Huat Kuih ( Sweet Rice Cake Pudding) Recipe:

Today is the 19th day of the 5th moon of the lunar calendar and it marks the fourth anniversary of my mother-in-law’s passing. We commemorate her anniversary, by observing an ancient Taoist religious practice of Ancestor worship which is based on the belief that the dead continue to live while they are on the way to the Western Paradise. Ancestor worship plays an important role for all traditional Chinese. It is a combination or a fusion of the three Chinese religious teachings: Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. These faiths teach that the spirits of deceased ancestors continue to influence and look after the family. The livings have a lifelong obligation to help their ancestors on their journey to paradise by making sacrifices. In return they hope their ancestors will show their gratitude by keeping them healthy, making them rich and granting them sons. Since my mother-in-law passed away and was buried in Malaysia and her altar is permanently enshrined in a temple in Kuala Lumpur, a temporary makeshift altar was set up to commemorate her in Sydney today. Sacrifices offered at the altar were her favourite foods, fruits and with a traditional “huat kueh”(steamed rice cake pudding) specially made for the occasion. We also burnt incense and joss papers and fake money called “hell bank notes”.
Generally speaking, the purpose of ancestor veneration is not to ask for favours but to do one's filial duty Ancestor worship has always been an important aspect of the Chinese culture, and especially when the social or non-religious function of ancestor worship is to cultivate kinship values like filial piety, family loyalty, and continuity of the family lineage. . Furthermore, according to Chinese tradition, filial piety (孝) was the primary duty of all Chinese. To the many Chinese and other Buddhist-influenced and Confucian-influenced societies such as Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand Korea and Taiwan, many believe that their deceased ancestors actually need to be provided for by their descendants. While many others do not believe that the ancestors are even aware of what their descendants do for them, but that the expression of filial piety is what is important here. Whether or not the ancestor receives what is offered is not the issue.
For all I know, my late mother-in-law is laughing at my poor attempt to make the “huat kueh” for the altar offering, namely because I have added too much of baking soda while making it. Despite the mistake, I know I’ll still get her approval for a well-risen cake that has displayed the characteristic crack at the top, which has burst into three sections.

Huat Kuih ( Sweet Rice Cake Pudding) Recipe:

250g rice powder
300ml water
180g sugar
½ cup flour
2tsp baking powder

Method:

In a mixing bowl, add baking powder to flour and mix into rice powder thoroughly. Combine the mixture with water. Mix well and pour into Chinese tea cups or cup cakes tray. Place in a steamer and steam over boiling water for 25 minutes. Test with a bamboo skewer; insert into cake, if skewer comes out clean then the cakes are done.