8 Lucky Foods to Eat in Chinese New Year 2017-Eat & Become Rich! Chinese New Year begins Saturday, January 28th - it's the Year of the Rooster! Many cultures believe the key to a Happy New Year is beginning with New Year's lucky foods. The Chinese in particular are extremely superstitious. So, their New Year is specially marked with rules for eating to ward off the evil spirits. China possesses a strong cultural heritage that spans more than 5000 years.
Going by their inherited tradition, they have a 15-day celebration filled food that, according to them, may shape one's future. Every dish has its symbolism deeply rooted in Chinese culture. Different kinds of food have different meanings, which express people's good wishes for a new year.
Many Chinese New Year traditions are about sending the cosmos a message using common objects to represent ideas. This is where food fits so perfectly into the pattern. Food is about sustenance, abundance, home, health, wealth, and family, sharing and preparing for the future. These are all positive things that fit well with common New Year's hopes and wishes.
Chinese New Year is made up of a rich fabric of symbols, traditions and superstitions designed to influence the future. In Chinese tradition, by observing practices that are part faith, part folklore and part custom, you can encourage happiness and wealth into your life.
So, here's a brief on the foods that if eaten during the Chinese New Year can bring abundance into your life this year. Click on the image below to enlarge.
Traditionally served on the first day of the New Year's Festival, Cantonese spring rolls are enjoyed because they symbolize bars of gold, and therefore prosperity and wealth.
An essential dish on your New Year's table, longevity noodles, or mian tiao. These lengthy noodles are said to ensure the eater has a long and healthy life - just be sure you don't cut the noodles as that's symbolic of cutting your life short.
On New Year's Eve, families gather together to make jiao zi dumplings, as the word jiao zi sounds similar to a phrase that means 'bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new'. Serve these golden pot-sticker dumplings as the clock strikes midnight to welcome good fortune and wealth for the year ahead.
Melons and pomelos are symbolic of family unity.
Seed-filled pomegranates stand for fertility.
As the Cantonese word for lettuce sounds like 'rising fortune', san choy bau is another popular Lunar New Year recipe. Perfect if you're angling for a raise in 2017!
Eat Broccoli or cauliflower ,as the thousands of blossoms on each stalk represent a blossoming year
Rice, quinoa, risotto, barley and other starches symbolize abundance since they swell when cooked.
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