Chinese New Year
Since the Lunar New Year festival is drawing nearer and nearer, many housewives in Hong Kong are engaged in a bustle of frying activities. These activities are usually done on the 24th to 25th day of the twelve Moon. The Pearl River Delta Open Economic Zone is a prosperous portion in China. The Pearl Estuary are filled with the Eastern and Western Culture nowadays. Yet, many women there are still having long-established ideas on Chinese New Year. They follow the Chinese New Year traditions strictly on its cheerfulness and joyfulness thesis.
According to the customs, housewives at this time are preparing a variety of pastries to welcome the visitors. They may come to their houses during the New Year period. And, this kind of fried food are also received and sent among the friends and relatives.
The frying custom, which originates from the Kwangtung Province, is especially popular among the people of the Pearl River Estuary. Many girls still retain the traditional features of Chinese New Year food. They cook many kinds of them, for example, the chin-dui '煎堆' which mean the wonderful words of "Full of chin-dui, full of wealth in your home" in Chinese ' 煎堆碌碌，金銀滿屋'.
The fried slices of potatoes and sweet potatoes are welcomed for the New Year in the serving tea activity. Some of them are in a form of a coin which signifies 'money'. The round shape of chin-dui is taken to mean 'reunion of the family'.
The ingredients of these pastries are flour, sugar and lard which usually make the outer "crust". Sesame, lotus seeds, coconut, red beans are often used as stuffing.
During the seventies and eighties, many young girls at the age of 12 to 16 were taught these culinary arts. They were also praised for honour with their cooking skills among members of the family.
The beautiful appearance of the finished products attracts much attention. For example, an unblemished chin-dui would bring good luck to the whole family in the new year ahead, as they reckon.
Happy Lunar New Year!!!!!
Mary,
2.2.2011
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