Wah Chan Gold & Jewellery: 8 MUST EAT LUCKY FINGER FOOD DURING CHINESE NEW YEAR

Happy New Year, everybody! The celebration continues this month with another feasting festival, Chinese New Year! Well, what are we really going to eat during the celebration? Often, dishes with homonyms are gladly eaten for their symbolic meaning, and it’s not hard to guess based on their pronunciations or appearances. We are sure you have eaten some of these 6 finger food during Chinese New Year that might contributed to your expanding waist LOL. Kidding.

Dumplings

Chinese dumplings taking the shape of old ingot coins

Traditionally eaten on Chinese New Year Eve for the past 1,800 years, dumplings are normally minced meat and finely-chopped vegetables wraps. The dumplings’ shapes resemble yuan bao (Ming dynasty era coins) so they come to represent money and wealth. Boiled, steamed or fried, it is believed the more you cook and eat dumplings, the more money you will make in the New Year.

Spring rolls

Spring rolls are homonym to a ton of wealth

As the name suggests, spring rolls are traditionally a Cantonese dim sum eaten during the Spring Festival. Now a popular Chinese New Year appetizer, these cylindrical-shaped rolls of vegetables or meats, when cooked to golden perfection, are said to resemble gold bars which means wealth.

Nian gao

Nian gao literally means "getting higher year by year"

Made of glutinous rice flour, sugar, Chinese dates, lotus leaves, chestnuts and sugar, nian gao garners a rise and improvement in career, study, or life. Literally means “sticky cake”, this sweet Chinese New Year dessert is a homonym to wish people "getting higher year by year".

Turnip cakes

Familiarly called luo buo gao, steamed or fried turnip cakes are the must-have dim sum delight for Cantonese people during Chinese New Year. Made from radish, turnip cakes are associated with the phrase hao cai tao (好彩頭), to indicate prosperity and growing fortunes.

Tang yuan

Tang yuan is associated with to gather and reunite

Yes, Chinese people not only eating tang yuan during China’s Lantern Festival, but in Chinese New Year too. The pronunciation and round shape of tang yuan are an easy indication of reunion and being together. Modern tang yuan tends to be sweet, containing sesame, red bean paste, peanuts and others.

Noodles

It is usually called "longevity noodles" during Chinese New Year

Longevity is another theme in Chinese New Year, and it is symbolized by noodles. The longer the noodle the better for you, because unbroken noodles are believed to be a good sign of long and healthy life.

Tangerines

Tangerines with leaves are good as they represent longevity too

Used as both decorations and given as gifts, tangerine represents good luck. The round shape and golden colour also add fullness and wealth to the already auspicious meaning. Just a tip, do not group the citrus fruit in fours as that number itself symbolizes death.

Pomelos

Pomelo is thought to bring "continuous prosperity and status"

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Of course we won’t forget pomelo. The Chinese word for pomelo, you zi (柚子) sounds like the word “to have” so it is acknowledged to bring abundance and prosperity to the household. Pomelo is also symbolic of family unity.

Aside from the delectable tastes, Chinese New Year traditional food are all about homonyms which resembles auspicious meanings. After all, who doesn't love to ring in the year with good luck? But perhaps, you can double down the tradition and luck with a fortunate gold pendant that matches you?