Lotus Seed Soup (Súp Hạt Sen)

Lotus Seed Soup (Súp Hạt Sen)

Recipe source : Adapted from  VietnameseFood

I normally used lotus seeds for sweet dessert only even though I know it can be used for savoury dishes as well. I find this recipe very interesting as it uses lotus seed to make a savoury soup of shrimp balls, tofu and sliced shitake mushrooms. It's makes a nice change from my routine and today I've learnt another new dish. 

Ingredients 

 
100g lotus seeds
300g fresh shrimps, removed shells
4 shitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced into thin pieces
1 fresh tofu square, cut into cubes
1 egg white
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
2 shallots, sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Lotus seeds, mushrooms and tofu

Shrimp paste. Shape this paste into balls

Method

 
1.  Rinse lotus seeds. Add 800ml water and boil until soft. Set aside both the lotus seeds and the liquid.
2.  Use the back of a cleaver to pound the shrimps. Add a little salt and pepper to taste. Add a bit of cornflour to the shrimp paste and mix well. Set aside.
3.  In a large pot, add a little oil and brown the shallots. Add in sliced mushrooms.
4.  Add in the lotus seeds together with the liquid. Bring to a boil.
5.  Add in tofu cubes and shrimp balls.
6.  Add in cornflour solution and keep stirring. Add in the egg white. 
7. Season to taste. 

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  :  Indo China
Hosted by Kelly of Kelly Siew cooks

Bird's Nest Soup With Three Treasures 三宝巴实燕

Bird's Nest Soup With Three Treasures 三宝巴实燕

Recipe source :  The World of Nourishing & Fine Soups ( cookbook )

A very delicious and highly nutritious soup which is very rich in collagen. Good for strengthening the lungs and regenerates skin cells. According to the herbal cookbook, lotus seeds help to strengthen the spleen and stomach, while gingko nuts nourishes lungs and relieves asthma. 

Ingredients ( serves one )

5g dried bird's nest
3 fresh lotus seeds
2 red dates
3 lily bulbs
3 fresh gingko nuts
Cane rock sugar, to taste
200ml water

 Fresh gingko nuts

Fresh lotus seeds

 Dried bird's nest

Dried lily bulbs

Method

1.  Soak bird's nest until soft. ( about one hour.)
2.  Place bird's nest, cane rock sugar and all the Chinese herbs into a ceramic or porcelain container with a fitting lid.
3.  Pour in 200ml water.
4.  Double boil for about 2 to 3 hours. 

Bird's Nest Soup With American Ginseng, Lotus Seeds & Lily Bulbs 燕窝炖花旗参

Bird's Nest Soup With American Ginseng, Lotus Seeds & Lily Bulbs 燕窝炖花旗参

Bird's nest  is a delicacy which is highly priced. It helps to strengthen the lungs and regenerate skin cells. It is believed to be good for the complexion. When stewed or double-boiled with other Chinese herbs, bird's nest make a very delicious and nutritious herbal brew or tonic.

Ingredients

3 pieces bird's nest
12 slices American ginseng
6 red dates, seeded
60g cane rock sugar
9 pieces lotus seeds
9 pieces lily bulbs
480ml water

Instructions

1.  Remove dirt from bird's nest and soak until soft. Rinse and place bird's nest into 3 porcelain jars or containers with lids.
2.  Place lotus seeds into a bowl and pour boiling water to soak the lotus seeds for a while. Remove the core. 
3.  Divide all the ingredients into 3 portions.
4.  Put in the American ginseng, red dates, lotus seeds, lily bulbs, cane rock sugar and water into the 3 jars.
5.  Cover the lids and  double boil for 3 hours.

