CHERIMOYA - Tropical Fruits Wonder

This is Cherimoya.   It is also known as soursop, ... I think.   I call it MAANG GAO.... somthing like that.  Anyone who lived in Viet-Nam or in warm climate countries know this wonderful tangy sweet fruits.  Here in California, this particular Organic Cherimoya is priced at $7.99/lb.   This one costed me $8.95.     Many of my friends have never heard of it or have seen it at the local market but never ever bought one because they don't know what it is, and it is sooo expensive compared to other tropical fruits.   So, here is a demonstration of what it is.

How to eat it:
When I bought it, it was rock hard.
I placed it in a brown paper bag for 3 days.   Checking it every day.  By 4th evening, it was ready - soft to touch.... like avocado would be.  But don't let it sat till it is mush soft - yak!  it will taste fermented.... unless that is your intention.    Wash the exterior gently with water and salt or fruit cleanser, if you have one.
Pull open the fruits or use a knife to slice it open.
It is filled with sweet tangy nodules with black seed.
I just scoop it out and ate it.
Saved all the seeds to test planting.   Left the seeds in shallow dish with some water.   Some of them already has a tail/root growing.  After two weeks in the kitchen and since our weather here in Sacramento is so crazily dry, I transferred them into a pot of soil in a hot house in my garden.  Hope they will sprout wonderfully and be able to replace the other one that got frost bitten after 9 years of care.   All my fault.  :-(

After removing seeds, you can make a great tasting Cherimoya smoothies.

TSON YEOU BIEN - Chinese Green Onion Pancake # 3

So, after the second test, this third one is made with:
1 Cup of flour, 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil.  Mix them together first.  Then, add 6 Tablespoon of tap water.
Knead for 10 minutes.
Rest 10 minutes.
Divide the dough in to halves.
Roll out one of the dough.
Spread sesame oil with a pastry brush.
Sprinkle with salt.
Spread a handful of chopped green onions.
Roll and fold.  Rest 10 minutes.
Roll it out.
Fry in 3 Tablespoon of oil over medium low heat WITHOUT Lid for 6 minutes.
Turn it over and fry over medium low heat without lid for 6 minutes.
Remove.
Slice and serve.
Result? hmmm.   Still not quite the I made it when I was a kid.  Nevertheless, still very tasty.

 

 

 

(Cover and Rest 10 minutes then, roll out.)

 

 

 

 

 

TSON YEOU BIEN Testing #2 - Chinese Green Onion Pancake

So, is it the kneading time or the resting time or the hot water that makes the Green Onion Pancake better.
Or skipping the shortening in the dough mixture?

This TSON YEOU BIEN #2 is made without shortening and hot boiling water.   
Kneaded for 10 min.  Repeated 3 times after resting for 10 minutes between.
Sesame oil in each folding, sprinkled with salt.  Then a handful of chopped green onions are folded in.  Fried with lid on for 6 minutes for each side.  Medium low heat.  Then, turn it over and fry it for 6 minutes without the lid.
Did it help?  well.... it tasted great just the same, but I don't think this is it.

 About 14 fresh skinny tender green onions.  Washed and trimmed to 8 inches.  Chop to make 1 Cup.

 Mix One Cup flour, 6 Tablespoon of hot boiling water in a bowl.  Transfer to a Food processor with Knead blade.   Pulse about 10 times.  Add more flour or water if kneaded to make a soft dough - about your ear lobe soft.
Take it out and form into a ball.  Place in a bowl.  Cover and rest for 10 minutes.

 Take the dough out onto a work surface.  No flouring on the surface needed.  
Gently Fold the dough over ... about 4 times with gentle knead and fold motion.  See the change in the texture changing to a smooth dough.   Cover and rest again for 10 minutes.

 Roll out the dough after the 2nd rest.   1/4 inch thick.   Spread sesame oil generously with pastry brush.

 Sprinkle some salt and rub all around.

 Sprinkle a handful of chopped green onion.

 Roll and Fold.

 Cover and rest for 10 minutes.

 Flatten with the palm of your hand.

 Roll it out.

 Fry in 3 TB of vegetable oil - Medium low heat and cover with lid.

 Fry for about 6 minutes - depending on the BTU of your gas range stove top.

 Remove the lid. 

 Turn it over.   Fry without lid for another 6 minutes.  Dough should not look translucent at this point.  It should be browned and no opaque dough is visible.  Fry longer, if the dough look translucent here and there.

 Slice and serve.

The pancake turned out crispy outside and very tasty, but I didn't care of the 'soft' pillow like center.  I like mine in layers.   
More testing needs to be done.