The Sweetness of New Year on the Salty Island

In Yim Tin Tsai, an island shaped by Hakka traditions and Catholic religion, revealing a different kind of celebration: simple, warm, and deeply heartfelt. You might be wondering what sweet New Year's delicacies are served here.

In the days leading up to the New Year, families would gather to prepare a traditional Hakka delicacy: Steamed Circular Rice Cake. Glutinous rice harvested from the paddies was slowly grinded into powder by foot-powered stone mortars. Women prepared ingredients through the night, while children helped chop firewood and cut grass to ensure there was enough fuel. The stove fires burned vigorously all night long, with wisps of smoke curling upward and the fragrance of rice filling the air, which was an expression of gratitude for nature’s gifts and the warmth of kinship.

Mothers’ skillful hands also created another New Year dessert: Rice Crackers. Selected grains of glutinous rice were fried—crackle, crackle, crackle until it became golden and crispy. The cooked crispy grains were then mixed with sugar to become rice crackers. The sizzling oil and caramelised aroma echoing through the kitchen became a cherished sensory memory of childhood festivities.

Villagers also visited one another to exchange greetings, while children, delighted with red packets, happily dashed off to purchase bread and candies at the store. There were no dazzling fireworks, only a lively celebration filled with simplicity and sincerity.

For more New Year village stories, please visit: https://www.yttstorytelling.org/en/storymap#23 & https://www.yttstorytelling.org/en/storymap#66