By Ellen L. Published: 2017-02-24
The end of the Chinese New Year period of festivities is marked by the Lantern Festival 元宵節, a sort of Chinese Valentine's Day. Lovely glowing lanterns are hung everywhere from rafters and eaves. Riddles are carefully composed, gracefully written out with brush and ink, hung alongside the lanterns and then the game is on to guess the answers to the riddles.
Traditionally this night is for young men and women to stroll about attired in their best, admiring both the lanterns and potential lovers. And then if the heavens are aligned, love will blossom. Or will it?
Whether loves blossoms or no, the southern Chinese have developed a subtle food based (naturally!) method of letting lovers know if their love is reciprocated. To give the nod to love just serve up a bowl of delicious Sticky Rice Balls with Sesame and Crushed Peanuts, or 糖不甩, which is the deliciously sweet and sticky Chinese way to say yes to love!