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Popular Chinese New Year Dishes and Recipes
from: dsexOn the days leading
to the arrival of Chinese New Year, Chinese families can be seen busy spring cleaning
their homes. This ensures all dirt and clutter (symbolising bad luck of the old
year) are washed away, and their homes are ready for the arrival of good luck.
Old clothings, broken items and things associated with unpleasant memories are
disposed.
Decorations of
Chinese auspicious words, symbols and flowers are displayed in the house to welcome
good luck. Everyone buys new clothings and footwear in preparation for the new
year. Most people will have their hair cut or have a new hairdo to symbolize a
new start. Homes are given a new coat of paint. All debts are to be paid off
before the arrival of new year. With the arrival of Spring, Chinese New Year
brings with it fresh hopes and essence of a new beginning for everyone.
Chinese New Year
celebrations starts on the eve of the new year. It is also known as ‘Chu Xi’ in
Chinese. Family members gather to have a reunion dinner. It is the most
important feast for everyone in the whole year where the Chinese go to extra
lengths to serve sumptuous and auspicious food and dishes, symbolizing
prosperity and good wishes.
Traditional Steamboat Using Charcoal
Surrounded By Auspicious Dishes
A popular method of
cooking which many Chinese families enjoy doing together as part of reunion dinner
is Steamboat. Basically, different types of fresh meat, seafood, vegetables,
mushrooms, etc.,are cooked in a hot pot filled with rich chicken or herbal
bubbling soup. Traditional steamboat uses charcoal as a source of fire to heat
up the broth but nowadays, modern steamboats are powered by portable gas
canister or electricity.
Popular Chinese New Year Dishes
♦ Fresh Oyster that symbolise ‘abundance’ while
its Chinese name ‘Sheng Hao’ means ‘flourishing at its best’.
♦ Prawns symbolise ‘happiness, laughter and
vigour’.
♦ Abalone or ‘Bau Yu’ in Chinese means
‘guaranteed abundance’.
♦ Dried Oysters, pronounce as ‘Hou See’ in
Cantonese, means ‘all good things in life’.
♦ Raw Fish salad to welcome good luck,
prosperity and long life.
♦ Black Moss or ‘Fatt Choy’ (edible hair-like
seaweed) that ‘brings wealth and prosperity for everyone in the family’.
♦ A complete Chicken with its head and feet
intact to symbolise ‘completeness’ for a good beginning and ending of the new
year.
♦ Fish and Meat Balls with its round shape to
symbolise ‘togetherness’.
♦ A complete Fish, which sounds like ‘surplus’
in Chinese, with its head and tail intact, to symbolise ‘surplus and abundance
of wealth and food for the entire year’.
♦ Chinese Lettuce or ‘Sang Choy’ in Chinese
sounds like ‘growth in riches and wealth’.
♦ Quail Eggs symbolise ‘gold ingots’.
♦ Bamboo Shoot or ‘Xun’ in Chinese, which means
‘smooth sailing’.
♦ Sea Cucumber is also another popular dish as
its Cantonese name ‘Hoi Sam’ when literally translated means ’happiness’.
♦ Green Vegetables represent ‘evergreen’ which
symbolise ‘everything remains perpetually fresh, interesting and well liked’.
♦ Lotus Roots which symbolise ‘family unity and
togetherness’
♦ Long Noodles represent ‘longevity’.
♦ Dumplings or ‘Jiao Zi’ which symbolise
‘wealth’ as its shape is like Chinese Tael or Ingot.
♦ The family Rice
Urn, which symbolises ‘the family’s continued prosperity’, is replenished. It
is filled to the brim in preparation for the new year.
♦ Mandarin Oranges
Are A ‘Must Have’ In Chinese New Year As They Symbolise Gold
♦ Every Chinese
household is stocked up with abundance of Mandarin Oranges. Its Cantonese name ‘Kum’
means ‘gold’, and they are a must-have as they symbolise ‘bringing riches and
fortune to the family’.
♦ Pomelo Symbolises
Abundance Pomelo or 'Loke Yau' in Cantonese, is also another popular fruit to
have in a household as they symbolise ‘abundance’.
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