During the weeks leading up to the Mid-Autumn Festival every year, mooncakes and festival snacks are in abundance. Many of these products were produced weeks ago and imported from places all over the world. If you live in the United States, finding fresh produce to celebrate this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival can be very difficult. Whether you’re celebrating with family and friends, or just looking for a good traditional Chinese meal, stick around for some mid-autumn recipes and tips.
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Traditionally celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a major holiday in China, Taiwan and Vietnam and is steeped in traditions and history. Unsurprisingly, food plays a big role this fall holiday.
Traditional foods
One of the most visible and traditional mid-autumn recipes on display is usually mooncake. While there are many varieties, traditional mooncakes have a soft outer crust with a sweet, dense filling in the center. Other foods enjoyed during this time are things like pumpkin and taro to bring good health and good luck respectively. Other foods include wine with osmanthus flower and river snails, each of these are also linked to the tradition that they bring happiness and bright eyes to those who consume them during the festival.
simple moon cakes
Making mooncakes alongside other mid-fall recipes can be quite a challenge without access to traditional ingredients or mixes. To make this recipe easy, stopping by an Asian supermarket will help speed up the process. Try picking up ingredients like golden syrup, alkaline water, melon seeds, along with whatever fillings you’re considering for your traditional mooncakes. Another thing to pick up at any Asian market is a mooncake pan. They come in a variety of shapes and designs, so pick a few that can add some nice variety to your display.
Once you’ve collected your ingredients, it’s time to make the filling and dough. For the ratio of filling to make, consider this ratio of 7 parts filling: 3 parts dough. That should give you an idea of how much to make when planning for different types of fill.
Filling (feel free to make your own variations):
14 ounces (400g pack) lotus seed paste
1.5 ounces (about 40 g) melon seeds
Dough:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of alkaline water
5 teaspoons of vegetable oil
5 tablespoons golden syrup
To make the dough, first mix the alkaline water with the syrup. Add the oil and mix until completely blended. In a separate bowl, add the flour and make a well where you will add the syrup mixture. Mix the dough to form a loose dough. From there, knead and shape the dough into a round ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Let this dough refrigerate for at least two hours.
While the dough is resting, mix the lotus seed paste and melon seeds together. Separate the mixture into portions of two tablespoons and form small balls. Set the stuffing balls aside for later.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Divide dough into 5 oz portions and shape into a ball. Roll each ball into a small floured disk about two inches in diameter. Place a ball of filling in the center of the dough and shape it into a ball and dust well with flour. Add the ball to the mold and press out the mooncake. Add to a baking tray. Lightly spray them with water to prevent cracking and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for ten minutes before moving them around. Do a quick egg wash and coat the mooncakes before returning them to the oven for another 15 minutes. Remove mooncakes and allow to cool.
While there are other traditional foods, there are no more important mid-autumn recipes than mooncake. Grab some traditional food and some friends and say thanks during this year’s festival. Impress your friends, coworkers, and family by trying some traditional mid-fall recipes today! No matter where you are during the Mid-Autumn Festival, be sure to look up at the moon and think of those who are far away and be thankful for those who are close to you.