Read this before you stuff yourself silly during your Chinese New Year visits
Before you reach for your fifth love letter or 11th peanut cookie, you may wish to consider what they could do to your waistline. Here’s the calorie count of 10 popular Chinese New Year snacks.
Pineapple Tarts
These pastries are a must-have for Chinese New Year for two reasons: one, because pineapples symbolise prosperity and wealth, but also because both adults and children find them irresistible. The tarts come in different variations, from open-faced ones, round balls and pineapple rollovers.
One tart is 82 calories
Bak Kwa
A Chinese New Year staple, bak kwa is dried barbecued meat, and is similar to meat jerky. It is most commonly made with pork. Prepared by marinating thin slices of pork in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar and honey before being air-dried and grilled over charcoal, it has high amounts of fat and sugar.
One slice of bak kwa is 370 calories
Love Letters
Used by lovers to communicate with each other in days gone by, love letters are made of coconut milk, rice and tapioca flour, eggs and sugar. The batter is cooked on a small, round heated pan, lifted off when very hot and rolled into the shape of a cigar, or folded into a triangle.
One piece of love letter biscuit is 112 calories
Fried Nian Gao
Nian Gao, translated as ‘year cake’, is a must-have during Chinese New Year as this traditional sticky rice cake symbolises good fortune. The cake is usually dipped in egg and pan-fried.
One serving is about 482 calories
Mini dried shrimp roll
Filled with shrimp paste and wrapped in popiah skin, these spicy deep-fried mini spring rolls are addictive.
One piece carries about 22 calories
Honeycomb Cookies
Crunchy and sweet, these biscuits have an iconic honeycomb pattern. They are made of rice flour, coconut milk, eggs and sugar, and deep-fried.
One piece contains about 50 calories
Peanut Cookies
These small, round cookies are easy to make by mixing together flour, ground peanuts and sugar. Just the right combination of sweet and salty, they simply melt in the mouth.
One piece contains 50 calories
Kueh Bangkit
Light, airy and fragrant, kueh bangkit is another festive favourite. They come in various shapes, although goldfish is popular as it symbolises prosperity. Made of tapioca flour, eggs, sugar and coconut milk, the cookies melt in your mouth. They are also lower in calories than other Chinese New Year snacks.
One piece contains about 23 calories.
Kueh Lapis
This rich layered cake is made with lots of egg yolk and butter and as can be expected, is high in calories.
One slice contains 157 calories.
Kueh Bahulu
These fluffy sponge cakes are usually baked in brass moulds which come in all shapes and sizes.
One piece contains about 40 calories.
Lunar New Year Special for AA Members
Pineapple Tarts Singapore
An additional 5% off promotional prices for AA Members – Valid till 1 Feb 2024
Get 100% homemade and handmade traditional pineapple tarts delivered to their doorstep this Lunar New Year. Promo Code: AUTOMOBILES
Kele
An additional 5% off all promotional prices on Kele Pineapple Tarts at its e-store for AA Members – Valid till 20 January 2024
Besides traditional pineapple tarts, Kele Pineapple Tarts offers other unusual flavours like rose, matcha and sweet potato. Promo Code: AAOS5OFF.
Log onto aas.com.sg for more information.
