Rice Ball Sweet Soup

It’s tradition.  On the 15^th day of the Chinese New Year, people prepare a sweet soup like this for the family.  It signifies the end of the new year celebration.  What a sweet end!!!  Normally it’s just the rice balls, but I though, why not spice it up with some other traditional sweet things, and end up with this wonderful sweet soup.  Enjoy!!!

A Ingredients

Lotus seed, dried              ½ cup

Mung bean, dried             ¼ cup

Red bean, dried                ¼ cup

Big red bean, dried          ¼ cup

Pearl barley, dried            2 tablespoon

Red dates, dried               6 pieces

B Ingredients

Ginger slices                  5 slices

Rock sugar                       to taste

Frozen rice balls             2 packages

Directions:

1. Soak all A ingredients in water for 2-3 hours, drain.  Put the drained ingredients into a soup pot with the ginger slices; add enough water to come up about 2 inches above the ingredients.  Bring the water to a boil, turn down the heat to a simmer, cook until tender, about 25-35 minutes. Add the rock sugar at the end.  

2. Do not turn the heat up too high or else all the ingredients will be too mushy. 

3. Heat up enough water in another soup pot until boiling, place the frozen rice balls into the boiling water.  Cook until it comes up on the surface of the soup, cook an additional couple of minutes. 

4. Scoop up the rice balls into an individual soup bowl, top with the sweet soup, serve steaming hot!!!

Serving: 6

Brussels Sprout Salad

This salad was verbally given to me by one of my friend, Sarah.  She really didn’t say much, just said it was a red wine vinaigrette.  I didn’t have red wine vinegar at the apartment, so I used lemon juice instead, and add a little bit of my imagination.  This salad was the perfect accompaniment to the salmon lunch we had. 

A Ingredients

Brussels sprouts          2 lb

Kale                            1 bunch

Red onion, chopped   ¼ cup

Dried cranberries        ¼ cup

B Ingredients

Honey                    2 tablespoon

Lemon zest            2 heads

Lemon juice          ¼ cup

Dijon mustard        1 teaspoon

Olive oil                 6 tablespoon

Salt and pepper to taste

Diections:

1. Reserve the olive oil in B Ingredients, measure all other B ingredients into a mixing bowl.  Then beat in the olive oil in a thin steady stream to emulsify the dressing.

2. Place the chopped onion and dried cranberry into the prepared dressing to marinade, for about 10-15 minutes while the slaws are being prepared.

3. Tear the kale into bite size pieces.  Blanch the Brussels sprouts and kale in boiling water separately, around 1-2 minutes, let cool in a tub of ice water, then drain.  Shred the Brussels sprouts into think slaws with a knife or food processor.  

4. Toss all ingredients together in a big mixing bowl, serve immediately or let sit in frig 30 minutes, tastes even better

Serving: 6

Sweet Potato Sticky Cake

This cake is symbolic to a better and wealthier new year to come. Traditionally made with sticky rice flour. By adding the sweet potato mix, this sticky cake is much more flavorful than the traditional ones. The mix can be purchased at any Chinese supermarket!!!

Ingredients

Sponge cake mix      500 g (1 pkg)

Sweet potato mix     100 g (1 pkg)

Baking powder        ¼ teaspoon

Water                       300 g

Milk                         80 g

Directions:

1. Heat up a bamboo steamer ( or any other kind of steamer you have).

2. Place all ingredients into a big mixing bowl and blend with a rubber spatula.  Pour the batter into parchment paper lined individual baking tins, around 2/3 full.

3. Place the baking tins into the bamboo steamer, the water should be boiling, full steam, place the lid back on and steam for 18-20 minutes.

Serving: 12

Shrimp Ceviche

This dish is super simple to make yet delicious.  I made it with langostito the following week and it was just as good.  It’s a perfect recipe for a weekday dinner or an appetizer for a party!!! Enjoy!

A Ingredients

Shrimp, deveined/shelled            400 g

Serrano chili                                     1 piece

Cucumber, chopped                         1 piece

Red onion, chopped                         1 head

Tomato, chopped                             1 head

B Ingredients

Fresh lemon juice                   3 heads

Sugar                                       ½ teaspoon

Salt                                          1 tablespoon

Directions:

1. Blanch the shrimp in a pot of boiling water, around 2-3 minutes, do not over cook.  Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.  Cut each shrimp into 3 pieces. 

2. Slice the Serrano chili in half, scoop out the membrane and seeds, then mince.  Place the mined Serrano and the shrimp pieces in a medium mixing bowl, along with chopped cucumber, red onion, and tomato. 

3. Measure all B Ingredients into the bowl, toss, let marinade in frig 1 hour to deepen the flavor.

4. Serve with tostada chips and mayonnaise if desired!!

Serving: 4

Apple Crumble

When I’m too lazy to make a whole apple pie, I make this simple version of delicious baked apple with toppings.  It’s super simple and easy to make.  All the ingredients are pantry ready.  There is no dessert more convenient than this one!!! The scoop of ice cream on top really makes a great big difference in serving, the tartness of the apple was enhanced by it.  There are several levels of flavors.  This is a recipe one’s gotta try!!!

 

A Ingreidents

Apples, peeled, cored, and sliced           3-4 heads

Lemon juice, freshly squeezed                     1 tablespoon

Ground Nutmeg                                         ¼ teaspoon

Ground allspice                                          ¼ teaspoon

B Ingredients

Rolled Oats                             ½ cup

All purpose flour                     ¼ cup

Packed brown sugar                ¼ cup

Ground cinnamon                     1 teaspoon

Ground nutmeg                        ¼ teaspoon

Butter, chilled                            3 tablespoon

Directions:

1. Spray a pie or baking dish with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Place A ingredients into a mixing bowl, toss with hand to coat the sliced apples with spices and lemon juice.  Then place all the apple slices into a baking dish. 

3. Place B ingredients into a mixing bowl, cut the mixture with a pastry cutter of a fork until it resembles bread crumbs.  Spread the mixture evenly onto the sliced apples in the baking dish.

4. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, depending on the amount of apple and the baking dish. Let cool 3-5 minutes before scooping into individual serving bowls, top with one scoop of vanilla ice cream, serve warm!!

Serving: 6