On the eve of Chinese New Year, MAXINE GORDON reports on the traditions surrounding this ancient festival

JENNIE Cook is busy today getting her house in order for the onset of Chinese New Year and the arrival of the Year of the Snake. Tradition dictates that the family gather together for a fantastic feast - but the preparations that go into celebrating New Year, Chinese-style, began a month ago,

"It's like what most people do to prepare for Christmas, only more elaborate," explains Malaysian-born Jennie, 48, who lives in Bishopthorpe Road, York, with her husband John and two sons Adam, 16, and Aaron, 22.

"Firstly, you must clean the house very, very well. But all the dust is supposed to be swept inwards, using bamboo, or else all the family's fortunes are swept out."

Cakes and sweets are made as Chinese New Year is a time of indulgence.

And a huge banquet must be planned - and prepared - featuring key ingredients to ensure the family's good fortune for the coming year.

"All debts must be settled," continues Jennie, a Chinese cookery teacher. "And a red cloth should be hung over the door. Everyone should have new clothes and have their hair done."

People also need to sweeten up - literally - Tsao Wang, the kitchen god, whose picture is pasted near the stove a week before the festivities.

"He is very important to Buddhists and Taoists," says Jennie. "Just before Chinese New Year, they send the kitchen god to heaven for a holiday, where he reports on the conduct of the family.

"So the family give him wine, fruit and cook things for him as offerings - or wipe honey on his lips so he will only say sweet things about the family."

Most of the traditions are aimed at maximising the potential for luck, wealth and happiness in the coming year.

Accordingly, there is a long list of superstitions which must be upheld on the day itself to make sure fortune smiles on the family over the coming 12 months.

"Don't do any housework - you will clean out the good luck," says Jennie. "Don't scold the family or use any bad words. Hide the scissors and don't use anything sharp, or you will cut the thread of luck."

Jennie recalls her grandma had an even longer list of dos and don'ts.

"She believed if it rained on New Year's Day it would be a droughtless year. She warned us not to lend money on New Year's Day, or we'd be poor throughout the year, and we mustn't wash our hair - or we'd be washing away our luck. She also said not to look at the sky - or we'd be looking for trouble."

Even the banquet itself should consist of certain ingredients to ensure good fortune for the year ahead, says Jennie.

A typical feast should include fish, for luck and prosperity; prawns, to bring happiness and laughter; chicken, symbolic of luxury and fortune; pork for prosperity; vegetables, particularly lettuce, for life; noodles for long life; a full bin of rice, signifying fertility, life and abundance, and sweets for - yes you've guessed it, prosperity.

To celebrate Chinese New Year tomorrow, Jennie and David Lee, of Maxi's restaurant, have put together this menu for readers to try.

A banquet fit for Chinese New Year:

Chilli King Prawns

Ingredients:

7oz King prawns, peeled and gutted

6oz chopped onions

1 chilli, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

tsp ginger, finely chopped

4tbsp tomato ketchup

2tbsp sweet and sour sauce

cooking oil

Marinade ingredients:

tsp salt

tsp sugar

tsp potato starch

pinch white pepper

dash sesame oil

tsp vegetable oil

Seasoning ingredients:

tsp salt

pinch white pepper

dash rice wine

dash sesame oil

Method:

- Mix all the marinade ingredients together and marinade the prawns.

- Heat the cooking oil in a wok and cook the prawns. Once cooked remove and drain.

- Heat up the wok again and add 1tsp vegetable oil. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and stir fry for about ten seconds.

- Add the onions, prawns, salt, pepper, tomato ketchup and sweet and sour sauce. Stir fry for a further 20 seconds.

Add the rice wine and sesame oil and serve.

Beef in Oyster Sauce

Ingredients:

8oz beef, cut into slices

3 pieces baby corn, cut in half

small onion, diced

small piece ginger, sliced

2 spring onions, cut into 4inch pieces

2oz bamboo shoots

2oz water chestnuts

2oz straw mushrooms

Marinade:

tsp salt

tsp sugar

dash light soya sauce

tsp potato starch

dash white pepper

dash sesame oil

vegetable oil

natural tenderiser (found in Chinese supermarkets)

Seasoning:

tsp beef stock

tsp salt

dash white pepper

dash white rice wine

tsp light Soya sauce

tsp Oyster sauce

dash sesame oil

tsp potato starch mixed with 2 tsp water

70ml water

vegetable oil

Method:

- Mix all the marinade ingredients together and leave the beef to marinade.

- Heat the wok until smoking and add the vegetable oil.

- Add the marinaded beef and stir fry until cooked, then add all the vegetables. Add the water and then add the seasoning.

uThicken the sauce with the potato starch and water mixture.

Special Chicken with Fresh Pineapple

Ingredients:

1 medium sized pineapple

8oz chicken breast, cut into small pieces

1oz green pepper, diced

1oz onion, diced

/oz carrots, sliced and then diced

Marinade:

pinch salt

pinch chicken stock powder

pinch potato flour

1tsp vegetable oil

2tsp water

pinch ground white pepper

Seasoning ingredients:

/oz salt

pinch chicken stock powder

1oz sugar

1tbsp tomato ketchup

Method:

- Prepare the pineapple by cutting in half. Take the pineapple flesh out and dice into small pieces.

- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok and cook the chicken for one and a half minutes. Drain the oil from the pan.

- Add the vegetables to the wok and stir fry. Next add all the seasoning ingredients and thicken with potato starch mixed with water.

- Serve in the pineapple shell.