What are five-kernel mooncakes? A history of the protein-packed Mid-Autumn Festival treat
Rich in nuts and seeds, five-kernel mooncakes are making a comeback as a protein-packed alternative to have during the Mid-Autumn Festival
When you think of mooncakes, the ones that come to mind tend to be the classic sweet lotus paste versions with salted egg yolk, or maybe a more modern interpretation like one with a salty-sweet baked custard filling.
Historically, however, the first mooncakes were made with a mix of nuts and seeds. The five-kernel (wuren) mooncake – filled with ingredients including walnuts, almonds and sesame seeds – was considered the height of sophistication from the 1950s to the 1970s.
With traditional sweet mooncakes increasingly eschewed by the health-conscious, might this protein-packed version make a comeback?
Mooncake history
The five kernels symbolise completeness and harmony, making it a classic representative of Cantonese mooncakes. The typical kernels would include walnuts, almonds, olive kernels, melon seeds and sesame seeds, which symbolised the virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness – in that order.
Long before white lotus seed paste or modern snow-skin flavours took over the market, wuren was the undisputed king of mooncakes across mainland China and Hong Kong. In times of material scarcity, the calorie-dense components of rich nuts, Jinhua ham and cured pork fat were highly precious, luxury food items. Gifting wuren mooncakes was a massive sign of respect.