Mooncakes in Asian countries
1. Vietnam mooncakes:
The taste of traditional Vietnamese mooncakes is loved by many people. Scones, scented cakes with filling made of lotus seeds, fatty meat, sesame, sausages, green beans reminder to air out the whole family join the Medium Festival.
Mooncakes have such a strong appeal because the taste of the moon cake is the convergence of the quintessence of the sky and autumn. Although there are many kinds of cakes on the market with new materials and designs such as green tea cakes, green beans, red beans .... but the traditional moon cake taste will never lose its position in the market. every Vietnamese citizen's heart.
2. Japanese mooncakes:
Japanese mooncakes full name Tsukimi Dango (often called Dango) are traditional Japanese cakes that will be made to be offered on the full moon day of the 8th lunar month. This bread offering is the main purpose of offering to the gods, ancestors and praying for the upcoming season of rice in the autumn to be rich.
Dango cake of Japanese people have many different shapes depending on the customs and culture of each area with a round cake making place, some of them shape rectangular, flat shape, ... but the most popular is round cake. The cake after finishing is arranged into a multi-tiered tower. With these cakes, many places will decorate the Dango sticky rice cake placed on the top with eyes and ears like a jade rabbit watching the full moon.
3. Songpyeon Korean moon cake:
A typical cake made with new rice flour, non-sticky rice, filled with sesame, beans, red beans. If moon cakes in Vietnam are made in a circle or square (symbolizing heaven and earth), Songpyeon cake is shaped into a semicircle. After molding, the cake will be put in the steamed pot, lined with pine needles to give the cake a pure flavor.
Chuseok is also known as the New Year of cakes. Although each locality has different methods and ingredients for making cakes, they all use freshly harvested cereals to give thanks to the heavens and the ancestors for a bumper crop. According to legend, the girls who make the most beautiful Songpyeon cake will meet the ideal of loyal men. Therefore, on Chuseok, the family members will gather together to shape the cake and vote to see who makes the most beautiful cake in cheerful laughter.
4. Singapore mooncakes:
Mooncakes are usually square or round, with a thin crust and thick pastry filling inside, sometimes even salted egg yolks. Traditionally, mooncakes are made from a brown flexible dough mixed with lard. It is also used to make fish or piglet biscuits sold together with moon cakes and is loved by children. Today, different types of mooncakes such as flaky pastry and plastic crust are the most common.
Chinese characters that symbolize longevity and harmony are often printed on moon cakes. In addition, people also put on it the name of the bakery, the type of bread and the flowers, the moon or Sister Hang (the goddess who governs the moon according to Chinese folklore). The original type of mooncakes were usually lotus seed powder, but red bean and sweet potato were also quite popular. Modern mooncakes have been around for a few years now, with flavors like durian, ice cream, bird's nest, chocolate, green tea, fresh cheese, jackfruit, and many more.
5. Chinese mooncakes:
In the customs of the Chinese people, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the New Year's reunion. This is the time when all family members get together. Anyone working far away, on this day, comes back to their homeland to meet family and relatives and eat meals together. Therefore, Chinese mooncakes are often round, symbolizing "reunion", that meaning originates from the Ming Dynasty.
Cakes often have shells printed in Chinese characters that have a good meaning for the New Year's reunion and have many traditional flavors such as green beans, red beans, green tea, taro ... These are also cakes commonly made in Malaysia and Taiwan. Loan. Depending on the region in China, the cake can change its shape and personality.
6. Hopila Philippines moon cake:
Filipino mooncakes are simple cupcakes. Although not many colors or sophisticated patterns, but also extremely attractive by the rich personality. The fillings can be green beans, red beans, pork, purple sweet potatoes ... Unique cake in the outer layer of crunchy crispy layer.
People can make their own handmade cakes at home if there is an oven. When breaking the cake in half, the dough layer is thin, revealing quite attractive part. You should not miss this moon cake when you come to the Philippines on this occasion.
7. Thai mooncakes:
According to Thai legend, at the Mid-Autumn Festival, fairies will fly to the moon to send bread and peaches to congratulate the Bodhisattva. Therefore, Thai people usually eat mooncakes and peaches on the full moon day of August. Mooncakes in Thailand are similar to Vietnam but are thinner, flatter and the most popular cake here is Durian.
