Chinese New Year is time when families and friends reunite to welcome the beginning of a new year. It is a time of expectation with specific wishes for wishes, love and reunion with families and friends, rituals that are expectation and expectation for expectant and baby, as well as of course, gourmet meals! Welcome the Year of the Snake by reconnecting with these 8 traditional CNY snacks and sweets.
1. Nian Gao (Sticky Rice Cake)
Easter has its bunny rabbit and, there is no Chinese New Year celebration without nian gao, a sticky rice cake. Its name itself is a play on words because it sounds like the Chinese phrase ‘higher year,’ meaning promotions, good luck and upward movement in the coming year.
Count yourself lucky if you get a chance to taste the brown sugar nian gao, the Cantonese nian gao with candied fruits and nuts. You may savor it fried, steamed, or pan-fried, that is delicious to add to your meal. The higher it goes – the more it is believed to bring blessings!
2. Pineapple Tarts
The pineapple symbolizes many fortunes and its leaves, the spiky exterior symbolize the good fortunes awaiting those into pineapple tarts. It is served during tea time and has an exposed or covered base of crumbly buttery short crust with wonderfully sweet pineapple jam.
Produce them for consumption for the New Year festive season, give them as gifts to friends and co-workers as one of the CNY edible goodies or better still, bring it to the numerous CNY open houses you maybe invited to.
3. Bak Kwa (Barbecued Pork)
Let’s 10 thin slices of barbecued pork Bak kwa which caramelized aroma and taste giving it a iconic CNY snack. Premium bak kwa is soft and tasty rather than over caramelised or burnt.
Bak kwa is one of those food items that are pre-ordered by homemakers for serving during home visits or sending to relatives who live in other countries during CNY celebrations. For that extra kick go for versions coated with spices, black pepper or chilli.
4. Kuih Bangkit is also known as tapioca cookies
White, elegant and giving the impression of the scent of both coconut and pandan, it appeals for every CNY feat cookie plate. Like small crisp pillows bangkit is Malay for pillows, they are meant to be perfect teatime to get together and to chat.
Bangkit cookies represent people’s desire to grow higher in the coming year. Don’t think it can hurt to have more trays at your table, though!
5. Chinese New Year Cake
This kind of steamed rice flour cake is actually a symbol in Chinese culture. The main elements that rice flour, brown sugar, and root vegetables symbolize endless prosperity and perpetual happiness in the lives of people.
Families will congregate around to cut the cny cake and share out portions for the coming CNY during CNY eve. Any request made in the shower should be done with the fingers crossed, so that good luck will follow; however, look for the gold coin that is sometimes hidden there or the pendant with more prosperity comes!
6. Candy Tray
Colourful tray of sweets and candies is an integral part of some of the CNY celebration. Make some pineapple candies, sugared lotus seeds, preserved ginger and plump red dates to be ready for eating any time.
Red and gold colors of this vivid candy tray represent prosperity. There are candy dishes placed on the coffee table where guests feel at liberty to take as they engage in some hearty conversation.
7. Mandarin Oranges
Juicy and nice-skinned mandarin oranges or tangerines are said to bring fortune. One of the reasons is the bright reddish-orange color and the spherical forms being round that symbolically represents the prosperity and the treasures people want to get in the course of the new year.
Eat these succulent packages of the delicious product launched right from their skins. To add that added elegance, you can also marinate in a little brandy or dip in dark chocolate!
8. Peanut Snacks
Caramelized popcorn and candied crackers; husky rice; trail mixes recommended by ranger station vending machines:, mixed nuts; elongated kernels of rice puffed to resemble Rice-a-Roni. Nuts in general to state a year of confort , but the name peanuts does resembles the chinese word for gold or money.
One could try spicy chili nuts, any type of the nut brittle, fried peanuts with seaweed, they are little finger licking good treats too watch while watching with close ones CNY variety shows on the T.V.
There you have it, 8 of the best CNY snacks to make your celebrations more fun and enjoyable. So as you prepare your home for the reunion feast, ensure to prepare few of these symbolic goodies loved by young and old to strenghten appetite and promote the festive mood.
I am thankful to you for always being there and so here is wishing you loads of blessings for the new year. Happy CNY!