Gong Xi Fa Cai!! Gong Xi Fa Cai!!! I’m the happiest this Chinese Festival!!

Chinese Lunar New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. Celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Chinese Calendar, the Chinese Lunar New Year ends with the Lantern Festival (or Yuan Xiao Festival - the 1st night to see a Full Moon) on the 15th day of the month.

Me carrying Baby Golden Ox filled with 2 Chinese Mandarins, or Tangerines :

Each Chinese Lunar New Year is symbolized by an Animal, & there’re 12 Animals in the Zodiac & each Animal will not reappear until 12 years later. And the Animal that symbolizes this Year 2009 is the Ox, & the Singapore Lunar New Year Public Holidays fell on 26th & 27th of January.

My beautiful Baby Golden Ox basket with Chinese Mandarins :

And today being the 30th of Jan, it’s the 5th day of the Lunar New Year, also known as Niu Ri (Cow Day), in memory that the Cow or Ox was created in the Universe on this day. In Chinese Customs, the 5th day of Lunar New Year is also known as Cai Shen Ri, or the Day of Deity of Wealth.

Here’s a Red colored (an auspicious color for Lunar New Year) Oxy Chinese New Year Greeting Card to usher in the Lunar New Year :

HEY my Baby Golden Ox has suddenly grown fatter & bigger?!?! Well, not quite true, cos it’s a different huge Golden Ox filled with Chinese Mandarins with me this time round!! 

By the way, do you like my new hair color? Well, I had it re-dyed just 2 weeks before the festive Lunar New Year, with a “GONG XI FA CAI” ORANGE CRUSH made-in-Australia Color heheh!!

Here’s a close-up view of my Huge fat & Baby Oxes full of Chinese Mandarins, with Red Stickers of Golden Chinese Word “Ji” which means “Good Fortune” :

And how can I miss out on having Piglets to pair with my Oxes?!?! Here’s Me holding my Baby wired Piglet containing Chinese Mandarins :

Actually my pretty Baby Piglet was in the same Golden color as the Golden Oxes but it’s since lost its Goldish shine & glamour as it has been with Me since 2 years ago when I brought her home during the Lunar New Year of the Pig.  

And here’s Huge chubby Mommy Pig - still remember I was extremely surprised & excited when my Dear Dear brought her home, filled with Chinese Mandarins, as a special gift for me during the Pig Year in 2007 :

And well, if you’d already known from reading my previous posts, I was born in the Year of Pig & my Dear was born in the Year of Ox - thus the true romantic lovely chubby Couple here with their Babies heheh :

More Chinese Mandarins or Pong Kam or Lu Gan sitting in my lovely Red Bamboo Basket which was a gift from my 3rd sister some years back - notice the Red Sticker with the Golden “Ji” word on the Red slim handle :

Here’re more Pong Kam (or Lu Gan) with the Red Stickers with Golden Chinese word “Ji” - “Kam” in Cantonese also means “Gold” or “Wealth”, & in Mandarin, they sound like “Ji” or “Lucky” (or “Gold Fortune”) meaning “Gifts of Good Omen”, so these Kam are given in even mumbers for Good Luck whenever we visit friends or relatives during the Chinese Festive season :

And below are my Red Glossy Ox Hong Baos (or Red Packets) each individually designed with a different male or femal Ox with Chinese auspicious blessings (from top-left to right & down) - “Ji Xiang Ru Yi” meaning “Good Luck”, “Fu” meaning “Happiness”, “Kuai Gao Zhan Da” meaning “Grow Up Tall & Fast”, “Xiao Ko Chan Kai” meaning “Smiling Always”, “Xue Ye Jing Pu” meaning “Improved Studies”, “Mei Mong Chen Zhen” meaning “Beautiful Dreams Come True”, “Chong Ming Ling Li” meaning “Smart & Intelligent” & lastly “Xing Xiang Shi Chen” meaning “Heart’s Wishes Become True” :

And as a Chinese tradition symbolizing Good Luck & Wealth,  in these Hong Baos, Dear & I would put dollar notes inside to give out to my youngest elder brother who’s not married yet, our godbrother & our family maids, as well as neighbours’ children, & not forgetting our 19 nieces & nephews (YES 19 you read correctly - 16 from my side & 3 from Dear’s side ranging from 26-year-old to 2-year-old totally 19 altogether haha)!!!

