TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Indulge in the sweet taste of a new year

Offerings: A temple goer places offerings to Sam Kwan Tay Tee, the King of Three Worlds, and to Wi To Pho Sat or Bodhisatva, the Protector of Temples, at the Dharma Bakti Temple in Petak Sembilan, West Jakarta

Bianca Winataputri (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Tue, February 4, 2014

Share This Article

Change Size

Indulge in the sweet taste of a new year Offerings: A temple goer places offerings to Sam Kwan Tay Tee, the King of Three Worlds, and to Wi To Pho Sat or Bodhisatva, the Protector of Temples, at the Dharma Bakti Temple in Petak Sembilan, West Jakarta. Offerings usually include Nian Gao, locally known as Kue Keranjang (basket cake), oranges and apples. (JP/Bianca Winataputri) (basket cake), oranges and apples. (JP/Bianca Winataputri)

O

span class="inline inline-center">Offerings: A temple goer places offerings to Sam Kwan Tay Tee, the King of Three Worlds, and to Wi To Pho Sat or Bodhisatva, the Protector of Temples, at the Dharma Bakti Temple in Petak Sembilan, West Jakarta. Offerings usually include Nian Gao, locally known as Kue Keranjang (basket cake), oranges and apples. (JP/Bianca Winataputri)

Vibrant red and gold ornaments paint the city with a promise of good fortune as the local Chinese community celebrates the Lunar New Year. A celebration where cleaning and washing is done early, both close and distant relatives reunite and to one'€™s dismay, cooking is forbidden.

Hundreds of treats can be seen along the streets in Glodok, West Jakarta, ranging from the '€œmust-haves'€ to luck-providing alternatives. Chinese New Year cuisine holds many superstitions carried along by the myths and legends embedded in it.

Like glue: Nian Gao or Kue Keranjang is believed to be a symbol of closeness and togetherness for families due to its sticky texture. (JP/Bianca Winataputri)
Like glue: Nian Gao or Kue Keranjang is believed to be a symbol of closeness and togetherness for families due to its sticky texture. (JP/Bianca Winataputri)

A must-have for Chinese-Indonesians celebrating Chinese New Year, locally known as Imlek, is Kue Keranjang or Nian Gao (basket cake), which is made out of sweet rice pudding creating a sticky texture. A dish frequently used as an offering to the gods, the basket cake symbolizes closeness and togetherness for families owing to its stickiness. 

Resembling the basket cake is Kueku, glutinous rice cakes with a mung bean filling. These striking red delicacies are stamped with Chinese calligraphy and are also a form of offering. Yellow- or golden-colored Kueku are also popular in local markets, where they are sold in packs of eight.

'€œThe number eight brings good luck and fortune. We also have fish-shaped cakes, as they are known to offer great success to many,'€ a saleswoman at Glodok Market said.

Fish for luck: Fish-shaped, glutinous Kueku rice cakes with a mung bean filling is believed to bring great fortune and success. (JP/Bianca Winataputri)
Fish for luck: Fish-shaped, glutinous Kueku rice cakes with a mung bean filling is believed to bring great fortune and success. (JP/Bianca Winataputri)

Alongside the tray of sweet rice cakes are fruit: specifically, apples and oranges. A symbol of peace and serenity from the apple and of good wealth from the succulent mandarin oranges, this platter is also a common offering to the gods.

Duck, chicken and fish are also served as part of a tradition with a catch that none of them are sliced. They must be served whole, as the Chinese believe that presenting them in pieces would tear away the good fortune and togetherness. There is no one way to cook them; what is important is the wholeness and the symbol of the meals themselves: fish for success and chicken for happiness and prosperity.

Traditionally, duck has a special value for this lively celebration as the Chinese ancestors believed ducks represented loyalty.

"Consuming duck on Chinese New Year offers hope for couples to stay loyal to one another. For married women longing for a child, duck eggs or chicken eggs should be provided, as they are a symbol of fertility,'€ Feng Shui expert and lecturer at Parahyangan University, Dewi Mariana, told The Jakarta Post recently.

Duck: A dish that reflects loyalty, the duck offers hope for couples to stay loyal to one another. There is one proviso: do not slice the duck, or your good fortune and togetherness will disappear. (JP/Bianca Winataputri)
Duck: A dish that reflects loyalty, the duck offers hope for couples to stay loyal to one another. There is one proviso: do not slice the duck, or your good fortune and togetherness will disappear. (JP/Bianca Winataputri)

Other Imlek culinary specialties include nuts and candies believed to yield for its eater many offspring; Spekkoek or thousand-layer spice cake, representing thousands of folds of good fortune; star-shaped jellies for the future to be as bright as the stars; pineapples as a symbol of greatness, and noodles for longevity.

However, there are several dishes that are forbidden during the celebration.

'€œPorridge is considered a dish for unfortunates that many people avoid during feasting. Despite rice being a compulsory dish on the day, the Chinese believe that white is the color of death and misfortune, so tofu is off the menu,'€ Dewi said.

The variety of cuisine enjoyed during the Lunar New Year is strongly attached to cultural traditions to which the Chinese-Indonesian community strongly adheres. A great deal of luck, fortune and superstition has long been engrained in these culinary festivities, encouraging many to indulge in the sweet taste of a new year.

The writer is an intern with The Jakarta Post

{

Your Opinion Counts

Your thoughts matter - share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.