Happiness. Speaking of Chinese New Year or Lunar Year (or in here we said Imlek) which always celebrated around of February is never too far from luck and prosperity. Yeah, those are popular thing as any wish words in cards or pray. Much joy, symbolic of the happiness celebration for entering a new Chinese-zodiac year. It's also a moment for any families, relatives, close friends, brothers and sisters to gathering back to home, enjoying a must, precious time in togetherness. Food, in other ways, is a yummy way to connecting them all. as for me, as a foodie, this would be exciting moment, for we talked about food and eating, and eating. Sound too greedy? I hope not. Most dishes are served very many and varied, so without focusing on one dish, our stomach is guaranteed in expectation and I believed, there are kind of people who already feeling full only by sight it.
In another talk, celebration is actually started with a praying tradition to the ancestors. As Chinese Peranakan, I've learnt a lot from my family tradition, though we're mingled the interest into local tradition, it's kind of adapted. Such I see how we're looking good day based on local tally, more into Javanese tradition for we lived here. But the thing is, I've enjoy to did the annual traditions, that we're praying and greetings for the dead, preparing the praying table with kinds of food for the ancestors, preparing a formation and delivers good will to the rest. In example like this.
As you can see, there's a lot of food. It's quite a starter before we have Reunion dinner in the night or all days right in the New Year day. As you can see, there's a lot of food. It's a starters before we have enjoy the reunion dinner in the night or all day right in the New Year. On very left and right below you can recognize a familiar Chinese cake, Basket cake or we said Nian Gao or Tii Kwee. Middle or between it, is a familiar wet cakes that having mixing cultural of Chinese - Javanese / Melayu, such as Kueh Apem Mangkok, Kueh Bugis, Kueh Tok, (up) Bikang, Lemper, Wajik, Tapeh Ketan and any various modern cakes and fruits. While in the other table's side, there's rice in green bowl and any homecooking dishes. Then, when it's done, should have to enjoy all the food and sometimes they shared to any families or relatives who wants some or not coming either.
This below is this year's set-list in my family reunion dinner. Made them more simple in purpose since we're not only celebrated Chinese New Year but also we're going to enjoy my cousin's engagement in the same day. So imagine that we're gonna have double celebration, double happiness, double yum of variants dishes to be enjoyed. What a celebration.
For the foods itself, I guess every families has their own styles, favorites but basically it's same Chinese celebration food like noodles, pork dishes, stir-fried of vegetables, steamed, roasted etc. Noodles are used for longevity, long luck and happiness. Pork is a must, probably the most element of any Chinese food, Vegetables showing for healthy and good condition. Or round-shaped foods symbolizing for eternal love or prosperity.
Bahagia. Kalau berbicara dari sisi lain akan makna perayaan Tahun Baru, yang di tahun 2015 ini dikawal oleh shio kambing. Mengenai mengapa disimbolkan shio hewan tertentu aku tidak akan membahasnya ya (bisa dicari di sumber yang lain) tapi sudah tradisi bagi orang China maupun perantauan serta keturunan seperti aku dan keluargaku, untuk merayakannya dengan kemeriahan. Kalau ada yang jeli, biasanya di setiap kata-kata ucapan selalu disebutkan, best wishes for luck dan prosperity. Mungkin terdengar umum tapi keduanya kata yang paling populer. Istilah lainnya, hoki, menjadi perngharapan bagi orang China agar keberuntungan selalu datang mendekat dan menyertai mereka, begitu juga prosperity alias kemakmuran, makin besar hokinya ya makin makmur yang berarti bahagia tercapai. Dan kemakmuran selain disimbolkan dengan warna merah menyala (yang menggambarkan aktif, keberanian, kemewahan) juga disimbolkan dalam penyajian ragam makanan atau hidangan sebagai tanda akan kemakmuran yang dimiliki dan kemeriahan yakni menjadi momen untuk mengumpulkan dan berkumpulnya kembali seluruh anggota keluarga. Semakin beragam semakin meriah, semakin menyajikan kemakmuran. Kenapa begitu banyak? Simpelnya, karena tidak mungkin juga kan menyajikan hanya satu-dua menu untuk seluruh anggota keluarga. Bagi orang China, makanan atau hidangan menunjukkan identitas. Mendengar istilah Chinese Food, bagi orang awam paling mudah teringat bakpao, nasi goreng dan capcay, bukan? Kenyataannya, jauh lebih banyak style atau variasi daerah dalam masakan/hidangan China namun semuanya tetap dalam satu identitas, Chinese food.
Momen mengumpulkan dan berkumpulnya kembali seluruh anggota keluarga itulah yang seringkali disebut Reunion Dinner.Disaat itulah seluruh anggota keluarga, saudara, sanak family, terutama mereka yang tinggal dan menetap jauh datang menyatu untuk berbagi kerinduan dan kabar sukacita. Dan mengikuti adat di masa lalu, merupakan suatu kebiasaan untuk berkumpul melingkar di satu meja yang penuh dengan hidangan / makanan untuk berbagi dan makan bersama. Hal inilah mengapa Reunion Dinner slelau dipenuhi sukacita dan kemeriahan, yang kini identik dalam perayaan Tahun Baru China atau lazimnya disebut Imlek.
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