Laba Festival: A Taste of Chinese Warmth
"After the Laba Festival, it's the New Year." This saying encapsulates the most simple yearning of the Chinese people for reunion. The fragrant aroma of the Laba porridge serves as the clarion call that awakens the homesick feelings of wanderers. It reminds us that, no matter what hardships and adversities this year has brought, there is always a place and a bowl of hot porridge waiting for the returnees. It brings together the scattered family members in the most tender way, reuniting them once again.
The "Three Treasures of the Spring Festival" - the腊八粥 (Làwǎ Sù - a type of porridge), the腊八蒜 (Làwǎ Suǎn - pickled garlic)， and the腊八醋 (Làwǎ Zhèn - vinegar) - are all regarded as the signature traditional foods of the Spring Festival， carrying the sense of ceremony for welcoming
Lan Cai Zhu (a traditional Chinese festive porridge)
The main ingredients are made with rice and glutinous rice as the base, combined with more than ten kinds of ingredients such as red beans, lotus seeds, dates, and peanuts. They are slowly cooked until they become soft, sweet and fragrant. This delicacy originated from the ancient sacrificial feast of the New Year and the almsgiving of temples. It symbolizes a bountiful harvest and is a classic warm-measuring dish in winter.
Two Garlic
A characteristic food custom from the north: On the 18th day of the first lunar month, the purple-skinned garlic is peeled. It is then sealed in rice vinegar for preservation. Under low temperature conditions, the garlic cloves will turn into a jade green color. The final product is sweet and sour, crispy, and the garlic flavor is not overpowering. It is an excellent match for dumplings and hot pot. The word "garlic" is pronounced similarly to "calculate", symbolizing the year-end settlement and refreshing the new year.
These two items, would you like to try them?
The Laba Festival is not merely a festival; it is also a way of life. It teaches us to be grateful and reflective during the cold winter months, to cherish what we have, and to look forward to the future. It reminds us that while we are chasing our dreams, we should not forget to look back and see that warm lamp at home that is always lit for us, and that bowl of warm porridge that is always prepared for us.
Today is the 12th day of the lunar New Year. May both of us be able to hold a bowl of hot porridge, warming our stomachs and hearts. May every beautiful meaning in the porridge be transformed into good fortune for the coming year, accompanying us through the four seasons and ensuring our peace and happiness year after year.