Those were the years when Dear & I got to have our own many Hong Baos - especially for Me as I was the youngest (no 9th) in my huge extended family of 4 generations!! I could still remember I would receive many many Hong Baos with lots of money (at least several hundreds!!) & after the 15th days of every Lunar New Year till I was a teenager, I’d gather all my Hong Baos’ money & give it all to Mom!! Hahaha I was really such a filial daughter cos I could understand how much money Mom & Dad had to spend each New Year on their Hong Baos giving us & relatives as I was the one who often helped Mom & Dad prepare their Hong Baos!

Pretty fortunate for Dear & I, whose parents are Cantonese, we both are still receiving Hong Baos from my Father-in-law today as forms of “Ya Sui Qian”, literally symbolizing that the money is used to suppress evil spirits during the Lunar New Year!

Here’s Me with my most favourite Lunar New Year deco - a lavish Lion Tissue Box Cover which has been with me for 2 years now :

It’s belived that the loud beatings of the drums & the deafening sounds of the cymbals together with the Lion dancing aggressively during the Lunar New Year help to get rid of the bad or evil spirits - I can still fondly remember those exciting childhood years of mine when Dad engaged Lion Dance troupe to our home every Lunar New Year & those were our most happiest moments :

And taking this opportunity, let me show you some of the Chinese Lunar New Year delicacies which my Family & I normally have during this Festive season.

Beautiful New Moon Alalone Gift Set from my 4th Sister :

In Chinese, the Pricey Abalone is known as “Bao Yu” which also means “Assurance” (as in “Bao”), & “Surplus” (as in “Yu”), thus symbolizing “Assurance of Surplus” in the year ahead during the Lunar Calendar.

And my whole family & I especially love the New Moon brand Abalone & we’d been having it since I was at a very young tender age, till today Mom always make superb Abalone with Chicken Soup for us throughout the years (even in non-Lunar New Years) as it’s Dad’s best favourite home Cuisine!!

The New Moon Gift Set consists of Cans of Abalone (our best favourite pf course!!), Razor Clam, Sharks Fin Soup, Fish Maw Soup, Golden Mushroom Clams, & lastly, Premium Abalone Broth :

On this note, for those who do not know or have not heard about the Premium Abalone Broth - it’s been reported by Singapore AVA (Agri-food & Veterinary Authority) NOT to consume it as the Broth has a bad smell, & that all cans of the Broth to be exchanged with the following New Moon Fragrant Clams at Esso Petrol Stations, which I’d just done that :

And well, every year Dear & I had more than our fair share of the New Moon Abalones & we never tire of eating them as we receive more cans from both our Moms!! Hahah ain’t us so LUCKY ha :

Here’s a Packet of pricey high quality Dried Fish Maw (or “Yue Piu” in Chinese, which is the air bladder that helps a fish control its buoyancy) that symbolizes “Good Luck” for the Lunar New Year - a yearly gift from Mom : 

And below are more gifts from Mom - Dried Pork Leg Tendons which Mom says will give us more strength in our human legs!! As for why eat Pork Leg Tendons for Lunar New Year I am not too sure but guess it’s cos Mom oftens cook Fish Maw with Pork Leg Tendons together with Chicken or Pork Ribs in Soup or in dark soy sauce Stew, some splendid Cuisines which I’ve learned from Mom over the years & have managed to make by myself now :

Here’s another gift packet from Mom - huge pricey Dried Oysters (or “Ho Si” in Cantonese) meaning “Happy Fortunate Events” - haha both Dear & I love Oysters, though Dear prefers the Fresh ones more. And well, I’d usually cook these Dried Oysters with Porridge together with sliced Pork, Fish Cake, Bean Curds & sometimes with Long Beans too - so yummy yummy heheh!!

Below’s a lovely Red with Golden colored pack of Dried Scallops (all the way from Hong Kong bought by my nephew Dennis in his recent trip to the Food Paradise Land), decorated with the Chinese auspicious word “Xi” meaning “Happiness” & a pair of Phoenix & Dragon  :

In Chinese, Dried Scallops are called “Ta Chi” & they sound like “Prince” or “Son” which symbolize “Births of Sons” in the auspicious Lunar New Year - hahah something which Dear & I both earnestly need alot!!

