Lighting Firecrackers Off On The Front Lawn As Thirty Dialogues Bleed Into One

Happy Chinese New Year!! 

It is the Year of the Rabbit which I have read will be less tumultuous compared to 2010 (Year of the Tiger) and this makes sense since the rabbit is a calm creature and the tiger is quite fiery. Personally, last year was abit crazy for me so I am looking forward to a more serene year *fingers crossed*. 

I always love when Chinese New Year comes round because my family get soo happy! Don't want to generalise but I get a vibe round this time of year that most Chinese people get excited too (tell me if I'm wrong ^_~). I think my family get like this as it's a time where we can all hang out, chat and EAT!! We have a feast with loads of goodies to munch down like suckling pig, lobster, crab, sea bass...so much food we have leftovers for at least a week!

Unfortunately, I didn't get to take pics of the food... we decided to eat dinner even though all the food wasn't on the table yet >_< However, I did 'document' my mum making a traditional Chinese sweet cake 'ett' (I'm terrible, I can't remember the exact Chinese name ¬_¬ *lin gao =p TY Winnie) we eat around Chinese New Year. 

Ingredients:

Glutinous rice flour x6

 

2-3x packs of brown sugar pieces (really depends on how sweet you want the cake)

  





[Note: All ingredients can be bought from any chinese supermarket]

Process: 

[1] Place brown sugar pieces into a large
    pot and fill with water. 

    Boil until the sugar dissolves. 

    Allow the sugar to cool to a warm
    temperature.

[2] Empty the glutinous rice flour bags into a large container and add a portion of dissolved sugar to the flour.

[3] Mix together well and continue adding the sugar into the mixture until it has all been used. 
Add water if the mixture is too sweet for your liking.

The mixture should begin to look like this: 

 

 

[4] The end result of the mixture should have the consistency similar to slightly thick, runny honey, as pictured.

My mum was working that mixture! Its quite hard labour mixing it all.

Looks like cement doesn't it? But wait... 

[5] Cover a round metal container (appropriate for steaming) with foil. 
[6] Once covered, line the foil this time with a transparent plastic sheet.
[7] Pour the cake mixture into the lined metal container.

[8] Insert wooden sticks on the outside of the foil, inside the container. This is to prevent the mixture from collapsing when cooking.
[9] Tie a string around the sticks to keep the mixture in place.

[10] The cake is then placed into an industrial sized steamer(!) and placed on a medium heat (You can, of course, use a smaller steamer and place on a hob ^_~).
[11] The cake needs 6 hours to cook.




Six hours later...

                                                                                       With flash

Ta da! The cake!

  Without flash (Lighting is abit dodgy in my kitchen 'cause it doesn't look like this - its darker)

It's so yummy guys, seriously! My mum being the perfectionist she is, wasn't too happy with the edge of the cake - she wanted it round and smooth - but I think it always looks, and most importantly, tastes scrum-delicious! And once it hardens, you can soften it again by grilling it or just frying them in a pan (without oil). I'm off to eat some now. Wish I could share it with you. If you ever get the chance to sample lin gao, enjoy! Or if this cake is a favourite in your family, let me know if you love it too!

Thanks for reading.

Enjoy the Chinese New Year celebrations!

Listening to: Long Division - Death Cab for Cutie 

              Sophia - Good Shoes