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Why is it called nian gao?

Why is it called nian gao?

CHINESE NIAN GAO AND CHINESE NEW YEAR Like I’ve mentioned before, lots of Chinese food carry auspicious meaning. The reason many people want to have nian gao for lunar new year celebration because the word “Gao (糕) ” means cake, which has a similar pronunciation with Gao ((高), which means “tall” (a higher year).

What does nian gao symbolize?

Nian gao, or ‘year cake’, is a sticky rice cake which represents prosperity; the words ‘nian gao’ sounds like ‘getting higher year on year’, and this symbolises raising oneself taller in each coming year.

What is Chinese Gau?

But for good luck, the most popular food is a traditional Chinese steamed pudding called gau. This sweet, sticky rice pudding is made out of brown sugar and glutinous rice flour, often wrapped in ti leaves and steamed for hours. These days, it’s sometimes microwaved. It’s sticky, like family bonds are supposed to be.

What color is nian gao?

Most commonly, nian gao refers to a steamed brown sugar rice cake that you decorate the house with for several days before eating. In some regions of China, nian gao can also refer to white unsweetened rice cakes that are sliced and stir fried into a savory dish.

Is nian gao unhealthy?

Eating Nian Gao on Chinese New Year symbolises a desire for growth in the coming year. Fried Nian Gao is delicious, but save 115 calories and 11.8 grams of fat by enjoying steamed Nian Gao instead. A three-cookie portion contains: 60 calories.

How do you eat GAO?

You cannot eat nian gao cold; the sugar and rice harden enough to break your teeth. So my father would cut leftover chilled cake into thin slices, dip them in beaten egg, and fry them in a skillet for breakfast or a snack.

Why do Chinese people eat Year cake?

The pronunciation of Nian Gao sounds like ‘year high’ (年高), which symbolizes a higher income, a higher position, the growth of children, and generally the promise of a better year. It is considered good luck to eat it during the Chinese New Year period.

What is Chinese New Year cake made of?

glutinous rice flour
Nian gao (年糕; also niangao; nin4 gou1 in Cantonese), sometimes translated as year cake or New Year cake or Chinese New Year’s cake, is a food prepared from glutinous rice flour and consumed in Chinese cuisine. It is also simply known as “rice cake”.

What is Chinese New Year pudding?

nian gao
Called nian gao in Mandarin and nin go in Cantonese, this sticky pudding is eaten all over China during the Chinese New Year because of the punning symbolism around the sound gao or go, which means both pudding and to grow.

Does nian gao expire?

1 Answer. I hope you ate the Nian gao cake already. If you are going to eat it in less than 10 days, just leave it in the fridge, tightly sealed in a ziplock bag. But for longer storage, say a month or so, you could wrap it in plastic wrap, then a paper towel, then inside a freezer bag.

Is nian gao good?

It is considered good luck to eat nian gao during this time of the year because nian gao (年糕) is a homonym for “higher year” or “grow every year” (年高), which means “a more prosperous year”….

Nian gao
Literal meaning sweet kuih
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Where can I find a Chinese New Year cake?

You can usually find this cake in it’s steamed form, sold at Asian supermarkets around the Lunar New Year, or maybe even your local Chinese bakery, but it’s only 3 simple ingredients and fairly straight forward to make. (Plus it’s fun!) In this recipe video tutorial I’ll show you how easy it is to make this Chinese New Year Cake.

What do you call sticky rice cake for Chinese New Year?

Nian Gao or Nin Gou in Cantonese (“higher year”), is a sweet glutinous sticky rice cake that is enjoyed year round, but often a must-have during Chinese New Year, as the name sheds light to give progress, advancement, higher or taller, promising a better year ahead.

What’s the correct way to say Happy New Year in Chinese?

Business owners and workmates use gong xi fa cai as the usual way to say “happy new year” in Chinese. Xin Nian Kuai Le: Pronounced “sheen neean kwai luh,” kuai le means “happy” or “joyous,” and xin nian means “new year.”

What do they call the Lunar New Year in China?

But Chinese people call it the “Lunar New Year” – 农历新年 ( nónglì xīnnián) or the “Spring Festival” – 春节 ( chūnjié ). A note from the Fluent in 3 Months team before we get started: You can chat away in Chinese for at least 15 minutes with the “Fluent in 3 Months” method.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHeFJkHUAHA