What to eat in China for the New Year: interesting recipes and traditions of the Celestial Empire

China, a country with an ancient and rich culture, celebrates its New Year with special splendor and traditions. This holiday is accompanied by a variety of rituals and customs.

It is known that in China the date of the New Year differs from its Western analog. If in most countries of the world it is the night from December 31 to January 1, then in the Celestial Empire this date every year is assigned to a different time.

The first day of the holiday in China falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. Therefore, the next year, according to the Chinese calendar, will come on February 10, 2024. Its celebration will last until February 24.

What to eat in China on New Year’s Eve

doctor of two medicines: Chinese and classical medicine, reflexologist, master of Qigong.

“It is not customary for the Chinese to cook at home. On ordinary working days they eat in cafes and canteens so as not to waste time on cooking and not to be distracted from their studies and work. A completely different thing is holidays. These are days when the whole family relaxes and gathers around the table and for each holiday there is a symbolic traditional dish.”

During the cold season in China, raw fruits and vegetables are not eaten. They are necessarily heat-treated. It is believed that the body needs more energy to digest these foods. In winter it is very important to keep energy and warmth in order not to weaken the digestive system. Therefore, the Chinese New Year’s table is full of warm dishes.

Each of them carries its own meaning and is intended to bring prosperity to the New Year. The auspicious symbolism of these traditional Chinese New Year dishes is based on their pronunciation or appearance. Not only the dishes themselves, but also their preparation, ways of serving and eating are significant.

Jiaozi

These are Chinese dumplings that are molded by the whole family all day long for a holiday. Jiaozi has a symbolic shape: it is believed to resemble a gold bar, so if you make and eat a lot of them, they bring wealth.

Some families hide a coin in one of the dumplings. According to tradition, the one who gets such a dumpling will have a prosperous year.

Jiaozi is cooked either steamed or fried in a frying pan. The filling for dumplings can be prepared in an infinite number of ways. But the most common one consists of pork, cabbage, and green onions.

Dumplings with lamb, carrots and green onions are also a popular option. Mushrooms, various vegetables, spices and herbs can also serve as filling for dumplings.

Jiaozi dumplings recipe

Ingredients

flour – 250 g;
water – 125 ml;
pork – 150 g;
cabbage – 150 g;
green onion – 1 bundle;
garlic – 2 cloves
ginger – 2 cm;
soy sauce – 2 tbsp;
brown rice vinegar – 1 tbsp.

Preparation

First you need to prepare the dough. Pour 125 ml of water into the flour (it should be half as much as the flour). Knead the dough until a single lump is formed.
Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with a damp cloth and keep at room temperature for two hours.
For the mincemeat, mince the pork, cabbage and green onions. Add pressed garlic, 1-2 tbsp of soy sauce, finely chopped ginger and mix.
Divide the dough into three parts: work with one, remove two. Divide the dough into eight equal pieces and roll each one out with a rolling pin. In the middle of each circle put 1 tsp. of filling.
Fold the dough in the form of a semicircle to completely cover the stuffing, and then tightly seal.
Cook the formed dumplings in boiling water for 5-8 minutes.

Niangao

This traditional dessert is a sticky rice cake that literally translates to “New Year’s cake”. The dish is believed to bring good luck and symbolizes a change for the better, such as a pay raise, promotion, or good grades in studies.

The main ingredients of niangao are sticky rice, sugar, chestnuts, Chinese dates and lotus leaves. The cake can be steamed, baked, and pan fried.

Niangao recipe

Ingredients

glutinous rice flour – 120 g;
egg – 1 egg
cane sugar – 50 g;
milk – 2 tbsp;
dried fruit – 50 g;
water – 70 g.

Preparation

Bring water in a saucepan to a boil, dissolve sugar in it and cool. Then add flour, eggs and milk to the liquid.
Knead the dough until homogeneous, adding chopped dried fruits.
Put the resulting mixture into an oiled mold.
Cook the pie on steam or in the oven for 40-50 minutes.
Before serving sprinkle it with sugar.

