Shanghai's Reunion Eve dinner, a cornerstone of Spring Festival celebrations, blends tradition with culinary artistry, offering a feast that delights both the palate and the soul. This iconic meal features a harmonious mix of symbolic dishes, each carrying blessings for prosperity, health, and family unity.
No Shanghai New Year table is complete without braised pork belly in soy sauce (hongshao rou), its glossy sweetness embodying abundance. Steamed sea bass (yu) takes center stage, symbolizing "surplus" (yu), often garnished with ginger and scallions to enhance its delicate flavor. Dumplings are a staple, with pan-fried pork and chive dumplings (shengjianbao)—crispy on the bottom, juicy within—representing wealth with their gold-like appearance.
Vegetable dishes add color and meaning: braised lettuce (wo sun cai), a homophone for "rising fortune," and winter mellet soup with dried seafood, signifying family togetherness. Sweet treats like eight-treasure rice pudding (babao fan), packed with nuts and red beans, round out the meal, ensuring a sweet start to the new year.
From savory mains to symbolic sides, each dish tells a story of heritage and hope, making this dinner a cherished tradition that brings families closer.
Hands on rice"
Peaches make potatoes"
Bean cake"
Saffron"
Spicy jumper"
Improved spicy pot"
Spicy oars"
Sausage pasta"
Potato eggplant"
Twin peppers, hep"
Eggcake"
The front-runner"
Ants on the tree"
Chicken casserole sticker"
Pork sausage powder"
radish bone soup"
Skin onions"
Beef pie"
Shrimp spinach noodles"
Spaghetti"
I'll make some tea"
Royal curry crab"