Chinese flaky pastry snack

　

Chinese flaky pastry can be used to make Su-style moon cake and other snacks with different filling, such as ground pork, red bean paste...etc. It is different from flaky pastry in western countries, using vegetable oil instead of lard or butter and the ingredients are very simple.

I prepared this snack for the party tomorrow, I hope friends will like the taste.

(1) Mix 2.5 cup all purpose flour, 2/3 cup water, 1/3 cup vegetable oil and 1/4 tsp salt, knead until the dough is smooth. Transfer it into a sandwich ziploc and let sit in the fridge overnight. This dough is called water-skin.

(2) Mix 1 cup all purpose flour and 1/3 cup vegetable oil, make a neat ball and put it into a sandwich ziploc. Let sit in the fridge overnight. This dough is called oil-skin.

(3) Transfer water-skin on the counter, roll the dough into a circle. Place oil-skin in the center and wrap well.

(4) Roll this mixed dough into a rectangle, then fold it into third.

(5) Roll into another rectangle.

(6) Starting at the long end, roll up and then cut into small portions.

(7) Roll each portion into circle, put a small cube of pitted dates, fold and then shape it well with fork.

(8) Brush the mixture of honey and water, sprinkle with white sesame seeds.

(9) Preheat oven to 350 F, bake for 30 minutes or until the skin is golden.

(10) Let fully cool on the wire rack.

Take another look, the skin is very flaky, eh?

　

Soybean in soy sauce

　

As we know, soy sauce is made from soybean. In my eyes, cooking soybeans in soy sauce is a warm hug of parents and children. My granny used to make this snack in winter. We watched soccer games and grabbed this tasty and chewy snack, what a happy time!

It is very easy to make this snack, all the ingredients can be found in local supermarket or the store like Bulk Barn. One important thing required is patience LOL.

Here is the recipe:

(1) Soak 2/3 cup dry soybeans (uncooked) in water for at least 12 hours;

(2) Drain soybeans and pour them into a 1 qt. pot, add 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 5 tbsp brown sugar and 1 star anise;

(3) Add some water just over soy beans;

(4) Heat under high power to bring it boil, remove foam and then reduce heat to medium-low, simmer for 1 hour or until soy beans are cooked through;

(5) Switch to medium-high power again, fully condense the sauce (there should be no liquid left in the pot).

This kind of soybean is a good mate for porridge too.

Plain popper

Four-day holiday, it is time to nestle into the soft couch and watch some favorite movies, and, of course, with a full bowl of popcorn. For a long period of time, I reject popcorn. It has been in my list of junk food, too much fat (even trans-fat), sugar or sodium, high calorie, though it smells attractive.

My favorite host, Alton Brown, once mentioned in his show, that popcorn is actually a healthy snack, of high fiber, sugar free, sodium free, low calorie and low fat, IF IT IS POPPED IN A PLAIN WAY.

Okay, that's what I am looking for, a plain way. In his recipe, he still uses 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp kosher salt or popcorn salt and some jalapeno seasoning mix for 1/4 cup popcorn. So, my question is, what about popping it without any additive, extremely no sugar, no fat /oil, no salt added? Can I accept that taste?

Here is my test:

In a paper lunch bag, add about 1/4 cup popping corn and fold the top of the bag three times so that it can be sealed well. Shake evenly and then place it into the microwave oven. Under "popcorn" mode, set 4 minutes, and press "Start". The first pop happened in 1 minute, followed by firework-like explosion, in the end, there were about 5 seconds between pops. Done. Wow, good smell!

After putting these popcorns into my stomach, I have no reason to express any dissatisfaction.

The paper bag can be reused for several times, because it is not contaminated at all, very clean.

I have another good idea, popping a large can of poppers and keep them as cereal-milk breakfast, kinda smart, eh?

Here is a pic of an excited popper running towards his friends :=)))))