Falling on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节 zhongqiujie) occurs on October 6 this year and is traditionally a time for family gatherings and enjoying the full moon. Naturally, no Chinese festival is complete without a feast, and Mid-Autumn Festival is no exception. While mooncakes are the most closely linked food to this festival, there is much more to the holiday than just these debated pastries.
Let's explore some of the finest seasonal produce, including pumpkin and hairy crab, and how to incorporate them into meals. It’s time to head to the kitchen and prepare a feast (or at least enjoy a lavish meal with family and friends) using some of the ingredients mentioned below.
Taro
In the Jiangsu and Zhejiang dialects, the term for taro (芋头 yutou) resembles the phrase “luck is inside,” making it a favored vegetable to consume during festivals to attract good fortune for the coming year, a custom that originated in the Qing dynasty. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, taro is typically steamed and peeled but can also be included in dishes with pork or chicken braised in soy sauce. Not only is taro festive, but it is also nutritionally rich, offering up to three times the fiber content of regular white potatoes.
Pumpkin
Pumpkins (南瓜 nangua) symbolize the abundance of the autumn harvest, and their rounded shape resembles the full moon. Eating pumpkin on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival is thought to promote good health throughout the year. A well-known legend tells of a girl living with her ailing parents near South Mountain. One day, she discovered a pumpkin while working in the fields, took it home, and cooked it for her parents, who miraculously improved the next day. The name 'pumpkin' translates to “south melon,” referencing the South Mountain in the tale.
Duck
Duck is a favored dish at the Mid-Autumn Festival table, as the meat is believed to be especially rich during this season. Different regions in China have their own methods of preparing duck, often alongside other autumnal ingredients. In Nanjing, for instance, ducks are brined with a solution infused with seasonal osmanthus flowers and served as a cold appetizer (桂花鸭 guihuaya, which is a variation of the well-liked Nanjing dish, salted duck 盐水鸭 yanshuiya). Meanwhile, in Fujian, duck is frequently cooked with taro, and in Sichuan, it is smoked and roasted.
Hairy Crab
Hairy crabs (大闸蟹 dazhaxie) are at their peak during September and October, making them a highlight of any Mid-Autumn reunion dinner, especially for those in Shanghai. These tasty shellfish are among the simplest Mid-Autumn foods to prepare; just scrub them with a clean toothbrush and steam for about 10 minutes. Hairy crabs are regarded as a particularly “cold” (yin) food, to the extent that they can be harmful to one's health, so they are typically served with warming foods like ginger, often in a dipping sauce made from Zhenjiang black vinegar and ginger slices. It’s common for people to also enjoy this dish with warm Shaoxing wine for health benefits.
Pears
In Mandarin, the word for “pear,” 梨 li, sounds similar to the word for “leaving” or “separation,” 离 li. This usually suggests that you should refrain from giving pears as gifts or consuming them during joyous occasions. However, eating a pear during the Mid-Autumn Festival symbolizes a desire for reunification and a wish to avoid parting from loved ones in the coming year. Conveniently, Asian pears also pair well with the flavor of osmanthus wine.
Osmanthus Wine
If you stroll through a garden in China during September or October, the intoxicating aroma of blooming osmanthus flowers is likely to greet you. These fragrant blossoms are used to enhance everything from tea to jams, but osmanthus wine (桂花酒 guihuajiu) is specifically linked to the Mid-Autumn Festival, where it is utilized for making a “reunion toast.” Chinese mythology claims that a sweet osmanthus tree grows on the moon, where the folk figure Wu Gang is eternally tasked with chopping it down (Wu Gang is often likened to the Chinese Sisyphus).
READ: Mooncake Memories: Your Guide to Its Colorful History
Images: Pexels, Wikimedia
The Mid-Autumn Festival is nearly here, signaling it’s time to celebrate with a feast!
