Tang yuan (or glutinous rice balls) with different types of fillings (peanut, sesame, red bean) in syrup are served throughout the year as a dessert, but they take on a special meaning when served at Chinese New Year. They become a symbol of togetherness and family reunion.
Tang yuan is available in the frozen section of supermarkets and is easy to cook. But when friends get together to make tang yuan to celebrate Chinese New Year, tang yuan takes on a new meaning. It means having a rolling good time!
Tang yuan in the making
Brenda, who is a law student, sent photos of the tang yuan she and her hallmates made: "Here they are! not the most aesthetic pictures of tang yuan, but it was a fun experience rolling them together!"
Brenda also cooked Indian butter chicken in her hall with her friends. They invited others in the hall to join the cooking session and the cooking was spread out over three pantries. It sounded like a big cooking festival.
Butter chicken
I was reminded of the first time I cooked curry. I was also a student living in a university hall of residence. I never had any problems with leftovers as any food I left in the pantry fridge always disappeared. I had many hungry hallmates who appreciated my very basic cooking skills.
I was impressed that Brenda and her friends could cook butter chicken in their hall pantries. My hall pantry only had a small stove big enough for a small pot. When I moved out of hall and had access to an oven, I began to roast a whole chicken on Sundays.
If you are inspired to cook and to roast a chicken, I would recommend Andrea's recipe.
Home Traditions: Oriental Roast Chicken – HomeBlog by HomSkil
The fifteen days of the Chinese New Year of the Year of the Rabbit have gone by quickly for me. A friend announced the arrival of her Bunny Baby Grandson, and it took me a while to realise that babies born in the Year of the Rabbit are bunnies. Babies wrapped up in white bundles do look like bunnies, and they are such a bundle of joy!
Have a great week ahead.
By Chayo, HomSkil Editor 1, 5 February 2023
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