Chinese New Year food : Peanut cookies

Food always takes centre stage during important occasions and of course, Chinese New Year is no different. The ingredients eaten during the festivities also have symbolic significance.
  • Bamboo shoots - wealth
  • Black moss seaweed - wealth
  • Dried Bean Curd - happiness (note: fresh tofu is not served because the colour white symbolises death and misfortune in Chinese culture).
  • Chicken - happiness and marriage (especially when served with "dragon foods," such as lobster. Family reunion (if served whole)
  • Eggs - fertility
  • Egg Rolls - wealth
  • Fish served whole - prosperity
  • Chinese garlic chives - everlasting, a long life
  • Lychee nuts - close family ties
  • Noodles - A long life
  • Oranges - wealth
  • Peanuts - a long life
  • Pomelo - abundance, prosperity, having children
  • Seeds - lotus seeds, watermelon seeds, etc. - having a large number of children
  • Tangerines - luck
I stopped off at the Chinese bakery on the way home from work to pick up some dainty little peanut cookies- salty and sweet at the same time they just melt in your mouth - and if they make me live a long life, it would be silly to refuse them.

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