The Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year is the largest annual celebration observed all over China. It is like the New Year starting at the traditional Chinese calendar where every year of the Chinese zodiac has a certain animal. This special occasion is characterized by togetherness, eating and expressing happiness through several fun moments with loved ones. Reunion dinner is an integral part of the celebrations that is done on the new year’s eve or the preceding day of the new year. In this article, we will learn more about the splendid CNY delicacies you can prepare for your family reunion dinner feast.
1. Nian Gao
Nian Gao or the Chinese New Year cake or sticky rice cake is one food item that is consumed during Lunar New Year in China. Looking at the word Nian Gao directly we find that it can be interpreted as “year high,” or “higher every year.” Consequently, consuming this dessert is expected to attract a higher income and overall wealth in the new year. Nian Gao is similar to Kuih Talam as it comprises glutinous rice flour but with added sugar and other optional ingredients are pandan or red bean paste making it a boiled or steamed sweet delicacy. They include side dishes like rice cooked in a variety of ways, steamed vegetables, chopped and garnished with sesame seeds and served with dried fruits or nuts.
2. Prosperity Toss
Chinese lunar new year prosperity toss, commonly referred to as yusheng, lo hei or American style chop suey, is a practice common with Chinese communities around the globe. This favourable preparation comprises thinly cut raw fish (sashimi style – salmon and yellowtail), thinly julienned raw vegetables (carrot, daikon radish and jicama) and optional ingredients of crushed peanuts, sesame seeds or rice crackers. The gravy usually consists of the tangy dressing selected from elements such as the plum sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar and gets poured on the dish prior to the tossing.
In the tossing ceremony, every member of the family will come to the table with friends and with a spoon takes some of the yusheng and there will always be somebody who will lead in reciting good things. They throw the ingredients in one hand and push them up high in the air to blend all the ingredients. Just like this act, the people of the Philippines are expecting a better year with a higher income.
3. Dumplings
For the Chinese, dumplings are amongst the favorite spouses especially during the new year celebrations. These taste-and-shape satisfying parcels of dough with stuffings of ground pork, shrimps or vegetables etc are opined to offer good luck and prosperity when consumed during the festival. This is because it is believed that the shape of dumplings looks like ancient Chinese silver and gold coins which they used in the course of business in the past. It is believed that lucky New Year dumplings will somehow invoke and bring about prosperity and prosperity to the table.
4. Braised Pork Belly
Foods colored red are important in Chinese New Year because the colour red symbolizes luck, happiness and joy for the coming year. This is one of the best known examples of what may be described as pot dishes of the south Chinese tradition. In a pot over slow heat, seasoned in an appetizing gravy of soy, sugar, and Chinese cooking wine, this dish delivers super tender meat that is ideal for enjoying with the company of loved ones. The dish is traditionally further accompanied with steamed rice or braised eggplants to make up a festive dish.
5. Pineapple Buns
Bo lo bao, or butter bun, or simply pineapple bun is a wired pastry customary in Hong Kong and Cantonese culinary culture. This traditional sweet and crisp Chinese New Year bun has a golden brown and pine-like surface crust. It should be also noted that the Chinese phrase for pineapple, 冠桠 (hong ba, Know as 黃梨), sounds like ‘Wan Li’ or ‘Rising Fortune’. Therefore, eating pineapple buns is regarded as a propitious activity which will bring luck to the people that partake in it.
6. Sesame Seed Balls
Sesame seed balls or bang bang bō are a Chinese fried dough, made of glutinous rice flour, sesame seeds, red-bean paste filling, then dusted with powdered sugar or honey. It is well known that these yummy snacks are also thought to symbolize good luck and joy in the mid of Chinese New Year. In the new year, people believe that those eating sesame seed balls will be blessed with good wealth or fortunes in the new year as the sesame seeds are golden in color, which symbolizes gold.
7. Tangyuan
The eliments itself are tangyuan or literally sweet rice balls or mooncakes, and the Chinese traditionally consume them during the Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival. These round like balls made of sticky glutinous rice flour having fillings of sweet substances such as red bean paste or black sesame represent family togetherness or being complete. The word “Tangyuan” can be broken down into two parts: The Chinese characters in the name of this restaurant come from “Tang” (汤) which can be translated as soup or broth and “Yuan” (圆) that means round or circular and therefore represents reunion and family harmony.
Conclusion
Chinese New Year is a time of family reunions, bringing loved ones together to celebrate and cherish the occasion. A highlight of the festivities is the traditional New Year’s Eve feast, believed to bring balance, luck, and prosperity. This special meal often features popular Chinese New Year dishes and goodies, each symbolizing good fortune and auspicious blessings.
Serving these carefully chosen CNY goodies at your reunion dinner does more than satisfy hunger—it conveys love and secures blessings for the year ahead. Embracing these cherished traditions creates a meaningful and joyful celebration that strengthens family bonds.
Honor the spirit of Chinese New Year by sharing a feast of fortune and joy. Explore delightful and symbolic CNY goodies a cnydelights.com to make your reunion dinner unforgettable!