Chinese New Year family dinner and its importance...
Family reunion
So,
how often do you visit your family or your parents? Family reunions are
important for those who work elsewhere and are far away from their
families. It is also vital for those who have been married and not live
together with their parents be it if you were a son or daughter. Reunion
dinners are especially important for the Chinese during Chinese New
Year. Families gather together for a family reunion dinner to usher in
the new year with much happiness and prosperity for every single family
members that you cherish.
There are no other better time to spent time with your family other than celebrations like this, birthdays or anniversaries. Before it is too late to visit your parents or elder relatives often it is best to take the opportunity to do so now and often.
There are no other better time to spent time with your family other than celebrations like this, birthdays or anniversaries. Before it is too late to visit your parents or elder relatives often it is best to take the opportunity to do so now and often.
Chinese Food
Over
at reunion dinners with the family there is the "lao sang" that is one
of the traditions of the Chinese. "Lao sang" is vital as it means to
bring in more luck and prosperity towards the family for the whole year
through. The higher you pull and toss the "lao sang" the better it would
get for all of the family members. Then there are some families who
enjoys steamboat as their family reunion dinner and some they cook
couple different dishes like the Chinese "lobak" in hokkien it means the
meat rolls that are fried and eaten with chili, the vegetable wraps and
many many more typical Chinese dishes.
Besides,
food there would be the oranges or tangerines as you might know. These
are the fruits that comes from China or Taiwan. This fruit symbolizes
goodness and prosperity and that is why it is being used widely by all
Chinese from around the globe. Tradition goes a long way and it is vital
to keep the family torch or tradition alive as long and as deep as we
could possible made it through. Enjoy your lunar year with your beloved
love ones and a prosperous celebration.
Let's take a look at foods that surround Chinese New Year during meal time:
Preparing for the New Year
Preparations
for Chinese New Year commence long before the day. The Kitchen God is
given a send off (traditional Chinese families have an altar for this
divinity in the kitchen) on the 24th of the 12th month of the Lunar
calendar to make his report on the household to the Jade Emperor God.
Part of the send off offerings is a sweet, sticky pudding (nin go ) made from ground glutinous rice is another Chinese New Year specialty. There are two theories behind the inclusion of this particular offering. One is that it sweetens his words when he makes his report. The other is to glue his moth so that he is incapable of dobbing your family in for the year's misdemeanours.
The pudding left to mature and harden up in the period leading up to the New Year. (It is impossible to cut or eat when fresh.) Apart from the bribery aspect, this cake symbolises climbing the ladder of success or business growth for the year. "Nin " means year whilst the Chinese word for pudding, "go " also sounds like tall or high. Over the New Year period, slices of the hardened pudding are eaten either battered and fried (sometimes with a slice of yam sandwiched between two pieces of the pudding) or steamed and served with a sprinkling of freshly grated coconut.
Family Celebrations
Part of the send off offerings is a sweet, sticky pudding (nin go ) made from ground glutinous rice is another Chinese New Year specialty. There are two theories behind the inclusion of this particular offering. One is that it sweetens his words when he makes his report. The other is to glue his moth so that he is incapable of dobbing your family in for the year's misdemeanours.
The pudding left to mature and harden up in the period leading up to the New Year. (It is impossible to cut or eat when fresh.) Apart from the bribery aspect, this cake symbolises climbing the ladder of success or business growth for the year. "Nin " means year whilst the Chinese word for pudding, "go " also sounds like tall or high. Over the New Year period, slices of the hardened pudding are eaten either battered and fried (sometimes with a slice of yam sandwiched between two pieces of the pudding) or steamed and served with a sprinkling of freshly grated coconut.
Family Celebrations
The
days leading up the the New Year see a frenzy of preparations at home
for the sumptuous feasts that will be had at home for the first few
days. The festivities begins with a grand family reunion dinner on New
Year's Eve, with everyone returning to the 'ancestral home' (usually the
home of the oldest living generation) for this.
The various cured and air-dried pork sausages and belly strips, liver sausages, as well as pressed duck, collectively known as larp mei or waxed meats are a much loved feature on the domestic New Year tables. There's no wax involved in their preparation of this Chinese charcuterie; rather the term refers to their appearance. They are steamed and all the fats that exude in the process are carefully reserved to be mixed with steamed rice. Larp mei farn (savoury rice with waxed meats) will not do anything for your arteries but it is a total joy to eat: incredibly fragrant, rich and savoury!
The various cured and air-dried pork sausages and belly strips, liver sausages, as well as pressed duck, collectively known as larp mei or waxed meats are a much loved feature on the domestic New Year tables. There's no wax involved in their preparation of this Chinese charcuterie; rather the term refers to their appearance. They are steamed and all the fats that exude in the process are carefully reserved to be mixed with steamed rice. Larp mei farn (savoury rice with waxed meats) will not do anything for your arteries but it is a total joy to eat: incredibly fragrant, rich and savoury!
