In another three weeks it will be Chinese New Year, which is on Friday January 31 in 2014. This event entails a bit of preparation. If you are Chinese, you will have paid off your debts, cleaned the house (年廿八，洗邋遢 'nin yaa baat, sai laa taat' - "on the 28th. day scrub out the trash"), bought new clothes to be worn on that day, and started preparing little red packets of leisi (利是 'lucky money') for younger kin-folk, friends' kids, business associates, and favoured customers.
You are calculating all the leisi in advance, because it is so important, and it will require careful thought and financial planning.
There cannot be any mistake or oversight.
利是 (利事)，紅包。
LEI SI, HONG BAU
[The red envelope.]
The monetary amount will be carefully graduated. Your unmarried kin get more -- much more -- than the children of your friends or junior business associates. And favoured customers will likely only get a token amount, just enough to buy them some shots of whiskey.
The money should always be an even number, because odd sums are associated with the mollificatory envelope given to guests at funerals. For similar good-luck reasons, four is to be avoided (sound like death), and eight is very appropriate (sounds like striking it rich).
You must also prepare many incidental packets for spur of the moment gifting; a single ten or a twenty dollar bill is actually quite common in Chinatown, so is a five. Anything else should be two crisp bills.
If you slipped in a fifty or hundred, no one would complain.
The nominal purpose of the red packets is to spread joy and make sure only happy and propitious things are said.
But there is an undercurrent to the act which could be of equal weight.
Especially in families, where leisi is a serious affair.
Money, of course, is power. But money is ALSO a message. What you could be telling your adult unmarried offspring by handing over the packet of cash is: "why aren't you married yet yes I understand that you can't seem to find any one who actually likes you enough to do something stupid we might have to find you someone or bribe the local orphanage please graduate from college first and for crapsakes do something with your life idiot." This is a complicated and nuanced statement; it may require quite a bit of moolah.
The only thing you might actually voice is 學業進步 ('hok yip chün pou'; "achieve progress in your studies"). Their muttered response could be 龍馬精神 ('lung maa jing san'; "may you have the vim of a dragon or a horse"), which wishes the older person a longer and more energetic life.
The leisi for everyone else simply says: "you are younger than me".
Along with "be happy, please don't say anything unlucky".
And: "I would like you to have a good year".
If the recipient is actually older, but NOT married, it still says that they are younger.
It goes without saying that employees should be given leisi, in addition to any bonuses that are their due, such as an entire month's salary, so that they too can fulfill their obligations at this crucial time.
Withholding salaries is an extremely bad idea.
So is absconding with the cash box.
Though not unheard of
年卅晚
NIN SAA MAAN
[The thirtieth evening.]
Possible the most important thing to do, however, is celebrate New Year's Eve with family. Train stations and airports will be jammed, scenes of utter madness and chaos, as hundreds of thousands of migrant workers and middle-class people posted to distant provinces scramble to get home before that night. And home, often, is either the village from which the clan originated, or the place where the most senior members of the family live. Couples who haven't seen each other all year because they work in different cities are desperate to meet again, and spend time together. College students will return, if possible -- difficult in the United States, where Lunar New Year is scarcely known -- and overseas relatives might plan to spend a few weeks 'down on the farm' (返鄉下 'fan heung haa') in the old country, if finances permit.
The new year's eve dinner (年夜飯 'nin ye faan') is immense, so that everyone can start off the year satisfied, but also so that there will be enough food left over that no cooking at all needs to be done on the first day, when lighting fires and running water is considered bad luck.
Essential dishes will include a whole steamed fish, because the word for fish sounds the same as 'surplus' (魚 'yü'; 餘 'yü'), as in the phrase "nin nin yau yü" (年年有餘 "may there be a surplus every year", OR "may there be a yearly surplus").
A whole chicken, usually plain poached or boiled, then perhaps brushed with sesame oil, is also served, which is suitable as an altar offering, and often there will be a roast duck alongside, because the combination of those two symbolizes a happy couple and a harmonious household.
Another dish which is popular is Luo Han Chai (羅漢齋 'lo hon chai'), a vegetarian hutchepot which combines bamboo shoots (竹筍 'juk suen'), beancurd sheet (腐竹 'fu juk'), black mushrooms (冬菇 'dong gu'), carrots (紅蘿蔔 'hong lo baak'), bean thread noodles (粉絲 'fan si'), dried golden needle lily (金針 'kam jam'), gingko nut kernels (白果 'baak gwo'), lotus seeds (蓮子 'lin ji'), water chestnuts (馬蹄 'maa tai'), small cabbages (白菜 'baak choi'), soaked black wood ear fungus (木耳 'muk yi'), and fried wheat gluten lumps (炸麵筋 'jaa min gan').
The ingredients are added according to their required cooking time, the broth includes yellow rice wine (黃酒 'wong jau') and soy sauce (豉油 'si yau'), but rarely garlic (蒜頭 'suen tau') or ginger (薑 'geung'), which are not really acceptable according to Buddhists. Utter heretics would also add fresh shrimp (鮮蝦 'sin haa'), dried oysters (蠔豉 'ho si'), oyster sauce (蠔油 'ho yau'), and any other vegetables that strike their fancy, or even pork.
Mmmmm, pork!
Luo Han Chai is brought to the table in a casserole, from which dinners help themselves. Sharing food like this is an embodiment of both fortuity and family togetherness. For the same reason, instead of luo han chai, a sumptuous hotpot may be featured.
If Dried Oyster and Hair Moss is NOT served as a separate dish, then the hair vegetable will be added to the Luo Han Chai.
Dried Oysters and Hair Moss (蠔豉髮菜 'ho si fat choi') is a traditional preparation which sounds particularly lucky in Cantonese, being a phrase wishing everyone good business affairs and prosperity (好事發財 'ho si fat choi'). The dried oysters are rehumidified, then stewed with braised fatty pork, with stock, wine, and hair vegetable (髮菜 nostoc flagelliforme) added in a fairly small quantity, just enough to clearly demonstrate its presence.
