What traditional food is good to eat on the Dragon Raising Day? Don’t forget to eat these 6 kinds of “dragon food”

“On the second day of the second month, the dragon raises its head and people shave their heads.” The second day of the second month of the lunar calendar every year is called “the dragon raises its head”, also known as the Spring Farming Festival. This day is a festival with many folk customs. So, what traditional food is good to eat on February 2nd, the day when the dragon raises its head?

What traditional food should we eat on the second day of the second lunar month?

On the second day of the second month, the dragon raises its head. In addition to "shaving the dragon's head", there is also the importance of "eating dragon food", which includes six kinds of food, namely "dragon whiskers" (noodles), "dragon scales" (spring rolls), "dragon gall" (fried oil cakes, fried vegetable corners), "dragon eyes" (wontons), "dragon ears" (dumplings), and "dragon heads" (pork head). "Dragon food" is also the food that many families choose to eat on this day, especially those with elderly people at home. They pay more attention to these folk customs, hoping that eating dragon food will have a good omen for the coming year, and they will be healthy and smooth all year round.

What is the best thing to eat on February 2?

1. Pig head (dragon head)

On the second day of the second lunar month, in addition to the barber shops doing good business, the braised meat shops are also crowded. Everyone is buying pig heads. Some families even buy the whole pig head and take great pains to braise it at home. This is all for the sake of good meaning. The "pig head" on this day represents the "dragon head". After eating the dragon head meat, the whole family will be healthy and prosperous in the new year.

2. Noodles (Dragon’s Beard)

The staple food on February 2 is noodles, and the thinner "dragon beard noodles" are best. Eating dragon beard noodles on February 2 is a good omen for everything to go smoothly and as one wishes.

3. Spring pancake (dragon scale)

Comparing spring rolls to dragon scales is quite vivid. Each palm-sized, crystal clear spring roll looks like a piece of dragon scale. You can wrap the prepared pork head, stir-fried bean sprouts, leeks, eggs, etc. in it. The rich ingredients symbolize wealth and happiness.

4. Fried oil cakes and fried vegetable corners (longdan)

In the north, people would set up an oil pan at home on the day of the Dragon Raising its Head, and fry some sugar-coated cakes and vegetable dumplings for the family to eat. The golden-colored cakes and vegetable dumplings are full of secrets. When the round cakes are broken open, sweet brown sugar slowly flows out, just like "dragon galls". Eating the "dragon galls" will make the family work harder and make more money in the coming year.

5. Wonton (Longan)

No matter what you eat on this day, you have to find a way to connect it with the "dragon" to bring good luck to the dish. Wontons on this day represent longan. Especially if there are children in the family, you should let them eat a few more to make their eyes bright and see the path of life clearly.

6. Dumplings (Long Er)

Dumplings are a "universal" food. It is a good idea to eat dumplings on any important festival, because dumplings look like ears and were originally called "jiao'er". On this day, they were given a new meaning, "long'er". The dumplings on this day must have both meat and vegetables, taking the homonym of "meat and vegetables" as "youcai", in the hope of bringing prosperity in the new year.