Dōngzhì Festival (Winter Solstice Festival)

Dōngzhì Festival is one of the most important festivals in Chinese Lunar calendar. In this festival, the old and young get together to make and eat tang yuan.

Tang yuan with mixed crushed peanut and sugar.

Tang yuan is made from glutinuous rice flour and is normally coloured with red colouring. It is boiled with pandan leaves (optional) before sugar is added to the boiling water. Often, it is eaten either with the soup or dipped into the mixed crushed peanut and sugar.

Tang yuan at closer look.

Tang yuan symbolises reunion. Therefore, not to forget, everyone in the family gathers together for dinner at night.

Mouth watering dishes.

My Jiu Mu (aunt) cooked few delicious dishes for the reunion dinner.

"Da Lu Yak" (duck cooked in dark soy sauce).

First and foremost, my Jiu Mu presented us with this duck. The actual receipe, I don't know. The only thing I know is, eat, eat and eat! :P

Doesn't look appetizing? You are wrong!

This is one of the must-have-dishes whenever there is any occasion to celebrate. So, you can guess how nice is this dish.

Vege with mushrooms.

Mario Bros. favourite dish, mushrooms! I think I need this most to grow taller! ;)

Prawns.

I don't know how my Jiu Mu cooked these prawns. I think she steamed the prawns with ginger and a little bit of Chinese wine (if I'm not wrong). It's nice!

There are two other dishes which I couldn't manage to take any photos of them. The two dishes are the steamed fish and "Kacang-ma" (chicken cooked with Chinese herbs and wine (?)). Alamak, how can I not gained weight with all those dishes? :P

So, that's how I celebrate my once a year, Dōngzhì Festival. How about you?