TRADITION. It's the very foundation upon which the Chinese New Year celebration is built upon. But with the slew of new-fangled yusheng variations (itself not a traditional dish), luxed-up pen cai and even non-Chinese chefs getting in on the act, where do the festive favourites of yore fit in?

Perhaps a trifle uneasily, which is why putting together a reunion meal today that might resemble that enjoyed in the motherland is more an exception than the norm. But if you look close enough, you'll find a handful of purists in the restaurant scene who are still intent on preserving their heritage.

If you're aiming to bring some tradition back into your reunion dinner, here's a quick tour of the different Chinese dialects and their contributions to culinary history.