This year the Chinese New Year falls on February 7. Ring in the Year of the Rat with a festive feast of symbolic Chinese dishes.
Dumplings
Dumplings or "jiaozi" symbolize wealth and prosperity; their crescent shape resembles ancient Chinese money.
Noodles
Chinese noodles symbolize longevity. Leave them whole — an old superstition says it is bad luck to cut them.
Lettuce
Lettuce or "sang choi," symbolizes prosperity because its name sounds like the word meaning "to bring about wealth and riches."
Whole Fish
Whole fish, or "yue" symbolize abundance and togetherness. At traditional Chinese New Year celebrations, the fish is never fully eaten to signify that the family will always have more than enough.
