Visit our Canada siteIt’s time to welcome The Year of the Dog, Mommies! And like our beloved canine friends, let’s keep our tails and ears up, hoping for better and brighter things this 2018. Regardless of our Chinese zodiac, we always want Lady Luck to be on our side. The Year of the Dog promises fresh starts and that includes lucky recipes that could change the course of things at the very least, your prowess in the kitchen!
The dragons may be dancing in the streets this Lunar New Year but this 2018 ushers in man’s best friend – the tenth Chinese zodiac sign, the Earth Dog.
The Chinese New Year celebration is full of various traditions that many people follow to ensure good health and prosperity – from new clothes, colors, feng shui charms and of course, food!
To help your family have an auspicious start this Year of the Earth Dog, Electrolux is sharing with you a list of traditional dishes that are not only delicious but also deemed lucky by Chinese tradition. Serve this up during your Chinese New Year feast.
Noodles (happiness and longevity)
The Longevity Noodles or changshou mian is a dish that’s always present in Chinese New Year celebrations as well as birthdays. It is said to symbolize a longer and happier life for the one who eats the dish. These are longer than the usual noodles and are always left uncut.
Dumplings (wealth)
It is said that the more dumplings or jiaozi you eat on Chinese New Year’s Eve, the more money will come in the incoming year. This belief comes from its shape that resembles the old Chinese currency called ingots. Even the pleats in the dough should be a good number as if it’s too flat it is believed to signify poverty.
Spring Rolls (wealth)
Usually filled with vegetables or meat, spring rolls or chun jun comes from the Chinese name of the Spring Festival, chunjie, which is when they are traditionally prepared. They are said to bring you wealth since their cylindrical shape and golden-yellow color are similar to gold bars.
Oranges and pomelos (fullness and wealth)
These fruits are particularly lucky because of their circular and “golden” color, symbolizing fullness and wealth. They are often used for decoration as it is also believed to bring good luck and fortune or given as gifts in a fruit basket. It is also said that the more you eat these fruits, the more wealth you will receive.
Fish (prosperity)
Fish in Chinese is called yú which sounds like “surplus” in Chinese. It represents prosperity and as you eat fish you hope for abundance for the coming year – niannian youyu. Fish is usually served whole for Chinese New Year celebrations as a symbol for unity in the family. Make sure to leave leftovers for the next day to signify a welcomed excess in prosperity.
Sweet Rice Balls (family togetherness)
Traditionally served in a sweet and syrupy soup, sweet rice balls or tang yuan purports unity, harmony and togetherness due to their round shape. They are also associated with reunions.
Tikoy (higher income or status)
In China, this glutinous rice cake is called nian gao and sounds like it’s saying “getting higher year after year” or nian nian gao sheng. This is why rice cakes have come to symbolize an increase – it could be a literal increase in height, a business rising up to success, or a person getting promoted.
Preparing for the Chinese New Year’s Eve feast does not have to be a tedious task with Electrolux kitchen appliances. The NutriFresh French Door Inverter Refrigerator EHE5220AA comes with a FreshShield Crisper that has a unique tight seal to keep temperatures stable, minimize water loss and provide higher humidity so that fruits and vegetables stay fresh for up to 7 days.
Meanwhile, the Electrolux Microwave Oven with Grill & Convection EMS3288X is a versatile appliance that allows you to cook a wide variety of dishes, perfect for a Chinese New Year feast. It combines the convenience of a microwave and the performance of an oven, grill and even a steamer, which allows you to prepare a wide variety of dishes.
If you are looking for a cooking range, check out the Electrolux Induction Cooking Range EKI64500OX. It not only comes with a spacious layout to help you prepare multiple dishes at once, but also has powerful induction zones for speedy cooking and precision heat control that allows you to accurately set your desired flame for perfectly-cooked dishes.
Of course, to keep your home smoke and odor-free, equip your kitchen with the Electrolux Chimney Hood EFC6550X, which will absorb all the grease and cooking fumes while recirculating indoor air. This allows you to go from kitchen to the celebration without worrying about smelling like food.
For suggestions on delicious Chinese New Year Dishes for the Year of the Dog, please visit www.electrolux.com.ph and follow @ElectroluxPhilippines on Facebook and Instagram or @ElectroluxPH on Twitter.
Electrolux shapes living for the better by reinventing taste, care and wellbeing experiences making life more enjoyable and sustainable for millions of people. As a leading global appliance company, we place the consumer at the heart of everything we do. Through our brands, including Electrolux, White-Westinghouse, AEG, Anova, Frigidaire, and Zanussi, we sell more than 60 million household and professional products in more than 150 markets every year. In 2016, Electrolux had sales of SEK 121 billion and employed 55,000 people around the world. For more information, go to www.electrolux.com.ph.
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Follow our series of kitchen adventures together with Electrolux. Their range of kitchen appliances are a perfect match for families who feast!
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