Jenna Zhang and Irene Kim (23 years old) living in Astoria, Queens (USA) often gather early with friends every Lunar New Year.
When the guests entered the apartment and saw what was on the table, they could guess what the host was preparing. The music started, everyone sat down, and enjoyed the party together as the hot pot began to boil. They asked each other the familiar question "how are you, long time no see".
Food that reminds me of home
For young people far from home like Jenna Zhang and Irene Kim in particular, and the Asian community in America in general, hot pot is a dish that brings a cozy feeling like home.
Lunar New Year is an important time of the year. Many people who live far away return home to gather with their relatives and family. For those who live abroad, returning to reunite with their family is not easy. For them, enjoying traditional dishes and gathering with friends is a way to bring back the cozy feeling of home.
Tansy Huang, 22, who works in Seattle, said his mother always cooks hot pot for the family when the weather turns cold, according to the Nytimes . "Sitting down to eat hot pot together is a way to show care for each other, keep warm and improve health," Tansy said.
Easy-to-prepare dishes, suitable for Gen Z
Hot pot is a common dish on the Asian dining table. A pot of delicious broth, when the water boils, add the side dishes. For young people, cooking and eating together helps increase intimacy and makes them recall memories.
Jenna Zhang said her family has 6 siblings. Every Lunar New Year, her family usually gets together and eats hot pot together.
The young girl introduced the dish to her friends in the US and many people loved it. Irene Kim said: "I really like hot pot. Whenever we celebrate something, we eat hot pot."
This year, Zhang prepared a hot pot with two compartments. One compartment is for the spicy, bright red broth typical of Sichuan style. The other compartment is for those who don’t like spicy food.
Unlike other traditional dishes during Tet, hot pot is very easy to prepare. This is a plus for young people who do not have enough time or experience to cook many dishes.
"Cooking a traditional New Year's meal, many dishes take a lot of effort. So cooking hot pot to invite friends is much easier," said Zoey Gong, 27, a Chinese national who moved to the US 11 years ago.
Michelle King, a history professor at the University of North Carolina, said the main appeal of hot pot is that it is suitable for family or friends gatherings. "You can't sit and eat hot pot alone, you definitely have to eat with other people," she said.
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