A Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice, Brisbane 2013

This festival brings back lots of memories, never had my family and relatives missed the Winter Solstice. Mum enjoys making colourful, 'kosong' (empty/without filling) tong yuen, glutinous rice balls. The only thing that is different is, it's missing me, and I have to emphasise that Mum calls me, on the phone, to ask me to use carrot juice for colours to the tong yuen. Well, that never happened.

We both have very different takes on culinary.
The only way to resolve, is one of us has to keep our mouth shut depending who's dish it is.

Winter Solstice, Brisbane 2013

Here's a handful of toasted black sesame seeds, heaps of peanut butter, and dark brown sugar that has gone through some rough blending session, into a paste-like texture. Still, I find it very tedious to hold together.

Winter Solstice, Brisbane 2012

Sometime last year, I made tong yuen in summer berries tea with ginger soup. Running out of ideas, I wrapped M&Ms with peanut in the tong yuen, and I do love the sourish - refreshing sweet soup.

Winter Solstice, Malaysia 2010

The nostalgic, when I used to be active in blogging, I made tong yuen with black sesame filling to go with my homemade pandan soy milk. The good times.

Winter Solstice, Malaysia 2010

Here is my mum's colourful tong yuen, green from pandan leaves, orange from carrot juice, and red from dragon fruit. Her endless creativities.