What Food Do You Eat on Lunar New Year?

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Food plays a very important role in the celebration of the Lunar New Year. It’s not only a feast but also a celebration of family and the promise of a better year ahead. Symbols, myths and superstitions are incorporated into many of the dishes that are served.

Fish is considered an auspicious food for the new year. It symbolizes good luck and abundance. Whole fish is commonly served during the celebration. Steamed fish is also common.

Rice balls are a popular dessert during the Chinese New Year. They are usually filled with sweet or savory ingredients. A rice ball can be a savory filling or a sweet one. These balls are often dipped in condensed milk or fried. During the New Year, these sweet morsels are believed to bring good luck.

Chicken is another popular dish that people serve on the New Year. It is often served with noodles. The Chinese word for chicken is homonym to the word for good luck. Many times, chicken is eaten to ensure that the family receives prosperity for the new year.

Dumplings are also common. The shape of dumplings is similar to the shape of gold ingots. Fillings for these can be anything from pork to shrimp to red bean.

Banh tet is a Vietnamese dish that is eaten during the Tet celebration. It is made from glutinous rice and stuffed with pork fat and mung bean. The dish is then rolled into banana leaves and offered to an ancestral altar.

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