Chinese New Year Gifts
Mandarins ("kum" - meaning gold) with red packets filled with money.
Kueh Kapek (also called Love Letters).
Lunch on the second day of the New Year is deemed to be the "opening meal" (hoi leen farn
) of the year. Very similar foods to those served at the reunion dinner
will be eaten, but always prepared fresh! "Second hand rose" doesn't
cut it for launching the new year with a big bang!
Activities over the first few days revolve around visiting friends and relatives to "pai nin " (proffer new year greetings); often with gifts of red packets for children and symbolic food gifts such as: mandarins (called kum in Cantonese, which also means gold).
In Malaysia and Singapore, popular food gifts include pineapple tarts, kueh kapek (also known as love letters, these are delicate crisp wafers made with a coconut and egg batter), and bak kwa (thin pressed slices of sweet barbecued pork).
Activities over the first few days revolve around visiting friends and relatives to "pai nin " (proffer new year greetings); often with gifts of red packets for children and symbolic food gifts such as: mandarins (called kum in Cantonese, which also means gold).
In Malaysia and Singapore, popular food gifts include pineapple tarts, kueh kapek (also known as love letters, these are delicate crisp wafers made with a coconut and egg batter), and bak kwa (thin pressed slices of sweet barbecued pork).
Good Business & Prosperity
One of the most important ingredients at this time is hair moss. Its Chinese name, fatt choi
, also means prosperity. A greenish-black algae sold in dried form,
it has no taste of its own but picks up the flavours of the sauce in
which it is cooked. A traditional New Year specialty is Ho See Fatt Choi (braised dried oysters with hair moss) which means good business (ho see ) and prosperity (fatt choi ).
Religiousness does not preclude a desire for prosperity. Many lay Buddhists and Taoists who don't observe vegetarianism on a daily basis will do so on special religious or festival days. The first day (and sometimes second as well) of the New Year are one of these occasions. The vegetarian dish prepared for this period of meat abstinence, Lor Hon Chai , include ingredients such as hair moss, golden needles, lotus seed (which symbolises sons born every year: Chinese culture is strongly patriarchal) and lettuce or Chinese cabbage (for longevity).
Lettuce (sang choy ) represents liveliness (sang mang ). If you've seen the lion dance that many Chinese businesses arrange to be performed at their premises to usher in the New Year, you would have noticed that the finale of the performance involves the lion having to reach for a whole lettuce together with a red packet dangled at a fair height above the lion. The red packet (lei see or lucky money) contains the payment for the performance. When the lion finally grabs this elusive prize, it will "swallow" the red packet and proceed to rip the lettuce apart which it then tosses (or rather, "spits") over the cheering observers. Welcome any leaves that come your way!
Religiousness does not preclude a desire for prosperity. Many lay Buddhists and Taoists who don't observe vegetarianism on a daily basis will do so on special religious or festival days. The first day (and sometimes second as well) of the New Year are one of these occasions. The vegetarian dish prepared for this period of meat abstinence, Lor Hon Chai , include ingredients such as hair moss, golden needles, lotus seed (which symbolises sons born every year: Chinese culture is strongly patriarchal) and lettuce or Chinese cabbage (for longevity).
Lettuce (sang choy ) represents liveliness (sang mang ). If you've seen the lion dance that many Chinese businesses arrange to be performed at their premises to usher in the New Year, you would have noticed that the finale of the performance involves the lion having to reach for a whole lettuce together with a red packet dangled at a fair height above the lion. The red packet (lei see or lucky money) contains the payment for the performance. When the lion finally grabs this elusive prize, it will "swallow" the red packet and proceed to rip the lettuce apart which it then tosses (or rather, "spits") over the cheering observers. Welcome any leaves that come your way!
Other essential symbolic foods
Fish and prawns are much in demand and in Asia, the prices of these escalate around New Year.
The Chinese word for fish, yu , also sounds like the Chinese word for surplus. The favoured fish is carp (lei yu ). Lei means interest or profit, reinforcing the prosperity concept.
Prawns (har ) have connotations of happiness (ha ha siew means laughter), with the extent of joy proportionate to the size of the prawns. Shrimps are definitely not on for this time of year!
Pork and chicken are the most common meats eaten by the Chinese all year round and are also used as offerings in religious rituals. Thus, they are also the meats eaten during the New Year. Roast suckling pig (or at the very least, crispy skin roast belly pork) is favoured for the festive feast. Known as chun chee (golden pig), its festive value lies in the auspicious golden red colour of the skin.
