ScribblingGeek earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies in 1999. His interests include history, traveling, and mythology.

Delicious Chinese New Year foods to try in Singapore.

In Singapore, Chinese New Year is synonymous with family gatherings, boisterous celebrations, and the enjoyment of unique, symbolism-laden gourmet delicacies. Here are 10 yummy Chinese New Year foods to enjoy, should you be visiting the island country during January and February.

1. Hot Pot 火锅 (Huo Guo)

In Singapore, hot pot is known as "steamboat," and it is very similar to the versions served in China. Consisting mainly of a big pot of steaming broth, each diner cooks his or her own share of the meal by dipping ingredients such as fish, vegetables, or meat into the broth. (The broth varies a lot—from rich chicken stock to seafood soup, to fiery hot Sichuan mala concoctions.)

Considered by many to be the perfect Chinese New Year dish for family reunions, as it involves every diner sharing the same broth, steamboat is essentially also a winter dish, as it is always freezing cold in China on Chinese New Year's Eve. This makes the dish somewhat unsuitable for tropical regions of yore. Thankfully, this is no longer an issue, given the affordability of modern air conditioning.

Chinese style hot pot, known as "steamboat" in Singapore.

2. Mandarins 桔子 (Ju Zi)

Mandarins are traditional Chinese New Year gifts as they represent prosperity to the Chinese. Foremost among the many reasons behind this belief is that the fruit resembles a lump of gold. At the same time, most Chinese dialect pronunciations for mandarins are also similar to that for luck. Lastly, mandarin oranges are pleasant to smell. They are also a refreshing snack. All these reasons make the fruit a perfect Chinese New year food, especially when surrounded by family members and close friends.

Mandarins, a symbol of prosperity for the Chinese.

3. Chinese New Year Rice Cakes 年糕 (Nian Gao)

Chinese New Year rice cakes, or nian gao, are made from glutinous rice and sugar, with other ingredients occasionally added to enhance flavor. In Singapore, the traditional and most popular version is shown in the picture above i.e. steamed with brown sugar and wrapped in lotus leaves. Apart from this, there are also more modern versions; for example, white coconut-flavored ones. In recent years, many Singaporean gourmet confectioneries have featured elaborate nian gao in the shape of Chinese auspicious animals. A very popular version is that of graceful carp.

As for the reason for eating nian gao, "nian" means year while "gao" has the same sound as "tall" or "high." Paired together, the name thus implies a soaring new year. Of note, many Chinese New Year foods are eaten for the same reason. Practically all associated delicacies have names that sound auspicious or pleasing.

Chinese New Year Nian Gao. A unique type of sweetened Rice Cake.

4. Melon Seeds 瓜子 (Gua Zi)

House visits are imperative during Chinese New Year, with hosts also expected to prepare appropriate festive snacks and drinks. Other than all sorts of cookies, nuts, and preserved fruits, melon seeds are commonly served. A relatively cheap snack in the past, melon seeds could nowadays be quite expensive, with all sorts of exotic variants imported from all over the world. Nonetheless, they remain a hugely popular Chinese New Year snack. For some families, these addictive munchies are even considered a must-have.

Chinese melon seeds. One of the most commonly served Chinese New Year snacks.

5. Festive Fish Dishes 鱼 (Yu)

Like the case for mandarin oranges or rice cakes, fish is eaten during Chinese New Year because of the pronunciation of its name. The Chinese word for fish is yu (鱼), which has the same sound as the word for abundance. Correspondingly, fish dishes served during Chinese New Year are always given elaborate titles such as 年年有余 (nian nian you yu), which means plentiful abundance each year. The summary of it, no Chinese New Year banquet is ever complete without a fish dish, this usually being a freshly steamed one served whole. For Chinese New Year business luncheons, fish dishes are doubly consider a must-have. After all, which businessman wouldn’t want a plentiful year?

Steamed fish roll delight.

6. Longevity Noodles 寿面 (Shou Mian)

Chinese eat noodles during many celebrations, not just the New Year. This is not because of any phonetic resemblance to good luck words but because the longish shape of noodles symbolizes longevity in Chinese culture. During formal banquets and dinners, noodles, in replacement of rice, are typically served before dessert. Lastly, when used as a Chinese New Year food, noodles could be cooked by a host for visiting family members and friends. Or it could be conveniently served as one of the final raw ingredients during steamboat gatherings.

