22 December 2008

WINTER SOLSTICE FESTIVAL


Yesterday was Dong Zhi and according to Chinese custom, it is time for family reunion.  Most of the Chinese households are celebrating good harvest by celebrating with family, in which family members from faraway places will return home to join in the celebration.  In the olden days Dong Zhi was celebrated in style.  It was the time when farmers and fishermen harvested and gathered food in preparation for winter.  One of the must eat dishes is glutinous rice balls which represents round and full for the coming years.

This year Dong Zhi was celebrated a day earlier.  Normally it falls 3 days before X'mas, that is on the 22nd December.

Nowadays the rice balls come with varieties of fillings but I still prefer the plain rice balls boil in ginger brown sugar syrup.  It can be eaten in savory broth cooked together with chinese cabbage and mushrooms.

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