!

2. Decorate according to theme. It’s fun to switch up the decorations for each dinner theme. When celebrating Lunar New Year, red is the color of luck. We incorporated that color in the flower branches, the red packets filled with chocolate scattered on the table, and even red chopsticks!

3. End with something sweet (but not too sweet - we are Asian after all). At the end of a meal, we love to offer a small dessert to close out the evening. It can be anything from a cookie to a bowl of fruit. For our Lunar New Year meal, we served our spin on the Cantonese Pomelo Mango Sago dish (楊枝甘露).