15 The Love Is Big In February

Happy Valentine's Day! 💕

There was Chap Goh Mei aka Chinese Valentine's Day last Saturday and then there's today, February 14th, which is celebrated worldwide. It is a day for love and romance. For me, the celebration includes everyone I cherish in my heart - spouse, family, friends online and offline, and even you who's reading this.

Anyway, Chap Goh Mei which falls on the 15th day of Chinese New Year marks the last day of the festival. Traditionally, we eat a sweet dessert called Bubur Cha Cha or Pengat on this day. I do not know why exactly. All I can guess is that it could be wishes for a sweet year ahead for all of us. It is also said that Cha Cha is taken to mean Che Che which means abundance in Hokkien.

This year I attempted a simplified version of Pengat. Yams were sold out so I made the decision not to stick to the recipe. I got myself some honey sweet potatoes instead - just one variety.

I also made my own tapioca starch jellies this year. Tapioca jellies are really easy to make; only tapioca starch and hot water is needed! This, I have to say was a fun affair. I totally loved how the tapioca flour flowed through my hands and spread across my cutting board like molten lava when I added a little too much hot water in it.  Rolling the dough out to cut shapes out of it was the tricky part for me. I used a cookie cutter. The dough wasn't what I was used to but I got the hang of it soon enough.

And produced this pretty version of a sweet dessert.

Pengat with Handmade Tapioca Jellies

I am mighty pleased with it and will probably make it again. 💓 That said, I have yet to decide what to cook for tonight's romantic dinner..am I late? Will I be rushing it? We'll see.

With that, I leave you with warm wishes of love and happiness for the day.