HOME MADE MOON CAKES

MOON CAKE FESTIVAL.
Copyright © by makan22.2005.


The moon cake festival or the mid autumn festival is the 3rd. major festival on the Chinese lunar calendar; it falls on the 15th day of the 8th month. Some calls it the Lantern Festival.

This year it falls on the 18th of Sept. 2005.
There are many myths and stories handed down through the generations, depending on which province your ancestors are from, the stories varies.

This is one version of a story.

Long long ago the earth had 9 suns, people were dying and the land was scorched and dried, nothing could grow in the barren soil.
One day the Emperor called his general, Hon Yi, a skilled archer to shot down the suns. The Emperor asked the Queen of Heaven to give HonYi immortality so that he can always guard the skies.

The Queen gave him the pill for immortality, but before he could take it, his wife stole it and she swallowed it. She became so light, she floated to the moon.

On the moon, lived the Divine Hare under a tree. The general’s wife started to cough because of the cold and dry air on the moon; she soon coughed out the pill.

She told the Hare to help her build a crystal Palace and pound the pill into tiny bits so she can scatter them down to earth and every one can be immortal.

Some say on a clear bright moonlit night, you can see a lady combing her hair, or the Hare in the moon!
Some say, on the moon lives an old man, (Yit Lao Yeh). He keeps a record of births and marriages. Once a year on this day people, young and old would go to the highest temple and pray to him, for a good marriage and have happy healthy children.

On the way up the mountains they carried all sorts of lanterns to light their way.
No one really knows if these stories are true or not. Most Chinese believe this is true, all the more reason to have a big celebration.

Some people celebrate the historical event (the fight for freedom) during the 14th century. China was under the Mongol rule.

Planning a revolt against the Mongols, the Chinese had to find a way to alert the people. The Mongols didn’t celebrate their moon cake festival. So the Chinese had the freedom to pass the moon cakes around. The Chinese put their secret message inside the moon cakes.

The message was to overthrow the Mongols on the 15th day of the 8th month. From that day on the moon cakes became famous.
Today moon cakes are so commercialized; they have everything and anything you want in the filing.
The Malaysians and Singaporeans love their durians so much; they even have a durian moon cake.

In the old days, the moon cakes filling were just mashed red bean or lotus seed paste. Now, they have a salted duck egg yolk in the center of the moon cake. You can buy them with 1, 2, or 4 yolks!!

The shops start selling the moon cakes 1 month before the festival. The younger generation pays their respect to their grandparents and parents by giving them moon cakes. Those who missed out in the New Year reunion would join in for this celebration.

On the night of the festival, a table is set up outside the house, in the front yard in full view of the moon. Offerings of roast pork, roast duck, chicken, and not forgetting the all important moon cakes and fruits are laid on the table. The whole family would give prayers, offerings with lit joss sticks and toast the gods and ancestors with wine and tea.

After this prayer offering, the whole family would sit down to a happy feast. Just before midnight, the adults would light the children’s lanterns and every one would join in a walk round the neighbourhood. This night the whole street or neighbourhood would be a sea of beautiful and colourful lit lanterns of every shape and size.

As the chatter and laughter of the children drift into the night, it is time to say goodnight to the moon till next year. Some children would burn their lanterns that night, while others, would fold them and pack away for next year.

So, people out there on this beautiful night, “Happy moon gazing” and May all your wishes do come true.

Recipe for Home Made Moon Cakes to follow.





This recipe is for 8 - 9 moon cakes

You must have the wooden moulds for best result. You can buy them from Chinese shops. Now days they even have plastic moulds but the end result is not so nice. The best moulds are the ones found in your grandma’s cupboard; they have been well used and give the best results.

Ingredients.
280gms plain flour.
7 ozs. Golden syrup (use a good brand)
3ozs. Peanut oil (any light oil)
½ teasp. Alkaline water.

Filling.
700gms.Red bean paste or lotus seed paste, this you can buy from the shops, this would save you a lot of work. You can add in sunflower seeds for the extra crunch.

Mix all the ingredients together,
Mix well, do not knead too long. Divide into 40gms balls. You can get 8 balls.

Divide the filling into 8 balls. Roll out pastry, put in a filling, fold up the edges, dust mould with flour, press the ball into the mould and then knock it out. Place on greased tray line with paper. Bake mod. Oven 10mins, take out brush with egg yolk and return to oven for another 10 mins.

If you wish to put in an egg yolk, buy salted duck eggs; remove only the yolk and steam till cooked 10 mins. Add into the middle of the filling before you roll up the ball.

The Moon Cakes are best eaten 1 week later.