Wan Pin Kou

It snowed so badly yesterday and today and i am snowed in. I made this as the whiteness of this snack sort of resembled the snow. This is a very traditional snack of yesteryears. It used to be in a rectangular cut shaped snack packed in pink paper and i wonder if it is still so. There is no flavorings or colorings whatsoever, just sweet and white, that is why it is packed in pink paper cos chinese associates white with death. I think this snack looks more appealing with patterns and a filling to enhance the taste. It is easy and fun to make but has to be consumed when freshly made as it will get hardened fast in high altitude, even in air-tight containers, perhaps it is better at sea-level places.

Ingredients:

Cookie:

100 gm. Koh fun (cooked glutinous rice flour)

80 gm. icing sugar

20 gm. Crisco shortening

1/4 tsp. Vanillin powder

30 - 40 gm. cold water

Filling:

Hawflakes/Chopped roasted peanuts/Pineapple Jam

Method:

Mix all the ingredients for the cookie together - it should look like breadcrumbs, add more water if you have to.

Fill mould with some koh fun mixture, place some filling on top then fill mould with more koh fun mixture

Press hard to have a very vivid pattern, remove excess if there is any and knock it to remove.

This cookie/snack is ready for serving.

Enjoy

Serves

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Teochew Mooncake

i know mid-autumn festival is over but these cakes can be enjoyed at any time of the year. They are easy to make and worth every ounce of effort put in. I made these intending to have a party during the festival but unfortunately had to cancell the party as my grand children were down with several days of high fever and i did not want to spread what they were having. It was so sad that i had to put aside tradition as the previous year we had so much fun. Posting this recipe now will give ample time to practice for next year's festival. This pastry recipe is from from dear friend - tt.

Ingredients:

Water Dough:-

200g all purpose flour

1/2 tsp double acting baking powder

40g oil

40g sugar

80g water

Oil Dough:-

100g all purpose flour

cooking oil (a few tbs)*

Filling:

300 gm lotus paste - divide into 50 gm each(recipe from here http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2007/08/mooncakes.html
100 gm sweet mui choy
25 gm kat paeng (sugared dried tangerine)
25 gm toasted sesame seeds
60 gm Tong Tung Kwa(dried sugar coated winter melon)
60 gm lotus paste- recipe from here http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2007/08/mooncakes.html

Method:
Water dough:

Sift together flour and baking powder.

Mix together oil, sugar and water.

Combine flour and water mixture and mix to form a soft dough.

Rest overnight.

Oil Dough:

Add oil to flour a tbsp at a time.

Mix until flour is moist and comes together but is not too wet.

To make pastry:

Divide the water and oil dough into 6 portions.

Wrap the oil dough with the water dough. Repeat until all 6 portions are done.

Coming back to the first portion, roll from the center of dough upwards once, then back to the center and roll downwards once. Roll up the disk like you would roll up a carpet. Roll the long carpet flat by starting from the center, upwardsonce, back to the center and downwards once. Roll dough up again then flatten dough into a disk as round as possible. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

To make the filling

Soak the sweet mui choy and wash it really clean by changing the water several times. Squeeze the vegetable to rid of water. Chop it fine.(i put the veg in the food processor and pulse). Fry the veg without oil until it is dried but not crispy.
Cut up the kat paeng, remove the seeds and chop it up in the food processor.
Chop up the tong tung kwa in the food processor.
Mix all the chopped up ingredients with the lotus paste and mix well. Divide into 6 portions.
Wrap this with the 50 gm lotus paste (this is the filling)

To assemble:

Wrap rolled dough around filling, flatten the pastry slightly, stamp with design of your choice.

Bake top down (side with design against the baking sheet, bottom up) @ 400'F for 5 mins. After 5 mins, the pastry should begin to turn white and puff. Flip the pastry so that the bottom is down and the top is up. Bake another 4 mins, egg wash and bake for 1-2 more mins

Note from tt: for Better flavor use lard or peanut oil for the recipe. After a few experiments, I've discovered that the recipe is not as important as the the method used. You can use almost any recipe out there; just let the water dough rest overnight and success will be at your door step.

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Mock Shark Fin's Omelette

It has been such a long time that i have attended a chinese wedding dinner - an eight course one. The most memorable will be this first dish which was supposed to be an appetizer - The Four Seasons. It was the most welcome platter cos, malaysian guests were noted for never being on-time, so can you imagine how hungry everyone must be. There were four types severed on a lovely garnished huge plate and i did not really cared which represented which season but this omelette was more often than not, will be one of them but it was cooked with Shark Fins. Here, i have fried my omelette with bean sprouts instead - not because i am turning 'green' cos i don't have Shark Fins - who has???

Ingredients:

1 cup crab meat - mix with 1 tbsp shaoxing wine and steam for 3 minutes.

1 cup bean sprouts - heads and tails removed

3 large eggs

salt and pepper to taste

oil for frying

chopped spring onions/cilantro for garnishing

Iceberg lettuce (optional)

Method:

Beat eggs with salt and pepper.

Add in the crab meat and bean sprouts.

Heat up oil and when oil is shimmering, add in the egg mixture and stir. Continue to stir until egg is cooked and set.

Dish out and serve hot.

Serves

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