22

Did you know that there’s a festival celebrated annually, usually three or four days before Christmas? I must admit that I tend to overlook the importance of this festival. (The actual day/date differs according to time zone and one’s location on Earth).  Can you tell me what it is? How about a clue? Well, it has got to do with the moon.  Known as the Winter Solstice Festival, this one day in December is usually observed by Chinese communities across the world. Though not a holiday, the festival also holds a certain level of significance for the South Koreans, Vietnamese and the Japanese.

During this day, night-time to be the longest compared to during any other point in the year. Suffice to say, day-time will be shorter. Besides, this festival serves to indicate that the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival is fast approaching.

In retrospect, I remember making the deeply symbolic round balls, made of glutinous rice flour as well as the sugary syrup as part of a Cookery Club activity at the private school I used to attend at upper secondary level. For that particular week, the cookery club teamed up with the Chinese Literary Club to make the activity more fun and meaningful. Ours was the plain version without any filling added to save time.

Usually, family members would gather, reunite and slurp this dessert, known as Tong Yuen in Cantonese, Tang Yuan in Mandarin, or simply “Ee” in Hokkien (“Ee” means round in Hokkien).  Looking to add flavour? You can perhaps add sesame or peanut as a filling in those round balls. Another one I just discovered is to make it by mixing the glutinous rice flour with sweet potato.

You’ll likely come across Chinese restaurants in Malaysia that serve the dessert closer to, or on the actual day itself. This is bearing in mind the demands of the modern lifestyle of the average consumer. Of course, who wouldn’t prefer a bowl of home-made “Ee”? (I think my friends from Penang call it “Kueh Ee”).

My late maternal Hokkien grandmother would tell me to have as many “Ee” and that its significance is that those eating them will grow a year or two older. It is believed in the Chinese system, one’s age is calculated from the moment of conception.

Those in Northern China will have, besides the tang yuen, something more savoury – lamb dumplings.

To the Taiwanese, this festival is also one of the major ones. In addition to the colourful, round balls, they would also make wanton. Furthermore, the Taiwanese will also make tonics in the form of stews, hot pots or soups.

Such desserts and food are meant to keep the community warm for the Winter season. The festival is meant to be understood as a combination of the Winter Solstice and the natural balance of the forces of Yin and Yang. Put simply, out with the cold and dark, in with the warm and light.

How’s your “Ee” looking? I sure hope it’s good. Now, I’m off for the first taste of “Ee”.