The 7th Day: Every Man's Birthday
The Chinese word for fish, yu , also sounds like the Chinese word for surplus. The favoured fish is carp (lei yu ). Lei means interest or profit, reinforcing the prosperity concept.
Prawns (har ) have connotations of happiness (ha ha siew means laughter), with the extent of joy proportionate to the size of the prawns. Shrimps are definitely not on for this time of year!
Pork and chicken are the most common meats eaten by the Chinese all year round and are also used as offerings in religious rituals. Thus, they are also the meats eaten during the New Year. Roast suckling pig (or at the very least, crispy skin roast belly pork) is favoured for the festive feast. Known as chun chee (golden pig), its festive value lies in the auspicious golden red colour of the skin.
The 7th Day: Every Man's Birthday
The
seventh day of the New Year is Every Man's Birthday and yu sang
(literally raw fish) is eaten on this day. This is a salad comprising
tissue-thin slices of raw fish, shredded vegetables and crackers with a
plum dressing. The name of the dish symbolises profits and liveliness.
All diners participate in tossing the ingredients to mix with everyone using their chopsticks and lifting the ingredients high above the dish, all with enthusiastic calls of "lo hei, lo hei", a phrase that means both to mix and to stir things up (in the economic sense).
All diners participate in tossing the ingredients to mix with everyone using their chopsticks and lifting the ingredients high above the dish, all with enthusiastic calls of "lo hei, lo hei", a phrase that means both to mix and to stir things up (in the economic sense).
The 15th Day
Chinese
New Year celebrations draw to a close on the 15th day which is the
first full moon of the new year. This is also known as the Lantern Festival and
traditional families hang out lanterns on this day to invite prosperity and
longevity. The traditional food eaten on this day is tong yuen which are dumplings made from glutinous rice flour and
filled with sweet sesame seed paste or red bean paste, served in a thin syrup.
This “soup” may sometimes be spiked a touch of fresh ginger.
Let's look at oranges and tangerines:
Chinese New Year Celebration
The Chinese culture is rich and full with symbolism and is especially true when it comes to Chinese New Year celebration. It is associated with many symbols and customs.
Despite the fact that some Chinese, especially the youngsters, have adapted to a more 'western' lifestyle, the old traditions and customs are still being practiced, albeit adapted to present day's environment.
The Chinese culture is rich and full with symbolism and is especially true when it comes to Chinese New Year celebration. It is associated with many symbols and customs.
Despite the fact that some Chinese, especially the youngsters, have adapted to a more 'western' lifestyle, the old traditions and customs are still being practiced, albeit adapted to present day's environment.
Chinese New Year Symbols
Certain colors, fruits, flowers, animals, action and sounds, are examples of things that have special symbolic meaning.
Since Chinese New Year is a major festival celebrated by Chinese people, these symbols are even more important. To make it auspicious, the Chinese will adorn their houses with these symbols.
Certain colors, fruits, flowers, animals, action and sounds, are examples of things that have special symbolic meaning.
Since Chinese New Year is a major festival celebrated by Chinese people, these symbols are even more important. To make it auspicious, the Chinese will adorn their houses with these symbols.
Why are Tangerines and Oranges part of Chinese New Year Symbols?
Tangerines and oranges are one of these auspicious Chinese New Year symbols.
Tangerines in Chinese sounds similar to the word "luck" and orange sounds like the Chinese word for "wealth". Through the play of words, the Chinese is associating the gift of orange and tangerine as having an abundance of happiness and prosperity.
The bright orange color of the fruits also symbolizes 'gold', hence it has an auspicious meaning to bring in good luck and wealth.
This is a very important factor for the Chinese new year celebration.
Hence you will find tangerine and orange fruits, being displayed in houses, offices and shops as they believe it will usher in good fortune for the occupants.
They are also served to guests that come visiting as well also given as gifts, to family members and friends.
Tangerines and oranges are one of these auspicious Chinese New Year symbols.
Tangerines in Chinese sounds similar to the word "luck" and orange sounds like the Chinese word for "wealth". Through the play of words, the Chinese is associating the gift of orange and tangerine as having an abundance of happiness and prosperity.
The bright orange color of the fruits also symbolizes 'gold', hence it has an auspicious meaning to bring in good luck and wealth.
This is a very important factor for the Chinese new year celebration.
Hence you will find tangerine and orange fruits, being displayed in houses, offices and shops as they believe it will usher in good fortune for the occupants.
They are also served to guests that come visiting as well also given as gifts, to family members and friends.
Can you also display the Tangerine and Orange fruit trees?
Besides displaying tangerine and orange fruits, displaying the potted plant is another common way to usher in the prosperity.
