10 food for good luck in Chinese New Year

While the Western New Year is more about drinking, the Chinese New Year is an opportunity to honor family and friends, and to enjoy some culinary traditions. We consulted Fuchsia Dunlop, author of Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper, and Doris Lum, president of the Association of Chinese Cooking Teachers, as well as Rosemary Gong's book on Chinese culture and celebrations, Good Luck Life, to find out what foods we should have on hand to ensure a prosperous and happy year to come.

如果说西方新年更多的是喝酒，那么中国新年则提供了尊重家庭和朋友，并享受一些传统美食的机会。我们通过请教鱼翅和四川辣椒的作者邓福霞和中国烹饪教师协会主席Doris Lum，并参考Rosemary Gong关于中国传统文化的书籍《好运生活》，发现了一些我们用来确保来年富足和幸福的食物。

Tangerines and Oranges 橙子和橘子

Displaying and eating these fruits is said to bring wealth and luck. According to the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, the tradition stems from the way the Chinese words for gold and orange sound alike, while the word for tangerine echoes luck. "It's good if they have leaves," adds Lum, "because leaves symbolize longevity." But don't group them in fours, because, Dunlop says, this number is associated with death.

据说摆放并食用这种水果可以带来财富和好运。根据旧金山中国文化中心称，这一传统的来源是因为中国汉字"金子"的发音与"橘子"是相似的，而汉字"橙子"则暗示的是好运。Lum说："如果这些橘子或者橙子有叶子的话是非常好的，因为叶子象征着长寿。"但是Dunlop说，千万不要把四个放在一起，因为这个数字与死有关。

Long Noodles 拉面

If noodles are served, then "keep them as long as possible for long life," says Lum.

Lum说："如果有拉面的话，那就让他们尽可能长些，这象征长寿。

The Tray of Togetherness 八宝盒

Put out for visiting relatives to snack on, or given as a gift, the eight ("a traditionally symbolic lucky number," explains Dunlop) compartments of the tray are filled with things such as preserved kumquats for prosperity, coconut for togetherness, longans to bring many sons, and red melon seeds for happiness.

八宝盒中的食物是让来访的亲友当点心吃的，或者作为礼物给亲友的。八宝盒的8个格子里面（Dunlop解释说："8在传统上是象征幸运的数字"）有各种食物，例如象征兴旺的金桔、象征团聚的椰子、象征多子多孙的桂圆，以及象征幸福的红富士。

Nian Gao 年糕

"Nian gao means year cake, but gao sounds the same as the word for tall or high," says Dunlop. Hence the cakes symbolize achieving new heights in the coming year. The steamed sweets are made of glutinous rice flour, brown sugar, and oil. Some versions have white sesame seeds, red dates, or nuts in them. If you want to try your hand at making nian gao, here's our recipe. Chowhounds also have some tips.

Dunlop说："Nian Gao 的意思就是'年糕'，但是'Gao'的发音与单词'tall'和'high'是一样的。" 因此，年糕象征着在来年获得新的高度。这种清蒸的甜点是由糯米面粉、红糖、和食用油做成的。一些其他版本的年糕里面会包着白芝麻、红枣或者坚果。

Pomelo 柚子

This large citrus fruit is popular, writes Gong, because it is thought to bring "continuous prosperity and status." The tradition comes from the way the Cantonese phrase for pomelo sounds similar to the words for prosperity and status, explains Lum.

Gong写道，这种大的柑橘类水果很受欢迎，因为它被认为可以带来"持续的繁荣和地位"。Lum解释说，这个传统来源于广东人柚子这个词语，它的发音与"繁荣"和"地位"相似。

Jai 斋菜

This vegetarian dish is eaten because it's "part of the Buddhist culture to cleanse yourself with vegetables," says Lum. It's also packed with good-luck foods, writes Gong, breaking it down by ingredient: sea moss for prosperity; lotus seeds for children/birth of sons; noodles for longevity; lily buds to "send 100 years of harmonious union"; Chinese black mushrooms to "fulfill wishes from east to west"; and more.

Lum说："吃这道蔬菜的部分原因是佛教有用蔬菜净化自己的文化传统。" Gong写道，这道菜也是用代表好运的食物做成的。根据原料分解：有代表繁荣的海藻，有代表子女/生子的莲子，有代表长寿的面条，有代表"百年好合"的金针菜，有代表"从东到西，实现愿望"的香菇，甚至更多。

Long Leafy Greens and Long Beans 长的绿叶蔬菜和长豆角

Gong writes that leafy greens, such as Chinese broccoli, are "served whole to wish a long life for parents."

Gong写道，绿叶蔬菜，例如芥蓝，"整根做出来可以祝愿父母长寿。"

Whole Fish 整鱼

The Chinese word for fish sounds like the word for abundance, says Lum. It's important that the fish is served with the head and tail intact, writes Gong, "to ensure a good start and finish and to avoid bad luck throughout the year."

Lum说，中国汉字"鱼"的读音与"余"相似。保持一条鱼的鱼头和鱼尾完整是非常重要的，Gong写道，"这可以保证好的开端，并避免一年的厄运。"

Sweets 甜点

Serving desserts brings a sweet life in the new year. Gong writes that a childhood favorite was the flaky cookie pockets called gok jai, filled with peanuts, coconut, and sesame.

提供甜点可以在新的一年带来甜蜜的生活。Gong写道，童年的最爱就是一种被称为gok jai的酥饼，里面会包着花生、椰子和芝麻。

Yuanbao (Jiaozi) 元宝 (饺子)

"In North China, everyone eats the jiaozi dumplings," says Dunlop. "Families will make a dough and wrap it around pork and cabbage, and boil [the dumplings], then serve them with vinegar and soy sauce. You can wrap them in the shape of an old silver ingot." Gong writes that during New Year celebrations jiaozi are called yuanbao, a reference to the ancient, ingot-shaped Chinese currency, and that eating them is said to bring prosperity. While making them, families sometimes tuck added good-luck foods like peanuts (to bring long life) into some of them.

Dunlop说："在中国北方，每个人都会吃饺子。家人们会擀面皮，并在里面包上猪肉白菜馅儿，再把饺子放在沸水里煮，之后沾着醋或者酱油吃。你可以把饺子包成古代银元宝的样子。" Gong写道，在庆祝新年期间，饺子也被叫做"元宝"，指中国古代的金锭形状的中国货币，据说，吃了他们会带来昌盛。当制作饺子的时候，家人有时也会把像花生（可以带来长寿）这样增加好运的食物藏到一些饺子中。