Good Luck Food

It's not that we are superstitious, but it's Friday the thirteenth, and it doesn't hurt to eat a couple of ingredients that, for some, bring good luck.   You may not believe in bad luck, you may, but either way, it's interesting to know that in some cultures, certain foods are considered lucky and are consumed during important events, New Year, and other festivities. Whether due to their characteristics, such as shape or taste, or some ancient myth, these are some of the foods you might consider if you want to be on the safe side.   Beans, Lentils, and Peas In cultures like Hindu and ancient Egyptian, these foods were considered to bring good fortune as they symbolize prosperity due to their ease of germination. It was also thought that they took the shape of coins once cooked, which signified wealth. Italians, for example, eat sausage with green lentils right after New Year, while Germans have lentil or pea soup on birthdays.   Noodles In Asian culture, noodles represent long life. If you notice, in China, they do not bite their noodles; they slurp them up to avoid cutting them and thus maintain the length of the food.   Round Foods This refers to the representation of life or a year completing a beneficial cycle. An example is our own Rosca de Reyes that we eat in January, and the Greeks also place a lucky coin inside their typical New Year's cake vassilopita.   Grapes These should not only be considered for New Year as, according to Greek culture, the taste of each grape can vary depending on the luck you will have. If you get sweet grapes, everything will be pleasant; if they are bitter, caution is advised.   What Not to Eat? Of course, within all this mythology, there are “bad luck” foods. Lobster and crab, for example, walk sideways and backward, representing deterioration and lack of progress. The Chinese consider white foods like eggs, tofu, and cheese to be bad luck, as white for them is the color of death. Lastly, there is an Arabic proverb that says you should never clean the plate and always leave at least a small leftover. This represents that there will be prosperity and benefits for the rest of the year.   Food for Good Luck Recipe for Pea Soup with Vegetables Ingredients: - 450 grams of frozen peas - 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil - 2 turnips, peeled and chopped - 2 carrots, peeled and chopped - 2 stalks of celery - 1 medium onion, chopped - 250 grams of smoked ham - 8 cups of water - 1 tablespoon of salt - 1 tablespoon of pepper If you want to see the steps to prepare this delicious soup click here.   Recipe for Pad Thai Ingredients: - 1 package of rice noodles - 1/4 cup of Asian fish sauce - 1/4 cup of lemon juice - 1 tablespoon of oil - 1 tablespoon of brown sugar - 250 grams of large shrimp, peeled and cleaned - 2 cloves of garlic - 3 eggs - 2 cups of bean sprouts - 1/3 cup of unsalted peanuts - 1/4 cup of chopped green onions - fresh cilantro - 2 tablespoons of red pepper flakes - 8 deveined shrimp, for garnish at the end Click here and discover the procedure to prepare this recipe.    Recipe for Salad with Grape, Cheese, and Pine Nuts Ingredients: - 9 cups of coarsely chopped endive lettuce - 1 green apple - 1 tablespoon of lemon juice - 30 seedless green grapes - 3 tablespoons of pine nuts - 1/4 cup of crumbled goat cheese - 2 1/2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar - 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil - 2 tablespoons of honey - pepper Find out how to prepare this salad by clicking here.   Are you going to try to see if these foods bring good luck?