As the Year of the Snake approaches, many Chinese households are busy stocking up on festive snacks and cookies. From goodies at shopping malls and pasar malam (night markets) to online platforms such as Facebook groups and TikTok Live, there is a variety of Chinese New Year (CNY) goodies to tantalise one's tastebuds.
Search engine Google revealed a breakout in "CNY cookie" in Malaysia last week, with over two million searches. A breakout keyword is a search term that has grown by more than 5,000%.
During the Lunar New Year, many homes would offer a round or octagonal candy box, known as the Box of Harmony or Tray of Togetherness, with compartments filled with symbolic treats.
Sweet snacks represent hopes for a prosperous year. Ngaku (arrowhead chips) signify kindness and benevolence, and lotus seeds are thought to bring financial abundance. Gold coin-shaped chocolates are included to attract wealth for the year ahead while dried melon symbolises growth and good health. Beyond the Box of Harmony, there's a selection of must-have sweet treats that are synonymous with the Lunar New Year. These five items represent good wishes, including wealth, health, happiness and prosperity.
Pineapple tarts are one of the most popular snacks during CNY because they symbolise prosperity. These morsels of delight are often associated with the phrase "ong lai" in Chinese, which translates to "prosperity is coming". The pineapple's golden colour and shape represent wealth, good fortune and abundance for the year ahead.
Kuih kapit is a traditional sweet snack made by clamping batter in an iron mould heated over a charcoal stove. The mould consists of two plates attached to long handles, allowing the user to control the heat. Some moulds are flat, while others feature intricate designs depicting animals or flowers.
Known by other names like kuih semprong, egg roll and kuih Belanda, kuih kapit is commonly enjoyed in Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. It is believed to have been introduced by the Dutch in the 17th century.
This sponge cake is made with a simple mixture of eggs, sugar and flour, and its light, airy texture symbolises prosperity and new beginnings. Its history dates back to Portuguese colonisation in the 16th century, when they introduced egg-based batters for baking cakes. Originally, kuih bahulu was baked using special moulds, often shaped like fish or other symbolic forms, which were meant to bring good fortune.
In Mandarin, peanuts are called hua sheng, where "sheng" means "birth". This association has made peanut cookies a symbol of prosperity and wealth. Their nutty, melt-in-your-mouth texture makes them an essential treat for Chinese New Year.
The word "nian" means "year", while "gao" sounds like "tall" or "growth", symbolising growth, prosperity and advancement in the coming year.
Made from glutinous rice and sugar, this traditional sticky rice cake's dense, chewy texture symbolises strength and the promise of a better year ahead.
Sweet treats
The Box of Harmony brings blessings of unity, prosperity and good fortune for the Lunar New Year. Photos: Filepic
Pineapple tarts are a symbol of good fortune in the new year.
— Filepic Photo: Filepic
Peanut cookies represent the birth of wealth and success.
Photo: Filepic
Kuih kapit symbolises love and prosperity. Photo: The Star/Samuel Ong
— SAMUEL ONG/The Star
The process of rising when the kuih bahulu it is being baked symbolises things doing well by moving on an upward trend.
Photo: Filepic
Chewy and dense, nian gao represents strength and the promise of a better year ahead.
Photo: Filepic
