Planning your Chinese New Year Feast
You might already know by now that Chinese New Year this year falls on February 12th and is the year of the Ox. But did you know that Chinese New Year’s celebrations last all month long? Want to learn more about this important holiday, including how to celebrate right here in Marbella? Then read on!
What is the Chinese New Year celebration and when is it celebrated?
Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival because it’s actually multiple events that make up the longest holiday of the year. This year, celebrations will begin on February 4th with Little Year and last until the Lantern Festival on February 26th. The transition between Chinese zodiac signs, what is commonly referred to as Chinese New Year, will be celebrated on January 12th this year.
How is Chinese New Year celebrated? How can I celebrate at home?
Every day during the Spring Festival has unique traditional celebrations that go along with it, although a common thread throughout them all is the quantity, quality, and variety of foods that are eaten during the New Year’s / Spring Festival celebrations. Food takes such an important role during Chinese New Year, that preparations often begin well in advance of the holiday itself.
Dining out or takeaway is always an option, but if you are looking to recreate a Chinese New Year feast at home this year, you’ll want to include these traditional New Year’s foods:
- Spring Rolls: An obvious must during the Spring Festival!
- Dumplings: A traditional celebratory food for any holiday, but especially prevalent during New Years due to its linguistic symbolism. If you want to be truly authentic, though, you’ll need to wrap your dumplings at midnight!
- Noodles: The longer the noodle, the longer your life will be, so slurping an extra long noodle straight from the bowl is highly encouraged!
- Fish: Representing bounty and wealth, you’ll want to follow tradition and have enough steamed fish for leftovers so that your good fortune in the new year will continue for as long as possible.
- Chicken: representing family and prosperity, a whole roast chicken is a traditional Chinese New Year dish that is easy to serve in a number of delicious ways.
- Nian Gao: Make from sticky rice or yellow rice, eating these rice cakes is a way to ensure a happy new year. They can be made sweet or savoury, too, so feel free to try all the different varieties!
- Vegetables: As a Spring festival and a time of new beginnings, fresh vegetables are always present at a Chinese New Year table.
- Hot Pot: Like a Chinese version of fondue, hot pot is a dish of hot broth served at the table where your choice of meats or vegetables are thrown in to cook before taken out and eaten with an array of dipping sauces.
Leo Foods – Your One-Stop Shop for all of Your Chinese New Year Feast Ingredients
Conveniently located in Marbella, you can easily pick up all the ingredients you’ll need to make all the traditional Chinese New Years dishes and more from Leo Foods’ cash and carry warehouse in Nueva Campana poligono! As a leading Chinese food retailer and wholesaler, we stock a wide range of Chinese food products (ambient and frozen) all from brands you know and trust such as Red A, Indomie, MODO, Arroyo-D, Super Q, Heera, Healthy Boy, KTC, Spring Home, Lee Kum Mee, TAJ and more!
Discover our full range of Asian foods on our e-catalogue, or pop down to see us for a one-stop shop of everything you need! And remember, even if you can’t all gather together as a family this year, Chinese tradition also allows for small get-togethers: simply set a place at the table for family and friends that can’t join you in person but will be there in spirit this year.
Wishing you prosperity, good fortune (and great food!) this year!
