Chinese New Year is always celebrated by the Chinese on the 7th day of the 7th month according to the Lunar Calendar. This year, 2010, that day falls on still another big event – Valentine’s Day.
To celebrate the New Year, Chinese families usually buy glutinous rice cake (locally called tikoy) to give out to friends, family and colleagues.
Tikoy in the Philippines has truly evolved. When I was small, all we had was the usual white tikoy.
What used to be just plain white tikoy evolved into a brown version some years ago as more people preferred to eat brown sugar over white.
Then a few years ago, we began to see flavors that can only be found in the Philippines as these use locally found ingredients. Yup, you can’t find these in places like Hong Kong!
I took shots of these from our local Diao Eng Chay store near home:
But this year, there is one tikoy that you won’t find in Chinese stores for many, many years to come till the moon is in the same place it will be this year on Feb. 14.
KIONG HEE HUAT CHAI!
KUNG HEI FAT CHOY!
GONG XI FA CAI!
Wow, there’s a Valentine Tikoy! So nice! We bought ube flavored tikoy.
@Rach – Meron!!! Check it out! 🙂
in singapore the chinese celebrate by giving two oranges to each other and ang paw(red packets with money) to unmarried members of the family
Wow Valentine Tikoy. I missed that one. Did it had any special flavoring?
@Janette – I am not sure of the valentine tikoy’s flavoring. My guess is strawberry.
the heart-shaped tikoy is just soo cute! :p
Hi mommyjane, nice meeting you yesterday.
Valentine tikoy is cool 😀 Clever idea 😀
@Shina – Hi there! Nice to have met you too. 🙂
It’s actually amazing how the tikoy has evolved through the years, just like the hopia. We now have several flavors.
I have observed this because every Chinese New Year and Mooncake Festival, we always get tikoy and mooncakes from our Chinese friends. And they are always of the yummy kind! 🙂
@Meikah – Yes, tikoy has evolved. I am waiting to see if they will ever come out with durian tikoy. LOL
I don’t really enjoy eating tikoy dipped in egg. I only like the ready to eat tikoy rolls sold in Eng Bee Tin. The one with red bean or peanut filling 😛