Must-Have Chinese New Year Snacks in Malaysia For An Excitingly Snacktastic New Year!
The sight of vibrant Chinese New Year decorations and cheery festive melodies at shopping malls will definitely remind you that Chinese New Year is around the corner. Families come together for a reunion dinner to welcome the coming year with good wishes and delicious food.
Of course, the festive season wouldn't be complete without Chinese New Year snacks. Whether you're a fan of sweet or savoury snacks, there is something for everyone to enjoy. You might even have a list of contact numbers on standby, ready to order your favourite snacks and dried fruits for the new year celebrations.
If you haven't tried any of these Chinese New Year snacks, it's time you rectify that by buying them at the nearest supermarket. Some of these delicious snacks can even be easily prepared from the comfort of your home. As long as you have your trusty Cosmic Cookware essential kitchenware, you can whip up your favourite treats in no time. Gather your ingredients, and let's dive into this list of delightful snacks to try for the upcoming Spring Festival!
Top 15 Irresistible Chinese New Year Snacks That Spread Joy And Prosperity For You And Your Loved Ones This Season
1. Pineapple Tarts
Pineapple Tarts are beloved snacks commonly enjoyed during Chinese New Year. Not only will you find these in Malaysia, but they're also commonly found across Southeast Asia, such as Singapore, Indonesia, and Brunei.
But what makes Pineapple Tarts so popular? In Hokkien, pineapple is known as "ong lai", which sounds like the arrival of prosperity. That's why these delectable tarts are considered a symbol of good fortune and success.
The pastry for Pineapple Tarts is made from butter, sugar, flour, and egg yolks, resulting in a rich and buttery texture. As for the filling, freshly diced pineapple is combined with sugar and cloves before it is cooked on the stovetop until it achieves a jam-like consistency. These bite-sized cookies melt in your mouth, offering the perfect balance of tangy pineapple jam and buttery pastries.
2. Nian Gao
Nian Gao is a chewy and dense snack often served during Chinese New Year. This traditional Chinese rice cake is made from glutinous rice flour and is usually steamed, stir-fried, or deep-fried.
Of course, Nian Gao is cherished for its auspicious meaning. "Nian" stands for year, and "Gao" stands for cake. Since high also sounds the same as "Gao" in Chinese, the cake sounds like a prosperous year ahead. Many believe that eating this snack will bring good luck.
All you need is glutinous rice flour, water, and sugar to prepare Nian Gao. After combining these ingredients together to form a smooth batter, pour the mixture into moulds before steaming them for several hours in a slow cooker.
If you prefer the sweet version of Nian Gao, you can enjoy it once the steaming process is over. For those looking to try a savoury version, go for the stir-fried Nian Gao, which includes meat and eggs for a hearty dish. Galaxy Casserole is perfect for stir-frying your Nian Gao and is suitable to be used on gas, electric, and induction stoves.
3. Honeycomb Cookies (Beehive Cookies)
You may have heard of Honeycomb Cookies as Beehive Cookies or Kuih Rose. These crunchy Chinese New Year cookies resemble beehives, symbolizing abundance and hard work. These delicate cookies have a sweet and crunchy bite to them, making it easy for anyone to wolf down several of these in one go!
All you need for preparing these cookies are sugar, eggs, coconut milk, and rice flour. Some like to add white sesame seeds to the mixture for added depth to the Honeycomb Cookies.
After putting the specialty mould in the batter, add oil to your Galaxy Deep Fry Pan, where you can dip your mould inside without touching the base of the pan. Leave the mould inside the pan for about ten seconds before gently shaking it to release the fried batter. Once it has turned golden brown, scoop up the cookie and let it cool on the side.
4. Bak Kwa
Bak Kwa is one of the most popoular gifts to give out during the Lunar New Year, and even all year round. In the past, some even considered this snack a Chinese New Year staple since meat was considered a luxury food back then, and it also takes a lot of time and effort to prepare it.
Typically made from pork, beef, or mutton, this savoury snack is marinated with sugar, soy sauce, and different spices before grilling the meat to achieve a smokey flavour. The meat is usually sliced into rectangular pieces so it's easier to share and enjoy with others.
Preparing Bak Kwa at home is easier than you think. While thin strips of meat are preferred, using minced meat is simpler to handle and just as delicious. Once you've marinated the minced meat in salt, sugar, soy sauce, and five-spice powder overnight in the fridge, roll out the minced meat on a pan until approximately 2mm thick. Bake it in the oven to let the meat cook for a while, and remember to flip halfway so both sides are even.
After letting the meat cool, cut the large sheet of meat into smaller pieces and bake them in the oven at a higher temperature until they've achieved the glossy look with slightly crisp edges.
5. Tapioca Cookies (Kuih Bangkit)
Whenever you think of Kuih Bangkit, its melt-in-your-mouth texture is definitely what comes to mind. These bite-sized cookies are either shaped into spheres, little animals, or flower designs before being dotted with red food colouring, which makes for stunning presents to give away to your family and friends during Chinese New Year.
The star ingredient of these cookies would definitely be tapioca flour and coconut cream. While the tapioca flour gives the cookies a crumbly consistency, the coconut cream elevates the cookies with a subtle coconut flavour, which will have you reaching for more.
Traditionally, tapioca flour is pan-fried to get rid of its moisture, but many have opted for baking the flour in the oven for a hassle-free experience. Pandan leaves are included in the process of pan-frying the flour for an extra aroma.
It may take a few tries to perfect the consistency of these cookies, but your efforts will be all so worth it once your homemade Kuih Bangkit melts in your mouth beautifully!
