68 FEBRUARY 2021
from heat. Transfer ginseng to a cutting
board, and slice crosswise into^1 / 2 -inch
pieces; set aside.- While ginseng steams, stir together
honey and 1 cup hot water in a small bowl
until well combined. Reserve 1 cup honey
mixture for chrysanthemum ice cubes;
chill, covered, until ready to use. Set aside
remaining 1 cup honey mixture. Place
kumquats on a rimmed baking sheet.
Using the bottom of a measuring cup,
smash each kumquat. Transfer kumquats
and any juices to a large lidded glass jar.
Add shochu, ginger, jalapeño, goji ber-
ries, lemon peel strips, reserved ginseng
slices, and remaining 1 cup honey mix-
ture to kumquats in jar; stir to combine.
Secure lid on jar. Store in a cool, dark
place at least 24 hours or up to 1 week,
depending on your taste preference. (You
should taste the shochu once per day. You
should be able to taste a noticeable citrus
flavor and a slight bitterness from the
kumquats.) - Make the chrysanthemum ice cubes,
if desired: Stir together 2 cups boiling
water, dried chrysanthemum flowers,
and reserved 1 cup honey mixture in a
medium-size heatproof bowl; let cool at
room temperature 1 hour. Using a slotted
spoon, remove chrysanthemum flow-
ers from mixture. Divide flowers evenly
among bottom pieces of 2 (6-cube, 1^3 / 4 -
inch) ball-shaped ice cube trays. Secure
trays with top pieces; pour honey mixture
evenly into trays. Freeze 12 hours. - When ready to serve, pour desired
amount of shochu infusion (the full
amount serves 8) through a fine wire-
mesh strainer into a small punch bowl;
discard solids. If using, remove chrysan-
themum ice cubes from ice cube trays,
and add to punch bowl. Add sparkling
water, cucumber water, or juice of choice
to taste. Top punch with pomelo seg-
ments, pomegranate arils, and Persian
cucumber slices.
MAKE AHEAD Shochu infusion can be
made up to 1 week ahead; store in an
airtight container in refrigerator.
NOTE To prepare cucumber water, mix 2
cups water with 2 cups lightly smashed
Persian cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate
1 hour. Strain before using.
Chow Dau Miu (Garlicky
Stir-Fried Pea Sprouts)
PHOTO P. 70
TOTAL 20 MIN; SERVES 4Around the Lunar New Year, green vegeta-
bles are a necessity because green is the
color of money. This versatile recipe works
with most tender leafy greens—including
baby bok choy and choy sum (flowering
cabbage)—so pick whatever looks best at
the market. Once it is swirled into the
garlic-scented oil, the fermented soybean
paste adds a layer of savory pungency.2 Tbsp. neutral oil (such as vegetable
oil), divided
6 medium garlic cloves, smashed,
divided
4 tsp. doenjang (fermented soybean
paste) (such as Chung Jung One),
divided
1 lb. fresh pea sprouts (leaves and
tender curly shoots), picked over,
rinsed, and patted dry (about 16
packed cups), divided
2 Tbsp. (1 oz.) Shaoxing wine, divided- Heat a 12- to 14-inch wok over high. Add
1 tablespoon oil, and swirl to coat (oil
should be very fragrant). Add 3 garlic
cloves, and stir-fry until blistered in spots,
about 30 seconds. Quickly add 2 tea-
spoons doenjang, half of the pea sprouts,
and 1 tablespoon wine. Working quickly to
prevent burning, stir-fry until pea sprouts
reduce to about one-fourth of their origi-
nal volume and become crisp-tender, 45
seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a serving
platter. Do not wipe wok clean. - Repeat procedure with remaining oil,
garlic, doenjang, pea sprouts, and wine.
Serve immediately.
WINE Light-bodied, red-fruited Gamay:
2018 Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau
NOTE Find doenjang and Shaoxing wine at
Chinese grocery stores or online.
Shochu Punch
ACTIVE 40 MIN; TOTAL 55 MIN, PLUS 24 HR
FOR ICE CUBES AND SHOCHU INFUSION
SERVES 8This make-ahead punch features four dis-
tinct tastes—sweet, sour, spicy, and bitter—
coming from the fruits, flowers, honey,
and aromatics that fill the punch bowl. Cit-
rus fruits are a must at Lunar New Year
celebrations, as they symbolize luck and
fertility. For the garnish, try a mix of clem-
entines, lemons, and kumquats.SHOCHU INFUSION
1 (2-inch) piece dried ginseng root
(such as W Ginseng Farm)
1 cup buckwheat honey (such as
Weeks Honey Farm)
1 cup hot water
1 lb. kumquats
1 (750-ml.) bottle shochu
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger,
smashed
1 large jalapeño, gently smashed
using flat side of a knife
1 / 2 cup dried goji berries (such as
Navitas Organics)
1 /^3 cup (1^1 /^2 - x^1 /^2 -inch) lemon peel
strips, slightly pounded using
mortar and pestle or flat side of a
knife to release their bitter
aromatics
CHRYSANTHEMUM ICE CUBES (OPTIONAL)
2 cups boiling water
1 / 4 cup dried chrysanthemum flower
loose-leaf tea (such as Goofoo)
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
Sparkling water, cucumber water
(see Note), or juice of choice
(optional), to taste
1 pomelo or Ruby Red grapefruit,
peeled and segmented
1 / 4 cup pomegranate arils
1 / 4 cup thinly sliced Persian cucumber- Make the shochu infusion: Add water
to a medium saucepan to a depth of^1 / 2
inch; fit a steamer basket inside pan.
Bring to a boil over high. Place dried gin-
seng in steamer basket. Cover pan, and
reduce heat to medium; steam until gin-
seng is pliable, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove
This vibrant, citrusy punch may
be garnished with a variety of
edible flowers, microgreens, and
citrus peels. Try floating some in
the punch and freezing some in
the ice cubes themselves; simply
follow the instructions for chry-
santhemum ice cubes, swapping
in other flowers, greens, and
fruits for the chrysanthemums.Fixing a Feast
RECIPES BY DANIELLE CHANGGreet guests with a stunning shochu punch to sip between bites of dumplings.
Present the first-course salad, ready to toss, once guests are seated. While most
of the hot dishes (served family-style as a main course) can be prepared ahead,
Chang shapes the dumplings on Lunar New Year’s Eve, as is customary.