The first day of Chinese New Year 2023 is 22 January, Sunday. This is the time of the year for gathering with family and friends to feast and welcome the new year together.
While the Chinese New Year is not an official public holiday in Thailand, the festival is widely celebrated as many Thais are of Chinese descent. There are a number of traditional Chinese foods that the Chinese will eat during Chinese New Year as it is believed that they will bring good fortune to the diners. Here are 5 auspicious foods to eat during Chinese New Year celebrations in Thailand.
1) Yu Sheng
Yu sheng (鱼生) literally means raw fish and is interpreted as a homophone for two other Chinese words 余升which means rising abundance. This dish is served in the form of a big platter of raw fish (commonly salmon), julienned vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments on the side. Each ingredient has a special meaning and is added one by one on top of the vegetables while reciting the respective auspicious phrases associated with the ingredients. Family and friends will then mix everything with their chopsticks by tossing the food as high as possible while spouting even more auspicious phrases and wishes that one has for the new year. It is said that the higher you toss the salad, the more good fortune you will have.
2) Fish
A whole fish is usually a must-have for Chinese New Year as fish symbolizes having surplus and hence, abundance and prosperity.
3) Spring Roll
Spring rolls are traditionally eaten during Chinese New Year which is also known as the Spring Festival, hence the name. Spring rolls are made by wrapping vegetables and meat of your choice in thin sheets of dough into a roll and fried until they turn crispy and golden in colour. The fried spring rolls resemble gold bars and therefore, symbolize great wealth and good fortune in the coming year.
4) Nian Gao (Kanom Keng)
Nian Gao is a steamed glutinous rice cake. This sweet dessert symbolizes reaching new heights in the coming year, for example, getting a promotion at work or making more money in business.
5) Tang Yuan
Tang yuan is a popular dessert during Chinese New Year because its round shape and the pronunciation of its name symbolize reunion. These bite-sized sweet glutinous rice balls are traditionally filled with black sesame paste or peanut paste and served in a bowl of warm ginger tea.
With all these auspicious foods you can eat during Chinese New Year celebrations, we hope you have been inspired to visit Thailand this coming festival. For more recommendations on what to do around Thailand, visit https://tourismthailand.sg/ or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.