Recipes for 好事發財 can be found by clicking this link:
dried oysters with black moss.
Further essential dishes are assorted meats in a savoury sauce, something with vegetables that are round or circular when sliced (mushrooms or carrots), one or two dishes with luxurious ingredients such as sea cucumber or fish maw, and anything with a red or orange hue.
White vegetables must probably be avoided.
Because white is an unhappy colour.
Dumplings (餃 'gaau'), which are reminiscent of gold ingots (a traditional good fortune design) are also a very good idea, but if you are Cantonese you might prefer to eat them the next day, along with such snackity things as year cake (年糕 'nin gou'), turnip cake (蘿蔔糕 'lo baak gou'), and others.
Melon seeds, fresh citrus fruits (lucky colours!), and a selection of old-fashioned candies (particularly those made of lotus root, because of its connotations) are also important.
吉祥話
GAT CHEUNG WA
[Good wishes.]
It's not just about money and foods. One important aspect of the entire fifteen day festival is what comes out of your mouth. What you say may cause bad luck, and to avoid even the chance of maladicta jinxing the year, many businesses will be closed for at least one day, often several, upon the start of the celebration.
In addition, several phrases are so ingrained that people will utter them automatically, sometimes without thinking, but never the less very sincerely meant.
Here is a good selection to start; you might want to internalize these sentences:
新年進步 San nin chuen bo: New year advances and progress.
心想事成 Sam seung si sing: Hearts desires become complete.
富貴長春 Fu gwai cheung chun: Wealth, honour, and a long spring.
年年有餘 Nin nin yau yü; Year after year surplus.
新年快樂 San nin faai lok: New year happiness; happy new year.
新年大吉 San nin taai gat: New year greatly fortunate; be lucky this year.
歲歲平安 Seui seui ping on: Year after year peace and safety.
生意興隆 Sang yi hing lung: Business prosperity.
萬事如意 Maan si yü yi: All your aspirations be fulfilled.
身體健康 San tai gin hong: physical health.
長命百歲 Cheung ming baak seui: Long life one hundred years.
闔家全福 Hap gaa chuen fuk: Entire family complete happiness.
五福齊天 Ng fuk jai tin: five good fortunes equal to heaven.
五福臨門 Ng fuk lin mun: five good fortunes approaching the gate.
吉慶多福 Gat hing do fuk: Auspicious happiness much good fortune.
舉家歡樂 Geui gaa fun lok: Entire family joyous.
福疊富貴 Fuk daap fuk kwai: Fortune upon wealth and honour.
福壽如意 Fuk sou yü yi: Good fortune, longevity, and all desires.
福如東海 Fuk yü tung hoi: Good fortune as vast as the ocean.
福壽雙全 Fuk sou seung chün: Good fortune and longevity both complete.
If all else fails, you can always fall back on "gung hey fat choi" (恭喜發財). It's more of a congratulatory phrase than a new year wish, but it works.
'Reverent happiness and get rich'.
We all want that.
年節, 過年, 春節, 農曆年初一～十五
NIN JIT, GWO NIN, CHÜN JIT, NUNG LIK NIN CHO YAT DAU SAP NG
[The annual event, passing the year, Spring festival, agricultural calendar year beginning one through fifteen.]
1. The first day of the new year is 元旦 ('yuen daan'; perfect dawn). It begins at midnight, and setting off fireworks is a traditional way to scare away any evil or ill-fortune, besides scaring the bejayzus out of recent immigrants to the city from the Midwest. Then you light incense at the family altars, and welcome the protective deities of heaven and earth. Buddhists will not eat meat on this day. Relatives visit each other, and everyone honours the most senior members of the family.
2. The second day officially "opens" the year (開年 'hoi nin'), and married women pay their respects to blood kin, especially their parents.
In Hong Kong, a representative of the government is sent to the Che Kong Temple (車公廟) to get the city's fortune for the year read.
3. The third day (赤口 'chek hou'; crimson gullet) is a lousy day for visiting people,but an excellent time to burn offerings and set celebratory fires.
5. The fifth day is the birthday of the God of Wealth (財神 'choi san'). It's good to pay your respects to him, as well as to Lord Guan (關羽、 關公、 關二哥; 'gwan yü', 'gwan gong', 'gwan yi go').
Make noise, set off firecrackers.
7. On the seventh day, don't eat meat. There's a Buddhist reason.
8. On the eighth, have a celebratory dinner for your family or employees, and mark the birthday of the ruler of heaven (天公 'tin gong'). Which is actually tomorrow.
9. Ruler of heaven. See number eight.
13. Buddhists will avoid meat again on the thirteenth day, and businesses will pay reverence to Lord Guan, in the hope that he will look out for them in the coming year.
15. The fifteenth day of New Year is the Lantern Festival, which marks the end of the festivities.
後記 HOU KEI
[Afterword.]
Things you should avoid at all costs immediately after the year has begun because they are symbolically bad luck include saying negative stuff, speaking of disease or death, criticizing other people, sweeping or house-cleaning, throwing stuff away, and running the water excessively. In fact, try not to let any water at all go down the drain on the first day or two, as water stands in for wealth.
If you are white, none of this applies to you.
So don't get your knickers in a twist.
Just make sure they're clean.
And, perhaps, new.
Final note: wash your hair sometime on the last day before new year, as you should not bathe on the first day. Plus get your hair cut beforehand.
And you might want to leave the house just before midnight for a quick smoke outside, so that you are the first person to enter in the new year.
Also prop the broom upside down against the front door.
It scares away thieves and burglars.
Or so I've heard.
恭賀新禧
Gung ho san hei.
==========================================================================
NOTE: Readers may contact me directly:
LETTER BOX.
All correspondence will be kept in confidence.
