Top Snacks To Include For The Upcoming Chinese New Year
With Chinese New Year just right around the corner, it’s time to ring in the new year! As this is a special time of the year, a lot of planning usually goes into making it a success. At the prosperously red dinner table, you’ll find plenty of food, laughter and merry as the young and old catch-up with each other’s lives.
If you’ve been called upon to make the necessary Chinese New Year preparations, you should take out your notebook and jot down the following snacks! Not only are these snacks important, but they are ever-present during Chinese New Year.
Some of these not-to-miss delicacies include:
Fish
Fish is significant to the Chinese, and especially so during Chinese New Year. While it can be cooked in various methods, steaming is generally the most preferred way. The fish that is prepared is dependent on what is envisioned during the New Year. Many families pick from Catfish, Chinese mud carp or crucian carp. These species of fish are believed to be the key to unlocking prosperity.
Of course, the way the fish is presented also matters immensely! When serving fish, the head is always faced towards the eldest in the family as a form of respect.
Chinese spring rolls
When it comes to Chinese New Year, spring rolls are ubiquitous with the merry occasion! You can fill it with any ingredients you’d like, from either meat, vegetables, or anything sweet. Get as creative as you possibly can.
When cooking, the spring rolls are supposed to pop out in a golden colour. This is a symbolism of wealth and luck, so the more spring rolls at the dining table, the better!
Dumplings
If there is a food that you can’t miss during a Chinese New Year gathering, it is dumplings. They are a mainstay delicacy and specially made to resemble silver metals. It is believed that the more dumplings an individual eats, the more wealth they will make within that year.
If this is the truth, make sure to prepare enough dumplings at the party! Having separate take out lunch boxes around can allow people to carry home their ‘wealth’. After all, no one wishes to be poor.
Good fortune fruit
Fruits are essential when it comes to a Chinese New Year meal. This is why you can find fruits that are considered to contain good fortune. Some of these fruits consist of oranges, pomelos and tangerines. The Chinese believe that the more fruits you consume, the more fullness and wealth you will receive. Most of the time, fruits such as oranges come in a pair to signify gold.
Sweet rice balls
Just as the name suggests, these balls are made out of rice. This delicacy is generally very popular, symbolizing the bond of family and togetherness. It showcases the way that families should stand together during good and bad times: by sticking together. Eat it during Chinese New Year to establish a strong unity between your family members.
Glutinous rice cakes
Glutinous rice cakes represent individuals attaining a higher position or income. For example, an employee can be expected to get a promotion and a salary increment. If they are a business owner, it can allow the business to flourish. They are essential at the dining table, so don't forget rice cakes! You can find these rice cakes made out of sticky rice, lotus leaves, Chinese dates and many others.
There are also many other festive goodies that you can find wrapped in packaging, such as coconut love letters in tin boxes and pineapple tart containers to distribute during the festive get-around!