Midwinter day is the very day in North hemisphere with the shortest day and longest night year-round.
Ancient china did pay great attention to this day. There was the saying that
"Winter solstice Festival is greater than the spring festival". Nowadays, many regions still celebrate it as a
big day. Northerners may have dumplings and raviolis that day while southerners may have dumplings
made by rice and long noodles. Some places even have the tradition to offer sacrifices to the heaven and
earth.
Green Tea Dough Ingredients :
200g Glutinous rice, 1 tbsp tapioca flour, 180ml water, pinch of salt, 1 tbsp green tea powder+ 20ml water, 1 tsp green tea paste (optional)
Sesame filling ingredients :
80g black sesame seeds (toasted), 70g icing sugar, 50g shortening.
Menthod for filling :
Finely grind toasted sesame seeds in an electric blender. In a bowl combine ground sesame with icing sugar, salt, shortening until in binds together. Shape into small balls. Set aside.
Green tea Syrup ingredients :
1 tsp green tea powder, 150g rock sugar to taste, 1000ml water.
Method for syrup :
Combine sugar, water in a small pot and simmer until sugar dissolves, Sieve into a clean pot. Mix green tea powder with 2 tsp water to form a smooth mixture, add into syrup and set aside.
Method of Dough :
- Place sifted glutinous rice fllour, tapioca flour and salt in a mixing bowl, make a well in the center.
- Gradually pour in water, knead until it forms a ball of dough.
- Mix in green tea solution and green tea paste, knead until smooth but not stick to your palms. Cover dough with a damp tea towel and rest dough for 1 hour.
- Divide the dough into 15g each. Flatten dough and wrap in a sesame filling.
- Drop the dumpling into a pot of boiling water and cook until the dumpling floats up to the surface.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place into the green tea syrup, serve warm.
