Mooncakes in the market this year are seen in a variety of forms as different mooncake dialects and cultures emerge.
Perfect blend of taste, tradition
Mooncake — its round shape symbolises an end with no end, a reflection of unity. Its demeanour represents a family reunion. The Mid-Autumn Festival is annually observed by Chinese people all around the world. Prior to the festival date, which occurs on September 29 this year (today), the Chinese, particularly in Malaysia, would offer mooncakes to those who are dear to them.
Each year, mooncakes evolved to be far more unique in shape than their ancestor’s. Looking at the market this year, mooncakes have become prettier and in line with the current aesthetics trend. Cutely designed pagodas, popular cartoon characters, or gold powder adorn the top of a Cantonese Mooncake — the traditional baked skin mooncake.
While scrolling through the marketplace on Facebook, various types of mooncakes emerged. Though these mooncakes have been found across different Chinese dialects and cultures, they are not widely known commercially. Interestingly, there are more modern mooncakes than the typical baked skin ones. This year has seen bakers become more experimental with different types of mooncakes.
For many years, the Shanghai Mooncake has been a local favourite, but this year, this mooncake has taken a good spin in the market. It has a buttery, soft, chewy and crumbly skin, and the fillings are usually what you would find in a baked skin mooncake. However, the combined influences of the many cultures in Malaysia have resulted in a sambal-flavoured mooncake.
However, with mochi and taro paste being a popular merge, Shanghai Mooncake this year has seen a different combination with its usual lotus paste, mung bean, and others. Local baker Michelle Lee of Michelle’s Kitchen makes a mooncake that consists of a whole duck egg yolk and lotus paste.
Baking the savoury mooncake, according to her, requires patience and time. When making the Shanghai Mooncake, the ingredients are essential because using a brand that is not up to par may ruin the entire batter. In her opinion, the skin of the mooncake is the most important element in ensuring a delicious pastry.
Aside from that, the Teochew Mooncake has been making a big presence this year. Also known as the Thousand Layer mooncake or flaky pastry spiral mooncake, the multi-layers of this mooncake, are what make it stand out.
Long-time baker Charlene Tang has been baking mooncakes because she loves making flaky crust pastries. Though she enjoys it, she admits that baking the Teochew Mooncake requires patience.
“The dough should be allowed to rest after kneading and after each roll-up. It is important to note that we cannot rush to achieve flaky and beautiful layers.”
The crispy and flaky texture of the mooncake, combined with the soft paste filling, results in the ultimate chewy mooncake. Furthermore, chewing on the rolls was satisfying. The multi-layered aesthetics of these Teochew mooncakes is a plus.
The Taiwanese 3q Mooncake, however, is my personal favourite among this year’s savoury mooncakes. Topped with sesame seeds and loaded with chicken floss, salted egg yolk, mochi, and taro paste, the messy bite is an addiction. With the little seeds combined with the saltiness of the yolk, the strings of floss, the sweetness of the taro paste, and the chewiness of the mochi, the mooncake’s different elements are an explosion of flavours to the taste buds.
Unlike the traditional white-skinned Taiwanese Mooncake, the modern version is flaky and flavourful. One of the easiest mooncakes to make, the bounciness of the mochi when bitten apart is what keeps people coming back for more. The 3q Mooncake, which is both sweet and savoury, is one of this year’s most popular choices for many people.
Lastly, the traditional Teochew Steamed Mooncake — La ko — is a favourite among the local old folk. Despite the market being dominated by this year’s modern variation on mooncakes, a few sellers came back to offer a taste of the past.
Oliva’s mother, who has been baking La Ko for over two decades, has continued despite a dip in sales. Although few people seek out this mooncake, her mother continues the tradition of baking and selling it.
The texture, she said, is similar to eating a mung-bean-filled angku kueh — a nyonya kueh. The same is true with La Ko, however the colours are white, light green, or black instead of the usual red. The La Ko has a soft-hard texture and is usually topped with sesame seeds, red dates, dry persimmon, sweet dry melon, melon seeds, and sunflower seeds.
Whether it’s the traditional baked skin Cantonese Mooncake, Shanghai Mooncake, Teochew Spiral Mooncake, Taiwanese 3q Mooncake, or the La Ko, which mooncakes have you had this year? Every characteristic is unique, yet the meaning behind them all remains an auspicious symbol of reunion.