==========================================================================
Showing posts with label Lucky food for Chinese New Year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lucky food for Chinese New Year. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 08, 2014
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財 DRIED OYSTERS WITH BLACK MOSS
Probably the most Cantonese of good luck New Year dishes is the combination of dried oysters and black moss - neither of which are used by many Caucasians for some weird reason.
Both ingredients add their own unique characteristics to a dish, and they are delicious in combination.
BLACK MOSS
Nostoc flagelliforme, called hair vegetable in Chinese (髮菜 fat choi), is a cyanobacterium which grows low to the ground in arid regions. Because harvesting it is labour intensive, and the supply is naturally limited to begin with and getting more so due to high demand, it tends to be expensive. Prices vary between four and ten dollars per tael.
[TAEL: 兩 or 两 (leung): 37¾ grammes ~ 1.3 oz.]
The hair-like strands of black moss resemble steel wool in appearance and general dimensions, and are a dark green that verges on black when dry, dull greenish when wet. Lower grades are often adulterated with a dyed starch-strand imitation that appears jet-black and darkens the soaking water, and bargain black moss may in fact be mostly or entirely ersatz.
Black moss needs to be soaked for a few hours, and well-rinsed to get rid of sand, before use. If blanched in boiling water after rehydrating, the cooking time is shortened.
It is available in packets of one or two taels. Sealed against moisture it will keep for well over a year.
As a food it has no nutritional value whatsoever, is not really digestible, and is in fact mildly toxic, containing an amino acid which could adversely affect the normal function of nerve cells, possibly leading to dementia.
That does not appear to have significantly impacted anyone I know, and one would probably have to consume quite a bit for that ill-effect to be a problem for anyone other than the very rich and self-indulgent.
One minor benefit is that it helps the stomach cope with food impurities.
Black moss is used primarily for texture and appearance, and soaks up the flavours of sauces very nicely.
What makes it exceptionally desirable, especially for dishes served at New Year or at celebratory events, is that the name in Cantonese is homophonous with the term for getting rich.
Combined with dried oysters (蠔豉), the term for which sounds precisely like 'good affairs' (好事), you get the phrase 'ho si fat choi' - 好事發財 - expressing the wish that business should flourish.
HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財
Family style dried oysters, pork, dried mushrooms, and black moss.
One pound streaky pork belly (五花腩 ng fa nam), left whole.
A small handful (about a quarter of a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
3 - 5 dried shiitake mushrooms (冬菇 dong gu).
2 or 3 cloves garlic.
A small thumblength ginger.
A little bit of ground pepper and a pinch of five spice powder.
Half cup soy sauce.
Half cup sherry or rice wine.
Half cup stock or water.
Soak the black moss, dried oysters, and shiitake separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.
Whack the garlic and ginger with the flat side of a cleaver, but do not smash them.
Heat a little oil in a wok. Gild the garlic and ginger briefly, remove from pan and set aside.
Fry the piece of pork on all sides until the colour has changed and it is fragrant - drain off any excess grease that melted out.
Add the mushrooms, as well as the garlic and ginger, quick-fry briefly. Then add the oysters, liquids, and spices. Simmer for forty five minutes or so. Add the black moss, and cook for about twenty minutes more. Add water if necessary to keep the dish moist.
Arrange on a platter, garnish with cilantro or spring onion.
The pork should be soft enough that it can be broken with chopsticks or cut with a spoon, but you may wish to slice it for better presentation. This is enough for four people, but keeps well if there are any leftovers.
HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財
Restaurant style dried oysters with black moss.
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
8 black mushrooms (冬菇 dong gu).
A small handful (about a quarter of a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
Half cup superior stock.
Two TBS oyster sauce.
One Tsp. sugar.
One Tsp. sesame oil.
One Tsp. cornstarch mixed in a tablespoon water.
Soak the black moss, dried oysters, and shiitake separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.
Briefly stirfry the soaked oysters, add the mushrooms, chicken stock, oyster sauce, sugar, mushroom soaking water, and fatchoi. Simmer until the mushrooms are soft. Add in the cornstarch water and sesame oil, stir till slick, and plate it.
Garnish with cilantro or spring onion.
FAT CHOI JAU SAU 發財就手
Wealth right into the hand: pig's trotter with black moss and dried oyster.
One pig's trotter, rinsed scalded and scrubbed.
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
A small handful (about a quarter of a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
Six to ten baby bokchoy.
A few slices of ginger.
Quarter cup sherry or rice wine.
Quarter cup superior stock.
Two TBS oyster sauce.
One TBS soy sauce.
One Tsp. sugar.
Soak the black moss and dried oysters separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Place the trotter with some salt and a little oil in a wok, and tumble-fry it till it is well coloured and aromatic. Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe pan, add a little oil, and gild the ginger. Add the oysters, stir-fry briefly, seethe with the sherry. Add the trotter, stock, sugar, and water to keep it fairly soupy. Decant to a clay pot or casserole and simmer for an hour and a half to two hours.
Add the black moss, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and cook for another fifteen or twenty minutes.
Rinse and blanch the baby bokchoy, use them to rim a serving plate. Scoop the stew into the centre of the plate. Garnish with cilantro or spring onion.
The knuckle should be soft enough that it can be taken apart with chopsticks.
If you really want to play on the symbolism, you could serve a stirfried dish with carrot disks alongside.
NOTES:
日本蠔豉 (yat bun ho si): The best kinds of dried oysters come from Japan (日本), are nicely plump, show no damage, and are even and regular in appearance. As usual, you get what you pay for - it's worth spending a bit more.
髮菜 (fat choi): Nostoc flagelliforme.
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_choy
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostoc
好事發財 (ho si fat choi): 好 ho: good; to love. 事 si: matter, affair. 發 fat: issue, send out, bring forth, occur, happen. 財 choi: money, wealth. 發財 fat choi: get rich.
