Mid Autumn Festival in Penang

The Mid Autumn Festival commonly known in Malaysia as the Moon Cake and Lantern Festival falls on 3^rd October 2009 this year. Numerous version of stories have been told of this festival and the most popular is about the beautiful lady Chang-O being immortalize on the moon. The Chinese community offer prayers to celebrate this festival with moon cakes, pomelo and mini yams.

In Penang, there are many shops selling the moon cakes. This delicacy comes with many different types of sweeten fillings of red bean and lotus seed while the assorted nut moon cake has almonds, melon seeds, walnuts and dried winter melon. Most of them are made from lard with the halal version as well. All varieties comes with and without salted egg yolk.

There are also newer version of moon cakes with fillings of ice cream and the healthier ones made from jelly which is relatively low in sugar.

Most children love the moon biscuit (kong chai pang) that comes in the shape of loveable animals and those packed in cute little cages. The taste and texture of the biscuit is similar to the outer crust of the moon cakes.

Cute little girl waiting for her moon biscuit

Besides the moon cakes, lantern plays an important part in this festival. Traditional and modern lanterns are sold in most places around Georgetown. The traditional ones are made of transparent colorful polythene foil (glass paper) and candle-lighted whereas the modern ones are mostly electrically lighted by batteries. They come in all shapes and sizes, with the more popular shape of the goldfish, dragon, chicken and butterfly.

This is another type of lantern which is made from paper.