Fish

Master of Chinese Medicine

“Fish is a staple of New Year celebrations in China. Traditionally, it is eaten in the outgoing year and finished in the incoming year – so it is believed that abundance is carried over from this year to the next year.”

In Chinese, the pronunciation of the words for fish and abundance are the same. It is crucial that the dish be served with a head and tail to symbolize a good start and end to the year.

When serving, the head of the fish should face the noble or elderly guests, who should eat the fish first, before anyone else at the table.

Most often in China, bream or perch is steamed in a bamboo steamer for New Year’s Eve. Carp, Chinese mud carp and Chinese catfish are also traditional options.

Fish recipe

Ingredients

perch – 1 pcs;
sesame oil – 1 tbsp;
light soy sauce – 2 tbsp;
rice wine or dry sherry – 2 tbsp;
sea salt – 1/2 tsp;
green onion arrows, cut lengthwise in half – 3 pcs;
finely chopped fresh ginger – 1 tbsp;
olive oil – 2 tbsp.

Preparation

Clean the fish from scales and insides, then rub the whole surface, outside and inside, with salt and sesame oil.
Place the chopped onions in the mold, followed by the fish.
Pour the soy sauce, wine and chopped ginger evenly over the fish.
Put the mold in a hot steamer and cook for 12-15 minutes.
After cooking, pour hot oil over the fish and serve immediately.

Chicken

Usually a whole chicken is served on the holiday table in China, which symbolizes family unity and integrity, and also means a good beginning and end of the year. Like fish, chicken should be served whole, with the head and legs intact. In some families, chicken feet are left for the breadwinners of the family to help them gain wealth.

A common method of cooking chicken is to marinate it in a light soy sauce, with ginger, wine and green onions, and then send it to the steamer.

Chicken recipe

Ingredients

chicken – 1.5-2 kg;
garlic – 3-4 cloves
ginger – 1 piece about 5 cm;
soy sauce – 2 tbsp;
rice wine – 2 tbsp;
sesame oil – 1 tbsp;
fresh green onion feathers for decoration.

Preparation

First prepare the marinade. In a deep bowl mix chopped garlic, chopped ginger, soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil.
Brush both the inside and outside of the chicken with this mixture. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes.
After that, place a cabbage leaf or bamboo sheet on the bottom of the mold and then the chicken itself.
Cook the dish in a steamer on medium heat for 1.5-2 hours.
Before serving, garnish the chicken with fresh green onions.

Longevity noodles

Another popular holiday dish in China that symbolizes the pursuit of longevity. Legend has it that the longer the noodles, the longer your life. Under no circumstances should it be cut or cut off, it is very bad luck.

Noodles can be fried with vegetables or cooked with broth – there are many different ways to prepare them in China.

Longevity Noodles recipe

Ingredients

noodles – 200 g;
pork – 200 g;
carrots – 1 pcs;
leek – 1 pc;
red pepper – 1 pc;
vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. liters;
soy sauce – 2 tablespoons;
olive oil – 1 tbsp;
sugar – 1 tbsp;
ketchup – 1 tbsp;
salt – to taste.

Preparation

According to the instructions on the package, cook the noodles until ready, strain and rinse with cold water.
In a frying pan fry pork cut into strips, carrots, red pepper and leeks cut into thin strips in vegetable oil.
For the sauce, in a bowl mix together the soy sauce, olive oil, ketchup, sugar, salt and pepper.
In a deep bowl, mix the cooked noodles with the prepared filling and sauce.
Place on plates and serve.

New Year traditions and customs

There are many traditions associated with New Year’s Eve in China. Here are some of them:

So, on the first day of the lunar year, a person is forbidden to brew herbs or take medicine. It is believed that if he neglects this rule, he will fall ill for the whole year.
Also in the New Year it is forbidden to sweep and take out the garbage, wash clothes, use scissors, lend money, say words associated with death, illness, poverty.

White and black clothes are forbidden, as these two colors are traditionally associated with mourning. It is better to choose red color, which is considered a symbol of good luck and happiness.
General cleaning of the house is supposed to be carried out a week before the New Year. This is how the Chinese expel all the problems of the past year from the apartment and make room for prosperity and happiness.