Hi everyone!
Today is the eve of the Lunar New Year aka Chinese New Year (even if not only the Chinese celebrate it, but perhaps because the Chinese celebrate it in the biggest possible way!) and it’s a big deal because today is the day when family gathers for the Reunion Dinner.
The Year of the Horse gallops in from tomorrow and it promises to be quite a wild ride if the pundits are to be believed so we’ll have to saddle up and cling on for what it’s worth! 😀
As is traditional at this time of year, I and MWS take a short break to allow me to go home and spend the festivities with my family. We’ll be back in about a week (CNY runs for 15 days! 😀 But no, work doesn’t stop for 15 days LOL) so if you celebrate the Lunar New Year, I wish you all the health, love and prosperity a new year and a new Spring has to offer. If you don’t and are local, I hope you enjoy the holidays and the feasting 😀
I thought I’d also share with you some of the stuff I got up to in preparation for the Chinese New Year 🙂
Chinese calligraphy of good fortune couplets written on red paper to bring good fortune and luck and prosperity. There is this man in Petaling St. Chinatown we seek out yearly. I can’t read a lot of the characters, but I enjoy watching him do the calligraphy. It’s an art form!
I spotted these at the market and I think they are large oranges but I suspect they are merely decorative, like those orange pumpkins you see on the top right. People will use these in prayers and probably symbolises gold and fortune. I don’t know, I’m just guessing but the Chinese are good at finding symbolic things for gold and prosperity LOL! 🙂
Here are some must-haves during the Chinese New Year period – Chinese leeks and Arrowhead bulbs. The former is usually sliced and stir-fried as a dish and the latter usually sliced and deep fried into chips. I’ve shown you some of the snacks that abound during the CNY period last year and it’s the same this year!
As for the Arrowhead bulbs or locally known as “Ngaku” I like them cooked with meat in a Hakka style dish a friend taught me a few years ago. We can only find these bulbs during the lead up to the Chinese New Year and never at any time thereafter so I only get to eat this once a year!
I love it cooked this way! I suppose since I don’t get to eat it often, I make the most of it LOL!
And here’s another must have – Nien Ko or New Year Cake which is a sticky steamed cake made from glutinous rice and sugar and steamed. It’s sweet and sticky and very nice eaten steamed, rolled in dessicated coconut, or battered and deep fried as a snack. I always go for those that are traditionally steamed in a banana leaf case instead of plastic. This way, I feel more comfortable eating them and the banana leaf infuses a flavour and fragrance that is very nice.
Traditionally, the story behind these sweet sticky cakes is to bribe/glue the Kitchen God’s mouth from reporting bad stuff about the household to the Jade Emperor. Because it’s so sticky, he won’t be able to say nasty things! LOL But I think it’s mostly just a sweet traditional treat for the festive season 😀
And finally, the one thing I can never be without at this time of year – giant crackers!
Not the kind that go boom! But the edible kind 😀 I prefer the fish crackers but I’m not fussy. Any giant crackers and a giant bag of it will do! 😀
I didn’t do a lot of prep this year but these are some of the must-haves that I make sure I pick up, alongside other snacks and goodies.
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Horse ahead and a lovely festive break as well! Be safe on the roads and have a great time!
Gong Xi Fa Cai! 😀
xoxo
Paris B
Tracy@Beauty Reflections says
January 30, 2014 at 8:34 amHAPPY NEW YEAR to you and your family my friend! I wish you all happiness, health and good luck this year! I’m a horse, so it’s my year!
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:28 pmThank you Tracy! I hope you have a galloping good year ahead! 😀
Laura says
January 30, 2014 at 8:51 amHappy New Year Paris! Wishing you lots of luck and happiness this year! I, myself, will need it – I’m a horse, and I hear (from my mother and other assorted Chinese family members) that Chinese superstition deems your own zodiac year to be full of bad luck!
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:31 pmHappy New Year Laura! I did hear that the Horse will encounter some potholes along the way but keep your head up and keep trotting along 🙂 We have but 12 months to go 😉
ishi says
January 30, 2014 at 9:09 amXin Nian Kuai Le! Paris.
