Grace Ai | The Chronicle
Yet again, the Chinese New Year, also referred to as the Spring Festival, rolls around in the eastern hemisphere, skies full of colorful lights and lingering smoke from lit crackers and cooking food. With red envelopes full of cash from relatives and neighbors stuffed in the pockets of children and wishes of luck and prosperity still lingering in crowded homes, it’s time to gather for a great feast.
For thousands of years, Chinese farmers would carefully observe lunar and solar patterns to optimize agricultural practices, having names for periods of rain, cold, and sun. The Chinese New Year is when winter transitions into spring, a new period of life that kicks off the planting season. This is why it’s celebrated as the Spring Festival in China, and why “Lunar” new year isn’t an accurate description, as it’s a lunisolar holiday. The celebration begins on New Year’s Eve and lasts until the fifteenth day after that. So for fifteen days, it’s all eating as grandmothers and aunties insist you’re too thin, piling on more and more food.
Disclaimer: Chinese cuisine is extremely complicated and diverse due to regional variation and the many minority ethnic groups that dwell in the country, so the list below is a very brief overview of the most common dishes that I’ve observed over the years—if there are any other foods you’d like to add on, tag us on our Instagram!
- Dumplings: Everyone has their own take on this one. Some use a filling of pork and chives, some with cabbage, others completely vegetarian, and the list goes on and on. Their shape resembles Chinese gold and silver ingots, signaling future wealth when eaten during this holiday. Although my family likes to throw some chopped shrimp into the mix, I’ve learned from personal experience that all— yes, ALL— dumplings taste good when there are family and friends around.
- Steamed Fish: Because this time of year is all about luck and prosperity, there’s a common phrase that goes, “nian nian you yu” or “you will have fish every year”, which wishes people abundance as the Spring Festival commences. Naturally, fish is served for emphasis, taking on the aromatics of ginger, peppercorn, scallions, and soy sauce while swimming in the brothy bath. Even if it’s still freezing outside, a good bowl of broth is sure to warm you up.
- Peking Duck: Ah, yes, one of Beijing’s most iconic dishes; a duck marinated in soy sauce and then roasted until the skin is crispy, often wrapped in thin pancakes smeared with a savory sauce and garnished with finely cut cucumber. Although it’s not a very traditional food served for the festival, it’s come to symbolize good luck and unity to those who’ve adopted it; and hey, I’m definitely not complaining.
- Tang Yuan (or Yuan Xiao): Depending on what part of China you or your parents hail from, this glutinous rice ball is known as either Tang Yuan (generally south) or Yuan Xiao (generally north). This is typically served on the last day of the celebration, or “Yuan Xiao Jie”, signifying prosperity and luck. Chewy and mildly sweet, they’re often filled with black sesame or red bean paste. These taste best after a big dinner, where the warm and mild taste contrasts with the hearty and strong flavors of previous dishes.
- Nian Gao: In Mandarin, “nian” and “gao” have a dual meaning. “Nian” means sticky because of the sticky rice used in the dessert, but also sounds like “nian”, as in the new year. Likewise, “gao” means cake but also sounds like “tall/going up”. So the name “sticky cake” represents the hopes of succeeding in the new year, whether it be a pay raise, a promotion, or just general luck.
While there are many ways to make it, my personal favorite is when it’s served with walnuts and jujubes, or steamed as a dense, chewy block. Be warned (or thankful) that this treat is not too sweet.
