A Taiwanese Lunar New Year plate of soy-braised whole fish and pan-fried sweet glutinous rice cake (nian gao), symbols of abundance and progress.
Whole fish and nian gao, sweet glutinous rice cake, are two of the most symbolically loaded dishes on a Taiwanese Lunar New Year table. Fish, yu, sounds like the word for surplus or abundance, so it's traditionally served whole, head and tail intact, to represent a complete year with something left over. Nian gao, meanwhile, is a homophone for 'higher year,' eaten in the hope of rising fortunes and progress in the year ahead. The fish here is braised whole in soy sauce, rice wine, ginger and scallions, a technique that keeps the delicate flesh moist while letting the skin absorb a deep savory-sweet glaze. Nian gao, dense and chewy on its own, needs to be pan-fried in a light egg batter to develop a crisp, caramelized exterior; eaten plain and cold, it's far too sticky and one-dimensional. This is genuinely how a Taiwanese household plates its New Year meal, though usually alongside many other dishes rather than just these two. Together they represent two of the most important culinary symbols of the holiday, and are worth making together specifically for their shared meaning.
Serves 6
Pat the fish dry and score the skin diagonally a few times. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the fish 3 minutes per side until golden.
Add ginger and scallions to the pan, then pour in soy sauce, rice wine, sugar and water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook 12 to 15 minutes, spooning sauce over the fish occasionally.
Baste the exposed top of the fish with sauce every few minutes so it colors and flavors evenly on both sides.
Uncover and simmer 5 more minutes until the sauce reduces to a glossy glaze. Transfer the fish to a serving platter and spoon the sauce over it.
Dip each slice of nian gao in the beaten egg, coating both sides.
Heat remaining oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fry the egg-coated nian gao 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and crisp on the outside, soft and chewy within.
Arrange the braised whole fish and fried nian gao together on a platter, garnished with fresh sliced scallions.
Score the fish skin before searing — it helps the flavor penetrate and keeps the skin from curling as it cooks.
Slice the nian gao thin, no more than 1cm, so the center cooks through and turns soft rather than staying hard in the middle.
Serve the fish whole with head and tail intact if hosting for the holiday — cutting off the head or tail is considered to break the symbolism of a complete year.
Steamed fish: for a lighter version, steam the whole fish with ginger and scallions for 10 to 12 minutes instead of braising, then pour a hot soy-oil dressing over it just before serving.
Savory nian gao: pan-fry the rice cake with sliced Chinese sausage and cabbage instead of dipping it in egg, for a savory version common at other times of year.
Sweet dipping sauce: serve the fried nian gao with a drizzle of honey for extra sweetness.
Refrigerate leftover fish and nian gao separately for up to 2 days. Reheat the fish gently in its sauce over low heat, and re-fry the nian gao in a dry pan to restore its crisp exterior.
Whole fish and nian gao are both deeply symbolic dishes for Taiwanese and broader Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, chosen specifically for their homophones with words meaning abundance and rising fortune, a tradition documented for centuries.
Serving the fish whole, head to tail, symbolizes a complete year with a good beginning and end, which is considered important for the New Year meal specifically.
This usually means the slices were cut too thick. Slice them no more than 1cm thick and fry over medium, not high, heat so the center has time to soften before the outside burns.
Any firm whole fish works, such as sea bass, tilapia or grouper; just adjust the braising time slightly based on the size of the fish, checking that it flakes easily at the thickest part.
Per serving (350g / 12.3 oz) · 6 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
