Last Friday, on the 29th September, we celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Mooncake Festival. This is actually the 2nd most important festival in China, and Chinese New Year being the most important one. Mooncake festival originated as a harvest festival in Chinese culture, held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese calendar, usually with a full moon at night.
As a Chinese from Malaysia (not from mainland China), I grew up from a family not really celebrating Mooncake Festival except for eating the mooncakes and buying mooncakes for friends and family, but generally, I do appreciate the festival in the form of family gathering.
Mid-Autumn Dinner!
We gathered at in-law's house for a dinner, for reunion purpose as well as celebrating brother-in-law's belated birthday. We also brought our respective mooncakes to eat together, the children enjoying the lanterns. We appreciated the round moon but we do not worship the moon, only worshipping the Creator.
The main dish! Crab!
For some time, my brother-in-law had been in discussion with Mum about buying own crabs to cook. Save more money and Mum could cook it too. She ordered via mainstream platform, took some time to clean the crabs, and cooked two types flavor — kam heong and buttermilk! So delicious. Thank you, Mum! We all enjoyed it, especially for the birthday boy, brother-in-law!
Sister-in-law ordered food delivery —awesome Dayak food from Sarawak cafe. Dayaks are the indigenous people in Borneo island, recently we fell in love with Dayak food after trying the food when we were back at Sarawak for trips.
We had 5 types of Dayak food
Nasi Goreng Tempoyak Durian with petai and ikan bilis
This was fried rice using 'tempoyak durian' which was fermented durian, stinky beans and anchovies. Super flavourful fried rice, typing this now makes me crave for it. Oh dear...
Ayam Pansuh Gulai Daun Ubi Tumbuk
If not mistaken, this was pounded cassava leaves, cooked in Dayak way with chicken. Another super flavourful and addictive dish.
Sup Terung Dayak
Dayak and Iban tribes have a special brinjal which is orange in color. One taste of it, you will want moreee!!! This one cooked using seafood like prawns, very appetising soup!
Pekasam Ensabi Goreng Ikan Bilis
Pekasam Ensabi is known as Iban's kimchi. They preserved the bitter vegetables in their own way, resulting in super umami 'kimchi'. The one we ordered was stir fried with anchovies. Ooh-la-la! I forgot to take photo so this photo was courtesy of my brother-in-law, I took from his IG story.
Changkuk Manis Goreng Telur
This was another Sarawak vegetables which we called it 'manicai' or sweet vegetable. This was stir fry with vegetables, simple and delicious.
Some dishes came with rice and fried egg.
Soong Kee Beef Noodle
Besides Dayak food above, we also ordered beef noodle for the kids and father-in-law. Yummy classic beef noodle loaded with delicious minced beef as well as beef slices soup
Fried rice by Mum
Mum fried a ginger fried rice for my eldest son who was not well, coughing. For the safety of all, he at balcony when eating time with glass door closed. He said it was so yummy.
Mooncakes!
After sumptuous full dinner, we displayed all of our mooncakes and savour. We had traditional mooncakes, Teochew mooncakes, Shanghai mooncakes and Klang mooncakes. Weeee!
Lanternsss!
I always look forward family dinner or gathering, because at such time, we all gather to chit chat, to enjoy one another, to catch up, the boys got to hang out. And we could for once forgot about the busyness in life!