• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Featured
    • SPONSORS
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Sitemap
    • EAT.DRINK
      • Food Review
      • Food Promotion
      • Food News
      • Event
    • STAY
      • Hotel Review
      • Hotel News
    • EXPLORE
      • Singapore
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
  • More
    • Invited Review
    • Malaysia Food Blogger List

Malaysian Foodie

Food • Hotel • Travel • Event

  • EAT.DRINK
    • Food Review
    • Restaurant Promotion
    • Editor Picks
    • Dining In The Mall (Klang Valley)
    • What’s New!
    • Restaurant List
    • LiquorTalk
  • HOTEL
    • Room Reviews
    • Hotel News
  • TRAVEL
    • Hong Kong
    • Japan
      • Kyoto
      • Osaka
    • Macau
    • Malaysia
      • Kuala Lumpur
      • Malacca
      • Penang
      • Perak
      • Selangor
      • Sabah
    • Taiwan
    • Thailand
    • Singapore
  • TECH
  • Lifestyle
    • Apparel
    • Books
    • Beauty
    • Craft
    • Gadget
    • Electrical & Household Appliances
    • Food Product
    • Online Shopping
    • Parenting/Kids
    • Property
    • Renovation/ Furniture
  • RECIPES
    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Desserts
    • Drinks / Smoothies
    • Mains
    • Pasta
    • Steamed Food
    • Cooking With Gadgets
  • Mall Dining
  • Motherhood
  • Event
You are here: Home / Food News / A Foodie’s Guide: 8 Do’s & Don’ts During Chinese New Year

A Foodie’s Guide: 8 Do’s & Don’ts During Chinese New Year

January 3, 2022 By StrawberrY Gal - Food News Leave a Comment

 It might have been 2 years since the last family reunion. Do you still remember your lucky and “pantang” foods?

Chinese New Year’s is around the corner and apart from the ang pows and family reunion, the scrumptious home cooked food and delectable cookies are one of the many things we look forward to the most during CNY.

Growing up in Malaysia celebrating CNY at home or with your Chinese friends, you might have heard your Ah Ma, Ah Gong or friend mentioned certain CNY taboos such as to avoid sweeping the floor on the first day of CNY to avoid sweeping the luck away or to leave the lights on during the night of CNY to scare away spirits of misfortune which might compromise the luck and fortune of the New Year.

Food too, is very symbolic to the Chinese when it comes to the New Year. Some foods are deemed auspicious while others… not so. With almost 2 years of celebrating CNY away from our hometowns due to the Covid-19 MCOs, superstitions about “pantang” foods get forgotten, but that doesn’t mean they’re not out there. Here’s a reminder of how not to eat your way to a bad year.

The “Pantang” Foods

Bitter gourd, also known as 苦瓜(kǔ guā) in Chinese is not consumed during CNY as we don’t want to kick start the new year with bitterness and hardships. Choi choi choi!
 

Back in the day, workers travelled far from home to work and would often carry along a blanket of personal belongings. Hence, when a worker is fired, he’d have to roll (yow) up his blanket, pack his belongings and go home. Hence, serving stir fried squid symbolizes being fired in the coming year so it’s best to avoid this dish during CNY to keep our rice bowl

Pear is pronounced as 梨 (lí) in Chinese, which bears the same pronunciation as 离(lí), meaning parting ways. Chinese New Year is all about reunion and happiness., Hence, pears are deemed inauspicious to be eaten on a new year. But make sure you still keep 3 ft apart! We surely don’t want to be kept apart in-home quarantines due to the virus and not the pears this time!

 Porridge, which is pronounced as 粥 (zhōu) in Chinese, symbolize poverty, hence porridge is avoided during CNY to avoid starting the New Year “poor” as this is a bad omen. Well for our wallet’s sake, it’s better to be safe than sorry right?

Now that you know what to avoid during CNY, here’s a list of what you should have!

The Lucky Food

 
 
Pineapple is pronounced as “Ong Lai” in Hokkien, which means inviting luck and prosperity, which is why pineapple tart is a must-have CNY cookie, to bring in luck, prosperity and deliciousness! Ong ah! Heng ah! Huat ah!

Mandarin oranges is pronounced as ‘Kam’ in Cantonese, which means gold! Hence mandarins are widely consumed and used as decoration during CNY as it’s deemed an auspicious fruit that will bring good fortune to those around!