They are normally placed at a doorway or within the common area such as the main reception lobby of shops or offices, or within the living room
Besides displaying tangerine and orange fruits, displaying the potted plant is another common way to usher in the prosperity.
They are normally placed at a doorway or within the common area such as the main reception lobby of shops or offices, or within the living room
Miniature orange trees
This potted plant usually comes in the form of a miniature orange tree.
Miniature orange trees for Chinese New Year are mainly cultivated in China. They are then exported to countries where they are majority Chinese populations who will buy them, for the Chinese new year.
Good as a decorative item
These ornamental orange trees are very popular and prices vary according to the quality, type and tree sizes. They usually come in heights varying from 1.5 feet (0.45 meter) to 7.9 feet (2.4 meter).
Since they are cultivated mainly as a decorative item, the orange fruit is not recommended for eating. This is because the tree is infused with a high dosage of fertilizer and fruit inducing hormone. They look nice and is tempting to eat. However, it is not good for eating.
This potted plant usually comes in the form of a miniature orange tree.
Miniature orange trees for Chinese New Year are mainly cultivated in China. They are then exported to countries where they are majority Chinese populations who will buy them, for the Chinese new year.
Good as a decorative item
These ornamental orange trees are very popular and prices vary according to the quality, type and tree sizes. They usually come in heights varying from 1.5 feet (0.45 meter) to 7.9 feet (2.4 meter).
Since they are cultivated mainly as a decorative item, the orange fruit is not recommended for eating. This is because the tree is infused with a high dosage of fertilizer and fruit inducing hormone. They look nice and is tempting to eat. However, it is not good for eating.
Buying potted orange trees
The Chinese will normally buy the tree in pairs as they believe it will double their wealth and prosperity.
As the plant is 'engineered' to bloom and ripe perfectly during the Chinese new year season, they may however, be a few that might have ripened too early for the celebration. Hence, it is important that you choose, depending on when you buy, trees that are healthy and loaded with many semi ripe oranges. You do not want to buy trees with fully ripe fruits that will not last over the two-week celebration. In fact, you should buy the tree that will bloom gloriously over a one-month period.
As I had mentioned earlier, the tree has been given an overdose of fertilizer and fruit inducement hormones, so that it will bear a lot of fruits. These extra weights can be too much for the tree branches. Hence, the tree branches and fruits are normally tied neatly to provide support as well as to create a nice decorative/aesthetic look.
Once you bring the plant home from the nursery, make sure you water it daily, but do not over water them. They love the sun, so place them in the sunniest location within your premises. Or take them out for at least an hour of full 'sunlight bath'.
Here are some interesting recipes that Mommy saw whille reaserching for foods to make for my little Lina<3 to enjoy for the Chinese New Year:
http://steamykitchen.com/20145-chinese-new-year-recipes.html
http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2012/01/20/7-homemade-chinese-recipes-for-chinese-new-year/#chings-kung-po-chicken
This recipe, Mommy remembers making it with PorPor when Mommy was little. I am hope that you will be making it with PorPor soon as well.
http://mymalaysiabooks.com/food/content/view/90/30/
http://mymalaysiabooks.com/food/content/view/75/30/
The Chinese will normally buy the tree in pairs as they believe it will double their wealth and prosperity.
As the plant is 'engineered' to bloom and ripe perfectly during the Chinese new year season, they may however, be a few that might have ripened too early for the celebration. Hence, it is important that you choose, depending on when you buy, trees that are healthy and loaded with many semi ripe oranges. You do not want to buy trees with fully ripe fruits that will not last over the two-week celebration. In fact, you should buy the tree that will bloom gloriously over a one-month period.
As I had mentioned earlier, the tree has been given an overdose of fertilizer and fruit inducement hormones, so that it will bear a lot of fruits. These extra weights can be too much for the tree branches. Hence, the tree branches and fruits are normally tied neatly to provide support as well as to create a nice decorative/aesthetic look.
Once you bring the plant home from the nursery, make sure you water it daily, but do not over water them. They love the sun, so place them in the sunniest location within your premises. Or take them out for at least an hour of full 'sunlight bath'.
Here are some interesting recipes that Mommy saw whille reaserching for foods to make for my little Lina<3 to enjoy for the Chinese New Year:
http://steamykitchen.com/20145-chinese-new-year-recipes.html
http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2012/01/20/7-homemade-chinese-recipes-for-chinese-new-year/#chings-kung-po-chicken
This recipe, Mommy remembers making it with PorPor when Mommy was little. I am hope that you will be making it with PorPor soon as well.
http://mymalaysiabooks.com/food/content/view/90/30/
http://mymalaysiabooks.com/food/content/view/75/30/
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