Noodles symbolizes longevity to the Chinese during festive gatherings.

7. Chinese Sausages 腊肠 (La Chang)

China produces many types of sausages, with the most famous and popular ones being those made in Southern China. Known as lup cheong in the Cantonese dialect, these are the ones most commonly eaten in Singapore, especially during Chinese New Year celebrations. Savory and rich in taste, la chang/lup cheong are either used as an enhancing ingredient in cooking, or served as a dish itself. At Chinese New Year bazaars, they would often be displayed as shown in the picture above. You’d agree that such displays provide for truly unique photographic opportunities for visitors and tourists.

La Chang, or Chinese sausages

8. Fruit Jellies 果冻 (Guo Dong)

The newest item on this list, the bulk of fruit jellies sold during the Chinese New Year festive season in Singapore originates from Taiwan, and are inspired by konnyaku, or Japanese jellies. Available in a wide variety of flavors, often with sweet fillings too, these yummy snacks are extremely popular with children. For adults, the colorful packaging, often full of auspicious words, makes piles of the jellies perfect as festive decorations.

Fruit jellies stall during Chinese New Year in Singapore.

9. Barbequed Seasoned Pork 肉干 (Rou Gan)

In Singapore, rou gan is a Chinese New Year institution, to the extent that some Singaporean Chinese consider it the one must-have Chinese New Year snack. At popular outlets, festive shoppers could queue for hours just to buy one box. In the Chinatown area of Singapore, it is a yearly spectacle to see meandering queues patiently waiting while chefs feverishly fan their grills.

Originally square barbequed slices of seasoned pork, rou gan is nowadays also made with chicken, in addition to all sorts of spicy variants. What’s interesting to note is that these addictive snacks are actually sold throughout the year, as well as heavily promoted as travel souvenirs. These make the long queues before Chinese New Year rather inexplicable. But perhaps the queuing itself has evolved into a ritual that is part of the Singapore Chinese New Year festive feel. One doesn’t experience the coming year, without partaking in a sweaty one hour queue.

The ever popular rou gan is considered by some Singaporeans to be the one must-have Chinese New Year food.

10. Yu Sheng 鱼生 (Yu Sheng)

Yu sheng, which means raw fish, originated in Malaysia, and is an elaborate dish consisting of freshly sliced raw fish served with many condiments and sauces. Always the first dish to be served during a Chinese New Year banquet, the server would present the platter while reciting auspicious phrases. Thereafter, everybody at the table tosses the ingredients together using chopsticks. Often, the ritual gets very boisterous.

Of note, the name of the dish and the act of tossing are equally symbolic. Yu sheng in spoken Chinese implies “the birth of abundance,” while the act of tossing the many ingredients symbolizes great achievement or “rising in the world.” In the Cantonese dialect, this tossing is referred to as lou hei, and this doubly means career success. To all these, add aspirations for luck, fortune, prosperity, work promotion, academic achievement, and you get the lively ritual that is Singaporean yu sheng. For Chinese business people in the region, no Chinese New Year celebration is ever complete without a decent lou hei.

Yu sheng. The most colorful and elaborate of all Chinese New Year foods.

© 2016 ScribblingGeek

ScribblingGeek (author) from Singapore on January 23, 2018:

Please do! (Esp the bwa kwa, if you like strong tasting, meaty stuffs)

Alex Anghel from Romania on January 23, 2018:

Now I'm craving for food. I love to read about traditional food. When i have the opportunity will taste some of these.

ScribblingGeek (author) from Singapore on June 19, 2016:

I love Nian Gao. The traditional black sugar type and of late, the coconut pale type. Unfortunately, :( , I tend to get gastric and indigestion after it. Am forced to cut down. Thanks for commenting too!

Cheeky Kid from Milky Way on June 19, 2016:

My family celebrates Chinese New Year every year and we mostly eat round food. We also always eat "Tikoy (Nian Gao)"--sticky cake which is made of rice.

ScribblingGeek (author) from Singapore on June 13, 2016:

Hi AliciaC, thanks for commenting. Glad you enjoyed my writeup.

Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on June 13, 2016:

What an interesting article. I loved learning about food and celebrations that are new to me. The traditions that you describe sound very enjoyable.