can i cook prawn crackers in the microwave

A Happy New Year or a simple gung hei fat choy from any kids is your cue to reach into your pocket and give up the red envelope.

It might sound like an exaggeration, but it was reality for a chubby kid like me, who was also an early foodie.

I would look for something red to wear (or risk being sent back to my room to change) and happily made my bed knowing I was playing hooky from school that day.

Whole poached chicken, Pan-Fried Fish, and Roast Pork Belly were already being prepared to honor our ancestors.

My mother would arrange these cooked Chinese New Year dishes with three bowls of rice and chopsticks on the table.

A stack of fresh tangerines, with leaves still attached, adorned the table along with plates piled with candy and dried fruit.

The Lo Han Jai with a bowl of rice was always the mid-morning meal, and a basket of shrimp chips disappeared quickly thanks to me and my sisters.

This would mean more hong bao for us, as anyone married is obligated to give lucky money to kids for good luck.

For our Cantonese elders, all that was required from us was a polite Gung Hei Fat Choy This routine lined our pockets with cash.

My older sisters had the responsibility of reporting back to my mother how much each person gave us in their hong bao, so she could appropriately return the favor to their kids.

What I do remember is that my mother was very generous with the hong bao she gave out, and we would usually get the same back.

My haul would usually go towards Cox model airplanes, mini-bikes, or snowmobile repairs.

As for my sisters, they saved much of their money, because when I was broke after my spending spree, they happily took on new roles as bankers, and they tended to collect interest.

These curious-looking chips looked a little like plastic craft items one would use in 2nd grade art class, but when dropped in oil, the magic happens, and they turn into the most delicious things any kid could ever eat.

For more details, see our Chinese Dry and Preserved Ingredients page.

You can use a thermometer to monitor the oil temperature for optimum frying.

You will also need a spider or a large spoon to handle the shrimp chips when frying.

Almost immediately, you will see the chips expand and float to the top of the oil.

Shake off as much of the excess oil as possible, and transfer them to your prepared sheet pan.

Fry the chips in batches until you have enough, and transfer the cooled chips to a basket and serve.

Chinese New year parties go on for 1 to 2 weeks after Chinese New Years Day, so you have plenty of time to enjoy with friends and family.

Although if you know they have siblings, its always nice to give a red envelope to mom and dad to pass along to the children who couldnt make it, especially if you know the little gal or fella.

Here are all the dos and donts you should follow for a happy celebration and hopefully some extra luck heading into the new year.

Can I Cook Prawn Crackers In The Microwave