Enjoy the holidays and stay safe.
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:32 pmThank you Ishi and I hope you enjoyed the holidays too! We had quite a nice break this year 😀
Ting says
January 30, 2014 at 9:39 amHappy Chinese new year and wishing you a prosperous golden horse year! 🙂 ???? (when the horse arrives, success is here). Better still, may the horse also carry your prince charming along! hahaha
Be safe when you travel home to see your family, and above all, have a GREAT and FANTASTIC time! xxx
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:33 pmPrince Charming hahaha! Turns out my stars say I have bad luck in relationships so erm… Price Charming may turn out to be not so charming eh? 😉 Wishing you a fantastic Year of the Horse ahead and I hope you had a wonderful celebration with your family. Stay safe! Hopefully the unrest quietens down soon so I can visit!
Victoria says
January 30, 2014 at 10:33 amHappy Chinese New Year Paris! May you have a wonderful break and celebration with family and friends 🙂
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:33 pmThank you Victoria! I hope you enjoyed the nice long break we had here too! 😀
Shivani says
January 30, 2014 at 12:04 pmHappy Chinese New Year 🙂
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:34 pmThank you Shivani! 🙂
beetrice says
January 30, 2014 at 12:23 pmHave a good break and CNY celebrations! One round of “lou sang” when you get back yeah? 😉
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:34 pmThanks Bee! Yes, we definitely have to get the planning going for our CNY session!
Anthea says
January 30, 2014 at 1:04 pmHappy Chinese New Year, Paris!
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:35 pmThank you Anthea! 😀
Sunny says
January 30, 2014 at 3:31 pmHey Paris, happy new year! My brother is visiting, so I’m “celebrating” by walking around Brussels with him haha. Other than that, no plan! Once he’s gone I actually have quite some work to finish for next week as well :p That giant cracker looks good! I know what it is, but I don’t think I’ve had it so jumbo 😉
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:37 pmThank you Sunny and a Happy New Year to you too! Aww it must be nice to have family visit – bet he had a great time with you 😀 Giant prawn crackers are so good but so bad for the throat especially in the abominably hot weather we’ve been having!
nlngstar says
January 30, 2014 at 6:50 pmHappy cny Paris B, though I’m just started to follow and read your blog for almost a month, I truly enjoy it.
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:37 pmHi Ningstar, thank you and I’m glad you’ve enjoyed visiting coz I sure have enjoyed having you visit 😉
Jennifer says
January 30, 2014 at 7:32 pmGong Xi Fa Cai Paris! Love your collections of CNY goodies, from calligraphy to food 🙂 The traditional nian gao with banana leave in condensed milk tin are still the best. It is so expensive these days and fast becoming a relic! I remember that as a kid, we used to have heaps of this being one of the offerings during CNY. When we come back to KL, we get to pack heaps of it as well. Mum will normally slice them, steam and roll onto grated coconut. It was super yummy!!!
CNY are best when celebrated as a kid. We used to play a lot of fireworks, sparklers and pop-pop are a few of my favourites. My elder cousins would buy us these goodies and we’d light them as we march from my aunt’s house to my grandfather’s house. On the first day of CNY, my grandfather will open his soup kitchen in the morning serving standard bowl of vermicelli with pork ribs and hard boiled egg. My cousins and I will make a beeline to his wooden mansion and feast before we plan our games for the remaining of the day not forgetting to eye for adults. We’d go Gong Xi Fa Cai, Hong Bao Na Lai 😛 The cheek that we have as kids…
In this lunar new year, I wish you the best of health and beauty, may you be blessed with all the great and wonderful things in life. Gong Xi Gong Xi!!! Enjoy your break 🙂
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:42 pmGong Xi Fa Cai to you too Jennifer! CNY is always such a nostalgic time for everyone and I think as we grow up, it’s always the reminder of the fun times we had as kids that makes it memorable. I remember playing with fireworks and crackers as kids and all the visiting and eating, but somehow, sometimes, with family scattered all over the place, it’s hard to rekindle that sort of camaraderie we had when we were younger. Oh well, time for us to make our own traditions I guess 🙂 Wishing you the very best in life, love, health and happiness in this Year of the Horse!
