Introduction
Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is one of the principal holidays in many Asian countries or societies celebrating the beginning of a new year based on the lunar calendar. Celebrated as the New Year according to lunar calendar; Chinese people hold family reunion, exchange gifts and enjoy delicious food. Now there will be a few desserts you often take during the Lunar New Year celebration because they are specifically cooked for that special occasion. Lunar New Year even specialty dishes such as pineapple tarts or Nian Gao is a very interesting feature of this what?
Pineapple Tarts
Lunar New Year is incomplete without Pineapple tarts and they are famous especially in Singapore, Malaysia and china. These golden and crispy biscuits consist of buttery puff pastry sheets and a delicious pineapple jam as its filling. Tasting the mix of crispy texture and sweet-savoury flavours, it is quite hard to stop munching and the shape represents prosperity and prosperity.
Pineapple tarts have been known since the colonial times, when European colonizers brought a pineapple fruit to Asia. Originally retrieved, pineapples were only a delicacy, and because they were associated with the rich and a sign of affluence, they were often consumed as part of a celebration or during the festive season. From there the pineapple tart developed across the generations to become an important tradition to be consumed during Lunar New Year.
Preparing pineapple tarts is not every easy activity that needs skills, time and so much precision when doing it. The pastry dough has to be of a particular thickness and the pineapple jam must be prepared in such a manner as to communicate the right texture to the recipe. The tarts are then formed by pinching and shaping the dough to the preferred designs including the traditional horseshoe or ‘roses’.
The preparation of pineapple tarts is also a cultural norm that runs from one generation to the next, with receipes and processes being handed down as prized heirlooms with very little alteration possible. These wonderful treats form the basis of many households’ recipes and are prepared as a rule, for days, sometimes weeks since they not only stand for tradition and nostalgic feelings but also for the cook’s mastery and care for their loved ones.
Nian Gao
Nian is literally sticky rice cake but also known by many other names including “year cake.” It is a Chinese dessert prepared in many countries within the Asian continent during the Lunar New Year celebration. The term Nian Gao translates to Year High or even Higher Year, which supposedly means a year of advancement and improvement in ones life. This is a common food beloved in Taiwan and it is made from glutinous rice flour, sugar and coloring and often with ingredients such as osmanthus oil or sesame seeds.
Nian Gao has a great cultural and historical implication on the Chinese culture. Legend has it as part of a folklore shared during the Han Dynasty of China, that there was a monster by the name of Nian that was known to attack villagers mostly during the New Year season. The monster was defeated by a great arrowman named Houyi who shot nine out of the twelve suns that were singeing the earth. The legend gives an account to the effect that the monster was scared away by the heat from burnt sticky rice cakes.
From that time on, it became a practice to cook and consume Nian Gao in the course of the Lunar’s New Year to keep off evil spirits and introduce luck, wealth, and cheer into the home. In some parts it is also a tradition that married daughter must go to their parent’s home during the lunar new year and gives a particular portion of Nian Gao to their parents as a symbol of their respect and love.
Preparing Nian Gao demands a lot of attention and precise procedure to be followed. Stiff can not mean hard and tough for chewing that’s why the glutinous rice flour has to be properly cooked to get right consistency. Use of sugar and flavoring enhances the flavor and odor of the dish which makes it aперfect for the celebration seasons.
Nian Gao preparation is a family affair sometimes handed down from generation to generation, every family has their own unique means of preparation with some even having unique recipes to go with it. Although there are some people who like a plain simple taste of the dessert there are others who introduce different ingredients to give this dessert a different twist.
Other Lunar New Year Treats
Apart from Pineapple tarts and Nian Gao, there are variety of other cookies that are popular during the festivities across cultures of Asia. Some popular examples include:
- Mooncakes: These round small pastries that can be filled with sweet or savory stuffings for eating during the Mid-Autopian festival is or also common during the Lunar New Year time.
- Ang Ku Kueh: This type of rice cake is sweet or savory and has a filling; Malay and Singaporean people enjoy it frequently. The presentation of the cake is like an old Chinese money, which means fortune.
- Almond Cookies: The Chinese love these to accompany their New Year celebrations as they are a very light and crunchy cookies. People usually purchase them and have them in the house as gifts which they present to their guests.
- Godiva Chocolate bûche de Noël: This highly moist, opulent chocolate log cake is a rendition of the French gastronomical classic, and has grown in popularity in the midst of the affluent during the celebration of the Lunar New Year.
Conclusion
Lunar New Year’s treats, including beloved traditional CNY goodies, are essential elements of the artistic perspective intertwined with the cultural traditions of Asian countries. Traditional delicacies like pineapple tarts and nian gao, along with other symbolic desserts, are enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. While the rituals of Lunar New Year celebrations evolve with each passing year, these delightful CNY goodies continue to captivate our taste buds, creating a timeless connection that bonds us to both the past and the future.