Bridal Agar-Agar

(From Y3K Recipes Issue No.6 – May/ June 2002)
Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.

Ingredient A:
18g agar-agar powder
250g sugar
1.2L water
200ml concentrated coconut milk
100ml fresh milk
A pinch of salt

Ingredient B:
18g agar-agar powder
250g sugar
1.5L water

Method:
1) Put agar-agar powder, sugar and water of ingredient (A) into a pot. Bring mixture to a boil and stir till agar-agar dissolves. Turn to low heat. Add in coconut milk and fresh milk. Keep aside.
2) Put all ingredient (B) into another pot. Bring mixture to a boil and stir till agar-agar dissolves. Turn to low heat.
3) Starting from layer 1, pour agar-agar solution into a measuring jug. Add in colouring and stir well. Pour into the mould.
4) Wait till agar-agar coagulates. Scratch the surface lightly with a bamboo pick. Pour another layer of agar-agar solution. Repeat the process till level 14.
5) Chill agar-agar in the fridge thoroughly. Later remove from the fridge and turn the mould upside down. Remove the mould. Attach the doll to the agar-agar.

Tips from Catherine Chia:
1. Remember to scratch the surface of agar-agar layer before adding another layer. This will help the layers stick together.
2. Agar-agar tends to crystallize after cooking for some time. Stir once in a while to avoid this. You may need to sieve the solution before pouring into the mould.
3. Before turning the agar-agar upside down, place in a few bamboo picks to the sides of the mould. It would be easier to remove the set agar-agar.

Agar-agar Layers:
Layer 1: 60ml (A) with a few drops of rose pink colouring.
Layer 2: 100ml (B) with a few drops of rose pink colouring.
Layer 3: 150ml (A) with a few drops of green colouring.
Layer 4: 210ml (B) with a few drops of green colouring.
Layer 5: 130ml (A) with a few drops of yellow colouring.
Layer 6: 150ml (B) with a few drops of yellow colouring.
Layer 7: 150ml (A) with a few drops of blue colouring.
Layer 8: 200ml (B) with a few drops of blue colouring.
Layer 9: 250ml (A) with a few drops of purple colouring.
Layer 10: 100ml (B) with a few drops of purple colouring.
Layer 11: 230ml (A) with a few drops of blue colouring.
Layer 12: 400ml (B) with a few drops of blue colouring.
Layer 13: 400ml (A) with a few drops of purple colouring.
Layer 14: 400ml (B) with a few drops of purple colouring.

Yes, I Do!

A wedding day is like no ordinary day, as two persons anticipate the most memorable moments of their lives.

The announcement of your coming marriage to the whole world will mean a change in the lifetime chapter in sharing all faith, hope and love. Many waters cannot quench love; river cannot wash it away.

As you plan to tie the nuptial knot, we hope this little wedding organiser page will come in handy for planning a stress-free celebration. However, it is only a general guide as Chinese weddings are always steeped in tradition according to different dialect groups and culture practices.

The wedding organiser

6 months before the wedding
Choose an auspicious date: In the olden days, many families embraced ‘superstition’ and tradition. Thus, both sets of parents or family members will either consult an astrologist or a fortune teller to ensure a suitable date is set. But now, modern new couples usually prefer an ‘easy-to-remember’ date, such as the first day of the Western calendar, Valentine’s Day or even the Mooncake Festival Day.

Ceremony and reception venue:

First of all, you need to set your budget. Check out with restaurants or hotels as many major hotels are veterans at organising weddings, catering to a small function or an elaborate setting. You may need to book a hotel suite for your wedding night. Please make accomodation arrangements for outstation or overseas guests. Check with your photographers. Compile a guests list, updating recent home addresses, phone contacts or even e-mail addresses. You may like to have a trial run ‘dinner’ at the chosen venue sampling the planned menu. Don’t forget, it should be a strategic location with ample parking lots. Have a special designed wedding cake. Traditional wedding dowry and exchange of customary gifts should be attended to by the senior folks. Decide on your wedding gown and evening attire not forgetting the future groom’s set as these are always the highlight of the day. Check out with the wedding registry or religious officials to discuss the specific requirements. Always plan and prebook your honeymoon destination.