lisa says
January 31, 2014 at 1:42 amHappy Chinese New Year….Enjoy the food, the holiday, family and friends…..Yay…May you and all your readers “Huat” in every area (except the waistline) in this year of the galloping horse. 😉
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:44 pmGong Xi Fa Cai Lisa! My waistline definitely has decided to huat also from all the feasting and snacking and so has the skin! Can’t wait to get back to a less decadent lifestyle after Chap Goh Meh 😛 Wishing you love, health, wealth and happiness in this Year of the Horse!
Tine @ Beautyholics Anonymous says
January 31, 2014 at 5:45 amOkay, I was originally quite relieved not to be back for CNY this year but after reading your post and looking at all those pictures, I must say it made me a little homesick. Man, I’m going to miss all that ngaku!
PS: Happy Chinese New Year love. xx
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:45 pmHappy Chinese New Year Tine! I always felt homesick at CNY when I was overseas but when I’m here, I sometimes can’t wait for it to be over 😛 Sometimes, it’s not a bad thing to stay away for a year or two 😉 Wishing you lots of love, laughter, happiness and prosperity this year x
Natasha says
January 31, 2014 at 10:14 amHappy New Year’s!!! We usually celebrate with big bowls of noodles and very fat dumplings! Nom! Here’s hoping that lots of happiness, health and prosperity for everyone gallop in with this new year!
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:46 pmThank you Natasha and happy new year to you too! Noodles and dumplings! Sounds like an amazing, filling start to the year already! Wishing you all the very best in life, love, health and properity this Year of the Horse 🙂
Rin says
January 31, 2014 at 10:34 amHello Paris~! Happy Chinese New Year! May this year be a wonderful year for you and family. I wish you lots of success, abundance of health, and many many more joyful moments 🙂
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:46 pmHi Rin! Happy New Year to you too and thank you so much for your kind wishes! Wishing you all the best the Year of the Horse has to offer in life, love, happiness and prosperity 😀
KiKi says
January 31, 2014 at 7:24 pmHappy Chinese New Year, Paris!
Just like to let you know that you’ve been THE go-to blogger that I check out whenever I am curious about a product/ need a read for the past 4 years. So I really really appreciate that. So I’m taking the opportunity of this special season to say my thank you. And again, have a good new year 🙂
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:48 pmHi Kiki, thank you so much for your kind words and support over the years. 4 you say? Hats off to you and thank YOU for the support 😀 Wishing you a wonderful Year of the Horse ahead and may you find ever more success, love and prosperity in the coming year 🙂
Anne says
January 31, 2014 at 9:30 pmHappy New Year to Paris and family! Let’s all have a huat huat Horse year!!!
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:48 pmHappy Horsey New Year to you and yours too Anne! 🙂
plue says
January 31, 2014 at 9:53 pmgong xi fa cai!! speaking of nian gao, I haven’t had any this year!
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:49 pmGong Xi Fa Cai to you too Plue! I buy them but haven’t had any this year yet either! HAHA!
Sam Still Reading says
February 2, 2014 at 4:30 pmHappy CNY!
Enjoy food, family and friends in your celebrations and may the year of the horse bring all things good and wonderful 🙂
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:55 pmThank you! I think I’ve overindulged in the food department, that’s for sure! 😀 Wishing you all the very best life has to offer in this year of the Horse too!
Isabel says
February 3, 2014 at 5:49 pmGong Xi Fa Cai! My must-eats are pineapple tarts, kuih kapit and bak kua. I love those huge, gigantic crackers too and if there is achar to accompany it all the better!
p/s: after 3 days of feasting, I dare not step on the scales …
Paris B says
February 4, 2014 at 5:57 pmHappy CNY Isabel! Wishing you a wonderful Year of the Horse ahead with galloping successes all the way! 😀 I’ve definitely overindulged too so no scales for me till I feel ready hehe…