 The bird's nest  before soaking

 The softened bird's nest 

 

 American ginseng

 

Lily bulbs  

 Red dates

 Lotus seeds

Cane rock sugar

Nourishing herbal brew

Glutinous Rice Cake With Jasmine Tea & Lotus Seeds 香片莲子桂圆糯米糕

Glutinous Rice Cake With Jasmine Tea & Lotus Seeds 香片莲子桂圆糯米糕

Delicious sweet dessert for tea time

Recipe Source :  Adapted from Liza Magazine

Ingredients

150g glutinous rice
80g fresh lotus seeds
20 pieces dried longan ( with stones removed )
1 tsp jasmine tea leaves
40g brown sugar

 Glutinous rice

 Jasmine tea leaves

 Fresh lotus seeds

 Dried longan

Instructions

1.  Wash fresh lotus seeds and dried longan thoroughly. Drain well and set aside for later use.
2.  Wash and soak glutinous rice in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
3.  Add jasmine tea leaves into 1/2 cup of hot water. Cover with lid for 2 minutes. Add in brown sugar. Stir and strain the tea leaves from the liquid tea. 
4.  Mix the glutinous rice, lotus seeds, longan and tea mixture together. 
5.  Brush 4 small bowls with oil.
6.  Spoon the glutinous rice mixture into the 4 small bowls and steam for 25 minutes until cooked.
7.  Remove from steamer and turn the bowl upside down onto a plate.
8.  Serve warm or cold. 


 

I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #30 : It's Tea Time ! ( April 2013 )
hosted by Food Playground 

Spaghetti Squash Cup 鱼翅瓜盅

Spaghetti Squash Cup 鱼翅瓜盅

Recipe Source : Adapted from an advertisement by "Thermos" published in Lisa magazine

Ingredients

1.5 kg spaghetti squash  ( shark fin melon )
50g fresh lotus seed or gingko nut
150g pork, cut into small cubes
50g scallops, soaked until soft and shredded
2 dried mushrooms, soaked until soft and cut into small cubes
500ml  chicken stock
1 tsp rock sugar
1/2 tsp salt 

 Spaghetti squash or shark fin melon

 Cut off the top and scoop out the flesh to make a squash cup

 Dried scallops

 Dried mushrooms

Shelled gingko nuts

Instructions

1.  Cut off the top of the spaghetti squash and scoop out the flesh to make a cup. See picture above.
2.  Cut off a very thin slice at the bottom of the spaghetti squash to enable it to stand firmly.
3.  Stand the spaghetti squash in a bowl.
4.  Place all the ingredients, except the salt into the spaghetti squash.
5.  Place the bowl with the spaghetti squash into a steamer and  steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
6.  Remove the spaghetti squash from the steamer.
7.  Remove the "lid" ( the top of the squash ) and add in the salt. Use a pair of chopsticks to gently stir the mixture to ensure the salt is evenly mixed. 
8.  Scoop out the steaming soup into individual bowls or into a large soup bowl to serve. 

  Note to share :

• This soup is fabulous.  Very tasty.

• Both SK and YS commented that this soup could have been better had we used lotus seed instead of gingko nut.

The steamed spaghetti squash

The squash cup with the very tasty soup inside

Double-Boiled Snow Fungus Dessert 雪耳炖冰糖

Double-Boiled Snow Fungus Dessert 雪耳炖冰糖

 A sweet dessert

Recipe Source : Replicating what I had eaten in a shopping mall in Zhuhai, China

I had this sweet dessert in Zhuhai, China a couple of weeks back. The ingredients used are simple and easily available in grocery stores or supermarkets. Brewed together with cane sugar or rock sugar, the end result is sweet and very satisfying. I am back home now and I have a strong craving to have this dessert and I decided to prepare it.

