Saturday, December 22, 2007

Winter Solstice Festival

Today is Winter Solstice Festival and we will have 'Tang Yuen' today. I remembered when I was a kid, my Ah Mah will tell me every year when we have 'Tang Yuen' it means we are a year older. According to her this festival is much more important than CNY and usually we will have family dinner together.

Surprisingly this year my MIL didn't ask us back for dinner. Don't know what happen to her or should I should they are 'funny' people. I always tell Dearie Suki, it is important for us to celebrate this important Chinese Festival in order for us to inherit down the Chinese culture to the younger generation. If we don't practice this ourselves, do you think our kids will celebrate in the future and I bet they don't even know what is this all about.

This morning I woke up as early as 6.30 am to open the gate for the part time maid to come in. Since woke up and I can't sleep back, I started to get myself busy in the kitchen. Knead half a packet of glutinous rice flour dough for the 'Tang Yuen' and divided it into 5 portions and mixed with colouring.


We have white, purple, pink, yellow and green.

Little girl woke up and 8.30 am and she is getting much more better today after her vomiting and fever yesterday. I get her to help me in the kitchen. She got so excited of the colourful dough and she helped me to shape it into small balls. While doing this she kept asking me....

Mommy, wat is this?
Mommy, why so many colours one?
Mommy, for wat one?
Mommy, can eat ah?
Mommy, fishball ah?
Mommy, make round round ah?

Wah, so many questions and so hard to answer her what is this all about.

Anyway, I think she enjoyed doing it and alamak... we have uneven round glutinous rice balls. Some big and some small and some even 'penyek' one.


Le-Ann... action only while taking pictures and showing me this is what she has done.

Before : Colourful rice glutinous balls ready to be boiled in hot boiling water.

Boiling : Once float up it is ready.

Done : Ready to be mixed with syrup

Usually, the tang yuen is eat with either sugar syrup or gula melaka syrup but mine is a bit special. If I were to cook the sugar syrup I bet no body will touch it not even me. So... yesterday night I boiled a big pot of herbal tea which consist of dried longan, red dates, rock sugar and also winter melon. I shred the winter melon into thin strips and this are tips from Gert. Wah, the whole pot of herbal tea looks more like a shark fin soup leh. Hihihi....

So here is my version of Tang Yuen.

I mixed it with the Winter Melon and Longan Herbal Tea. Dearie Suki have 4 bowls of it for prayers and offering at the altar.

or another version ( this is my most favourite )

Mixed the Tang Yuen with chopped coarse peanuts and mixed with some sugar. Just like eating 'Muah Chee'.

While I was busy in the kitchen, the two of them, busy playing with my mixer and the mixer bowl. Aiyor.... my little boy used the mixer bowl and put it on top of his head. So cute....

Then I called mom and asked her whether can I have Roast Chicken without the head and feet for prayer and offering at the altar. My mom taruk me ... how can one, go and make 'Pak Cham Kai', must have head and feet one. If I were to steam the chicken, sure not 'laku' one cos Dearie Suki hate steam chicken and the kids don't like it too.

Aiyor.... at that time how to got to the wet market and buy, sure the chicken seller 'sau tong' d. Anyway I go ahead with it and have it roasted and I think GOD won't punish us for offering the chicken without head and feet. LOL.

I marinated the chicken with McCormick - Lemon Pepper Seasoning, Thyme Leaves, Rosemary Leaves, Black Pepper Cracked, and Sea Salt. Marinate overnight and this morning I roast it in my small oven for almost 1 hour at 160 DC. At the bottom of the tray, I have some cut potato wedges.

Ta ....daa..... We have this Roast Chicken for prayer. Hihihi... the 'Kwai Lou' version.

After prayer, we had the chicken for lunch and carved the chicken meat and have some potatoes to go with it. Since I don't have any brocolli or mixed vegs, I have the Hong Kong Kailan in the fridge and blanched it in hot water and have it with the Roast Chicken.


Half way enjoying my lunch, received a SMS from my good UNI friend - Ai Leen, she has safely delivered a baby boy weighing 3.8kg. Wow, so happy to hear that and some more on 'Tang Yuen festival'!

