Happy Winter Solstice Festival

It is today and I know nuts bout it till I overheard Shen and her friend talking about them going back to their mother's house for some tong yuen. So I came home and googled it and yea, it is today.. *fail* I am very much excited about eating tong yuens but sadly this year, there is no family gathering. My mother also know nuts bout ITS THE DAY TODAY.. well, basically she does not know a lot of stuff or remember things now.

Well, since the family ain't having a dinner gathering like they did last year, its up to me to continue the Chinese tradition and just make the tong yuen at home. DIY is the best solution.

So off I will be to buy the ingredients needed and just hoping I would not be making a mess out of the whole house. Well, actually its better now than later after mom leaves back for Penang so she can lend a hand in helping me clean up the mess.. hehehhe *gRin*

updated *23 Dec 2008*

I didn't get to make it on Sunday itself. Instead, I only got to go get the ingredients on Monday evening and well, after much procrastination last night, I thought I might as well get moving and just do it. Afterall, I have to do it someway or another why not today since I am free right?

So there it is my stuff in photo sequence..


First I chopped the one and only piece of Gula Melaka I bought. Chopped them up to bits like these as I need some for the syrup and also to put in the middle of the tong yuen.



Then I diced the ginger, not too much as Hubby don't like ginger.. so I just cut a small portion off the old ginger and diced it into little five pieces. Just enough for the hint of ginger taste.



The pandan leaves have to be washed thoroughly then tied into a knot, just as shown in the picture above.

Of course, before doing all those above, I already boiled water in the kettle to fasten the procedure, instead of letting the water get boiled by fire. That would have taken ages. So once those three steps are done, there I go putting the pandan leaves in first, then pour the water to the level I think will feed my family just nice, then in goes the slices of ginger and pieces of Gula Melaka. Not all the Gula Melaka tho, coz that can be slowly added on later.



I cheated. I didn't make the dough. I bought ready made dough from Tesco. =)





As seen in the picture, you can see one disaster. That was my first roll. FAIL! The others then came easily. So I stuffed the cebisan of gula melaka into the tong yuen dough and roll them into a ball. Dab some water on the cracks to close them up nicely.. ooh.. remember to sprinkle some flour tho on the plate so that the tong yuen ball won't stick to the plate.

The little square is mine and the little one is for Jaden. One for the little boy who turns one this year. Don't want to feed him too much sugar now do we? Cute right the small little one? =)




After all are done and the syrup is already boiled to perfection, throw in the tong yuen and wait for the little colour balls to float up. Floating up means it is cooked..



and tadah! Here is my very very first attempt at making tong yuen for the SimonYap clan and YAY! It is successful!

Happy Happy Winter Solstice Festival everyone..

although I am 2 days late but nevertheless, this year, we didn't get to miss it.

Carrying on the Chinese tradition in me. *gRin*