The Meaning of Imlek's Menu: A Unique Fusion for Chinese New Year

TheIndonesia.id - Chinese New Year is a time of celebration, rich traditions, and joyous feasts. While the core customs and practices remain rooted in ancient Chinese culture, the celebration of the Lunar New Year is unique in every part of the world, shaped by local culture, geography, and history.

In Indonesia, a country known for its diverse and rich culinary landscape, Chinese New Year has evolved into something special, thanks to the influence of the Chinese-Indonesian community, particularly the Peranakan Chinese, also known as Cina Peranakan.

The Peranakan Chinese culture emerged when Chinese immigrants, mainly from the southern provinces of China like Fujian and Guangdong, settled in the Malay Archipelago, including Indonesia, around the 15th century.

 

Over time, these immigrants integrated with local Malay and Indonesian communities, resulting in a unique fusion of Chinese and indigenous traditions. This blending can be seen most vividly in their cuisine—known as Peranakan or Straits Chinese food—which combines Chinese ingredients and cooking techniques with Malay and Indonesian spices and methods.

What sets Cina Peranakan cuisine apart from traditional Chinese dishes is its ability to blend Chinese ingredients and techniques with Indonesian spices, herbs, and local flavours.

The result is a vibrant and flavourful culinary tradition that retains the symbolism of Chinese New Year while embracing the diversity of Indonesian culture.

For example, where traditional Chinese dishes may rely heavily on soy sauce, Cina Peranakan recipes often use a combination of sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), shrimp paste (terasi or belacan), and a range of local spices such as turmeric and coriander, offering a distinct and aromatic twist to familiar flavours.

The Peranakan Chinese, with their deep cultural and culinary integration into Indonesian society, have created a celebration of Chinese New Year that is both distinctly Chinese and unmistakably Indonesian. The dishes served during the holiday not only bring good fortune and prosperity but also represent the harmonious blending of two cultures that have shaped each other over centuries.

In the Peranakan Chinese tradition, each dish has its own specific meaning, often tied to the wish for a prosperous and harmonious year. The symbolism of the food is just as important as the food itself. The Chinese believe that eating certain foods during the New Year can influence one’s fate, and thus the dishes served on Imlek are carefully chosen.

 

Sweet dishes like Kue Keranjang or Lapis Legit symbolize the sweetness of life and the desire for happiness. Then savoury dishes like Ayam Kong-Bak and Babi Panggang represent wealth, longevity, and family unity. And noodles, such as those found in Kwetiau Siram, symbolize long life and good health.

These dishes are not just for nourishment but also for spiritual and symbolic enrichment, with each bite thought to bring the person closer to their wishes for the year ahead.

Chinese New Year, or Imlek as it is known in Indonesia, is a time for family reunions, honouring ancestors, and celebrating good fortune. The meals prepared during this time are not just delicious but are imbued with symbolic meanings, believed to bring luck, prosperity, and happiness for the coming year.

In Indonesia, where Cina Peranakan culture thrives, the food served during Chinese New Year is distinctive, with certain dishes reflecting both traditional Chinese symbolism and local flair. Here the list of Indonesians Chinese New Year's menu:

1. Babi Panggang (Roast Pork): Symbolizing Prosperity and Family Unity

Roast pork, or Babi Panggang, is a staple during Chinese New Year celebrations among Indonesian Chinese families. The crisp skin and tender meat are symbolic of prosperity, and the dish is often served with a sweet soy-based glaze. The roast pork is typically prepared with a blend of Chinese five-spice powder and local Indonesian spices, giving it a distinctly Indonesian flavour.

 

The dish also signifies the unity of the family, as the process of preparing and sharing the roast pork brings together generations of family members. The red colour of the skin, often associated with good fortune, is a common feature in many Chinese New Year dishes, as red is thought to ward off evil spirits and bring luck.

2. Ayam Kong-Bak (Braised Chicken): A Symbol of Luck and Respect

Another beloved dish during Imlek is Ayam Kong-Bak, or braised chicken. This dish is made by slow-cooking chicken in a rich broth flavoured with soy sauce, garlic, and a blend of spices. It is a dish that symbolizes respect for the elders and wishes for longevity. In Peranakan culture, the chicken represents the wish for good health, while the soy sauce and spices are said to bring happiness and wealth.

 

The Peranakan Chinese often prepare this dish with a generous amount of ginger, a common ingredient in both Chinese and Indonesian cooking. Ginger is believed to bring warmth and balance to the body, further enhancing the dish’s symbolic meaning of health and vitality. Ayam Kong-Bak is usually served with steamed rice and a side of pickled vegetables, creating a well-rounded and symbolic meal for the new year.

3. Kwetiau Siram (Stir-Fried Flat Noodles): Symbolizing Long Life and Good Fortune

Noodles are an essential part of Chinese New Year meals worldwide, symbolizing long life. In Indonesia, one of the most popular noodle dishes during Imlek is Kwetiau Siram—stir-fried flat rice noodles. The dish is often made with shrimp, chicken, or pork, and is seasoned with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a variety of vegetables, creating a savoury and satisfying meal.

The long, thin noodles represent longevity, and it is considered good luck to consume them without cutting them into smaller pieces. This dish reflects the fusion of Chinese culinary traditions with Indonesian ingredients and cooking techniques. The Kwetiau noodles themselves, combined with the distinctive Peranakan flavours of shrimp paste and sweet soy sauce, create a unique and flavorful way to celebrate the New Year.

4. Lapis Legit (Indonesian Layer Cake): A Sweet Symbol of Success and Wealth

For dessert, the Lapis Legit, or Indonesian layer cake, is a must-have on the Imlek table. This rich, spiced cake is made with numerous thin layers that are carefully baked one at a time. The layers represent the accumulation of wealth and success over time, with each layer symbolizing the gradual buildup of prosperity.

 

The cake itself is made with ingredients such as butter, eggs, sugar, and a mixture of aromatic spices, often including cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The layers are traditionally flavoured with a hint of rum or other spirits, which adds depth to the cake's flavour profile. Lapis Legit has become a quintessential dish in the Peranakan Chinese culinary repertoire, embodying the festive spirit of Chinese New Year while showcasing the Indonesian touch that defines Peranakan cuisine.

5. Kue Keranjang (Glutinous Rice Cake): A Symbol of Family Bonding and Renewal

Kue Keranjang, or glutinous rice cake, is a quintessential Chinese New Year treat in many parts of Asia, and in Indonesia, it is particularly important to the Cina Peranakan community. The round shape of the cake represents unity and the continuity of life, while the sticky, sweet texture symbolizes strong family bonds and the hope for a prosperous year ahead.

The cake is often made with glutinous rice flour and palm sugar, creating a chewy and dense texture. It is sometimes wrapped in leaves or served with a dusting of coconut, giving it a unique flavor profile that combines both Chinese and Indonesian elements.

During Chinese New Year, the cake is offered as a gift, a gesture of goodwill to friends and family, reinforcing the values of harmony and respect that are at the heart of the celebration.

 

May the year ahead be filled with prosperity, health, and happiness. As we share in these symbolic dishes and traditions, we honour the past, embrace the present, and look forward to a bright future. Happy Chinese New Year 2025, or 2576 Kongzili!