Chinese New Year 2025
Happy Chinese New Year of the Wood Snake.
This year Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, falls on January 29.
The Chinese have an animal symbolising each year, starting with the rat and ending with the pig, with a total of 12 animals.
The others, in order of arrival at the Jade emperor’s house, are ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster and dog.
There are also five elements in the Chinese zodiac: fire, water, wood, metal and earth. This year is the year of the wood snake.
People born in the year of the Snake are said to be wise, charming, and mysterious. They have a keen intuition and a deep understanding of themselves and others.
Snakes are also ambitious and determined, but they can be secretive and jealous at times. Snakes enjoy learning new things and exploring different cultures and philosophies.
On the positive side, the Snake represents wisdom, knowledge, intelligence, intuition, and creativity. Snakes are also associated with good luck, prosperity, fertility, and longevity.
Snakes are also revered for their ability to shed their skin and renew themselves, symbolising transformation and rebirth.
On the negative side, the Snake represents cunning, deception, jealousy, and temptation. Snakes are also feared for their venomous bite, which can cause death or illness.
Remember the snake tempting Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? Well, in some gastronomic circles, they say if Adam and Eve were Chinese, they would have chopped up and cooked the snake for dinner and they wouldn’t have had to leave the garden!
According to the Chinese horoscope for 2025, the Year of the Wood Snake will be a time of tremendous opportunity, renewal and potential.
Using the Snake’s wisdom and intuition, coupled with the inspirational and flexible nature of the Wood element, we can anticipate a year full of both challenges and opportunities.
The year of the Wood Snake will be a time of renewal and transformation. Just like a snake sheds its skin and emerges with a new appearance, we too are advised to let go of our old habits and fixed ideas.
Surely the year of the Snake 2025 can be an excellent time to start new projects, explore new opportunities or even make significant changes in your life.
Famous people born in the year of the snake include Taylor Swift, Stephen Hawking, JK Rowling, Oprah Winfrey, Mahatma Gandhi, Psy of Gangnam Style fame, John F Kennedy, Tony Blair and Bob Dylan.
Here is a favourite recipe of mine that is traditionally eaten at Chinese New Year, but is delicious at any time of the year.
I first tasted this salted vegetable duck soup as a child when my father cooked it for Chinese New Year. I fell in love with it immediately at first bite.
Somehow the rich duck meat was perfectly complemented by the salty, sour tang of the preserved mustard green and tomatoes.
Later, my husband cooked it for our family dinners and the magic touch was a spoonful of cognac, added just before serving. Yum!
Salted vegetable duck soup
The Chinese believe that salted mustard green is great in clearing away internal body heat.
½ duck, cut into pieces
1 pig’s trotter, cut into pieces, optional
300g salted mustard green, available from Asian grocers
4 sour plums, optional
1 nutmeg seed, cracked open, use the inner seeds
3 ripe tomatoes, quartered
5 slices old ginger
1 tbsp white peppercorns
1 thumb-size piece galangal
1tbsp cognac
Rub salt all over duck and rinse with water.
Boil water in a large pot and blanch the duck in boiling water until half cooked, about 15 minutes. Discard water.
Chop duck into large pieces
Wash mustard greens, drain and cut into pieces.
Lightly crush white peppercorns.
Boil 2.5 litres water in a pot, add all ingredients in.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 and ½ to 2 hours or until duck is tender.
Remove any excess fat by skimming the surface of the soup with a spoon and adjust taste with salt if necessary.
Just before serving, add a spoonful of cognac and stir.
Happy new year and bon appetit!