For more on symbolic edibles, see this post:
Chinese New Year - Lucky wishes, lucky foods
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/01/chinese-new-year-lucky-wishes-lucky.html
Concerning unfamiliar Chinese culinary substances:
Bird's nest - Shark fin - Sea cucumber
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/chinese-slimy-things.html
Common flavouring ingredients
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/10/dried-shrimp-chinese-cooking-fat-girls.html
==========================================================================
NOTE: Readers may contact me directly:
LETTER BOX.
All correspondence will be kept in confidence.
==========================================================================
Both ingredients add their own unique characteristics to a dish, and they are delicious in combination.
BLACK MOSS
Nostoc flagelliforme, called hair vegetable in Chinese (髮菜 fat choi), is a cyanobacterium which grows low to the ground in arid regions. Because harvesting it is labour intensive, and the supply is naturally limited to begin with and getting more so due to high demand, it tends to be expensive. Prices vary between four and ten dollars per tael.
[TAEL: 兩 or 两 (leung): 37¾ grammes ~ 1.3 oz.]
The hair-like strands of black moss resemble steel wool in appearance and general dimensions, and are a dark green that verges on black when dry, dull greenish when wet. Lower grades are often adulterated with a dyed starch-strand imitation that appears jet-black and darkens the soaking water, and bargain black moss may in fact be mostly or entirely ersatz.
Black moss needs to be soaked for a few hours, and well-rinsed to get rid of sand, before use. If blanched in boiling water after rehydrating, the cooking time is shortened.
It is available in packets of one or two taels. Sealed against moisture it will keep for well over a year.
As a food it has no nutritional value whatsoever, is not really digestible, and is in fact mildly toxic, containing an amino acid which could adversely affect the normal function of nerve cells, possibly leading to dementia.
That does not appear to have significantly impacted anyone I know, and one would probably have to consume quite a bit for that ill-effect to be a problem for anyone other than the very rich and self-indulgent.
One minor benefit is that it helps the stomach cope with food impurities.
Black moss is used primarily for texture and appearance, and soaks up the flavours of sauces very nicely.
What makes it exceptionally desirable, especially for dishes served at New Year or at celebratory events, is that the name in Cantonese is homophonous with the term for getting rich.
Combined with dried oysters (蠔豉), the term for which sounds precisely like 'good affairs' (好事), you get the phrase 'ho si fat choi' - 好事發財 - expressing the wish that business should flourish.
HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財
Family style dried oysters, pork, dried mushrooms, and black moss.
One pound streaky pork belly (五花腩 ng fa nam), left whole.
A small handful (about a quarter of a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
3 - 5 dried shiitake mushrooms (冬菇 dong gu).
2 or 3 cloves garlic.
A small thumblength ginger.
A little bit of ground pepper and a pinch of five spice powder.
Half cup soy sauce.
Half cup sherry or rice wine.
Half cup stock or water.
Soak the black moss, dried oysters, and shiitake separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.
Whack the garlic and ginger with the flat side of a cleaver, but do not smash them.
Heat a little oil in a wok. Gild the garlic and ginger briefly, remove from pan and set aside.
Fry the piece of pork on all sides until the colour has changed and it is fragrant - drain off any excess grease that melted out.
Add the mushrooms, as well as the garlic and ginger, quick-fry briefly. Then add the oysters, liquids, and spices. Simmer for forty five minutes or so. Add the black moss, and cook for about twenty minutes more. Add water if necessary to keep the dish moist.
Arrange on a platter, garnish with cilantro or spring onion.
The pork should be soft enough that it can be broken with chopsticks or cut with a spoon, but you may wish to slice it for better presentation. This is enough for four people, but keeps well if there are any leftovers.
HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財
Restaurant style dried oysters with black moss.
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
8 black mushrooms (冬菇 dong gu).
A small handful (about a quarter of a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
Half cup superior stock.
Two TBS oyster sauce.
One Tsp. sugar.
One Tsp. sesame oil.
One Tsp. cornstarch mixed in a tablespoon water.
Soak the black moss, dried oysters, and shiitake separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.
Briefly stirfry the soaked oysters, add the mushrooms, chicken stock, oyster sauce, sugar, mushroom soaking water, and fatchoi. Simmer until the mushrooms are soft. Add in the cornstarch water and sesame oil, stir till slick, and plate it.
Garnish with cilantro or spring onion.
FAT CHOI JAU SAU 發財就手
Wealth right into the hand: pig's trotter with black moss and dried oyster.
One pig's trotter, rinsed scalded and scrubbed.
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
A small handful (about a quarter of a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
Six to ten baby bokchoy.
A few slices of ginger.
Quarter cup sherry or rice wine.
Quarter cup superior stock.
Two TBS oyster sauce.
One TBS soy sauce.
One Tsp. sugar.
Soak the black moss and dried oysters separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Place the trotter with some salt and a little oil in a wok, and tumble-fry it till it is well coloured and aromatic. Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe pan, add a little oil, and gild the ginger. Add the oysters, stir-fry briefly, seethe with the sherry. Add the trotter, stock, sugar, and water to keep it fairly soupy. Decant to a clay pot or casserole and simmer for an hour and a half to two hours.
Add the black moss, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and cook for another fifteen or twenty minutes.
Rinse and blanch the baby bokchoy, use them to rim a serving plate. Scoop the stew into the centre of the plate. Garnish with cilantro or spring onion.
The knuckle should be soft enough that it can be taken apart with chopsticks.
If you really want to play on the symbolism, you could serve a stirfried dish with carrot disks alongside.
NOTES:
日本蠔豉 (yat bun ho si): The best kinds of dried oysters come from Japan (日本), are nicely plump, show no damage, and are even and regular in appearance. As usual, you get what you pay for - it's worth spending a bit more.
髮菜 (fat choi): Nostoc flagelliforme.
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_choy
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostoc
好事發財 (ho si fat choi): 好 ho: good; to love. 事 si: matter, affair. 發 fat: issue, send out, bring forth, occur, happen. 財 choi: money, wealth. 發財 fat choi: get rich.
