Yong Tau Fu time

This is one minor festival that I have almost forgotten about.

I was actually reminded of it during Chap Goh Meh dinner by my mother-in-law. For the Chinese Hakkas, the 20th of the first lunar month is supposed to be the day when the sky apparently has a hole which we mortals perform some rituals to "patch" it up.

In Hakka lingo, it is "bu tien chon" or "patching up the sky" day. This year, it coincides with the 17th of February, on Friday.

I don't know much of it - maybe prayers are offered and the usual feast laid out for the deities.

But what I do remember most is the "yong-tau-fu" or "stuffed tofu" meal that was always served on this day. So when my M-I-L brought up this subject at the dinner table the other day, I got all nostalgic again.

I remembered how my dad never missed celebrating this occasion by making lots of his famous "yong-tau-fu". It is true that my dad's "yong-tau-fu" was the best - heartily endorsed by all who had the good fortune to taste it and verily declared a culinary masterpiece by admirers of his cooking skills. Yes, he was such a good cook that long after he was gone, it is almost always the subject of food that invariably got his loved ones thinking about him and feeling the emptiness left behind by his absence.

I used to wonder why dad made such a big deal out of this relatively unknown festival outside of the Hakka community, until I found out some interesting trivia here.

Apparently, this day is also supposedly the birthday of Shen Tai, the distributor of wealth. Shen Tai was a devoted disciple of the Goddess of Mercy (Guan Yin).

And don't ask me why the "yong tau fu" became the symbolic food for this day. I can only guess that maybe it was the act of stuffing the meaty fillings into the pockets of "tau-fu" or "tofu", somewhat symbolic to "patching up the holes in the sky".

And since it is always good to have some blessings of wealth in the new year, maybe I will have a big meal of "yong tau fu" this Friday.

Incidentally, the 26th day of the first lunar month (23rd February this year) is the Festival of God of Money. Perhaps I should also celebrate this day by buying 4-ekor. I might just get lucky and be rewarded for remembering and celebrating the birthday of Shen Tai, the distributor of wealth.

This is another link to some Chinese festivals you never knew existed.