Stuffed Lotus Root with Mushrooms

Frankly speaking, I’m not good in cooking, so I usually only preparing steamboat during CNY. When Che-Cheh shared this recipe, it looked easy … and decided to cook it last night. I added extra ingredients (steamboat ingredients left from previous night ) …. and the results … simply wonderful & delicious :)

Here is the recipe with minor modification.

Source : Flavours magazine Jan-Feb 2009 via Messy Witchen

Ingredients:

100 g fish paste (I bought ready made)
120 g lotus root, thinly sliced

4 Garlic cloves
6 Dried Chinese mushroom, soaked and sliced
6 Medium size Prawns, without skin
3 Imitation crabs, cut into 2cm lengths and deep fried
1 Spring onion, cut into 2.5cm lengths
1 Red chilli, cut in diamond/long shapes

Seasonings:

1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
1 teaspoon “Hau Chi”/Chicken stock powder
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cornflour
1/8 teaspoon Sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon Ground white pepper
1/3 teaspoon Hua Tiao rice wine (Shaoxing wine)
3 tablespoons Chicken stock / Water

Method :

- Stuff fish paste between 2 slices of lotus root sandwich slightly less than 1cm thick. Deep fried until golden brown, set aside.
- Drain remaining oil in the wok, leaving just a tablespoon of oil in the wok.
- Add garlic, fried until light brown, add prawns (wait until half cook), add mushroom, crabs, onion, chilli and fried lotus root sandwiches, stir-fry on high heat.
- Finally add seasonings and stir-fry until fragrant.
- Remove and serve immediately.

Serves : 2-3 pax

I am submitting this delicious dish to Aspiring Bakers #15:Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012) hosted by Wen's Delight.

Melt-in-mouth German Cookies

I guess I no need to explain further about these German cookies anymore :) as they are so popular and well-rated since last year. But what a pity that I just got chance to bake this year. It’s never too late for you that have not tried it, you will love it as it really melted-in when you pop into you mouth :) and can’t stop just eating only one :D

Source : Min’s Blog and SSB

Ingredients:

125 gr Butter (I used SCS Butter)

40 gr Icing sugar, sifted

125 gr Potato starch

80 gr Superfine flour / Plain Flour

Chocolate rice (optional)

Method:

- Beat butter and icing sugar till fluffy and lighter in colour.

- Sift in potato starch and flour, mix to form a soft dough.

- Pinch a bit of dough and roll into small balls. (I had my 1/3 dough mix with the chocolate rice)

- Arrange on lined baking pan and press lightly with a fork (dip the fork in water after each press to prevent cookie dough from sticking to the fork).

- Bake in preheated oven at 170 deg C for 15 mins, upper rack (need not bake till cookies turn brown).

Yields : 60 pcs

Here's wishing all of you a  Happy Chinese Lunar New Year!

Cashew Nuts Cookies

This year, beside pineapple tarts, I didn’t have chance to bake more for CNY cookies, only extra 2 more varieties. The first one are these cashew nuts cookies, which I had been on my baking list since last year, but only this year I got chance to try this. Thanks Wen for her generous of sharing her Auntie’s yummy recipe.



Ingredients:

250 gr Butter (used quality butter and chilled)
190 gr Icing Sugar

420 gr Plain flour (I reduced to 320 gr)
1 Tbsp Milk powder

1 tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Salt

1 no Egg
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

200 gr Ground roasted Cashew nuts (I used 300 gr)
300gr Cashew nuts (Halves it, bake until half cooked for topping)

Extra egg for egg wash

Method:
- Sift flour, milk powder, soda and salt together, set aside.
- Cream butter and icing sugar till light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla till well mix.
- Lastly add sifted flour & ground cashew nut, mix well with the low speed.

- Form a soft dough and chill till firm (min. 2 hours)
- Roll the form and cut into the preference shape using cookies cutter

- Egg wash a layer first, place cashew nut on it, slighlty press. Egg wash again on top of the cashew nut too, to make the nuts look shiny.
- Bake at preheated oven of 180 degree C for 15-25 mins.

Yields : approx 100 pcs for half recipe.