For more on symbolic edibles, see this post:
Chinese New Year - Lucky wishes, lucky foods
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/01/chinese-new-year-lucky-wishes-lucky.html
Concerning unfamiliar Chinese culinary substances:
Bird's nest - Shark fin - Sea cucumber
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/chinese-slimy-things.html
Common flavouring ingredients
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/10/dried-shrimp-chinese-cooking-fat-girls.html
==========================================================================
NOTE: Readers may contact me directly:
LETTER BOX.
All correspondence will be kept in confidence.
==========================================================================
Sunday, January 30, 2011
CHINESE NEW YEAR - LUCKY WISHES, LUCKY FOODS
This past week families all over the city have been furiously cleaning house and preparing decorations for the upcoming Chinese New Year.
Per tradition, several things must be ready by the time the festival rolls around.
Matched poetic scrolls hung on each side of the main entryway (and often also in the main room), fresh citrus fruits on the family altar as well as elsewhere in the house, an array of sweets, cards to distant friends, little red packets of money for the young and the single ('why, pray tell, are you not married YET - we expect ten more grandkids here next year!'), and bright new clothes.
[Important words: 春節 Cheun jit = Spring Festival. 正月 Cheng yuet = First month of the new year, first new year's day. 節元旦 Jit yuen daan = Festival of complete dawn. 節 Tzit / Jit (Tet, in Vietnamese) = Festival, holiday. Node, section, segment. 元旦 Yuen daan = New Year's Day.]
Frenetic activity! But it all boils down to one thing: start the season well, and the rest of the year will follow in that pattern.
To that end, dress nicely and present a cheerful face, wish your friends and family well, and do not create any discord. Having symbols of good fortune, happiness, and prosperity in the house might make those things happen, and will definitely increase the chances that you feel properly festive.
LUCKY WISHES
[吉祥話 gat cheung wa: "propitious utterances".]
Almost everyone has heard the phrase 'gung hay fat choi', and knows that it is a traditional greeting. It isn't the only one, though it is perhaps the most common.
Contrary to what the San Francisco tourist brochures might tell you, it does NOT mean 'happy new year'.
[恭喜發財 GONG HEI FAT CHOI - Reverent joy and get rich.]
Other standard new year's wishes:
富貴長春 FU GWAI CHEUNG CHUN - Wealth, honour, and a long spring (youth).
年年有餘 NIEN NIEN YAU YU - Year after year surplus.
新年快樂 SAN NIEN FAAI LOK - New year happiness; happy new year.
歲歲平安 SEUI SEUI PENG ON - May you have peace year after year.
生意興隆 SANG YI HING LUNG - Thriving enterprise and prosperous business.
發財聚寶 FAT CHOI JEUI BOU - Strike it rich and amass treasures.
萬事如意 MAAN SI YIU YI - May all your aspirations be fulfilled.
身體健康 SAN TAI GIN HONG - May you have robust good health.
長命百歲 CHEUNG MENG BAAK SEUI - Long life one hundred years.
闔家全福 HAP GAA CHYUN FUK - Entire family complete happiness.
LUCKY FOODS
Oranges, tangerines, and pomelos all symbolize happiness and prosperity - partly because their colours are traditionally considered joyous, partly because yellow and orange are the colours of wealth.
Other 'lucky' foods are fish (abundance), melon seeds (many children), peanuts (long life), egg rolls (wealth and a good maturity). The names of these items are homophonous with the words that have those lucky meanings.
But such symbolism goes one step further - there are numerous dishes that have propitious names, many of which will be prepared for New Year's eve - the night before the new year is the most important Chinese family celebration, and everyone will try to be there, often travelling hundreds of miles for the occasion, bringing gifts and looking forward to seeing kin they may not have seen in twelve months.
NEW YEARS EVE DINNER
[年夜飯 nien yeh fan: "year evening meal".]
The essential dishes are a whole fish, symbolizing surplus, a whole (unchopped) plain-cooked chicken, traditional as an offering, green vegetables (lettuce - same symbolism as in English, but by name more than colour), a purely vegetarian dish, round foods such as meatballs or sweet puffs (completion and completeness), a dish of mixed main ingredients, signifying a multiplicity of relatives, and at least one soup and one roasted meat dish.
Plus rice - it isn't a meal without rice.
Noodles mean long life, so a simple mixed noodle dish is also a good idea - the roasted meats may be mixed in with the noodles.
Combining chicken and duck is exceptionally appropriate too, as it stands in for a harmonious pairing, like a lucky couple. You will still need a plain-cooked chicken, though.
Five dishes stand in for the five blessings though five, as an odd number, is not particularly good. Six dishes are for flowing good fortune and prosperity (not so much in Cantonese - 'six' and 'flow' are homophones in Mandarin). Eight dishes is always excellent - eight sounds the same as 'getting lucky' or 'striking it rich'.
Avoid four - it sounds the same as 'death'.
If you are a northerner, you will probably also want boiled or steamed dumplings later in the evening, considering that they recall the shape of a silver or gold ingot.
FOOD FOR GOOD FORTUNE
[吉祥美食 gat cheung mei sik: "lucky beautiful eats".]
Homophony and appearance are key in the following dishes - what the names of the ingredients sound like often determines their inclusion, what some of them resemble makes them appropriate.
If they are luxurious and rare too, so much the better!
前程錦繡 CHIEN CHING GAM SAU
A bright and illustrious future: Assorted meats.
前 CHIEN = In front, forward. Before.
前程 CHIEN CHING = Forward agenda.
錦 GAM = Brocade.
繡 SAU = Embroidery. Elegant cloth; (often 鏽 is substituted because it sounds the same as 繡 and has the same radical as 錦 - it means to rust or corrode, and is not a wise choice of words).
秀 SAU = Flowering, elegant. Luxuriant. Graceful, refined.
錦繡 GAM SAU = Embroidery. Symbolic of rich garments and official robes.