3 months to go
It is about time to decorate your new room or house. Set aside your pre-planned budget and work towards it. Invest in a good bedroom set instead of the flimsy type. Wedding rings and accessories should be given a serious thought. Pay special attention to your skin-care regime. To ensure you have a glowing complexion for the special day, avoid late nights.
Place order for the Wedding Invitation cards and "Thank You" cards. You can request for a sample print before finalising on the design.

1 months to go
Send out your invitations, finalise the menu and wedding theme. Organise with your florist for the floral arrangement and bridal bouquet. By this time, you should have selected your bestman, bridesmaid and ushers. How could it be a perfect wedding without a wedding car?

Two weeks left
Customary exchange of gifts ritual is normally the tradition for the future groom’s family to bring the dowry, roast pig, traditional wedding biscuits, gold ornaments to the future bride’s home. In return, the girl’s family will give back a set of gifts sealing this sweet relationship. At this time, the girl’s family will hand out wedding cards together with wedding biscuits to relatives and friends to announce of the coming marriage.

Trekking some Customary Rites:
Pre-nuptial night ritual: Fathers of the bride and groom will comb their hair all the way down to ensure the new couple will be blessed with a loving marriage and have many off-springs.
Ancestry Worship: This is a must for Chinese sense of conservatism and tradition to follow remonial observance.

Rousing reception for picking up the bride. The blaring of car horns enlivens the atmosphere. Before reaching the bride’s house, another session of ‘car horns’ blaring away is often the scene now replacing the traditional music played by musicians in the olden days.
Opening the bridal car door: This practice is often conducted by a younger brother or junior male relative. An ‘ang-pow’ will be given for luck.

The groom will enter the house and pay respect to the seniors and hands over the bridal bouquet to the sisters or lady friends of the bride. Normally he has to pay a ‘toll’ money before he is allowed into the room to meet his bride.

Paying homage to the ancestors: The new couple will pay their respects and light up special candles and joss-sticks.

Tea Ceremony: The couple will serve red dates tea to the bride’s parents and relatives, awarded with ang-pows.

Bridal entourage departure: Traditionally the bride will be shield with an umbrella by an escort to the wedding car, in a belief to ward off all evils.

Entourage returning to the new home: The musical din from car horns announce the arrival of the new couple. A male young relative will open the car door and this time, the bride will offer him an ang-pow.

To enter the door, the couple have to tread carefully to ensure stability throughout their lives.
Many of the customary practice such as the Ancestry worship and Tea Ceremony will be repeated at the groom’s house again.

To the new bridal room: A special sweet dessert consisting of dried lily bulbs and lotus seeds are fed to them. This broth will ensure fruitful expectations. Sweets and ang-pows are placed in a special container sealed with a piece of red paper. A young boy is assigned to break the seal and dish out the contents onto the bed. This will fulfil the hope of having firstborn son and many more to come.

Wedding Dinner: This reigns supreme, as it is the perfect time for long lost relatives and friends to get together and toast to the new happily married couple.

Wedding Anniversary
1st year Paper Wedding
2nd year Cotton Wedding
3rd year Leather Wedding
4th year Flower/ Fruit Wedding
5th year Wood Wedding
6th year Iron Wedding
7th year Wool Wedding
8th year Bronze Wedding
9th year Pottery Wedding
10th year Tin Wedding
11th year Steel Wedding
12th year Silk/ Fine Linen Wedding
13th year Lace Wedding
14th year Ivory Wedding
15th year Crystal Wedding
20th year China Wedding
25th year Silver Wedding
30th year Pearl Wedding
35th year Coral Wedding
40th year Ruby Wedding
45th year Sapphire Wedding
50th year Golden Wedding
55th year Emerald Wedding
60th year Diamond Wedding