A colorful Lunar New Year platter with shrimp, pork, potstickers, and fresh veggies arranged beautifully.
# What You Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 16 cooked shrimp, peeled with tails on
02 - 7 ounces sliced Chinese BBQ pork (char siu)
03 - 8 cooked chicken potstickers (store-bought or homemade)
→ Vegetables & Fruits
04 - 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
06 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
07 - 1 cup blanched sugar snap peas
08 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
09 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
10 - 1 small bunch fresh cilantro
11 - 1 small bunch green onions, sliced diagonally
→ Rice & Noodles
12 - 1 cup cooked sushi rice, cooled
13 - 8 seaweed-wrapped rice balls (onigiri or sushi-style)
→ Sauces & Dips
14 - 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
15 - 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
16 - 1/2 cup soy sauce
17 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
→ Garnishes
18 - 1 red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
19 - 1 small mandarin orange
20 - Black sesame seeds, for detail
# How to Make It:
01 - Organize and prepare all ingredients for assembly, ensuring all components are ready to use.
02 - Arrange cucumber slices on a large serving board in a winding shape to form the dragon’s body.
03 - Layer shrimp, char siu slices, cooked potstickers, and rice balls along the cucumber base to mimic dragon scales.
04 - Use bell pepper strips, snap peas, cabbage, carrot, and green onions to sculpt vibrant fins, spines, and tail accents along the body.
05 - Shape the dragon’s head with a rice ball, decorating with black sesame seeds for eyes, thin slices of red chili for whiskers or fire, and fresh cilantro for the mane.
06 - Position the mandarin orange near the mouth as the pearl of the dragon.
07 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the assembly to enhance texture and visual appeal.
08 - Provide sweet chili, hoisin, and soy sauces in small bowls alongside the platter for dipping.
09 - Finish with extra cilantro and green onions as desired, serving immediately to preserve freshness.
