Putu Kacang Hijau/Luk Tau Paeng

These cookies can be found in many countries in South East Asia.  In Malaysia, the malays called them Putu Kacang Hijau or Kuih Koya and the cantonese will call it 'Luk Tau Paeng' - Luk Tau is Mung/Green Beans.  The Indonesian call them Kue Satru Kacang Ijo and i believe the Vietnamese has their version in Banh Dau Xanh.  When properly made these cookies are delicious and will melt when sucked in.  It will be a jaw-breaker if it is not done well.  These cookies are easy to make nowadays as roasted mung/green bean flour is readily available in most Asian stores.  If not available, it is too troublesome to make - the mung/green beans have to be soaked, husk removed, dried, roasted and ground fine. There are only 3 ingredients used and since these cookies do not require baking, i like to use superfine sugar instead of  confectioners' sugar cos most confectioners' sugar have constarch added to prevent caking.  Although, there is constarch present in confectioners sugar, it does not alter the taste of the cookies, so use it if you prefer.

Ingredients:

1 lb cooked mung/green bean flour
1/2 lb superfine sugar(blend/process granulated sugar until very fine) or confectioners sugar
Enough water

Method:

Pour mung/green bean flour into a lined microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring after one minute - to dry out and further roast the flour.

Remove and let cool.

In a large mixing bowl, mix flour and sugar.

Add in water a little at a time and mix well.  As soon as the flour is all wet and forms bread crumb- like and a tiny piece can be formed into a ball.  It is ready to press into moulds.  Too much water, the cookie will be a jaw breaker.

Press dough into moulds and knock them out.

Leave on baking sheet and sun-dry.

Alternatively preheat the oven at 175f  and then turn the oven off.  Put the cookies in to bake until it is dried.

Serves

These sea shells and olive shaped moulds can be ordered online from Biodiversityherbs.com