And more Chinese delicacies such as these Dried Mushrooms (or “Dong Gu” in Chinese) which represent “Dong Cheng Xi Jiu” meaning “Wishes Fulfilled from East to West” :

Here’re packets of special grade Chinese Sausages :

Hmm……….thick fat lean Sausages which are Dear’s all-time favourite which I sometimes steam or fry with Rice, or cook together with Chicken or Pork Ribs with Dried Mushrooms in Rice (claypot style) - simply delicious!!!

Below are Slices of Chinese BBQ Pork or Bak Kwa (or “Rou Gan” in Chinese) which are a Highlight for Chinese Lunar New Year which are also a big favourite of Dear & Me!! Traditionally, these salty-sweet Bak Kwas are made in such a way to last longer as they can be kept for later consumptions & are specially reserved for the Chinese festival, though nowadays we often eat them even during non-Lunar New Year days :

Now see our huge Basket of Chinese Lunar New Year Goodies :

Let me first introduce to you the most favourite Festive Cookies of the Chinese community - Pineapple Tarts, in which Pineapples symbolize “Prosperity” & they’re called “Ong Lai” in Hokkien which is translated as “Good Fortune or Wealth Coming”.

Here’re my Pineapple Tarts contained in 2 bottles with Red Stickers with the Chinese Blessing Word “Wang” meaning “Prosperity” :

I remember I had my very first Pineapple Tarts Learning & Making Session with my ex-colleagues in one of the colleague (Kelly’s) house in Pasir Ris when I was in my early 20s - besides making & baking the pastries which were made up of large portions of Butter & Egg Yolks, it was very tedious especially when making the Pineapple jam as it required long hours of preparing, reducing & stirring & caramelizing grated fresh pineapples that had been mixed with sugar & spices such as cinnamon, star anise & cloves!! Then was a most tiring Session but I had so much fun & joyous memories that I could still recall clearly & often share with Dear till today whenever he asks if I know how to make Pineapple Tarts!! And haha YES I Do I Do!!

Now, though costing much more expensively, Dear & I never fail to buy these Pineapple Tarts (& all our following Festive Cookies) from Beauty World Food Centre every Lunar New Year ever since we had our first taste of them when my mother-in-law got us some -  these Pineapple Tarts’ pastries are very flavourable & crunchy & the Pineapple Jams really yummy too :

Now, Pineapple Tarts come in different shapes & this Lunar New Year, Dear & I bought an additional different type other than the above normal ones which we usually get - Round Pineapple Tarts which has a pastry much smoother & lighter that simply just melts in our mouths & the so fine Pineappple Jams simply sensational tasting whenever we bite into them!! Dear & I have now decided that these are our new Best Pineapple Tarts that we’ve ever tasted, & that they’re now our new most favourite Pineapple Tarts to have from our next Lunar new Year onwards :

Another favourite Festive Cookie of ours is the following Love Letters (or “Kueh Kapit”) - thin crispy Cookies made from a batter of Coconut Milk & Flour poured onto cast-iron Moulds with long handles, & baked over charcoal fires, then rolled : 

Love Letters were such called as in Chinese History, people would hide their secret messages inside the Rolled-up Cookies & send to their loved ones during family fueds.  And for some Chinese, they believe that making Love Letters Cookies together would strengthen the family bonds.

As such, my own family such as my brothers & sisters & Mom & I used to make Love Letters for our Lunar New Years in our kampong house in Tampines way back in the 1970s & 1980s. We would stay up all days & even over-nights outside our house in our huge compounds to charcoal or watch over our Love Letters & it was all so enjoyable!!

Well, below’s another yummy Chinese Festive Cookie - mini Dried Shrimp & Chili Paste Rolls (or “Hae Bee Hiam” in Hokkien) which are most crunchy & freshest with slight spicyness (which I love since I love spicy food!!) :

The above “Hae Bee Hiam” are pretty common as a Chinese Festive Cookie during the Lunar New Year, but have you heard or tasted mini Pork Floss Rolls such as the followings?! As crunchy & equally tasty, these mini Pork Floss Rolls are simply irristable!!

