Traditional food, meanings and practices during the Spring Festival

Mondo Gastronomy Updated on 2024-02-25

Chinese New Year is one of the most important traditional festivals in China, and it is also a time for families to reunite and spend the festivities together. During the Chinese New Year, every household prepares sumptuous treats to celebrate the arrival of the new year. In this article, I will share some traditional delicacies during the Spring Festival, as well as their meanings and practices.

First, let's talk about dumplings. Dumplings are a food that must be prepared during the Chinese New Year in the north, because it is shaped like an ingot, which means "attracting wealth and entering treasure". During the Spring Festival, the whole family sits around and chats while making dumplings, which is full of warmth and joy. The fillings of the dumplings are also particular, and there are generally auspicious types such as pork, green onions, leeks, and eggs. When making dumplings, it is also necessary to put coins, candies and other auspicious things in the dumplings, and eating these things also means good luck and happiness.

In addition to dumplings, rice cakes are also a must-have delicacy for southerners to celebrate the Spring Festival. Rice cake means "rising every year", and it is made from glutinous rice, which has a soft and glutinous texture and can be combined with various ingredients to make different flavors. During the Spring Festival, people will make rice cakes into desserts or stir-fried dishes, such as sugar rice cakes, rice cake pork ribs, etc., which are very delicious choices.

In addition, spring cakes are also one of the traditional delicacies during the Spring Festival. Spring cake is a thin cake made of flour, and its meaning is "spring is full of good, auspicious wishes". In the north, people will sandwich spring cakes with a variety of cold dishes, such as bean sprouts, vermicelli, eggs, etc., and then roll them up and eat. In the south, spring cakes are eaten with ingredients such as sticky rice or sticky rice cakes.

In addition to the above delicacies, there are many other Spring Festival delicacies, such as tangyuan, eight-treasure rice, lucky oranges, and so on. These delicacies not only imply good luck and happiness, but also carry the affection and thoughts between family members.

During the Spring Festival, every household will be busy preparing a variety of delicacies. At this time, relatives and friends will also pay New Year's greetings to each other, visit each other, and taste each other's food. This tradition of exchanging delicacies has also become a cultural custom during the Spring Festival. Sometimes, people also give their own food to neighbors, friends, or elders as a sign of blessing and concern.

In the process of preparing Chinese New Year delicacies, there are some precautions to be observed. First of all, the ingredients should be fresh and hygienic, which is the basis for ensuring food safety. Secondly, it is necessary to follow traditional practices in the production process and maintain the original flavor. Finally, pay attention to the appropriate amount when tasting the food, and do not overeat it and cause indigestion.

In short, Chinese New Year food is an important part of traditional Chinese culture, and they symbolize good luck and happiness. During the Chinese New Year, try some traditional delicacies to get a taste of their flavor and cultural connotations. At the same time, we should also pay attention to food safety and healthy diet, so that this Spring Festival will be healthier and happier.

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