Lunar New Year is a time of joy, appreciating meals and celebrating with family and friends with offerings to ancestors as well as gods. The activity is as part of the culture shared by many communities in Asia such as Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Cambodia. As in any great culture, Lunar New Year celebrations are particularly incomplete without food, particularly cookies and candies to share with friends, families, and beloveds.
The Lunar New Year Sweets: Custom, Importance and Meaning
Here are the most common traditional Lunar New Year sweets and their specific meanings: The glutinous rice balls are red in color symbolizing the balls themselves and the sweet almond cookie, the Chinese word for longevity sounds like the word for the china’s currency which is another food for thought apart from the tastebuds. The sweets are traditionally made for the celebrations and offered to friends, relatives and neighbors, as the main idea of the Lunar New Year is generosity.
Lunar New Year treats you should try
Given the fantastic array of sweets out there, it might be quite difficult to start. Here are some of the most popular Lunar New Year sweets that you should definitely try:
1. Nian Gao (Year Cake)
Nian gao, also called year cake, is a kind of sweet made of glutinous rice flour and sugar representing height and prosperity in the coming year. It is usually cooked until it is firm or slightly soft according to the recipe and can be taken plain and dusted with icing sugar or sometimes stir fried with butter and sesame seeds.
2. Tang Yuan (Sweet Rice Balls)
Tang yuan is widespread in a number of Asian countries where sweet rice flour balls are served in a hot savory or sweet soup. The sweet version is usually filled with black sesame paste, red bean paste or lotus seed paste and comes with ginger syrup. This dessert symbolizes family reunion and unity since the ball shaped rice is completeness and symbolizes unity.
3. Almond Cookies
Two crisp almond cookies scooped up with tea are one of the most popular and commonly used sweets for Lunar New Year in many homes. In Mandarin, the pronunciation of almond is ji, which is similar to the meaning of lucky or auspiciousness, whereas the word for longevity, nian, is a part of the cookie, bing. Hence, the almond cookies are regarded as signifying prosperity and longevity so it is a good to be given during the Chinese New Year.
4. Pineapple Tarts
It is evident that pineapple tarts are cherished by people originating from such countries as China, Malaysia and Singapore. This pastry product has a crispy, buttery case filled with pineapple filling that is sweet, slightly tart and has a hint of sourness. It depicts the fruits of wealth and fortune, while the physical fruit of pineapple is well known to mean hospitality.
5. Shark Fin Paste Mooncakes
Shark fin paste is one of those elaborated goodies which are consumed greatly during the time of the Lunar New Year. The dessert is a small round pasty cake that is especially made from thin skin, shark fin custard, salted egg yolk and occasionally red bean paste. The paste is a depiction of the shark fin, which stands for promotion and achievement, and the golden yolk for richness and financial success.
6. Jiaozi (Dumplings)
Another staple dish during the Lunar New Year that many people like to eat is Jiaozi, which are Chinese dumplings, and some families make more than a hundred dumplings for the festive season. These baked prepared snacks are often stuffed with meat, vegetables, or even hallmarked by sweet foods like red bean paste signifying prosperity. They can be boiled or pan-fried at times and are usually served with a preferred sauce.
7. Double Three Rice Dumplings
Cantonese sweet osmanthus rice dumplings are a delicacy taken in the eighth lunar month, popular as the Osamthousus Moon. These triangle shaped rice dumplings are brightly colored and the fillings include pork belly and chestnuts and osmanthus flowers for flavorings and the soup coverings are made from osmanthus, rock sugar and honey. The flowers called osmanthus signify richness and wealth, so it is perfect for the Lunar New Year celebrations in a form of sweet cake.
8. Red Bean Paste Buns
There is also red bean paste buns; they are among the most preferred drinks or food during the Lunar New Year. Kawaii: These consists of a soft slightly sweet dough, they are often taken in the morning or as the famed afternoon tea, and filled with silky smooth red bean paste. Called Dou Sha Bao which means red bean paste, these buns are often consumed during these festivities because the bean paste connotes rich blessings.
Lunar New Year Sweets: A Cultural Study
This is a special part of the Lunar New Year celebration and is rather valued from cultural, historical, and symbolical points of view. Not only is this dessert related to proverbs and folklore, but it is especially associated with the traditions and rituals of Asian peoples. When tasting and sharing these delightful sweets, people will be able to appreciate and recognize precious diversity and the values of the Lunar New Year and other communities.
Summing up, Lunar New Year sweets and CNY goodies remain a crucial part of these celebrations, offering a wonderful opportunity to explore various dessert flavors and textures. From the crispy, slender almond cookie, the flaky pineapple tart, to the soft and chewy nian gao, these CNY goodies are not only delicious but also carry symbolic meanings that remind us of the essence of Chinese New Year. So why not bring some variety to your table this Lunar New Year and indulge in these sweet delights? By doing so, you’ll embrace the festive spirit while staying connected to the rich heritage of this celebration. Happy Lunar New Year!