13 Lunar New Year Recipes To Welcome the Year of the Snake

January 1, the Gregorian New Year, brings with it the promise of salads, smoothies, and more joy. About a month later (this year, it falls on January 29) Lunar New Year arrives. With it comes an abundance of foods that, depending on the culture, bring health and luck.

For Koreans like me, it’s the biggest holiday of the year. I’m making mandu (dumplings) and tteokguk (rice cake soup) for my family to welcome in the year of the snake. If this millennia-old tradition is worth its weight, it will bring them great wealth, and they will live healthily until they are 100!

Here are 13 recipes from various cultures that celebrate the Lunar New Year, including insights into the traditions and tips for cooking.