Glutinous Rice Cakes, Fish, and More: Chinese New Year Favorites in Indonesia and Elsewhere

"So Chinese people think eating mud carp during the Chinese New Year symbolizes wishing for good fortune. For these reasons, milkfish is considered a symbol of hope and good fortune.”

Aside from glutinous rice cakes and fish, the Chinese New Year banquets also featured longevity noodles, ‘good fortune fruit’ like tangerines, sweet rice balls, and dumplings.

While the Covid-19 pandemic might dampen the sense of togetherness of that this meal entails in previous years, it still does not detract from their symbolic significance, or giving the diner hope for better days.

(Writers: Singgih Wiryono, Lea Lyliana | Editor: Egidius Patnistik, Silvita Agmasari)

Sources: 

https://megapolitan.kompas.com/read/2021/02/11/19342021/kue-keranjang-simbol-harapan-dan-bekal-memasuki-tahun-baru-imlek. 

https://www.kompas.com/food/read/2021/02/11/101200575/mengapa-ikan-bandeng-sering-disajikan-saat-imlek?page=all#page2.