Chinese New Year also called the Spring Festival is one of the most important and popular holidays in the world. As we head toward the Year of the Ox, why not take a closer look at CNY treats that are so much a part of tradition and culture, and possibly stumbled upon some new favorites along the way?
Lucky foods and meals during the Chinese New Year are an essential part of Chinese culture since it honours reunion, fortune and prosperity of the following year. It’s also rare to set a table for CNY without the inclusion of a number of dishes believed to bring good luck and prosperity. They include dumplings, rounded in shape as a representation of gold-plate like money; fish – this because, when said in Chinese the phrase, ‘there is a surplus’ sounds like the phrase ‘there is more fish’.
Nian Gao (New Year Cake)
Another lesser-known treat that is served during the Chinese New Year is called Nian Gao or more literally translated as New Year Cake. This cake of glutinous rice, cooked in syrup and doused with soy sauce, is important part of the festive meal for many Chinese families. Nian Gao has its roots back to the ancient Chinese basic New Year preparation as it was considered an effective repellant from evil spirits. The term ‘Gao’ represents ‘high ‘or ‘tall,’ As the society focuses on the advancement and progression during the New Year, the word is associated with success and thus, the food must be consumed during the new year.
Nian Gao can also be eaten directly from the steamer or pan and also be used as an ingredient in other recipes. A favourite preparation process involves deep frying Nian Gao so as to make the exterior layer crispy and the interior chewy. The final way is to take one vertically sliced Nian Gao and place it between two slices of bread to obtain a dessert sandwich, which is also ridiculously sweet. Nian Gao can also be stir fried with such items as sesame oil, sugar, and sesame seeds to have a traditional feel.
Kuih Kapit (Seven Layer Cake)
The next intriguing CNY delicacies are Kuih Kapit that can be named as Seven Layer Cake, in fact. Called ‘Tapioca,’ this seven-layer cake is composed of layers of rice flour batter cooked in coconut milk and layers of brown-sugar syrup with crushed peanuts in-between. These layers are cooked through steaming until they soften and become fluffy before alternating them on top of one another to make the dessert presentation attractive.
Kuih Kapit was created from the Peranakans living in South East Asia; Therefore, it has Malaysian Chinese Borneo and Malay blood relations. The name given to the cake is Kapit because the cake apparently originated from Kapit, a city in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. All the seven layers of the cake signify seven virtues of the Confucianism such as filiality, humaneness, rightness, ritual decency, wisdom, trustworthiness and honesty.
Besides the taste and look of the food, Kuih Kapit is an ideal food to be eaten with people we love during Chinese New Year celebration. It has a very crunchy and rather sweet taste that everybody will surely love, that is perfect for any occasions like parties that involve bells.
Love Letters (Hua Pian)
Another lesser known products of CNY is the Love Letters, otherwise known as Hua Pian in Chinese. These very thin,oriental likeaked cookies are prepared using flour,sugar and lard and are stretched into wafers of thread like thin strips and are fried till crisp with a golden brown colour. The cookies named as Love Letters because of their soft structure and they are used for gifting purpose during Chinese New Year.
Love Letters are thought to have come from the Fujian province in China and have been around for quite some time. These cookies have bar-shape, golden color that’s why they can be regarded as an ideal addition to the Chinese New Year table.
Unlike some other types of LARP weapons with which one cannot do anything but fight with them, Love Letters are exceptionally yummy besides being assigned to symbolize auspices. Their exterior is crisp to the bite while the inside is very much like soft dough, more suitable for tea or coffee times. Love Letters can be kept for weeks or even more and are a perfect gift for friends and families, who may not wake with you during celebrations.
Peanut Cookies (Kuih Bangkit)
Kuih Bangkit, also called Peanut Cookies, we are saving the best for the last. These cookies are an exquisite combination of crumby rice flour, butter, coconut milk, and sugar and the peanuts added create a fantastic crispy texture. Kuih Bangkit is one of the favourite treats consume during Chinese New Year celebration and it is favoured by both young and old.
Kuih Bangkit dates back to the Peranakan people of Malaysia and Singapore as they serve as their traditional food items for festivities. The name Kuih Bangkit was borrowed from the phrase kuih means to rise up, it imply the prospect and prosperity or the forthcoming new year.
As earlier explained Kuih Bangkit can well be eaten in a number of methods. They are best used as biscuits on their own, soaked in tea or coffee, or can be crushed and sprinkled on ice cream. They also have a longer shelf life and it is a good thing that they could be taken as gift items especially during festival occasions.
Conclusion
Chinese New Year is enjoyable with families, friends and also food, and what Chinese New Year celebration would be complete without sampling the delightful and lucky treats that are in season at this time of year. We learned that there is much more to enjoy in the CNY treats menu and amazing treats such as Nian Gao, Kuih Kapit, Love Letters, and Peanut Cookies are just lurking behind the radar.
When it comes to CNY goodies, you can truly have your cake and eat it too—or better yet, indulge in mooncakes and an array of savory delicacies. This festive season is the perfect time to slow down, savor these delightful and traditional treats, and deepen our appreciation for their cultural significance. As we embrace the Year of the Ox, let’s celebrate with our loved ones, enjoy delicious CNY goodies, and create cheerful, unforgettable moments together.