The meaning behind lunar New Year’s foods

Today marks the beginning of a very special time for the Chinese and several other cultures, as it is the beginning of the lunar new year. This holiday, celebrated by 20% of the world’s population, is honored differently in various countries, but food features prominently in all celebrations. Each of the foods traditionally eaten during this holiday has a meaning behind it.

People in the northern part of China celebrate with dumplings, while in the South they are more likely to nosh on spring rolls or tangyuan. For sweets, Nian gao, also known as “rice cake” or “New Year cake” in English, are a must for Chinese New Year. Many of the traditional New Year’s foods are symbols of good luck and prosperity in the coming year. 

In Tibet, Losar is celebrated with momo, a type of dumpling. These are packed with minced meat and are filled with juice, which necessitates a thicker wrapper to contain the liquid. The Vietnamese ring in Tet with a variety of dishes including a red sticky rice called Xoi Gac. This is a symbolic dish because of its vibrant red coloring, which comes from gac, a baby jackfruit that is hard to come by outside of Asia.

Seollal is the word for the Korean New Year, and the most significant dish for this holiday is Tteokguk, rice cake soup. It is usually made with beef or anchovy broth, beef chunks, thinly sliced rice cake, with egg or al-gomyeong (a type of omelette) whisked in to finish. This dish is believed to bring longevity, good health and fortune.

Photo of Tibetan steamed dumplings (Momos) from Rick Stein’s India