January 25th marks the Chinese New Year, and 2020 celebrates the Year of the Rat. While you may recoil at the thought of the rodent (or maybe, with the popularity of Pizza Rat, you may be having a laugh), in Chinese culture, rats were seen as a sign of wealth and surplus.
For the second year in a row, Chefs Navjot Arora and Rikhi Pandeya have worked together to create a special menu—full of ingredients specially curated for their lucky associations—at Sambal Thai & Malaysian in Irvington. The Chinese New Year menu (listed below) is available for dinner service January 15th to 31st.
Sambal’s Chinese New Year Menu
Jiaozi-Steamed Pork Dumplings ~ $10
Steamed pork and leek dumplings
Dumplings: to wish you wealth
Crispy Noodle Salad ~ $12
Crispy wheat noodles shredded veggies, sesame oil
Noodles: to wish you happiness and a long life
Stir-fried Chinese Greens ~ $17
Chinese broccoli, baby bok choy, string beans, broccoli, sautéed garlic
Vegetables: to purify you for the new year
Lions Head Beef Meatballs ~ $20
Tender meatballs, pepper sauce
Meatballs: represent family unity and abundance
Soya Sauce Duck ~ $22
Crispy half duck served with sticky rice and plum sauce
Duck: to wish you fertility
Grilled Snapper with Black Bean Sauce ~ $24
Whole snapper, black bean sauce, steamed veggies
Fish: to wish you an increase in prosperity
Szechuan Lamb Chops ~ $26
Frenched lamb rack, Szechuan pepper reduction, pepper salt potatoes
Szechuan: to wish for thriving business in the new year
Banana Roll ~ $9
Golden fried banana with vanilla ice cream
Fruit: to wish you the best in new beginnings
Sambal Thai & Malaysian: 4 W. Main St., Irvington, NY, 914-478-2700, sambalny.com
