The Chinese Cake Day - Chinese Food Preparation

The 26th lunar day of 12th Chinese Lunar Month

Chinese have to make different kind of rice cakes to worship the gods on the Chinese New Year's Eve. They have to do it a couple of days early, because it takes time to prepare those cakes. First, the rice need to be ground with water into milky paste, then let it dry. The different ingredient will be added and mixed to become sweet or salty cakes. Then steam it for hours.

The most popular sweet cakes are Nian-Gao and Fa-Gao . In Chinese, Nian is Year and Gao is Cake. So Nian-Gao means Year Cake. Since Nian-Gao is made of glutinous sweet rice and. Nian has the same sound with Chinese character Sticky. Nian-Gao is also called Sticky Cake. Fa literally means Prosperity. Gao has a similar sounds to Chinese character High. Eating Fa-Gao helps people's career, wealth and health to step higher.

Today, many Chinese directly buy the Nian-Gao and Fa-Gao from the supermarket. Nian-Gao can be cut into pieces, then fry or deep-fry it. Nian-Gao is very taste right after frying. Fa-Gao can be re-heat or re-steam before serving.

Back to Chinese ancient agriculture society, farmers were kind of poor and afforded to have pork only during the Chinese New Year. Some area in China, people killed pigs on this day and enjoyed meat for new year holiday.

Chinese New Year Festivals

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