Winter solstice - Sun, 21st Dec 2008

Wm painstakingly made these little glutinous flour tangyuans to introduce my kids to an old Chinese tradition. We rolled them with crushed roasted peanuts and sugar. Mum used to make a soupy version with crushed peanuts and sugar inside the rice ball; and the balls are briefly cooked in a sweet gingery broth. It's delicious!

We also had steamed free range cornfed chicken with cloud's ear & mushrooms; my favourite ferns with dried shrimps.

A tofu dish braised in a claypot lined with cos lettuce; topped with 'sea asparagus' and abalone. I made the braising liquid by sauteing garlic/ginger in oil, Chinese cooking wine, the liquid from the tin abalone, oyster sauce, light soy, white pepper, sugar and droplets of sesame oil and thickened with a little cornstarch.

More cos lettuce with garlic.

And a plate of steamed Chinese sausages/meat from HK. A simple and delicious homecooked meal altogether.