合家團圓 HAP GAA TUEN YUEN
Entire family united: a sharkfin soup with bamboo shoots, scallops, seacucumber, abalone, chicken, ham, black mushrooms, quail eggs, and various vegetables. Same as 佛跳墙 FAT TIU CHEUNG (Buddha Jumps over the Wall).
合 HAP = Combine, unite.
家 GA = Family. Home.
團 TUEN = Mass, ball, lump.
圓 YUEN = Circle, round; complete.
合家 HAP GA = Entire family.
團圓 TUEN YUEN = Reunite; to have a reunion.
名利雙收 MENG LEI SEUNG SAU
Both fame & profit to come: Carps in casserole.
名 MENG = Name. Fame. Reputation.
利 LEI = Profit, advantage. Gain.
雙 SEUNG = Set of two. Couple, pair. Both.
收 SAU = Accept. Gather, receive. Harvest.
四喜臨門 SEI HEI LAM MUN
All happiness to the dwelling: Four large pork meatballs en casserole.
四 SEI = Four.
喜 HEI = Happy. Pleased, delighted. Enjoy.
臨 LAM = Approach.
門 MUN = Gate. Portal, doorway.
四海昇平 SEI HOI SING PENG
The whole world at peace: Cooked pigeon with white fungus.
四 SEI = Four.
海 HOI = Sea, ocean.
昇 SING = Ascend, rise.
平 PENG = Peaceful. Flat, level. Equitable.
好事發財 HO SI FAT CHOI
Good events and strike it rich: Dried oysters cooked with black moss (髮菜 fat choi - "hair vegetable") and often either fatty pork or pig's trotters - the latter more common among Hakka.
好 HO = Good. To love.
事 SI = Matter, affair. Incident.
發 FAT = Issue, send out. Occur, happen.
財 CHOI = Money, wealth.
發財 FAT CHOI = To get rich.
[Recipes here: HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財 DRIED OYSTERS WITH BLACK MOSS.
Also included is a traditional Hakka variation.]
好事齊來 HO SI CHAI LOI
Looking forward to good business coming: Dried oyster and chopped vegetables served in lettuce leaves.
好 HO = Good. To love.
事 SI = Matter, affair. Incident.
齊 CHAI = Even, level, all together.
來 LOI = To come, to arrive.
富貴吉祥 FU GWAI GAT CHEUNG
Riches, honour, and good fortune: Chicken in a crust.
富貴 FU GWAI = Riches and honour.
吉 GAT = Propitious.
吉祥 GAT CHEUNG = Auspicious.
祥 CHEUNG = Good luck, happiness. Good omens.
富貴有餘 FU GWAI YAU YU
A surplus of riches and honour: Abalone in oyster sauce.
富 FU = Rich; abundance; wealthy.
貴 GWAI = Honour. Respect. Worthy of respect.
富貴 FU GWAI = Riches and honour.
有 YAU = Have.
餘 YU = Surplus. Extra.
年年有餘 NIEN NIEN YAU YU
Year after year surplus: Steamed whole fish.
年 NIEN = Year.
年年 NIEN NIEN = Yearly; year after year, every year.
有 YAU = Have. To possess. There is, there are.
餘 YU = Surplus.
柔情蜜意 YAU TSING MAI YI
Intimate affection, deep fondness: Honeyed ham.
柔 YAU = Soft, pliant; gentle.
情 TSING = Feeling, emotion. Sentiments.
蜜 MAT = Honey.
意 YI = Idea, intention; expect, anticipate.
洪福齊天 HUNG FUK CHAI TIEN
A flood of fortune fills the heavens. Good luck all around: Prawns and tofu in a rich tomato broth.
洪 HUNG = Immense. Flood.
福 FUK = Good fortune.
齊 CHAI = Even, level, all together.
天 TIEN = The sky, the heavens. Heaven. The deity. Day.
添丁添財 TIM DING TIM TSOI
Add both sons and wealth to the family: Chicken in wine.
添 TIM = Append, add, increase.
添丁 TIM DING = Add a son to the family.
丁 DING = Male, masculine, robust.
財 TSOI = Wealth, valuables, riches. Homophone with 才 = Talent, ability.
老少平安 LOU SIU PENG ON
Old and young together safe and sound: Steamed mashed shrimp and beancurd.
老 LOU = Old, long lived.
少 SIU = Few, less, inadequate. The young.
平 PENG = Flat, level. Peaceful.
安 ON = Tranquil, calm, quiet. Secure.
老少 = LOU SIU = The old and the young.
平安 PENG ON = Safe and sound.
金家福祿 KAM GAA FUK LUK
Happiness and good fortune for the whole family: Assorted meats in brown gravy.
金 KAM = Gold.
家 GAA = Family.
福 FUK = Good fortune, happiness.
祿 LUK = Good fortune, salary, official position, happiness, prosperity.
金枝玉葉 KAM KEI YUK YIP
Gold branches jade leaves: Noble and refined. Shredded gonpoy and bright green vegetables with a savoury sauce.
金 KAM = Gold.
枝 KEI = Branch. Rod, stick.
玉 YUK = Jade. Gem.
葉 YIP = Leaf.
金錢滿掌 KAM CHIEN MUN JEUNG
Money filling the palm: Mushrooms braised with duck web.
金 KAM = Gold.
錢 CHIEN = Coin, money, currency.
滿 MUN = Fill, full, satisfied. Stuffed. Packed.
掌 JEUNG = Palm of hand, sole of foot. Paw.
鴛鴦並蒂 YUN YEUNG BING DAI
A couple growing old together gracefully: Dried black mushrooms and fresh champignons in oyster sauce.
鴛鴦 YIUN YEUNG = Mandarin ducks (a symbol of marital harmony).
並 BING = Equal to, compared with, side by side.
蒂 DAI = Peduncle or stem of plants.
There are many more - almost all traditional propitious sayings are also appended as names to food, but most especially Chinese New Year wishes.
These are among the ones that you are most likely to encounter, though.
