Not just a regular dinner: Much effort is taken to prepare for the reunion dinner feast, from handmaking egg dumplings to picking the best eel in the market. photos provided to china daily

The dishes cooked vary between local cultures. For Wang Manhua, a 65-year-old Shanxi native who has lived in Shanghai for more than 20 years, the jiaozi, or dumpling, is an indispensable item on her reunion dinner menu as it is a staple for people in Northern China.

“We usually put a coin in one of the dumplings to see who in the family will have the best luck in the year ahead,” said Wang.

Dumplings, particularly egg dumplings — a kind of mini omelet stuffed with minced pork — has always been a standard dish for Shanghai families. After lunch on the eve of the Chinese New Year, housewives would immediately begin work on these dumplings.

The first step involves pouring beaten eggs onto a large iron spoon that is placed directly over a fire. After a few seconds, the housewives would place the minced meat in the center of the spoon before wrapping it with the semi-cooked layer of egg. The dumplings are made to resemble gold ingots, once used as currency in ancient China. People then dip these dumplings, which are usually used to mark the finale of the dinner, into boiling soup before eating them.

“The kids love to stand on a low stool and help their mothers out. Actually, most of them are just waiting for the opportunity to sneak a quick bite from the rejected dumplings that aren’t made perfectly,” quipped Qiao.

Ahead of the Lunar New Year, the markets often make for a rather extraordinary sight when a large number of dried eels can be found dangling at numerous stalls.

“A piece of paper with someone’s name is stuck on each eel. People like to buy food in advance to make sure that they’ve got the largest and best fish. However, they often don’t have enough space at home to store their food. As a result, they leave their purchases, such as the eels, with the vendors and return to collect them nearer the start of the festival,” said Cai Mengsha, a 56-year-old Shanghai native.