Ancient Chinese Recipes by Ava McHugh

Chinese new year is the first full moon of the year.  Usually Chinese new year is between January 21st and February 9th.  It is actually the biggest festival in China’s events.  This year is the year of the rabbit , and we are going to celebrate it.  Chinese new year is a celebration of Chinese tradition and food.

Chinese new year is a celebration of a new year.  Family and friends get together to give gifts of love to others around them.  Each year there is a new animal that represents the year.  We have this because of an old Chinese legend.  One new year the king of china in invited all the animals in the forest and only twelve said yes.  Chinese celebration Chinese new year but anyone can celebrate it too.  Chinese new year is also called the spring festival, and it is a celebration of traditional Chinese culture . Some of the Chinese events are lion dancers in the street and a traditional Chinese meal inside.  We have Chinese new year to help us keep a calender and culture and tradition passed on from generation to generation.

I find ancient Chinese recipes very interesting.  Here are a couple of dishes and their meanings:  Hoe See Fat Choy is hair seaweed and dried oysters.  Another meal called ” The five blessings of Chinese new year” is a platter of steamed vegetables and some meats.  Every New Year’s Eve the family sits down to a traditional main course of Carp.  This fish symbolizes a profitable year ahead. The fish is never fully eaten to ensure that the family will have an excess of good fortune through the year. Vegetables are thought to store good fortune in their roots. Fish balls (yu-wan) and meat balls (jou-wan) are also served. The round shape of the meat and fish balls portrays togetherness. Great care is taken to serve an even number of dishes to bestow “double happiness” on the family.  Dumplings are served with a clean coin hidden in one and whoever gets it is lucky for the rest of the year.

The reason we are celebrating Chinese New Year this year is because we are studying China in the month of February. We are learning a lot about China but I cannot wait to learn to cook some traditional Chinese meals.  It is going to be very fun!