11 festive foods to devour during Chinese New Year
Vanessa Frida | The New Paper | Wed Jan 25 2012
Singapore, January 25, 2012
I love Chinese New Year, the tradition of the family gathering on the eve and having a feast together.
Although Dad isn't of Chinese heritage, he made sure I learnt and practised the traditions surrounding Chinese New Year.
For example, he would make a fuss about the reunion dinner. I had to be home for that meal, there were no exceptions.
I had to buy a new outfit for the first day (at least) and it couldn't be black.
As a foodie, I have always wondered why we had to have certain dishes during Chinese New Year.
It's not just the giving of Mandarin oranges because it sounds like gold in Cantonese, but the serving of noodles, a whole chicken, jiaozi (Chinese dumplings), hou si fatt choy (the Chinese mushroom with black moss dish).
As I grow older, I seem to value tradition a lot more.
I sat down with some of my elders to find out and understand what some of these food items and dishes symbolise.
I have always said that good things should be shared, so I am sharing these little golden nuggets with you this festive season.
Happy Chinese New Year to my Chinese readers.
Jiaozi (Chinese dumplings)
The crescent-shaped jiaozi symbolises wealth and prosperity because of it resembles ancient Chinese money - silver and gold ingots.
A coin is sometimes hidden in one of the many dumplings. The lucky person who finds it will supposedly be showered with good fortune and wealth in the new year.
Nian gao (glutinous rice cake)
In Chinese, nian gao sounds like "getting higher year by year". This sweet and sticky circular "cake" symbolises a prosperous year ahead. Its circular shape symbolises togetherness.
Another reason for this sweet cake is that, according to custom, this is served to the Chinese Kitchen God so that he reports favourably about the family's behaviour when he returns to heaven before the new year starts.
Spring rolls
They are eaten all year round, but these are featured during Chinese New Year because when they are deep-fried to golden brown, they look like gold bullions, thus symbolising wealth.
Yu (fish)
The word "yu" sounds like wish and abundance.
The fish is usually eaten whole to symbolise an abundance of good things from the start (the fish head) to the end of the year (the fish tail).
A tiny bit of fish is also left behind at the end of the meal to symbolise an over-abundance of good things to come.
Noodles
Noodles represent longevity. The noodles should never be cut - it is to wish the elders in the family long life.
Whole chicken or duck
A chicken or duck is served whole - its head and feet still intact - to symbolise wholeness and prosperity.
The bird is also served whole because traditionally, knives and sharp objects are avoided during this festive period as they could cut family ties.
Yu sheng (Chinese New Year salad)
This dish of Singaporean origin is traditionally served on the seventh day of the Chinese New Year, when it is everyone's birthday.
It is said that the higher you toss this salad, the better your luck and prosperity.
Every item in this salad symbolises something good: fish for abundance or excess, pomelo for luck and auspiciousness, pepper dashed over the ingredients to attract more wealth, oil circling the ingredients for increased profits and to encourage money to flow in from all directions, carrot for good luck, shredded green radish for eternal youth, shredded white radish for business prosperity and job promotion, crushed peanuts for gold for the family and deep-fried flour crisps in the shape of golden pillows for more gold (wealth and prosperity).
Lettuce-wrapped dried oysters
The Cantonese word for lettuce sounds like rising fortune and oyster sounds like good.
They are eaten to symbolise good fortune for the new year.
Tea eggs
They are served because eggs have a special symbolic significance - fertility.
Prawns
The word prawn sounds like laughter in Cantonese. It symbolises happiness and laughter.
Hou si fatt choy
This braised vegetable dish contains symbolic ingredients: hou si (oysters) for good news, fatt choy (black moss) for prosperity and donggu (mushroom) for opportunities.
Every mouthful of this dish is meant to symbolise good things to come in the new year.