5 Easy Recipes To Satisfy Your Christmas Craving for Chinese Food

Molly Yeh’s Chinese and Jewish sides are braided together with this loaf. Image by Molly Yeh

By Josefin Dolsten December 19, 2016

(JTA) — The first night of Hanukkah falls on Dec. 24 this year, but don’t fret: You don’t have to choose between the family Hanukkah party and the time-honored tradition of eating Chinese food on Christmas Eve.

Instead, why not take advantage of this calendrical coincidence and embrace both customs? We’ve compiled some delicious, Chinese-inspired dishes that you can make at home, and you can serve them alongside more traditional Hanukkah treats, such as latkes and jelly doughnuts.

These recipes are so delicious, they may make you wonder why Hanukkah, Christmas and Chinese food don’t go together every year.

Green onions and chili flakes give this a Chinese (and very tasty) twist that’s so enticing you may find yourself making it long after Hanukkah. In fact, the scallion-pancake inspired bread is the perfect way to start off Shabbat dinner during the Festival of Lights.

This baked sweet and sour chicken is so simple to make, you might feel like you just ordered takeout from your favorite Chinese place. Baked directly on the bone, it’s tangy and sticky — we dare you not to take a bite before your guests arrive.

This is a Jewish twist on a decidedly unkosher classic: crab rangoon. This lox and schmear rangoon, however, cleverly swaps the shellfish for smoked salmon, and throws in some cream cheese for good, creamy measure. Fry until golden — then try and eat just one.

Fortune cookie cupcakes will leave you not only with a sweet taste but words of wisdom. Follow this simple recipe for vanilla almond cupcakes with chocolate frosting or pop the fortune cookies atop your favorite cupcakes.

If you are looking to branch out beyond Chinese food, these ramen latkes with sriracha mayo won’t disappoint. Warning: You may not want to go back to regular potato pancakes after eating this crispy, spicy creation.

Josefin Dolsten is a New York-based writer who has reported for the Forward, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The Times of Israel and other Jewish publications. She currently works as an account director at Fenton Communications, supporting organizations that work to advance racial justice, LGBTQ+ equality, reproductive rights and more. Dolsten earned her B.A. in government from Cornell University and her M.A. in comparative religion and Jewish studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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