February 15th marks the beginning of Chinese New Year that is widely celebrated throughout Asia. If you’re still recovering from Western holidays, we recommend having a solid game plan for the upcoming 16-day festival as it involves a lot of EATING. Instead of exhausting your little grey cells about what to prep/order for good karma, Sherpa’s presents you with seven classic CNY foods.

Fish (yú) – prosperity

In Chinese, fish sounds a lot like “surplus”. The key to this dish is to serve it whole with head and tail intact to represent a good beginning and a good end for the coming year. Leave some leftovers for the next day to signify that prosperity will overflow.

Spring Rolls – wealth

A Cantonese dim sum staple, spring rolls might have just been the first Chinese food you tried back home. Get them fried extra golden to secure financial success for the upcoming year!

Glutinous Rice Cake (niángāo) – higher income/position

The Chinese word for rice cake correlates to the phrase “increasing prosperity year after year”, so it’s no surprise that this sticky delicacy is a must-have during Spring Festival. Similarly to the British equivalent fruitcake, niángāo can be stored in the fridge for months (unless it’s gifted to more distant members of the family… )

Dumplings – wealth

Extremely popular in North China, dumplings are an absolute must at family reunion dinners. Follow along: the more freshly wrapped bad boys you eat during CNY, the more money you can make in the Year of the Dog. Better put that 吃饱了 excuse on the back burner!

Good Fortune Fruit – fullness and wealth

Did you receive any blush pink Fujian apples packed into single, festive boxes this Christmas? If yes, there’s more to come! Flowers and fruit hold special significance in Chinese tradition as the latter symbolizes fullness and wealth. You’ll see an abundance of tangerines, oranges and pomelos in every household.

Sweet Rice Balls (tāngyuán) – family union

 Originally a food eaten during festivals, these glutinous rice balls have become a popular dessert all year round. Although contemporary fillings boast flavors like chocolate and sweet potato, the traditional variety typically features sesame, peanut and sweet bean paste in the middle. This dish is even better when served in hot ginger-infused syrup.

Longevity Noodles (chángshòu miàn) – lastingness

Longevity noodles are indispensable for CNY celebration feasts. Longer than your regular noodles and uncut, we recommend dressing a steaming bowl of 面 with sesame, garlic, scallion and soy sauce to maximize their starchy goodness.

Tell us your favourite dish in the comments!