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Food Tales

Symbolic food on Lunar New Year

Published: 01.15.2022 » Last updated: 01.16.2023

Wherever in the world the Lunar New Year is celebrated, there’s always symbolic food chosen for their appearance, characteristic or because their names are homonyms for luck, wealth, harmony, unity, longevity, prosperity… All the desirable things one can wish for one’s family.

Lunar New Year staples: red envelopes and oranges

According to the Chinese calendar, 2023 is the Year of the Water Rabbit, and New Year’s Day falls on January 22. Chinese Lunar New Year festivities last for 15 days (16, in fact, if we include the New Year’s Eve reunion dinner) when symbolic food and dishes are served, and money tucked in red envelopes are distributed for luck.

But it isn’t just in China where the Lunar New Year is celebrated. Aside from China, the Lunar New Year is an officially designated holiday in regions that still follow the lunisolar calendar including Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Mongolia, South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam. Even outside Asia, in places with large Chinese communities but where the Lunar New Year is not an official holiday, celebrations take place too.

What are the food traditionally served and eaten on Lunar New Year?

1 – Nian Gao

Nian gao, or sticky rice cake, comes in many forms but why it is served on the Lunar New Year is based on three things. Read more about nian gao in the linked post below.

Nian gao in strawberry, pandan, corn and ube flavors

Four ways to enjoy nian gao

A Chinese lunar new year staple, nian gao is a savory or sweet sticky rice cake. Nian gao given and received as gifts during Chinese New Year is the sweet variety.

2 – Uncut noodles

Any occasion that calls for wishes for longevity — including birthdays and the Lunar New Year — will include uncut noodles in the menu. Yes, uncut. They should be as long as can be managed by the cook. Cutting the noodles is like wishing to have life cut short.

What kind of noodles? It doesn’t matter. Rice noodles, wheat noodles, egg noodles… they will all do for as long as they are cooked and served uncut.

Ginger pork ramen in bowl

Ginger pork ramen

Beef broccoli and noodle stir fry

Beef, broccoli and noodle stir fry

Chicken teriyaki served with noodles in bowl

Chicken teriyaki noodle bowl

3 – Whole fish

The Chinese word for fish, yu, sounds like the word for “surplus”. But a fish served whole with the head and tail intact also represents family togetherness and unity.

There are appurtenant practices when cooking whole fish for the Lunar New Year. It is not always the case that the fish is served during a meal. Sometimes, it is cooked and left as an offering to gods and ancestors.

Steamed pompano with black bean garlic sauce garnished with julienned carrot and scallions

Steamed pompano with black bean garlic sauce

Fried whole fish with lemon sauce garnished with mint leaves

Fried whole fish with lemon sauce

Steamed whole tilapia with ginger, scallions and chilies

Steamed whole tilapia with ginger, chilies and scallions

When serving as part of the meal, the head of the fish is reserved for the most important guest, or elder. On the table, the fish head should be pointing toward that person too. Leftover from the whole fish is a must for the dish to truly represent surplus. In some cases, to ensure surplus, two whole fish are cooked. One is served on New Year’s Eve and one is left to become the surplus and eaten on New Year’s Day.

4 – Dumplings and fried spring rolls

Dumplings and fried spring rolls make an appearance on the Luna New Year meal for their resemblance to objects that represent wealth. Dumplings are thought to resemble the sycee while fried spring rolls look like gold bars.

Gyoza on plate with dipping sauces

Gyoza

Crispy spinach and cream cheese dumplings

Crispy spinach and cream cheese dumplings

Pork and kimchi mandu (Korean dumplings) in broth

Pork and kimchi mandu (Korean dumplings)

Cheese-stuffed chili spring rolls

Cheese-stuffed chili spring rolls

Shrimp, spinach and cream cheese spring rolls

Shrimp, spinach and cheese spring rolls

Vietnamese shrimp spring rolls with herbs and dipping sauce

Shrimp spring rolls

5 – “Golden” fruits

Mandarin oranges, tangerines and pomelos are displayed, served and eaten as part of the Lunar New Year traditions. Their golden color and spherical shape symbolize wealth and fullness.

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Mexican taco: scene from Taco Chronicles | Image credit: Netflix

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Mac and cheese on black plate

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Connie Veneracion, Chiang Mai, 2020

Hi, I’m Connie!

Welcome to Umami Days, a blog that advocates innovative home cooking for pleasurable everyday dining. No trendy diets, no food fads and definitely no ludicrous recipe names like crustless quiche, noodleless pho or chocolate lasagna.

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