Ingredients

10g snow fungus ( soaked until soft, remove the stem and cut them into smaller pieces )
90g cane rock sugar ( adjust the amount of sugar to suit individual taste )
6 red dates, remove the seeds
100g fresh lotus seeds
18 gingko nuts ( remove the shell and soft skin or you can use fresh gingko nuts available at the wet markets )
600 ml water

Top left : fresh lotus seeds, Top right : gingko nuts

Bottom left : snow fungus. Middle : cane rock sugar. Right : red dates

 

Instructions

 

1.  Divide the above ingredients into 3 equal portions.
2.  Place each portion into an individual ceramic container. You will need 3 small ceramic containers. Alternatively, you can put everything into a large ceramic container used for double- boiling. You can read up on my previous post on the ceramic pot used and how to go about double-boiling.
3. Cover the 3 ceramic containers and place them into a larger aluminium or stainless steel pot. Fill up the larger pot with water to half the water level of the ceramic containers. 
4.  Switch on the flame and double-boil the contents for one hour. 
5.  Check on the water level in the larger pot to avoid drying up during the boiling process. Add hot boiling water if the water dries up. 

Very satisfying dessert after a meal

Mooncake: Snowskin Mooncake 冰皮月饼

Mooncake: Snowskin Mooncake 冰皮月饼

  Snow white snowskin mooncakes

 My first attempt at making snowskin mooncakes

 Recipe Source : adapted from Flavours Magazine


Today I am sharing my first attempt at making snowskin mooncakes. It is known locally as "Ping Pei" mooncakes.  No baking is required for snowskin mooncakes.

Ingredients For the Snowskin 

( makes 5 mooncakes only )

100g Hong Kong flour
70g glutinous rice flour ( Kao Fen )
125 ml iced pre-boiled water
110g icing sugar
1 1/2 tbsp corn oil
food colouring of choice ( optional )

Ingredients For The Lotus Seed Paste or Lin Yoong In Cantonese

 

250g lotus seed ( buy the type with red skin )
3/4 tbsp lye water ( Kan Sui )
170 ml peanut oil
200g sugar
1/2 tbsp maltose ( optional )

Instructions To Make Lotus Seed Paste 

 

1.  Add lye water to the lotus seeds. Mix well. Leave aside for 20 minutes
2.  After 20 minutes, pour in boiling water and cover the lotus seed for 20 to 30 minutes
3.  Strain and wash lotus seeds to remove the red skins and the greenish embryos inside the seeds
4.  Add water to the cleaned lotus seeds to 5 cm above the lotus seeds
5.  Boil until soft and the liquid has almost dried up
6.  Blend the lotus seeds together with the liquid.
7.  Heat wok with 1/4 of the peanut oil and 1/4 of the sugar, stir until golden brown
8.  Add in the blended lotus paste and cook until well blended
9.  Add in the rest of the remaining ingredients and cook for about 30 minutes or until the lotus paste no longer sticks to the side of the wok
10. Cool completely and divide the lotus seed paste into 5 balls of equal portions

Instructions To Make the Snowskin 

1.  Spread the Hong Kong flour in a dish and steam over boiling water for 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely and remove any wet lumps, then sift the flour.
2.  Sift icing sugar and the glutinous rice flour separately
3.  Put the iced cold preboiled water into a mixing bowl.
4.  Pour in the corn oil and mix thoroughly using a wire whisk
5.  Add in the sifted icing sugar, closely followed by the Hong Kong flour, bit by bit until evenly mixed
6.  Then add in the glutinous rice flour, stirring all the time. A dough will be formed
7.  Knead it lightly on a surface until smooth. Do not overwork the dough
8.  Divide the dough into 5 equal portions

Assembling the Snowskin Mooncake

1.  Dust a mooncake mould with glutinous rice flour
2.  Use your palms to shape one portion of the snowskin dough into a round flat disk
3.  Place one portion of the lotus seed paste filling onto the flatten disk and wrap it up
4.  Shape the mooncake into a mooncake mould and knock out the mooncake onto a plate
5.  The snowskin mooncake can be eaten at once. No baking is required
6.  However, the snowskin mooncakes are rather delicate when fresh
7.  It is best left in the refrigerator to firm up for one to two days before consuming.

  Mid-Autumn Festival is just round the corner, you still have time to make it!