Or they would be, if you were invited.
Tune in tomorrow for more Chinese New Year material - I'm a bit tired, and the several cups of tea I've had today are wearing off.
I need to go home now.
==========================================================================
NOTE: Readers may contact me directly:
LETTER BOX.
All correspondence will be kept in confidence.
==========================================================================
Per tradition, several things must be ready by the time the festival rolls around.
Matched poetic scrolls hung on each side of the main entryway (and often also in the main room), fresh citrus fruits on the family altar as well as elsewhere in the house, an array of sweets, cards to distant friends, little red packets of money for the young and the single ('why, pray tell, are you not married YET - we expect ten more grandkids here next year!'), and bright new clothes.
[Important words: 春節 Cheun jit = Spring Festival. 正月 Cheng yuet = First month of the new year, first new year's day. 節元旦 Jit yuen daan = Festival of complete dawn. 節 Tzit / Jit (Tet, in Vietnamese) = Festival, holiday. Node, section, segment. 元旦 Yuen daan = New Year's Day.]
Frenetic activity! But it all boils down to one thing: start the season well, and the rest of the year will follow in that pattern.
To that end, dress nicely and present a cheerful face, wish your friends and family well, and do not create any discord. Having symbols of good fortune, happiness, and prosperity in the house might make those things happen, and will definitely increase the chances that you feel properly festive.
LUCKY WISHES
[吉祥話 gat cheung wa: "propitious utterances".]
Almost everyone has heard the phrase 'gung hay fat choi', and knows that it is a traditional greeting. It isn't the only one, though it is perhaps the most common.
Contrary to what the San Francisco tourist brochures might tell you, it does NOT mean 'happy new year'.
[恭喜發財 GONG HEI FAT CHOI - Reverent joy and get rich.]
Other standard new year's wishes:
富貴長春 FU GWAI CHEUNG CHUN - Wealth, honour, and a long spring (youth).
年年有餘 NIEN NIEN YAU YU - Year after year surplus.
新年快樂 SAN NIEN FAAI LOK - New year happiness; happy new year.
歲歲平安 SEUI SEUI PENG ON - May you have peace year after year.
生意興隆 SANG YI HING LUNG - Thriving enterprise and prosperous business.
發財聚寶 FAT CHOI JEUI BOU - Strike it rich and amass treasures.
萬事如意 MAAN SI YIU YI - May all your aspirations be fulfilled.
身體健康 SAN TAI GIN HONG - May you have robust good health.
長命百歲 CHEUNG MENG BAAK SEUI - Long life one hundred years.
闔家全福 HAP GAA CHYUN FUK - Entire family complete happiness.
LUCKY FOODS
Oranges, tangerines, and pomelos all symbolize happiness and prosperity - partly because their colours are traditionally considered joyous, partly because yellow and orange are the colours of wealth.
Other 'lucky' foods are fish (abundance), melon seeds (many children), peanuts (long life), egg rolls (wealth and a good maturity). The names of these items are homophonous with the words that have those lucky meanings.
But such symbolism goes one step further - there are numerous dishes that have propitious names, many of which will be prepared for New Year's eve - the night before the new year is the most important Chinese family celebration, and everyone will try to be there, often travelling hundreds of miles for the occasion, bringing gifts and looking forward to seeing kin they may not have seen in twelve months.
NEW YEARS EVE DINNER
[年夜飯 nien yeh fan: "year evening meal".]
The essential dishes are a whole fish, symbolizing surplus, a whole (unchopped) plain-cooked chicken, traditional as an offering, green vegetables (lettuce - same symbolism as in English, but by name more than colour), a purely vegetarian dish, round foods such as meatballs or sweet puffs (completion and completeness), a dish of mixed main ingredients, signifying a multiplicity of relatives, and at least one soup and one roasted meat dish.
Plus rice - it isn't a meal without rice.
Noodles mean long life, so a simple mixed noodle dish is also a good idea - the roasted meats may be mixed in with the noodles.
Combining chicken and duck is exceptionally appropriate too, as it stands in for a harmonious pairing, like a lucky couple. You will still need a plain-cooked chicken, though.
Five dishes stand in for the five blessings though five, as an odd number, is not particularly good. Six dishes are for flowing good fortune and prosperity (not so much in Cantonese - 'six' and 'flow' are homophones in Mandarin). Eight dishes is always excellent - eight sounds the same as 'getting lucky' or 'striking it rich'.
Avoid four - it sounds the same as 'death'.
If you are a northerner, you will probably also want boiled or steamed dumplings later in the evening, considering that they recall the shape of a silver or gold ingot.
FOOD FOR GOOD FORTUNE
[吉祥美食 gat cheung mei sik: "lucky beautiful eats".]
Homophony and appearance are key in the following dishes - what the names of the ingredients sound like often determines their inclusion, what some of them resemble makes them appropriate.
If they are luxurious and rare too, so much the better!
前程錦繡 CHIEN CHING GAM SAU
A bright and illustrious future: Assorted meats.
前 CHIEN = In front, forward. Before.
前程 CHIEN CHING = Forward agenda.
錦 GAM = Brocade.
繡 SAU = Embroidery. Elegant cloth; (often 鏽 is substituted because it sounds the same as 繡 and has the same radical as 錦 - it means to rust or corrode, and is not a wise choice of words).
秀 SAU = Flowering, elegant. Luxuriant. Graceful, refined.
錦繡 GAM SAU = Embroidery. Symbolic of rich garments and official robes.
合家團圓 HAP GAA TUEN YUEN
Entire family united: a sharkfin soup with bamboo shoots, scallops, seacucumber, abalone, chicken, ham, black mushrooms, quail eggs, and various vegetables. Same as 佛跳墙 FAT TIU CHEUNG (Buddha Jumps over the Wall).
合 HAP = Combine, unite.
家 GA = Family. Home.
團 TUEN = Mass, ball, lump.
圓 YUEN = Circle, round; complete.