Now, here’re my favourite Sesame Bee Hive Cookies which are semi-sweet & most crispy & very very crunchy :

And the following are the Vietnamese Famer Brand Roasted Peanuts from Singapore Chinatown - these are the most lovely, crunchy & fragrant Peanuts which were introduced several years back by my Hong Konger friend when I was out with him when he was visiting Sinagpore - “Gary Tsang” (or “Father” as he’s fondly called by us as he used to cook us delicious Hong Kong Cuisines during our uni days in Geelong, Australia)!!!

Notice the unique Container containing the Peanuts?! That’s the Tolharubang Grandfather (also called “Tu Di Gong” which is a Lava Rock Idol) Glass Container which Dear & I bought from Jeju Island in South Korea.

Haha, you must be wondering I’m a local Singaporean yet it was instead a foreigner who knew about these superb Peanuts in the first place haha haha!!! Anyway, I’d since fallen much in love with these gracious Peanuts & never stop buying them whenever I visit Chinatown!! Well, actually I try to avoid them except for the Lunar New Year since these fatty nuts actually make me put on so much weight!!

Nicknamed “Health Nuts”, & also called “Hua Sheng” in Chinese, & cos of their shape, Peanuts are offered to guests during the Chinese Lunar New Year as a symbol of offering the “Flower of Life” or “Nut of Longevity” promising a Long Healthy Life :

Now, here’s my beautiful Traditional Chinese New Year 3-Layer Candy Container (gift from 4th Sis) filled with Festive Sweets & Chocolates from Shanghai & USA - Sweetness symbolizing a “Rich Sweet Life” in the Lunar New Year :

And below’s another bigger lovely 2-layer Candy Container (full of American Chocolates & Chinese Sweets & Mochi), which Dear & I got from a Kuala Lumpar Shopping Mall a few years back :

And this’s my lovely Glossy Red Apple Candy Container which I usually fill it with Ferrero Rocher Chocolates which Dear & I both adore :

Sweet & Sticky Rice Pudding Cake (or “Nian Gao”) is a MUST-HAVE during Chinese Lunar New Year since Sweetness symbolizes a “Rich Sweet Life” & “Gao” meaning “Rising Abundance”, together meaning “Prosperity”, & it’s said to make people “Advance toward Higher Positions & Prosperity Step by Step”, or literally meaning “Every Year Higher & Higher” or having a “Higher Level of Lifestyel”!

Made of glutionus rice, flour & brown sugar, Nian Gao is Dear’s most favourite Chinese Festive delicacy which he can’t stop having enough all the time!! Mom & I usually pan-fry our Nian Gao with mixed eggs & flour (as shown below) which turn the Nian Gao crispy on the outside yet soft & tender in the inside, & Dear simply loves them so much!!

As for Dear’s Mom’s way of frying Nian Gao, she often makes slices of Yam (also called “Wu Tao” meaning ”Good Beginnings”) sandwiched with slices of the Nian Gao, & then deepfry them in a light batter of mixed Eggs with Flour - I’ve tried this Cantonese style of frying Nian Gao once or twice some years ago but I’ve yet to master it at all :((

Now, below’s a bunch of Chinese Leek (or “Suan Maio”), a typical Lunar New Year delicacy that the Chinese must eat during the Festive season. In Chinese customs, Chinese Leek has the meaning of Calculating of Wealth & Increasing in Wealth.

In addition, Chinese Leek also has the meaning of Justice & Pureness - called “Yi Qing Er Bai” in Chinese, in Ancient Era, the family members of the wrongly accused hung Chinese Leek on the Accuse-Party in order to gain the attention of the Magistrate Officer!!

However in the modern days today, families still place or hang bunches of Chinese Leek at homes, or in the bedrooms of their children, for prosperity & advancements in their studies throughout the year!

Let’s now watch my Chinese Lunar New Year 2009 Slideshow, designed with pics of my most special Hong Kong Chinese Red Couplet Souvenir Magnets with Chinese Blessings - “Da Ji Da Li” meaning “Good Fortune & Prosperity”, & “Nian Nian You Yu” meaning “Yearly Surplus & Bountiful Harvests”, & with a Chinese Festive Song Video titled “Zou Ni Yi Ke Da Nian Gao” meaning “Offering You a Huge Nian Gao” :

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this Chinese Lunar New Year post of mine as much as I’ve  enjoyed writing it - & may I here upon wish you a Very Very Happy & Prospereous New Year!! And since it’s Cow Day today, let me wish all of you a Very Prosperous Moo Moo Day too!!