CNY is a celebration of the Chinese New Year with families, greetings, and gifts to ensure that everyone gets a prosperous year ahead. Foods are very essential during CNY celebrations. Different accounts of offerings include cakes and other edibles for offerings, home entertaining and gift presentation. Apart from taste though, most Chinese New Year foods come with folklore stories and symbolic significance.
1. Nian Gao (Sticky Rice Cake)
This traditional CNY snack represents the reunion and the firmly united families because of its stickiness. It is sweet which symbolises people’s desire for a sweet and successful year in front as well.
There are tend to be both a sweet and a savoury version of these popular nian gao.Support the happy occasion with brown sugar, red bean paste or taro fillings, or the white nian gao of sticking to the more traditional sweet version used on the offering tableMODEL. Certain regional kinds have this layer dyed in bright colours or have lucky items such as nuts, dates or candied fruits, enclosed in this layer.
In Chinese, the pronunciation of nian gao sounds like ‘higher year’, therefore, eating it is symbolic of promotion,advancement and attaining higher things in the new year.
2. Love Letters
Sweet peanut or winter melon paste is placed in thin, delicate strips that are brushed just with egg before being folded into the love letters which are thin, crisp and melt in the mouth.
Cupped in little purses or rolled like scrolls, they stand for people’s expectations of a good romantic… relationships in the coming year. Love letters are further used as gifts by young women to their friends/boy friends or even fiancé.
New fillings that are used include; red bean paste, coconut, sesame or almond apart from peanuts. A heartfelt Valentine message in a heart envelope and a Valentine with an attached dried flower make an earnest CNY gift.
3. Mandarin Oranges
Another novelty which comes round CNY is the most popular and lovely round gold mandarin oranges ( or tangerines) carrying the symbolism of prosperity.
Giving mandarins is tradition during this CNY house visits , it rhymes with the word ‘gold’ in Chinese. In addition to a pleasing and sour-fruity appearance and the unique sacs filled with the juice, this orange color is also connected to prosperous solar energy as well.
Mandarin trees bear fruits in the winter when CNY celebration and fairs are around the corner. As a result they symbolize blessings existing for the family and the coming year. Show a few slices of oranges or make some Christmas ornaments out of their peels and the theme feeling.
4. Pineapple Tarts
A pineapple tart is a shortbread-coated pineapple jam that came in Buttery, crumbly inside with a perfect balance of tangy and sweet, and is synonymous with CNY delights.
Pineapples are used to represent wealth in Chinese culture because when saying “ong lai,” you can also say “fortune comes.” Apart from the name, the gold topping made of pine jam to bake solidify into money while the base pattern looks like stock money, both symbolising wealth.
Delicately carved pastries such as pineapples, flowers or ingots are perfect CNY gifts for instance. Creamy and enjoyable they add a touch of sweetness to any occasion or event. They also add personalization on the pine apple tart boxes also.
5. Bak Kwa (BBQ Meat)
Thin and juicy slices of bak kwa barbecued to delicately and to perfection, is CNY favourites for serving guests.
Pork bak kwa is lean and therefore symbolises prosperity, good health and longevity after the new year begins. For example, bak kwa is best consumed when hot and when visiting the elderly or giving it as a gift to friends and family. She is revealing a reddish glare and a sizzling smell that enhances the celebration mood.
Bak kwa is also serve as easily portable nice, protein rich tidbits. Bak kwa kept in vacuum-packed bags are good for friends or relative who are living overseas. Family name or blessing inscribed on the bak kwa also helps make it a good gift.
Usher In Auspicious Vibes
In addition to snacking pleasure, traditional CNY goodies reflect people’s desire for a sweet-new-year full of harvest. However, give them to pass on the blessings during this happy moment.
Which ever of these famous treats do you like most? Do you and your family had any native special or passed down traditional CNY snacks? This festive food celebration is now open for contributions – share with us your holiday special!
