7 Festive ESEA Dishes for an Alternative Christmas Dinner

Festive ESEA Dishes for an Alternative Christmas Dinner 

How many times will you be having turkey and roast potatoes this Christmas? If the answer is multiple, you might want to mix things up. Christmas is celebrated widely throughout East and South East Asia, with folks gathering around the lazy Suzan for a feast. This feast can contain Western classics, but lucky and festive foods such as dumplings and hot pot often make up the table of deliciousness. For an alternative Christmas meal, consider our round up of the best festive foods from ESEA, available right here in Chinatown to dine-in or purchase to enjoy back home. 

 The most festive East and South East Asian dishes:

Hot Pot
A festive favourite in ESEA due to its communal element, hot pot usually consists of simmering broth at the centre of a table with platters of meats and vegetables cooked by the diners around it. Broths in some regions are spicy, whilst others mild, and you’ll always finish with the richest of soups to share with the party. 

Korean Barbecue
Another communal dining experience popular during Christmas, diners enjoying Korean barbecue cook at the middle of the table without the soup. Marinated meats such as pork or beef are wrapped in lettuce, and a variety of side dishes accompany, such as kimchi and rice. 

Beggar’s Chicken
Beggar’s Chicken, or Fui Gui Chicken, is a great alternative to turkey for those who want poultry with a twist. Symbolic of wealth, it’s a whole chicken stuffed with ingredients such as crab, dried scallops, and mushrooms, then wrapped in lotus leaves and coated with a layer of dough. The wrapping locks in moisture which results in a tender meat oozing juices and the fragrance of the stuffing. 

Dim Sum
Dumplings are synonymous with good fortune in China due to their shape resembling ancient Chinese ingots. Heavily consumed during festive seasons, including Christmas time, they’re ideal for large celebrations and are easy to eat whether in canape form or around the table. Popular dumpling options include siu mai, xiao long bao, har gao and sesame balls. 

Roast Duck
Like dim sum, roast duck is served on many special occasions, from weddings to Chinese New Year. They symbolize fidelity, and are presented in a number of ways. There’s Peking Duck, served with pancakes and hoisin sauce; Cantonese roast duck, served with rice; and variations of a casual street food style found across South East Asia including Thailand and Vietnam. 

Tteokguk
This rice cake soup is a traditional Korean dish consisting of broth with thinly sliced rice cakes. Believed to grant good luck on New Years Day, it’s also enjoyed in the lead up as friends and family gather together at the close of year, around Christmas time. 

Japanese Christmas Cake
Also known as Kurisumasu Keki, this is a fluffy white sponge cake topped with whipped cream and strawberries. The colours symbolise the Japanese flag and the snowy holiday season (note that Christmas has no religious significance in Japan). Kurisumasu Keki is often given as a gift in beautiful presentation boxes or acts as the centrepiece at Christmas parties.