Introduction
The CNY is a festivity mainly associated with great eating and time spent with loved ones. The holiday season is all full of traditions, prescribed practices, and delicious treats that only add that extra sparkle to the event. .Tang Yuan, Sesame Seed Ball are the two sweet names and they have many more sweet names that can be mentioned. In this article, we have compiled ten tastiest CNY goodies that are warm and filling which can be enjoyed with family and friends.
1. Nian Gao (Sticky Rice Cake)
They especially fried Nian Gao which is a Chinese New Year food that signifies height or advancement in HG, wealth and a saccharine, auspicious year ahead. Also locally known as Kue, this cake is a mixture of glutinous rice flour and sometimes has ingredients such as red bean or pandan flavored within it, and is has a very sticky sweet texture that is very popular among the people. Nian Gao is served plain as a sweet or savory dish, or pan-fried with a layer of sesame seeds on top of the steamed rice.
2. Tang Yuan (Sweet Rice Dumplings)
Tang Yuan is one of the most favorite desserts to be enjoyed at that time of Chinese New Year since it symbolizes family reunion. It is a pastry made of glutinous rice flour with sweet fillings like red bean or sesame paste inside and boiled in sweet soup and normally served in clear ginger sugar. There you can also add a more contemporary feel by putting in bright highlights such as grated coconut or crushed peanut.
3. Pineapple Tarts
It is an indispensable treat in many Chinese homes during CNY; pineapple tarts are golden-brown pastry shells with sweet pineapple paste filling. These are treats and symbolizes prosperity and success and are taken by the people all ages. This dessert has many adaptations nowadays, but the pineapple tarts that are Traditional, golden, some kind of butter cookies – always nice.
4. Love Letters
Love letters, also called “Kueh Bangkit”, is another traditional snack for Indonesians which is very light and has a short crispy texture It is baked from the mixture of coconut milk, rice flour and egg yolks. They are made into long and narrow fillets in the Chinese characters of ‘SHUN’ meaning spring and prosperity. Staline Love letters are light and airy and when you combine that with the buttery flavor they are simply irresistible.
5. Sesame Seed Balls
Sesame seed balls also are offered during the CNY, symbolizing the Chinese term convoy . These are balls made from glutinous rice flour, sesame seeds, and sweet red bean paste found inside the balls, deep fried and rolled in sesame seeds. They have a beautiful texture of crispy and can best be taken when they are hot.
6. Lotus Seed Paste Nian Gao
Lotus Seed Paste Nian Gao is essentially the Nian Gao but with the rice flour noodles substituted with sweet and aromatic lotus seed paste. This refined version of the sticky rice cake is made with more butter and sugar and sesame oil and might be coated with a rind of glutinous rice paste and dusted with sesame seeds. Both, the sweet taste of the lotus seed paste and the bouncy dough of the Nian Gao are divine in combination.
7. Almond Cookies
Almond Cookies is popular all-year round in Chinese homes particularly during festivals, which represent longevity and blessing. These rickety thin biscuit consist of a dough prepared from flour, sugar and serve of almond. Due to their slight sweetness and appealing crunchy texture they are perfect to be paired with tea or coffee.
8. Red Bean Soup
Red Bean Soup or Dou Sha is probably one of the best sweet soups that many Chinese love to have particularly during CNY. This soup is boiled red mung beans and flavoured with rock sugar and commonly served accompanied with crushed walnut or coconut chips. This a very simple but healthy soup that w’d wish to recommend for your family especially in the festive season.
9. Five Spice Duck
This year’s specialty is the Five Spice Duck and is a traditional festive dish, consumed during the CNY to mean ‘fortune’. It is marinated with five spices (star anise, cloves, Sichuan pepper, fennel seeds, cinnamon) and then roasted appropriately. This dish is common throughout the holiday season due to the perfect combination of the savoury, aromatic tastes of the five spice and the tenderness of the meat.
10. Sweet Potato Puffs
Wu Taku or Sweet Potato Puffs are golden crisp pastry cases packed with a rich sweet potato paste. Clown biscuits are one of the most common CNY cookies which represent joy and warmth. The crisper outside and the soft inside sweet potato taste make it extremely enjoyable to eat Sweet potato pie.
Conclusion
Chinese New Year is a time of joy, feasting, and reunion, where families come together to celebrate and share in the warmth of tradition. And no celebration is complete without indulging in the delicious CNY goodies that have been passed down through generations. These treats are more than just food—they carry deep cultural meaning. For example, Nian Gao, with its auspicious symbolism, represents progress and growth, while the rich, golden pineapple tarts are not only a treat for the taste buds but also a symbol of wealth and good fortune. As you enjoy these delightful CNY goodies with your loved ones, take a moment to reflect on the traditions that make this time of year so special. Gather your family, savor these festive delicacies, and create memories that will bring joy to your hearts for years to come. Wishing you a prosperous and joyous Chinese New Year!
