Tortoise for the Deity

When I was still a kid,  me and cousins always excited to see this tortoise.  This cute tortoise is only available during the deity birthday which fall on the lunar calendar 22/02.  My late grandmother will go to the temple early in the morning for prayer and offering.  She will bring home 18 pcs of tortoise for each of her grandchildren.  The tortoise is actually a plain steam bun. I remember that we use to play with it kind of rough.  As it became crippled by end of the day.  By the next day what left is only the body.