合家 HAP GA = Entire family.
團圓 TUEN YUEN = Reunite; to have a reunion.
名利雙收 MENG LEI SEUNG SAU
Both fame & profit to come: Carps in casserole.
名 MENG = Name. Fame. Reputation.
利 LEI = Profit, advantage. Gain.
雙 SEUNG = Set of two. Couple, pair. Both.
收 SAU = Accept. Gather, receive. Harvest.
四喜臨門 SEI HEI LAM MUN
All happiness to the dwelling: Four large pork meatballs en casserole.
四 SEI = Four.
喜 HEI = Happy. Pleased, delighted. Enjoy.
臨 LAM = Approach.
門 MUN = Gate. Portal, doorway.
四海昇平 SEI HOI SING PENG
The whole world at peace: Cooked pigeon with white fungus.
四 SEI = Four.
海 HOI = Sea, ocean.
昇 SING = Ascend, rise.
平 PENG = Peaceful. Flat, level. Equitable.
好事發財 HO SI FAT CHOI
Good events and strike it rich: Dried oysters cooked with black moss (髮菜 fat choi - "hair vegetable") and often either fatty pork or pig's trotters - the latter more common among Hakka.
好 HO = Good. To love.
事 SI = Matter, affair. Incident.
發 FAT = Issue, send out. Occur, happen.
財 CHOI = Money, wealth.
發財 FAT CHOI = To get rich.
[Recipes here: HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財 DRIED OYSTERS WITH BLACK MOSS.
Also included is a traditional Hakka variation.]
好事齊來 HO SI CHAI LOI
Looking forward to good business coming: Dried oyster and chopped vegetables served in lettuce leaves.
好 HO = Good. To love.
事 SI = Matter, affair. Incident.
齊 CHAI = Even, level, all together.
來 LOI = To come, to arrive.
富貴吉祥 FU GWAI GAT CHEUNG
Riches, honour, and good fortune: Chicken in a crust.
富貴 FU GWAI = Riches and honour.
吉 GAT = Propitious.
吉祥 GAT CHEUNG = Auspicious.
祥 CHEUNG = Good luck, happiness. Good omens.
富貴有餘 FU GWAI YAU YU
A surplus of riches and honour: Abalone in oyster sauce.
富 FU = Rich; abundance; wealthy.
貴 GWAI = Honour. Respect. Worthy of respect.
富貴 FU GWAI = Riches and honour.
有 YAU = Have.
餘 YU = Surplus. Extra.
年年有餘 NIEN NIEN YAU YU
Year after year surplus: Steamed whole fish.
年 NIEN = Year.
年年 NIEN NIEN = Yearly; year after year, every year.
有 YAU = Have. To possess. There is, there are.
餘 YU = Surplus.
柔情蜜意 YAU TSING MAI YI
Intimate affection, deep fondness: Honeyed ham.
柔 YAU = Soft, pliant; gentle.
情 TSING = Feeling, emotion. Sentiments.
蜜 MAT = Honey.
意 YI = Idea, intention; expect, anticipate.
洪福齊天 HUNG FUK CHAI TIEN
A flood of fortune fills the heavens. Good luck all around: Prawns and tofu in a rich tomato broth.
洪 HUNG = Immense. Flood.
福 FUK = Good fortune.
齊 CHAI = Even, level, all together.
天 TIEN = The sky, the heavens. Heaven. The deity. Day.
添丁添財 TIM DING TIM TSOI
Add both sons and wealth to the family: Chicken in wine.
添 TIM = Append, add, increase.
添丁 TIM DING = Add a son to the family.
丁 DING = Male, masculine, robust.
財 TSOI = Wealth, valuables, riches. Homophone with 才 = Talent, ability.
老少平安 LOU SIU PENG ON
Old and young together safe and sound: Steamed mashed shrimp and beancurd.
老 LOU = Old, long lived.
少 SIU = Few, less, inadequate. The young.
平 PENG = Flat, level. Peaceful.
安 ON = Tranquil, calm, quiet. Secure.
老少 = LOU SIU = The old and the young.
平安 PENG ON = Safe and sound.
金家福祿 KAM GAA FUK LUK
Happiness and good fortune for the whole family: Assorted meats in brown gravy.
金 KAM = Gold.
家 GAA = Family.
福 FUK = Good fortune, happiness.
祿 LUK = Good fortune, salary, official position, happiness, prosperity.
金枝玉葉 KAM KEI YUK YIP
Gold branches jade leaves: Noble and refined. Shredded gonpoy and bright green vegetables with a savoury sauce.
金 KAM = Gold.
枝 KEI = Branch. Rod, stick.
玉 YUK = Jade. Gem.
葉 YIP = Leaf.
金錢滿掌 KAM CHIEN MUN JEUNG
Money filling the palm: Mushrooms braised with duck web.
金 KAM = Gold.
錢 CHIEN = Coin, money, currency.
滿 MUN = Fill, full, satisfied. Stuffed. Packed.
掌 JEUNG = Palm of hand, sole of foot. Paw.
鴛鴦並蒂 YUN YEUNG BING DAI
A couple growing old together gracefully: Dried black mushrooms and fresh champignons in oyster sauce.
鴛鴦 YIUN YEUNG = Mandarin ducks (a symbol of marital harmony).
並 BING = Equal to, compared with, side by side.
蒂 DAI = Peduncle or stem of plants.
There are many more - almost all traditional propitious sayings are also appended as names to food, but most especially Chinese New Year wishes.
These are among the ones that you are most likely to encounter, though.
Or they would be, if you were invited.
Tune in tomorrow for more Chinese New Year material - I'm a bit tired, and the several cups of tea I've had today are wearing off.
I need to go home now.
==========================================================================
NOTE: Readers may contact me directly:
LETTER BOX.
All correspondence will be kept in confidence.
==========================================================================
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It fleets. Dreamed of Amsterdam again last night. Which I've visited numerous times, but where I never actually lived. The last relative...
