Between juicy, fire-orange prawns on Day in Australia, and whole fish laden with herbs and spices to bring in a prosperous , seafood pops up all over the world as a marker of celebration – even in countries where it features heavily in the cuisine all year around.
Here’s a selection of festive seafood dishes from around the world – an ode to seafood in all its many forms, and how different cultures use it to throw some serious parties.
Sweden: Crayfish for summer parties
Ain’t no party like a crayfish party, as they say in Sweden. This tradition stems , but from the , people couldn't go too crazy, as the crayfishing season had to be restricted to certain months around August due to overfishing.
These days, the import economy allows Swedes to access their beloved crayfish all year round. This, of course, hasn’t stopped the annual crayfish parties from happening all over the country, which is just as much about celebrating the onset of summer as they are about enjoying this national delicacy.
True to Swede preferences, crayfish are usually l.
Singapore chilli crab: For whenever the party mood strikes
is Singapore’s for a reason – it’s known around the world as an instant go-to any time festive food is on the cards, and its taste surely has the power to end wars. This is one party food that could well be eaten every night of the week.
Brazilian prawns, cassava and rice
Hailing from the Bahia region of northern Brazil, no celebration would be complete without this comforting dish of prawns, cassava, coconut and ghee. To add a deep savoury flavour fry prawn heads in olive oil and then add coconut water to make a rich red stock. This is added to the cassava and that layers flavour-on-flavour-on-flavour. Bonus: no Brazilian meal is complete without the staple of farofa - made with onion, fried in ghee along with cassava flour, salt and fresh coriander - this mix is cooked until golden and crunchy!
Bobó de camarão Source: Sharyn Cairns
China: Whole fish for Lunar New Year
The Mandarin word for fish has the or ‘extra’, so eating fish on Chinese New Year’s Eve has come to symbolise filling up on prosperity and abundance for the year ahead.
is cooked in a number of different traditions across Asia over the Lunar New Year period.
The Mandarin word for fish has the same pronunciation as the word meaning ‘surplus’ or ‘extra’, so eating fish on Chinese New Year’s Eve has come to symbolise filling up on prosperity and abundance for the year ahead.
Maybe a big-headed carp is braised and loaded with spring onions, or a steamed topped with a blanket of thinly sliced spring onion. Whatever recipe you opt for, prepare to share – whole fish is perfect for banquet-style dining.
Japan: Red sea bream for spring and New Year festivals
The red sea bream is said to be the fish in Japan, for its colour (red is an auspicious hue in many Asian countries), refined taste and abundance in the months of spring.
During the New Year festivities, it’s commonly grilled whole or enjoyed as sashimi, while (fish cooked with rice) is popular when the fish are slightly slimmer.
Lebanese go whole
Celebrating the this Lebanese bake uses the homemade fish and onion stock for the cooking of the rice. It's an epic dish to celebrate incredible fish and the tarator of tahini and lemon juice will be hard to ignore when this Lebanese-style pilaf lands on the table. All hail ! And you'll want your stock to be saltier than you think because the rice will drink all that salt and balance the dish out. And don't be afraid to be generous with your spice and butter - remember, you're worth it and this might just be the best rice you'll ever spoon.
Sayadieh Source: Sharyn Cairns
Southeast Asia: Yee sang on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year
Every ingredient in this South East Asian dish counts. Known colloquially as the , salmon, pickled ginger, shredded vegetables and an array of condiments (like ) come together to bring prosperity, happiness and personal fulfilment to whoever eats it.
Get tossing!
Italy/America: La Vigilia for Christmas Eve
, or the is an invoking the Catholic mantra of , abstinence from meat on Christmas Eve. Typically, seven seafood dishes will be prepared in seven different ways, but the rules are in no way rigid. You might feel like adding this to the line-up this year.
, linguini with anchovy sauce, and even baccalà (salt cod) frequently pop up on Seven Fishes menus, alongside shellfish like oysters and lobster. It’s decadent, to say the least.
Who needs meat on Christmas Eve, anyway?
Spain: Fideuà for a dinner party
A spin on when you’re feeling like noodles instead of rice, this is made with prawns, calamari, snapper, ling and tuna fish which makes it ideal for a dinner party, or any time you’re entertaining more than a couple of guests. It is typically made with short thin noodles called fideos but spaghettini is a good substitute if you can’t find it.
Fideuà Source: Food Safari Water
Australia: Jumbo prawns for Christmas Day
Is there anything more Australian than shelling giant prawns with the family on a 30˚C Christmas Day?
Prawns have come to be synonymous with a sunny Australian Christmas, so while you unwrap presents this year. For a twist on the classic, try this on your barbecued prawns.
Want more celebratory seafood recipes? Check out our recipe collection . is all about celebrating with festive fish. You can watch the episode, videos and get all the recipes right .
