Winter Solstice Festival, also called Tang Chek in Hokkien/Fujianese or Dong Zhi (冬至) in Mandarin, is a Chinese celebration that usually happens between the 21st and 23rd December. Tang Chek means the “arrival of winter”. Traditionally, farmers would lay down their tools and celebrate the harvest by going home to their families and a feast is prepared to mark the occasion. On this day everyone becomes one year older. It is also the day when the sun has reached the Tropic of Capricorn, and therefore is the longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere.
Ingredients
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Rice Balls or Tang Yuen
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1 cup
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½ cup
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A few drops
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½ cup
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½ cup
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Soup / Syrup
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2 cups
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4 leavesStacked and knotted
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1 inchCrushed
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½ cup sugar or to taste
Directions
Winter Solstice Festival is celebrated by Chinese allover the world. During this time, there are a few signature dish which is mandatory to be made and shared. If you google’d you find some dish and suggestions like dumplings, tang yuan, mutton, noodles, won ton, red-bean and glutinous rice and more.
There is always some special food associated with Chinese festivals. For this one, families get together to make and eat Kuih Ee/Ee Th’ng or Tang Yuan (湯圓), a dessert made of glutinous rice balls in a sweet clear soup. The roundness signifies togetherness. In Malaysia, premixed colored dough is sold at the wet markets or you can make it at home. The favorite colors are red, green, and yellow. Most people will buy the dough and form the balls at home, an activity much enjoyed by the kids. The sweet soup is made of a simple syrup flavored with pandan leaves or screwpine and ginger.
But for this time, as to be celebrated, please let me introduce tang yuen which is a dessert made of glutinous rice balls in a sweet ginger clear soup. The Chinese also believe that once you eaten a tang yuen, it officially resembled that you have grown up by 1 years old. Share the joy, share the spirit and hope the readers in always good in health!
Steps
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1
Done
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Combine water, pandan leaves, ginger, and sugar in a medium sized saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let the syrup cool. |
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2
Done
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Place glutinous rice flour in a large bowl. Pour hot water water over flour and mix with a spatula until a soft dough forms. If it is too sticky, add just a little more flour., or if too dry add a little water in spoons. |
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3
Done
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Knead for 2 to 3 minute until dough is smooth. |
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4
Done
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Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Set aside one portion for white balls. Add 3 to 4 drops of yellow food coloring to one portion of the dough. Knead dough until color is even. Repeat with red and green colors. Do wash your hands between each color so as not to get the colors mixed. |
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5
Done
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Divide red bean paste into 24 equal portions. Roll into small balls about ½ inches in diameter. Set aside. |
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6
Done
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Divide the white dough into a 6 equal portions. Flatten one portion in the palm of your hand. Place a ball of red bean paste in the middle. Wrap dough around red bean paste. |
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7
Done
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Roll dough with filling between your two palms to form a smooth round ball. Place on a plastic plate or a plate lined with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. |
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8
Done
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Repeat with the other 5 portions of white dough as well as the yellow, red, and green doughs. |
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9
Done
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Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil. Drop the white and yellow glutinous rice balls into the water. Let them cook for about 5 minutes. They should float when done. Remove with a slotted spoon. Repeat with red and green glutinous rice balls. |
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10
Done
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Place 6 glutinous rice balls in each of 4 bowls. Pour enough syrup into each bowl to cover the glutinous rice balls. Serve warm or at room temperature. Do more, eat more and enjoy! |
