Auspicious Dishes for Lunar New Year (農曆年節吉祥菜)

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In Lunar New Year, Taoists and Chinese will always like to consume Dishes that come with Nice & Auspicious Meaning.

In here, I will like to do a quick summary on the various Auspicious Dishes that we always eat during the Reunion Dinner.

Item 1: Chinese Leek aka Suan Miao (蒜苗)


Chinese Leek, a typical Lunar New Year item that the Taoist or Chinese will eat on the Eve & during the Lunar New Year Period.

In Chinese Customs, Chinese Leek got the meaning of Calculating of Wealth & Increasing in Wealth. This is why, Chinese love to eat this before the New Year arrive - to get the Blessing of Calculating Good Wealth in the Next Lunar New Year.

Besides representing the Wealth Increasing, Chinese Leek also got a meaning of Justice & Pure. In Chinese we called it Yi Qing Er Bai (一清二白). In the Ancient Era, when someone if being wrongly accused, the Family Members can hang this Chinese Leek on the Accuse-Party in-order to gain the attention of the Magistrate Officer.

Item 2: Spring Onion aka Qing Cong (青蔥)


Spring Onion, got the meaning of Intelligent & Wisdom. Taoists or Chinese will like to cook Spring Onion with Beancurd for young kids, hoping that after the kids grown up, they can be Intelligent, Clever and blessed with Good Wisdom.

Same as Chinese Leek, Spring Onion sometimes will be used to replace Chinese Leek for Justice & Pure.

Item 3: Chinese Chives aka Jiu Cai (韭菜)


Chinese Chives, got the meaning of Permanent & Prolonging of the Timing. Usually this Chives will be used to give Blessing to Newly-wed Couples or Students who is taking Important Tests (to wish them getting the Best Result and Prolong the Wisdom in such events).

For those who just got Promotion in their Job, the Older Generation will also cook Chives with Beancurd for the promoted-person to eat, hoping that the Person will be able to get another better Promotion in the next round.

Item 4: Chinese Lettuce aka Sheng Cai (生菜)


Chinese Lettuce, got the same Pronouciation as Gaining Wealth - Sheng Cai (生財), this is why, the Chinese will love to have this Lettuce being included in the Dishes.

They hope that, by consuming the Chinese Lettuce, they will be Blessed with the Luck of Gaining more Wealth in the Next Lunar Year and the Deities of Wealth will be there to guide on them thru out the Year.

Item 5: Beancurd aka Dou Gan (豆干)


Beancurd aka Dou Gan, in Hokkien, being Pronouce as Thao Khwa. Khwa got the same Pronouciation as Officer (getting Promotion) in Hokkien and so, in Traditional Hokkien Custom, Beancurd is always being used in Occasions that are associated with Promotion, New-born Babies, Wedding or while students sitting for Tests.

Item 6: Fishball & Meatball aka Rou Wan Zi (肉丸子)


Fishball & Meatball, got the shape of a Round Ball. In Chinese Customs, Round Objects will have the meaning of Reunion and a New Start.

On the Eve of Lunar New Year, the Family will like to be Blessed with the Prolonging of the time for the Whole Family to gather around and so, each of the Family Member will have to consume a Fishball or Meatball while they having their Reunion Dinner.

For some Families, they will consume the Sweet-dumpling aka Ee (湯圓) in the Afternoon straight after the Honouring of Ancestors.

Item 7: Full Fish aka Quan Yu (全魚)


Full Fish, got the meaning of Full with Aburdance. Chinese will like to have a Good Blessing of lots of Aburdance for the Lunar New Year (thru out the Year). This is why, consuming of Fish is very important.

Usually on the Reunion Dinner, the Elderly will prepared 2 Full Fish, 1 for Consuming and another for keeping. The one for keeping will be left on the Dinner Table, till the whole Dinner ended. During the Dinner, no one is allowed to consume it.

After the Dinner ends, the Full Fish will be kept aside and on the next Morning, which is the First Day, the Full Fish will be heated-up and then the whole Family will have another round of Reunion Meal, only then, the Full Fish is allowed to be eaten.

Item 8: Full Cooked-Chicken aka Quan Zhu Ji (全煮雞)


Full Cooked-Chicken, in Hokkien, it represent Wealth and also, Positive Blessing for Young Gentlemen to have opportunities in starting their Own-business in the future.

Again, usually 2 Chickens will be prepared and only one of them will be consumed on the Dinner. It will starts from the Young Gentlemen and then slowly to the Young Ladies. The Older Generation will usually eat less.

Item 9: Prawn aka Xian Xia (鮮蝦)


Prawn, in Cantonese Culture known as a Food Item that associated with Joyous, Laughter and Merry. This is why, in most of the Cantonese Families, consuming of Prawns is a Must during Lunar New Year Period.

Nowadays, Prawns sometime will be replaced with Lobsters, this considered Okay too.

Item 10: Fried Yam-balls aka Suan Pan Zi (算盤子)


Fried Yam-balls aka Suan Pan Zi, a Traditional Hakka cuisine. This is a Must-Eat cuisine for the Hakka-Clan during Big Occasion, especially Lunar New Year.

According to sharing from Hakka-Ning (Hakka-nese), these Suan Pan Zi must be prepared with the present of the whole Family. The Older Generation will needed to guide on the Younger Generation of how to prepare this cuisine.

After the Suan Pan Zi is cooked, the First few Bowls must be Offered to the Deities and Ancestors and last, the Whole Family to consume the Suan Pan Zi together.

Suan Pan Zi in here will have the meaning of Unity, Reunion and also, Calculating of Wealth Increased.

Item 11: Pork Knuckle aka Zhu Shou (豬手)


Pork Knuckle, a typical Lunar New Year Dish that Teochew, Cantonese & Hokkien will consume.

Pork Knuckle, represent the Fat-Arms of a Person Sweeping in Loads of Wealth Inward. And so, Chinese believed that by consuming this Dish, Wealth will be sweep into the Home from All Directions.

Item 12: Meat/Vegetable Roll aka Run Bing (潤餅)


Meat/Vegetable Roll, a Traditional Hokkien cuisine to be eaten during Big Occasions.

Meat/Vegetable Roll, known as Run Bing in China & Taiwan, but in South East Asia, it changed its name to Bo Bing aka Popiah.

Meat/Vegetable Roll here got a meaning of Unity, Strong, Reunion, Continuing of Lineage & Wealth.

During Lunar New Year, Meat/Vegetable Roll will be prepared in 2 ways:

1) Meat or Vegetable fillings wrap with Fresh Steamed Rice Skin
2) Wu Xiang aka Ghor Hiang (五香) Meat or Vegetable fillings wrap with Fresh Steamed Rice Skin & then Deep-fried

At the Reunion Dinner, the Eldest Elder in the Family will do the wrapping of the Run Bing for the Younger Generations, this is a form of Blessing that the Elderly wanted to distribute out to the Younger Generation. Only after everyone got the Run Bing, then the Whole Family will consume it together.

Besides the Hokkien Clan prepared this Cuisine, in Baba & Nyonya Culture, this is also a Traditional & Must Prepared Dish while honouring the Ancestors.