中國人過春節都講究要有「年味」。回家途中晃動的車廂是年味,飯桌上熟悉的味道是年味,除夕夜天空中綻放的煙花是年味,年節期間走親訪友互道一聲祝福也是年味。
小U覺得,所謂年「味」,最重要的還是一個「吃」字。也許你已經吃膩了年夜飯上的山珍海味,也許你已經品盡了美味佳餚,那不如跟小U一起來嘗嘗這些既美味又飽含祝福寓意的春節甜品,給新的一年增加些甜味吧!
1.臘八粥 Laba Rice Porridge
「小孩小孩你別饞,過了臘八就是年」。熟悉的童謠在耳畔響起,臘八節(Laba Festival)的到來也拉開了春節的序幕。機智的U粉兒們一定已經猜到接下來小U要介紹哪道甜品了對不對?沒錯!它就是——臘八粥。
Laba rice porridge contains glutinous rice, red beans, millet, Chinese sorghum, lotus seeds and some other ingredients, such as dried dates, chestnuts, walnut meat, almond, peanut, etc. Actually eight ingredients are used, cooked with sugar to make the porridge tasty.臘八粥的主要原料包括糯米、紅豆、小米、高粱和蓮子,其他的原料還有幹棗、慄子、核桃仁、杏仁、花生等等。除了八種原料外,在製作臘八粥時還會加入一些糖,使粥變得更加美味。
2.關東糖 Guandong candy
關東糖又名「灶糖」,原本是小年前後才能吃到的一種甜品。小年祭灶神(Kitchen God)時,人們會將糖融化後的關東糖塗抹在灶神嘴上。這種做法有兩層含義,一方面想將他的嘴粘住,避免他在玉帝面前說壞話;另一方面則是意在讓他多說「甜言蜜語」,來年給自家帶來好運。
Guandong candy, a sticky treat made out of glutinous millet and sprouted wheat, is a traditional snack that Chinese people eat on the Festival of the Kitchen God.關東糖是一種粘性很大的糖果,它由小米和麥芽熬製而成,是人們過小年時常吃的傳統零食。
3.年糕 Rice Cake
又香又糯的年糕也是一種非常受歡迎的春節甜品。「年糕」又被成為「年年糕」,不但味道香甜廣受喜愛,還因為與"年高"同音,所以也象徵著「年年高升」,有著一年更比一年好的美好寓意。
Nian gao means "year cake", but "gao" sounds the same as the word for tall or high, hence the cakes symbolize achieving new heights in the coming year. The steamed sweets are made of glutinous rice flour, brown sugar, and oil. Some versions have white sesame seeds, red dates, or nuts in them.年糕的意思是「過年必吃的糕點」,不過因為「糕」與「高」同音,年糕還被賦予了年年高升的寓意。年糕為蒸製甜品,由糯米、紅糖及食用油製作而成。有時人們也會在其中加入白芝麻、紅棗或堅果。
4.冰糖葫蘆 Tanghulu/Candied Haw in a Stick
冰糖葫蘆是北方冬天非常常見的一種甜品,尤其受到小孩子們的喜愛,酸酸甜甜的味道構成了童年的回憶。如果哪個小朋友在廟會上手拿一串冰糖葫蘆,絕對會引來周圍同齡人羨慕的目光。冰糖葫蘆的原料通常是山楂,紅紅火火的顏色和過年熱鬧的氣氛簡直是絕配。
Tanghulu is a traditional Chinese snack of candied fruit. It typically has a hardened sugar coating that comes from dipping the skewer in sugar syrup. Traditionally, the fruit used has been Chinese hawthorn, but in recent times vendors have also used various other fruits, such as strawberries, pineapples, kiwi fruit, or bananas.糖葫蘆是一種用糖醃水果串成的中國傳統甜食,它通常會被浸在糖漿中形成一層堅硬的糖衣。傳統上,用來做糖葫蘆的水果是山楂,但現在小販們也用其他各類水果來製作糖葫蘆,比如草莓、菠蘿、獼猴桃、香蕉等等。
5.春卷 Spring Rolls
春卷也是很多家庭春節餐桌上必不可少的一道甜品,雖然平時也能吃到,但是過年時吃帶有「春」字的春卷,會顯得更有年味。金黃酥脆的麵皮、甜甜的餡料,一口咬下去就是滿滿的幸福感!
Spring rolls get their name because they are traditionally eaten during the Spring Festival. Spring rolls are a Cantonese dim sum dish of cylindrical-shaped rolls filled with vegetables, meat, or something sweet. Fillings are wrapped in thin dough wrappers, then fried, when the spring rolls are given their golden-yellow color.春卷是春節期間吃的傳統食物,故此得名。它是一種廣式點心,用薄麵皮把蔬菜、肉或甜餡包成圓柱形的卷,然後油炸至金黃色。
6.湯圓 Glutinous Rice Ball
過年的氣氛從臘八節開始逐漸升溫,在除夕夜達到頂點,之後並不會戛然而止,而是將一直持續到元宵節(Lantern Festival)才進入尾聲。湯圓是元宵節的必吃甜品,圓圓的形狀象徵著團圓,也寓意著在新的一年裡闔家歡樂、幸福美滿。
Glutinous rice ball, or tangyuan, is the main food for China's Lantern Festival. The pronunciation and round shape of tangyuan are associated with reunion and being together. That's why they are favored by the Chinese during the new year celebrations. Glutinous rice ball is often filled with black sesame paste or mashed peanuts.湯圓是中國元宵節的主要食物。湯圓的發音以及它圓圓的形狀讓人聯想到團圓,這也是中國人喜歡在慶祝新年時吃湯圓的原因。湯圓常以黑芝麻醬或花生粉作餡兒。
U粉兒們今年都吃到哪些好吃的甜品了?快說出來讓小U羨慕一下