Text by AKHIL JOONDEPH and JONAS PAO Art by SAMANTHA HO
FOOD
FOR THE
FESTIVITIES CELEBRATING LUNAR NEW YEAR WITH TRADITIONAL DISHES
C
HEWY RICE CAKES topped with sweet red beans, long and stretchy noodles covered in savory broth, plump piping-hot dumplings — these are just a few of the decadent dishes enjoyed by people of East Asian descent around the world as they ring in the new year. While most Western countries follow the Gregorian solar-based calendar, many Asian cultures traditionally follow a moon-based calendar, resulting in the celebration of the Lunar New Year in February. Lunar New Year is one of the most
important holidays in East Asian cultures, and is met with large family gatherings, ceremonial gifts of money and feasts of traditional delicacies. According to a Verde opt-in survey of 144 Palo Alto High School students conducted from Feb. 1 to Feb. 11, over 29% of Paly students celebrate Lunar New Year. Verde took a closer look at some of the ways students from three different countries eat traditional foods to celebrate the holiday, and sampled traditional New Year’s dishes from a selection of local restaurants. v
Red symbolizes good fortune and happiness in Chinese culture. According to an ancient legend, a demon would terrorize villages and their livestock around the New Year. So, because the demon was afraid of the color red, it became a New Year’s tradition to decorate houses in red banners, give money in red envelopes and eat reddish-tinted foods. We sampled a traditional Peking Duck ($46) at the Peking Duck restaurant located on California Avenue. We tucked the tender duck meat into discs of mantou, a sweet and savory bun, and enjoyed this quasi-sandwich with a sweet sauce and fresh green onions. The rich flavor of the duck, the doughy texture of the mantou and the sweet and salty tang of the sauce combined for a perfectly balanced entree.
QUACK OPEN YOUR MOUTH — Peking duck, from a restaurant of the same name, is a traditional New Year’s delicacy for many people of Chinese descent. “My family usually goes out to a fancy Asian restaurant ... and [usually]... we like to eat duck,” junior Julian Kobayashi said. Photo: Jonas Pao
Chinese New Year Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a 16-day holiday traditionally dedicated to honoring ancestors and coming together as a family. Junior Julian Kobayashi, while having both Chinese and Japanese heritage, historically celebrates Chinese New Year with his immediate family by going out to eat at a traditional Chinese restaurant. However, due to COVID-19, Kobayashi and his family have altered their plans for this year’s celebrations. “A lot of the restaurants we like to go to have been moved to takeout,” he says. “We are going to order takeout and just eat at home instead.” Kobayashi often eats roasted Peking Duck on New Year’s Day with his family to celebrate. The reddish tint of roasted duck skin makes the dish of Peking Duck a symbolic delicacy.
