GEORGE TOWN: What started as a thoughtful recipe for her father has blossomed into a cherished Mid-Autumn tradition.
Thirteen years ago, 48-year-old Yeap Poh Looi set out to recreate traditional five-nut mooncakes for her father after his diabetes made shop-bought treats off-limits.
To keep his blood sugar in check, she shrank the traditional 150g cakes down to bite-sized 50g portions and revamped online recipes – crafting a healthier, nut-packed delicacy he could safely enjoy.
Recently, she stopped adding mixed nuts to make the mooncakes easier for her father to chew.
“I wanted to make them for my family, especially my father, so I reduced the sweetness to make a healthier version.
“I usually make red bean or lotus paste mooncakes for him,” she said.
Yeap reduces the sugar in the filling and adjusts the syrup in the dough to keep the mooncakes less sweet without affecting their texture.
She uses 3D-printed hand-press moulds bought online instead of traditional wooden ones, which require more care to prevent mould growth.
Yeap, who works at the Sungai Pinang state constituency service centre, spends three to four hours a day making mooncakes.
On a busy night, she can make more than 300.
She buys ready-made fillings from baking supply shops and adjusts their sweetness and texture.
Her skills have led to invitations to conduct mooncake-making demonstrations at community events for both Chinese and non-Chinese participants, as well as foreign visitors.
She recently held a demonstration at Armenian Park, showing participants how to prepare and mould mooncakes.
“Making mooncakes allows me to share our culture and pass the tradition on to others,” she said.
Yeap has also used her skills to support charitable causes, selling the treats to close friends and family.
Each box contains four mooncakes, with RM3 from every box sold donated to the SJK (C) Heng Ee building fund.
She said she has supported schools through her mooncake sales in previous years and wants to continue giving back to the community.
“I just want to put my skills to good use,” she said.
The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month.
Traditionally associated with harvest celebrations, it is now widely marked by family gatherings, lanterns and mooncakes.
