Abowl of narcissus blossoms to welcome spring; a spray of golden citrus to invite wealth; a platter of jujubes to chase out misfortune: The garden abounds with Lunar New Year metonyms for courting the triplets Felicity, Prosperity, and Fortuity.
Halve and juice 2 pounds Meyer lemons (1 1/2 to 1 2/3 cups), taking care to not juice too hard and break the peel. Refrigerate the juice in an airtight container until ready to use.
Use a small regular or butter knife to scrape out the flesh and as much of the white pith from the lemon halves as you can until you are left with hollowed-out lemon peels. Cut each piece in half so that they lay somewhat flat. Use a 1-inch round cutter to punch out circles of peel (push down with a hand protected with a kitchen towel if needed to apply enough force).
Place the rounds and trimmings in a large bowl or pot (enough to hold at least a gallon of water). Add 4 quarts of the water and refrigerate for 2 days. This soaking process will leach the peels of some of their bitterness without compromising their structure.
Rip and crush 6 dried Thai bird chilies with your hands and discard the stems but keep the seeds (about 1 1/2 tablespoons). Transfer 1 1/2 teaspoons to a large, heavy bottomed, non-reactive pot or Dutch oven; reserve the remaining for sprinkling later.
Drain the peels. Add the peels, reserved lemon juice, remaining 5 cups water, 4 cups granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons corn syrup, 1 ounce dried licorice root if using, 1 teaspoon citric acid, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 or up to 3 days.
Uncover and bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the peels are translucent and the syrup is orange, about 1 1/2 hours. Drop a teaspoon of the syrup into iced water. If the syrup firms into a soft, malleable ball of candy, the peels are ready to be removed. If the syrup doesn’t firm up, continue to simmer, testing every 30 minutes, until it reaches the right consistency.
Remove the peels from the syrup with a spider or slotted spoon to a metal strainer or colander. Let drain for 10 minutes. Reserve the syrup for another use.
Fit a wire rack over a baking sheet. Transfer the peels onto the rack and arrange into a single layer. Sprinkle with the reserved 1 tablespoon dried Thai chilies. Place 1 1/2 cups sanding sugar in a small bowl.
Option 1: Dehydrator: Working with one piece at a time, coat the peels in the sanding sugar and place in dehydrator trays in a single layer, making sure they do not touch. Dehydrate at 100°F until the peels are dry to the touch, about 24 hours.
Option 2: Oven drying: Working with one piece at a time, coat the peels in the sanding sugar and place on a baking sheet in a single layer, making sure they do not touch. Place in an oven set on the lowest temperature (use convection if you have it to circulate the air). Close the oven door, but prop a wooden spoon between the oven and the door to keep it ajar. Dry in the oven until the peels are mostly dry to the touch (they will dry more as they sit), about 3 hours if the oven is at 170ºF.
