Happy Chinese New Year 2011- Golden Peanuts Sue-Giao (or Sue-Jiao)

There was a "Flower Fair" at the Chinatown, San Francisco, last weekend.  Even though the weather was bit damp, the street of Chinatown was filled with sunshine.  Street vendors filled the entire area with lots of interesting merchandise, flowers and trees, and candies and everything in red and green, etc... It was just fun being there.  And there we found a Lion Dance mask for my grand-children.  I was really excited to find it, too, that it is actually large enough for my grandson to hold it over his head, covered, and dance with it.  After we got home, we studied about the history of the Chinese Lion Dance over the Internet and found out that he has Southern Lion mask; then we studied how the lion dance was done over the YouTube.  My grandchildren spent a good few hours trying to learn the positions of sleep, bow, and dance.
I also made this WHA SEN SUE-GIAO (or JIAO) -- Flaky peanuts filled fried pastry.  It's a traditional pastry for the Chinese New Year.  I have only seen it made at our home when I was 7 or 8 years old.  Never after.  It has always been purchased.  With previously home made coconuts flakes (saved from the  time I made the Pandan Coconuts Chiffon Cake), I really like the taste of the filling.  I just never got used to the texture and sweetness of the store bought coconuts flakes.  Just don't taste right in my mouth.  Too grainy or coarse.  But this home made coconuts almost melts in the mouth,,,, but there is peanuts in this pastry sooo.... whatever... but it taste pretty good for once a year celebration.
So, Happy Chinese New Year and many best wishes, good health, and good luck to all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japanese OSEKIHAN - Microwave Method

It's a tradition to make this OSEKIHAN on the New Year day.  It is usually packed in a beautiful Japanese laquered square containers and presented as gift.  I have been following the traditional way of cooking it by STEAM.  But the red beans are so challenging to cook for this OSEKIHAN.  It is suppose to keep its shape--not split open, yet cooked through.  The ZOZIRUSHI brand rice cooker, I called it the Atomic rice cooker would have no problem cooking mixed rice and various rice type, but unfortunately I don't own one.  But on the other hand, I came across one of the Japanese cookbook I found on my bookshelf, dated 1994 - the cooking method is "Microwave".

I tested it right away, and I love it!!  It turned out really great.  The red beans are cooked and didn't split open like the other one I made two weeks ago.  Thanks goodness.  It saved me from embarrassment. 

Now I can say properly "SHINNEN AKEMASHITE OMEDETO GOZAIMASU"

OSEKIHAN - MICROWAVE METHOD
Serves 4.    Per person - 401 KCAL  if 250 G of chestnuts, Sugar 2 Tb, and 2 tsp of wine/MIRIN included.
This version is without the Chestnuts, sugar, and wine.
Microwave power and cooking time is set is for 500 Watt micrwave

Increase or decrease cooking time by sight and feel accordingly:
400 Watt  - increase cooking time by 1.2 times
600 Watt - 0.8 times

TOOLS:  Medium microwaveable glass bowl, Large microwaveable glass bowl. Strainer appropriate to strain rice and beans.  Saran Wrap. Large rice SHAMOJI/spatula, hand fan.  Measuring cup

Ingredients:
Red Beans 1/3 C (50 g)
Sweet Glutinous Rice "MOCHI rice" 2 C (400 CC)
Salt - pinch

1.  Wash and rinse the sweet glutinous rice, the MOCHI rice, several times until the water is clear.
2.  Add 5 cups of water and set aside for 4+ hours to hydrate MOCHI rice.
3.  Wash and rinse red beans.  Place red beans in a medium microwaveable glass bowl.  Add 1-1/2 C of water.  Wrap the bowl with Saran Wrap.
4.  Microwave for 6 minutes.  Remove.  Transfer to a strainer and rinse quickly with cold running water.
5.  Transfer back to the bowl.  Add 2 C of water.  Wrap.  Return to microwave and cook for 12 minutes.
6.  At the end of 12 minutes - Without removing the Wrap, set aside for  10 minutes. 
7.  After 10 minutes, remove the wrap.  Strain the bean juice into a separate bowl and set aside.  Keep the beans covered with moist cheesecloth or saran wrap covering the red beans directly.  Do not allow the beans to dry.
8.  Strain the MOCHI Rice and transfer it back to a large microwaveable glass bowl.
9.  Add 170 CC of red beans juice.  Distribute and smooth out the MOCHI rice in the bowl evenly.  Cover with Saran wrap.  Cook in microwave for 6 minutes.
10.  Remove the bowl from the mircrowave.  Remove the wrap.  Quickly and gently fold the rice a few times to loosen.  (*Do not let the rice cool down.)  Then, smooth out the top of the rice again by distributing them evenly without pressing the rice down.  **Just make the top flat and even.
11.  Then, Add Red Bean and distribute it all around the top.  Wrap.  Microwave for 5 minutes.
12.  Without removing the wrap, let the cooked rice and bean sit for 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove the wrap and use hand fan to cool to produce shim on the rice and use another hand to fold beans with rice gently (do not press down on the beans) .
13.  Sprinkle with coarse sea salt or kosher salt.  Sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
 

(Click on photo to view details)

POTATO LEEK SOUP - Soupe de poireaux et pommes de terre

One of my goal for this year is to eat healthy.  This is the Potato Leek Soup from Chef Thomas Keller's Bouchon cookbook.  I have never tasted Leek before.  I was hesitant, but dared to try it for the first time.  and Wow! I love it.  Can't wait to challenge myself to make all kinds of other European/American style cooking.  (Click on the photo to view details.)