And during Chinese New Year, as homes are decked out with vibrant red and gold décor, families are garbed in new clothing, and ang pows are handed out by the dozens, the most important event is the reunion dinner.
These feasts help maintain and strengthen familial bonds as people get together to partake of traditional dishes at home or in a restaurant.
Here are some of the more popular delicacies you will find on the table during this occasion.
Yee sang
Yee sang is perhaps the ultimate “must-have” dish. It purportedly originated from Seremban and was created by Loke Ching Fatt, a Cantonese immigrant from China in the 1940s.
The flavours and colours of the dish pay homage to the ethnic subgroups of the Chinese communities in Malaysia, including the Cantonese, Hokkien and Teochew.
Chong Thin Foong, head chef at New Peng Wah Restaurant in Damansara Jaya, Selangor, told FMT that each ingredient in yee sang carries significance.
“The carrots, white radish, and ginger represent coming luck, success, and health. Even the dressings bear meaning – the plum sauce exemplifies gold and wealth,” he explained.
Also known as the “prosperity toss”, the ingredients must be tossed high with chopsticks to usher in prosperity while proclaiming, “Lao sang!”
Steamed grouper
According to Chong, it is customary to have steamed fish at the table during any Chinese New Year reunion dinner.
The importance of this dish is tied to an old Chinese saying: “Nian nian you yu”, which means: “May you have abundance year after year.”
The Chinese word for prosperity, “yu”, also means fish.
“Fish swim smoothly in water and water signifies money. By eating the fish, we, too, can ‘swim’ in money,” Chong said.
It is also customary to eat half the fish for dinner and the second half the next day. This allows the meal to last longer, symbolising a future that is continually prosperous.
Steamed chicken
Chicken represents togetherness and rebirth. In the olden days, it was considered a luxury to have chicken on the table and, like fish, it should be served in its entirety, chicken head and chicken feet included.
“This signifies us completing whatever we start. Eating chicken feet means grasping on to wealth, and the wings help you fly higher,” Chong explained.
In some households, the feet are reserved for the breadwinners of the family to bless them with constant wealth.
Some Chinese folks also prepare eggs since the whites and yolks, respectively, represent silver and gold – colours that reflect prosperity.
Mixed vegetables
A dish of mixed vegetables is laden with symbolism. In the Buddhist tradition, no animal should be killed on the first day of the New Year, and vegetables are considered essential to purify the body.
Mixed veggies, also known as “Buddha’s delight”, originated from China and varies from region to region. In the north, the dish is spicy and contains wheat gluten; in the south, it is a milder stir-fry replete with greens.
Chong said this dish symbolises good health for the coming year. “There are many ways to prepare mixed veg, and it must be served to cleanse the body of unhealthy foods eaten the previous year,” he adds.