11 Longevity Noodle Recipes for CNY 2024 - Greedy Girl Gourmet (2024)

FAQs

Why do people eat longevity noodles on Chinese New Year? ›

Changshou Mian (Longevity Noodles)

The literal translation of changshou mian is "long-life noodles." These two-foot-long noodles make an appearance at birthdays in addition to the Chinese New Year, representing the wish for a long, happy, and healthy life.

When yi mein is consumed on birthdays, it is generally referred to as long life or longevity noodles or sau mein (壽麵/寿面). The Chinese character for "long" (長壽麵/长寿面) is also added as a prefix to represent "long life".

Yang says that traditionally, longevity noodles are supposed to be twirled around, like pasta, so the entire bite can be eaten at once. Longevity noodles are eaten all year round in Chinese culture at events like birthday parties and banquets.

Both noodles are types of lo mein noodles. However, yee mein is chewier, so they'll keep their bite even after going through a long cooking process. This is because they've been fried before being packaged and sold. This frying process prevents yee mein noodles from bloating and softening easily.

A Dish Fit for Emperors

It was believed that consuming these noodles would bestow a long and healthy life upon the emperor, a belief that was both a blessing and a subtle reminder of the emperor's duty to rule for many years with wisdom and justice.

Longevity noodles symbolize long life. According to tradition, the chef can't cut the noodle strands, and each strand needs to be eaten whole – no breaking it before you eat it.

One such celebratory dish is aptly named longevity noodles because it is thought to bless all who eat it with a long life. Longevity noodles are also enjoyed during other celebrations such as birthdays and anniversaries when wishing someone a “long life” is similar to congratulations or bidding them a good day.

Longevity Noodles are a dish wherein the noodles are neither cut nor broken by the cook. The dish symbolizes long life; if you can eat the noodles without biting through the strands it is even more auspicious for you!

China's biang biang noodles are taking the world by storm – yet the dish's name doesn't officially exist.

In essence, noodles are a kind of cereal food, which is the main body of the traditional Chinese diet. It is the main source of energy for Chinese people and the most economical energy food.

What are longevity noodles called in Japanese? ›

On New Year's Eve, people eat soba noodles throughout the country of Japan. It's called Toshikoshi Soba (year-crossing soba). Thin, long-stretched soba symbolizes longevity, so we eat soba to pray for our healthy, long lives in the next year.

Traditional Lunar New Year foods include longevity noodles, a whole steamed fish for abundance, sticky rice balls for togetherness, and more. Below you'll find some of those lucky foods, along with other traditional dishes like dumplings and rice cakes.

Happy Family is a dish that combines various meats with fresh vegetables in a light brown Chinese sauce. Typically the meat will be chicken, beef or pork as well as seafood - usually shrimp. This great combination of meats make it a favourite on the takeout menus as you get lots of protein within the one order.

Mein gon (面干 miàn-gān), informally referred to as crunchy noodles or crunchy chow mein, are a type of noodle-shaped cracker (or dried biscuit) used in American Chinese cuisine.

They're basically deep-fried egg noodles (or fried wonton wrappers or egg roll wrappers).

Though noodles are part of everyday life in Chinese culture, they also hold a lot of symbolism when eaten during significant events. In China, noodles are frequently eaten during the start of the Lunar New Year and on birthdays. In fact, they symbolize longevity and good health for the year ahead.

In Japanese households, families eat buckwheat soba noodles, or toshikoshi soba, at midnight on New Year's Eve to bid farewell to the year gone by and welcome the year to come. The tradition dates back to the 17th century, and the long noodles symbolize longevity and prosperity.

Nowadays, pancit is a fixture at many significant milestones such as weddings, baptisms, graduations, and most especially during birthdays, where their inherently Chinese symbolism as edible harbingers of a long life (provided you don't cut the noodles before you eat them) are frequently invoked.

The “long-life noodles”

These noodles, it is believed, ensure a long and prosperous life. Hence the name. They are called yi mein or e-fu noodles, depending on the dish they are served in. These long spongy egg wheat strands are a must-have during the. Traditions dictate that these noodles can't be cut by the chef.