20 EASY CHINESE RECIPES TO HELP YOU CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR (2024)

FAQs

What is the two foods to eat during Chinese New Year to bring good luck? ›

In Lunar New Year traditions, revelers believe tangerines, oranges and pomelos bring good fortune. Their Mandarin names echo words with symbolic meanings: "jú" for oranges suggests "good luck" or "fortune," "chéng" for tangerine is akin to "success," and "youzi" for pomelos sounds similar to "have" or "abundance."

In many parts of Northern China, people eat "Jiaozi" (饺子dumplings) as the most favoured dish for the New Year's Eve dinner. There are different flavours of Jiaozi with different types of fillings, such as meat, seafood and vegetables.

Lumpia is said to attract luck and money and is a symbol for wealth prosperity because of their resemblance to gold bars. Lumpia is a delicious way to serve up good fortune for New Year 2024. Have some fun and try these different variations of lumpia recipes for your Filipino new year food menu.

On the first day of the lunar year:

No washing clothes or hair or bathing. The first and second day of the lunar year is the birthday of the “Water God”, so you are not supposed to use water to show respect for the Water God. No sweeping the floor or taking out rubbish. If you do so, you are carrying your fortune out.

Many folks choose not to eat meat on New Year's Day as it is considered taboo to kill animals on the first day of the year. Congee should also be avoided as it was deemed as a common meal for those less fortunate in ancient times. Lastly, avoid taking any medicine on New Year's Day as it is also thought to be bad luck.

"In northern China, carp is the most popular fish for the new year dinner. It is best eaten in a stew with soy sauce.

It's said that you shouldn't eat winged fowl (read: birds like turkey or chicken), bottom feeders (like shrimp or catfish), or any seafood that swims backward or side to side (like lobster or crab).

These auspicious fruits typically include apples, grapes, oranges, watermelon, pomelo, pineapple, pears, golden melon, guava, kiwi, rambutan, chico, and lemons.

A Lunar New Year celebration isn't truly fulfilled without a steamed fish! Symbolizing wealth and prosperity, this dish is typically served whole. In Chinese tradition, the word for fish also signifies surplus, guaranteeing a feeling of abundance year after year!