Speaking of Luoyang's New Year's Eve dinner, that is, the meal on the first day of the New Year's Day, we have to eat four meals here. The first meal is bean jelly soup, also called brain soup, which is just before dawn, that is, at dawn; The second meal at about 9: 30, jiaozi, and the third meal at about 1 pm, lunch, commonly known as eating a table, usually involves frying several dishes, which is particularly rich; The fourth meal around five o'clock is usually porridge and steamed bread. We will heat up the remaining dishes at noon and eat them without wasting them.
Bean jelly soup
Authentic Luoyang people pay special attention to drinking brain soup, which is bean jelly soup. It is our custom not to use a knife on the first day of the new year, because it is unlucky. If you operate the knife on the first day, it means that you can't leave the operation for one year. Knife used to be a weapon in Luoyang, so it was not used on the first day. How did you do that? You need to cut all the ingredients you need on the first day, put them on a plate, or cover them on a chopping board. Therefore, on New Year's Eve, housewives are the busiest. While watching the Spring Festival Gala, they prepare the ingredients for the next day. Luoyang people call this Shounian dish.
Some people may ask, why do you want to drink that kind of brain soup and eat four meals on New Year's Day? There are actually many reasons. Life was hard before, and there was little money at home, especially for the elderly in the village. Brain soup is actually a form of New Year greetings. Generally, the younger generation carries a bowl of brain soup to the old people in the village to keep them busy during the New Year. So this meal can only be eaten at home now, that is, eating breakfast and slightly padding the stomach.
Bean jelly soup
Of course, there is a saying that eating four meals means being safe and eating well, but it is impossible to prove it now. I think this reason is more reliable. After all, I had to stay up late the night before to prepare ingredients, and I must be hungry in the morning. Drink a bowl of brain-nourishing soup first to temporarily relieve my hunger. Wait until around 9: 30, when it is almost dawn, and I will pay a New Year call to the old people in the village. At this time, it's almost time to eat something. Whatever the reason, drinking brain soup is just a good wish for everyone to pray for their families and children at the first meal on New Year's Day.
Having said that, let's get to the point. The bean jelly soup I told you today is, of course, the most atmospheric in Chinese New Year. However, if you like it, it's especially good. Let's share it with you. Old Luoyang people can skip it, and so can the Great God.
Bean jelly soup
First of all, ingredients: sweet potato jelly, onion, ginger, garlic, star anise, dried pepper, blood clot, tofu, kelp, carrot, spinach, vermicelli, fungus, pork belly, bone soup, salt, pepper, chicken essence, starch and edible oil.
Practice: put the pot on the fire, heat it, pour in cooking oil, add a little pork belly, star anise, pepper, onion, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for about two minutes. After smelling the fragrance, add bone soup (preferably bone soup cooked one day in advance, the taste of water is greatly reduced), boil and pour in bean jelly, add fungus, blood clots, carrots, kelp, tofu, salt, pepper and tofu.