Tonight, there will be another gathering to attend with my 'ci mui' and few close UNI friends. We are going to FC's house in Sg Buloh for Steamboat dinner. I think I will bring the 2 kids along since they are OK now. Going to enjoy myself tonight cos we are ex-changing Christmas present.

Muahaaa haaaa haaa...

17 comments:

Big Boys Oven said...

wah! so fast leh... I just go eaten my tong yuen.... I love the way you hang the chicken in the oven! lol!

Cat Cat said...

Wah, so fast Tang Yuen Festival... Not too long it will be CNY... Alamak, jelesnya... I miss my kampung....

Health Freak Mommy said...

You are really one good cook and took so much effort to make your own tong yuen. I dont think I will ever take the trouble to do that. Hats off to you. How come no pix to show?

Sue Sue said...

Bigboysoven,
Hahaha... I make in the morning mah.

Catcat,
Yes lor hor so fast going to be CNY. So are you coming back this year?

Healthfreakmommy,
No la where got good cook. Play play only. Eh how come you cannot see the pics? I can see wor and I put up so many of it in this post.

Anonymous said...

Wah, nice food. Good idea about the muachi. Makes me want to try now cos I am not a fan of tong yin.

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

ICook4Fun said...

Sue, you tang yuen colour look so vibrant :) What a good idea to eat the tang yuen with winter melon. I am not a fan of tang yuen either but is Diana fav.

Wishing you and your family Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!!

JK said...

Your tong yuen look very nice. Didn't have it this year. Your girl was sick too? Glad that she is better now.

Unknown said...

i don't think i have the modd to make tong yuen this year both of my daughters are still sick..your kids really got nothing to play ..mommy mixer bowl also play ah!

Beachlover said...

Sue-sue:)You're the second person who I visit roast chicken for this festival.Now I get the idea to make my own roast whole chicken for Christmas..Hmmmm..your 'tong yuen' look colorful....I'm not a fan too but just for fun,so I make la..I like your idea to make muah chee from tong yuen!!

Sue Sue said...

Judy,
Wah so long didn't see u liao. Very busy with ur fruit cake again? I also don't like tong yuen but make like muah chee i eat la.
Merry Christmas to you and your family too.

Wan,
Hahaha... must make it colourful ma.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Jo-N,
Yeah both of them also sick. Now its my turn . :(

Sweetiepie,
I also got no mood make one but no choice la got prayers must make lor.

Wah my son very very naughty i also beh tahan him. Wat kau si lap sap also play with it.

Beachlover,
Haha.. I also make for the fun of it leh.

Anonymous said...

what an excellent idea, eating tong yun with HERBAL TEA!!!! never thought of it before.. haha good one.. at least got some health properties! :D

Anonymous said...

Goooshhh... look at all your Tang Yuen ~ I miss my mom so much ler! I was always there to help my mom to make it ROUND ROUND, will have Big Dinner to celebrate too oog... perhaps my Panda's parents not celebrate this festival ooh. :(

SIG said...

I love the rainbow tang yuen and the muah chee sort.

MeatballOnline said...

those tong yuen are so nice... i ate my dad's normal looking white and pink tong yuen..though they don't look nice but i'm great to be home!

Look at how happy ur family is, makes me so happy.. merry christmas to u and ur family!

East Meets West Kitchen said...

Your princess is so adorable and I love all your tong-yuen pictures! Happy Holidays to you and your family!

Food Lover said...

Hey Sue, I like your colourful Tong Yuen especially the muah chee version! :D

Sue Sue said...

Jane,
Yeah yeah, try it. I also first time try like that.

Bigfish,
Tong Cheet is quite a big festival leh. How come no dinner one.

Singairishgirl,
Very colourful leh.

Meatballs,
Last time also I am as you. Eat the tong yuen in pink and white. Wah now got so many colours already.

East Meet West Kitchen,
Thank you so much ya. Hope you enjoy your holidays too.

Foodlover,
I also loves the muah chee so much cos I never like tong yuen with syrup.