Life of Guangzhou - Lunar New Year--Food

Nian Gao

Popcorn, You Jiao, Dan San, Yu Xia and Nian Gao are all traditional foods during the Spring Festival in Guangzhou. However, most of these dishes are fried dim sum and are not in demand as much due to more health conscience eaters now.

Nian Gao 年糕--Sweet Rice Pudding is called the New Year cake, literally it is for the New Year. 糕 (gao, pudding) has the same pronunciation as 高 (gao, high) in Chinese. The Nian Gao means reaching a higher stage in your life and work. There are also other kinds of Chinese pudding for the New Year like Luo Bo Gao (radish pudding), Ma Ti Gao (water chestnut pudding) and Jiu Ceng Gao (a kind of pudding that has nine layers).

Candies

You Jiao

Tuan'nianfan 团年饭--Reunion Dinner

The reunion dinner on the eve of the Lunar New Year is like a magnet that draws all the family members back home. Reunion dinner is less of a ceremony and more of a promise that the family will once again unite despite their work and studies outside. The feast that's held on the eve of the New Year is always well prepared and sumptuous. Essentials of the feast include fish (representing an abundant year), lettuce (representing vigorous), shallot (representing wisdom), celery (representing diligence), chicken and duck. Although families still gather together, it is now often that they do not eat inside the home. Many restaurants will offer a Reunion Dinner Package to attract these modern people who want to have a great dinner but haven't enough time to cook.

(Written by Carrot Chan and Proofread by Kimberly Barteau)