饺子
对于生活在北方的中国人而言,饺子是必备的年夜佳肴。饺子谐音“交子”,蕴含着辞旧迎新,拥抱未来的美好愿景。饺子的馅料也很有讲究,比如白菜馅预示着“百财”,而韭菜馅意味着“长长久久”。
Dumplings
With a history of more than 1,800 years, dumplings, also known as jiaozi (饺子) in Chinese, are a traditional dish eaten on Spring Festival eve, especially in northern China.
In Chinese, the pronunciation of dumplings sounds the same as 交子 (jiaozi). 交 means “exchange,” while 子 means the midnight hours. Combined, jiaozi means the exchange between the old and new year, while people who eat dumplings are said to leave the past behind, and embrace a new year.
Traditionally, dumplings are made to look like ancient Chinese gold ingots, which were at one point used as currency. Popular fillings include Chinese cabbage, which represents wealth, as well as green leeks, which symbolize everlasting affluence. Rumor has it that the more dumplings you eat during the reunion dinner, the more money you will make in the coming year.
In many regions, a white thread is wrapped inside one of the dumplings, and the person who picks it is believed to gain longevity in the future. Coins are also placed inside some dumplings, and those who choose them are supposed to become rich in the coming year.
In addition to its delicious flavor, the process of making dumplings is also a family custom during the Spring Festival. During dinner preparations, all family members will wrap dumplings together, while in specific regions, the daughter-in-law must make dumplings for the older family members to be considered part of the family.
Recipe丨Dumplings
Flavor: salty
Cooking method: boil, steam or simmer
Cultural Connotation: Jiaozi means sending a farewell to the past, as well as receiving wealth and happiness in the coming year
汤圆
与北方人不同,南方许多地区在春节期间会吃汤圆。汤圆寓意团圆,浑圆的形状也被视为家庭幸福,和和美美的象征。需要注意的是,北方的元宵和南方的汤圆还是有差异的。从做法上看,元宵通常用干粉滚制而成,汤圆则是用糯米烫揉后的湿粉包成。元宵通常是在春节的最后一天,也就是元宵节食用,而汤圆则多出现在年夜饭的餐桌上。
Glutinous rice balls
Glutinous rice balls, or Tangyuan (汤圆), is a sweet dish served during the Spring Festival in southern China. Unlike dumplings, the dough of Tangyuan is made using glutinous rice powder and has a sweet filling made of ingredients such as red bean paste, fruit and brown sugar.
The rice balls are usually cooked and served in boiling water with fermented glutinous rice and sweet ginger syrup, though in some regions, they can also be deep-fried to add a stronger flavor. Glutinous rice balls are usually shared among all family members. Their round shape signifies family togetherness, while tangyuan is a homophone for union (团圆-tuanyuan).
Popular in both northern and southern China, glutinous rice balls may take different forms or names in different regions. In the north of China, this dish is usually called yuan xiao (元宵) and is served during the lantern festival, the 15th day of Chinese New Year, while in south China, the rice balls are typically served in a savory soup made with Chinese radish and homemade fish cake on New Year's Eve.
Recipe丨Glutinous rice balls
Flavor: sweet
Cooking method: boil or fry
Cultural Connotation: the round shape represents completeness and reunion
蔬菜佳肴
蔬菜是年夜饭桌上必不可少的美味。许多蔬菜因谐音吉利,而成为中国人喜爱的春节食材。
在中国北方大部分地区,白菜是必不可少的年夜饭菜肴。白菜谐音“百财”,有着财源滚滚,八方来财的美好寓意;韭菜则谐音“久财”,意味着长长久久,幸福美满。
在南方,莲藕和莲子是春节餐桌上的常客,因为莲藕和莲子寓意多子多福,家运昌盛。
Vegetable stew
Vegetables play a significant role on the reunion dinner table. Traditionally, all vegetable dishes have related to a play on words, with every recipe containing a good wish for the coming year.
Though the choice of vegetables may differ in different regions, several familiar vegetable dishes are eaten across China during the new year. For instance, one recipe including Chinese cabbage and lotus seeds is popular during the Spring Festival, as in Chinese, cabbage is a homophone of “unlimited wealth,” while lotus seeds represent a blessing for many children and a healthy family.
In south China, bamboo shoots are considered a lucky vegetable dish for the reunion dinner, as they represent longevity as well as good fortune. In north China, the leek is typically made into a salad or a filling for dumplings, because it sounds similar to 久, meaning everlasting fortune.
Recipe丨Vegetable stew
Flavor: sweet, salty or spicy
Cooking method: boil, fry or steam
Cultural Connotation: a symbol of good fortune, health, and happiness