6. Arrowhead Chips (Ngaku Chips)
Arrowhead Chips, also known as Ngaku, is extremely popular during Chinese New Year celebrations. Its light and crunchy texture has made it a crowd favourite, and it doesn't take long to finish a tin of these crackers once it's open.
Ngaku chips are made from thinly sliced arrowhead tubers, which have been fried until crispy. While salted arrowhead chips are a classic, there are several other innovative flavours out there waiting to be discovered, ranging from spicy to sweet and sour cream and onion.
7. Assorted Unshelled Nuts and Seeds
Whenever you visit your relatives during Chinese New Year, you will definitely see jars of assorted unshelled nuts and dried fruit scattered across the table. Cracking the shells of nuts can be quite fun, and snacking on them can be rather addictive as well. But what makes these Chinese New Year snacks an important tradition?
Aside from being popular snacks during the holidays, these assorted nuts are auspicious symbols of prosperity and good fortune for the year ahead. Roasted peanuts represent good health and longevity, while sunflower seeds symbolize happiness and peace, making them perfect snacks to enjoy during a conversation. The lovely nutty flavours and health benefits also make them great as a guilt-free snack over the holidays.
8. Love Letters (Kuih Kapit)
Why is Kuih Kapit also known as Love Letters? For one, it does resemble a folded envelope, symbolizing sending your loved ones good wishes and fortune. Love Letters are widely known for their delicate yet crispy textures, contrasting well against other indulgent Chinese New Year snacks.
Its batter, which is made from flour, sugar, and eggs, is poured into a special mould before grilling until golden and crispy. It is then rolled into a cylinder shape or folded into quarters. Some even add vanilla or pandan extract to the batter for an added aroma.
9. Egg Rolls
Egg Rolls are a crowd favourite during Chinese New Year, and for good reason too! These hollow cylindrical treats are light yet flavourful and feature a crunchy exterior, contrasting well against other heavier snacks for the festive season. You only need butter, sugar, eggs, and flour to create this amazing snack. Some add some black sesame seeds for extra aroma to the egg rolls.
While Egg Rolls require simple ingredients, it does take time to perfect the technique to achieve the optimal thickness and shape. Once the batter is ready, it is poured onto a flat pan or an egg roll mould and cooked until lightly brown. While the crisp is still hot yet soft, roll the crisp around a chopstick to achieve the rolled-up shape.
10. Mini Spring Rolls
It's truly a challenge to avoid stuffing your entire mouth when mini spring rolls are within arm's reach. At one glance, they resemble little gold bars since they are tiny and deep-fried until golden brown, making them a symbol of wealth for the year ahead.
This savoury Lunar New Year snack is made up of small spring roll wrappers filled with pork floss. These spring rolls are then deep-fried in a large wok until it turns crispy with a golden brown hue. But if you're looking for a healthier version, you can even brush these spring rolls with some oil and bake in the oven until golden instead of deep-frying it!
11. White Rabbit Candy
White Rabbit Candy is one of the most iconic Chinese New Year snacks. It is widely known for its chewy texture, sweet taste, and the signature edible rice paper wrapped around the candy.
Since the candies are individually wrapped, it's easy to buy a big bag of them and hand them out as Chinese New Year snacks to your guests. This sweet candy is a nostalgic treat that brings back many childhood memories for most people, and it also symbolises good fortune and hope for the future.
12. Almond Biscuits
Almond Biscuits are baked desserts with a buttery crust and a distinct almond flavour that melts in your mouth. Think of them as crumbly butter cookies with rich almond notes that will have you wanting more!
These cookies look like coins, symbolizing wealth and abundance, which is essential in Chinese culture. Their delicate sweetness and auspicious meaning make Almond Biscuits perfect gifts for your relatives.
The dough is made up of almond flour, butter, baking soda, and salt, which has to be chilled in the fridge for several hours before it's ready to be baked. Roll portions of dough into balls before pressing a sliced almond in the centre, adding a nice crunch to the crumbly texture. You can even brush these portions with egg wash before baking, so it'll come out looking golden brown when it's done.
13. Mandarin Oranges
Mandarin Oranges are extremely prevalent in Chinese culture. As its pronunciation in Cantonese sounds like gold, this has made the oranges auspicious symbols of wealth and abundance. It has become customary for people to bring these oranges along whenever they visit their friends and family during Chinese New Year.
Since Mandarin Oranges can be enjoyed after peeling, they've also become a staple in households as refreshing snacks with other cookies to welcome guests.
14. Fried Dough Twists
Fried Dough Twists, also known as Ma Hua, are savoury Chinese New Year snacks made from braided dough. It gives off a shiny appearance and has a dense texture with a crispy exterior. As you bite into it, you're rewarded with a slightly sweet crunch, complemented by the sesame seeds' nutty aroma.
The golden-brown crust of these Fried Dough Twists is associated with abundance and good fortune, making them staples to enjoy during Chinese New Year. The snack's twisted design represents unity and harmony among the family, symbolizing a positive start to the year.
Mix baking soda, sugar, flour, egg, and salt with some water to form a dough and let it sit for half an hour. Knead the dough afterward until smooth and separate it into a few portions before you start braiding the dough. Deep fry your dough until it turns golden brown.
15. Salted Egg Yolk Crisps
One of the best savoury versions of Chinese New Year snacks would definitely be the Salted Egg Yolk Crisps. Thanks to its crispy and savoury flavours, these bite-sized snacks are immensely popular for their bold taste, making them a favourite choice for snacking.
These crisps are made by dipping ingredients such as seaweed, cornflakes, and fish skin in a combination of steamed salted egg yolks, butter, chilli flakes, and curry leaves. The salted egg yolk represents wealth and abundance, making them perfect snacks to welcome the new year with your loved ones.