Apart from the usual Gong Xi Fa Cai, we also wish people 年年有余 (nián nián yǒu yú) on CNY. While direct translation means “year year got fish”, this expression wishes an abundance and surplus every year. The wording 余 (yú) bears the same pronunciation as 鱼 (yú), which means fish. Hence, fish is an auspicious and luck filled food to be eaten during CNY for an abundance of all things good in the year to come.

Prawns are pronounced as “Har” in Cantonese, which sounds like a laugh! So it’s commonly believed that by eating prawns during CNY, the year ahead will be filled with joy and laughter. Sounds like a funny way to get lucky, giving you a reason to laugh all the more

Here’s another thing you should have: all your lucky and auspicious foods all packed in one Lurpak Prosperity Tiffin Hamper! This year of the Tiger, Lurpak is bringing your a roarsome surprise of ONG-filled Pineapple tarts, a Golden Mandarin Orange tart for good fortune, “yue” shaped tarts for a year of abundance and Blooming Flower tarts for a blooming new year, all filled with pineapple filling, sure to bring you sweet prosperity, wealth and delectable treats this CNY! An auspicious gift to loved ones or as a treat to your visitors! Reign in the new year full of joy with Lurpak this Chinese New Year!

Here’s how you can win:

Step 1: Buy 2 LURPAK Butter 200g in a single receipt from any supermarket and hypermarket in a single receipt.

Step 2: Scan the QR code in the poster above.

Step 3: Play a simple game.

What are you waiting for? Grab your chance to win a Lurpak Prosperity Tiffin Hamper for a lucky & yummy start to the Year of the Tiger! Lurpak wishes you a Gong Xi Fa Cai, Nian nian you yu and a Great New Year ahead!

Category: Food News



Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
Malaysian Foodie

Latest

  • Watercress Valley Steamboat Restaurant @ Cameron Highlands, Pahang May 25, 2023
  • Customise Your Own Mobile Experiences When You Upgrade from Galaxy Note to Galaxy S23 Ultra May 25, 2023
  • Latest addition to Southeast Asia’s fine dining scene, hom, unveils 10-Moments tasting menu May 25, 2023
  • Samsung Galaxy Launches the ONE Esports Mobile App Bringing Exclusive Esports Content to Fans in Southeast Asia May 25, 2023
  • Samsung Galaxy Launches the ONE Esports Mobile App Bringing Exclusive Esports Content to Fans in Southeast Asia May 25, 2023
  • Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel Opens On Italy’s Alluring Amalfi Coast May 25, 2023
  • MANDARIN ORIENTAL, ATHENS: A NEW LANDMARK ON THE ATHENIAN COASTLINE May 25, 2023
  • Indonesia’s Top Vitamin Gummy Brand Youvit Enters Malaysia Market May 25, 2023
  • Elephant Bar at Raffles Hotel Le Royal Wins Big in ‘Top 30 Bars Cambodia’ Awards May 24, 2023
  • ANCHOR’S LEGENDAIRY SPREAD JOY, SPREAD LOVE CAMPAIGN RETURNS TO APPRECIATE FOOD DELIVERY RIDERS May 24, 2023
  • Samsung Introduces New Rugged Galaxy Tab Active 4 Pro for Businesses and Frontline Workers May 24, 2023
  • New Healthy Veggies Line Launched by De Lettuce B.E.A.R Featuring Southeast Asia’s First Selenium Bio-fortified Lettuces That Boost Immunity May 24, 2023
  • Tanah Gajah Ubud Goes Back to its Family Roots With ‘The Art of Family Fun’ May 24, 2023
  • MANDARIN ORIENTAL ANNOUNCES NEW LUXURY RESIDENCES IN MADRID, SPAIN May 24, 2023
  • Vietjet announces new route to Kochi and resumes many services in Asia May 24, 2023
  • MANDARIN ORIENTAL, ATHENS: A NEW LANDMARK ON THE ATHENIAN COASTLINE May 24, 2023
  • Fusion Launches Children’s Activities, Special Packages Ahead of Summer Holidays May 24, 2023
  • Secret Recipe Honours Caregivers who are like Mothers to All May 23, 2023
  • BLACK TAP CRAFT BURGERS & SHAKES BRINGS THE NASHVILLE HEAT TO MALAYSIA WITH ITS HOT CHICKEN SANDWICH, AVAILABLE FROM 15 MAY – 15 JUNE 2023 May 23, 2023
  • HEINEKEN Malaysia Presents Star Academy 2023 Where Passion Meets Precision May 23, 2023

Secondary Sidebar

EXPLORE

travel in japan

travel in hong kong

travel in macau

travel in taiwan

travel in thailand

Footer

Copyright © 2008–2023 Malaysian Foodie