Pin It A festive and colorful appetizer platter inspired by the dragon dance, featuring an assortment of Asian-inspired bites arranged to resemble a dragon—perfect for Lunar New Year celebrations.
I enjoy preparing this platter for Lunar New Year celebrations because it brings vibrant colors and a festive spirit to the table.
Ingredients
- Proteins: 8 cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, 8 slices Chinese BBQ pork (char siu) thinly sliced, 8 chicken potstickers (store-bought or homemade) cooked
- Vegetables: 1 cucumber thinly sliced, 2 carrots julienned, 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced, 1 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced, 2 cups edamame cooked and shelled, 8 lettuce leaves (eg butter or romaine)
- Fruits & Garnishes: 1 small mango thinly sliced, 1 small dragon fruit sliced and cut into scales, 3 sprigs fresh cilantro, 1 small bunch chives or green onions (for whiskers), 1 sheet nori (seaweed) cut into small circles (for eyes nose), 2 black olives or grapes (for nostrils)
- Dipping Sauces: ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup sweet chili sauce, ¼ cup hoisin sauce
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients:
- Cook potstickers and edamame slice vegetables and fruits and cut nori for facial features.
- Arrange Lettuce:
- Arrange the lettuce leaves in a curving line to form the dragons body on a large serving platter or board.
- Layer Proteins:
- Layer BBQ pork shrimp and potstickers along the lettuce to create the dragons scales.
- Add Colorful Accents:
- Use sliced cucumber bell peppers carrots mango and dragon fruit to add accents and define the dragons body and tail.
- Sculpt Head:
- Sculpt the dragons head at one end using edamame mango and dragon fruit Use nori circles for eyes and black olives or grapes for nostrils Chives or green onions form the dragons whiskers.
- Garnish:
- Garnish the platter with fresh cilantro sprigs for extra color.
- Arrange Sauces:
- Arrange dipping sauces in small bowls around the platter.
- Serve:
- Serve immediately guests can pick and dip their favorite bites.
Pin It This platter always brings my family together as we enjoy sharing the colorful bites and festive presentation.
Required Tools
Large serving platter or board, sharp knife, small bowls for sauces, tongs or chopsticks.
Nutritional Information
Calories 210, Total Fat 6 g, Carbohydrates 24 g, Protein 13 g per serving.
Allergen Information
Contains soy (soy sauce edamame), shellfish (shrimp), gluten (potstickers soy sauce hoisin), and sesame (if used). Check all labels for hidden allergens and adapt as needed.
Pin It This Lunar New Year Dragon Platter is both a feast for the eyes and the palate making any celebration special.
Recipe FAQs
- → How is the dragon shape created on the platter?
Use lettuce leaves arranged in a flowing line to form the body, layered with shrimp, pork, and potstickers as scales, and fruits like mango and dragon fruit to sculpt the head and tail.
- → Can this dish be adapted for vegetarians?
Yes, substitute shrimp and BBQ pork with marinated tofu or extra vegetables to maintain flavor and texture diversity.
- → What dipping sauces complement the platter best?
Soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, and hoisin sauce provide a balance of salty, sweet, and savory notes enhancing the bites.
- → How long does preparation and cooking take?
The platter takes about 40 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook, totaling around 1 hour.
- → What utensils are recommended for serving?
Use tongs or chopsticks alongside a large serving board to present and pick up individual bites with ease.