DIA110xH70mm, China

Today is the 15th day of the Chinese New Year, Yuan Xiao, a day which denotes a lot of events;
– First full moon of the new year
– End of the Chinese New Year celebration
– Chinese valentine’s day
– Lantern’s festival

It is traditional to have a rice dumpling soup on the day and to solve the lantern riddle.
Here is the recipe for the rice dumpling soup (also known as Yuan Xiao)

INGREDIENTS

For the dumpling (make 10 dumpling)

• 110g glutinous rice flour
• 100g water
• 25g black seasame seed
• 25g sugar
• 1.25 tbs butter (the traditional version is to use lard)

For the soup

• 625ml water
• 40g sugar brown sugar bar
• 3 slices of ginger

1. Heat the sesame seed in a pan in medium heat (keep stirring) until popping
2. Grind the cooled sesame seed in a blender or mortar
3. In a heated pan, melt the sugar, butter and blend in the sesame paste, then put in the fridge
4. For the skin dough, mix the rice flour with water, knead until  it is no stick to the hand
5. Make 10 little balls with the dough, take 1 ball, flatten it  and make a slight dent, put the sesame stuffing in and lightly let the dough envelop in the stuffing and shape the dumpling into a ball again
6. Make the sweet soup by adding the 3 items in a saucepan and boil till the sugar dissolved
7. In other large pan of boiling water, add in the dumpling, they will start to float when they are cooked
8. Put a couple of dumpling in a bowl of sweet soup, enjoy!

LANTERN RIDDLE

Here is a lantern riddle to go with your dumpling soup (now all you need is to find a valentine and a lantern …)

WHEN IT IS SITTING ITS SITTING
WHEN IT IS STANDING ITS SITTING
WHEN IT IS MOVING ITS SITTING
WHEN IT IS SLEEPING ITS SITTING

(guess an animal)

The bowl presented here is in fact a tea bowl (blue and white porcelain with painted goldfish), its a brewing and drinking bowl for individual enjoyment.  Hot water is added to the tea leaves in the bowl, rinse and drained (use the lid to retain the tea leave).  A second round of hot water is added and brew for 10 minutes.  The lid is opened for appreciation of the scent and the colour of the tea, it is then close again with a small small opening.  Tea is slowly sipped out from the gap.

(answer to the riddle – frog)