Tang Yuan
My mother was enlisted to made Tang Shui/Tong Sui (糖水), which directly translates to Sugar Water, a Chinese dessert soup whose contents generally differ from pumpkins all the way to beans. The sole constant is that they all contain sugar (usually the rock sugar variety). My mom decided to make a healthy version with red beans and longan - then she, in turn, enlisted my help in making Tang Yuan/Tong Yun (湯圓), which directly translates to Soup Ball. They usually appear in desserts as well. :)
I haven't made tang yuan before, but I think of them like the dough for mochi/daifuku, which I have made loads of. Well, except these are significantly more simple with no filling.
Tang Yuan (湯圓)
[Loosely Based on this Recipe]
Makes A Lot
INGREDIENTS
16 oz (1 pound) bag of Glutinous Rice Flour
1 to 2 cups of Warm Water
2 - 3 TBSP of Sugar
4 tsp of Matcha Green Tea Powder
DIRECTIONS
In a medium mixing bowl, empty the entire bag of glutinous rice flour. In a small bowl, prepare one cup of water by warming it up, then adding the matcha powder and sugar, stirring until completely dissolved. Mix the water mixture with the flour, then adding more warm water a little at a time until it reaches a play-do-like consistency; soft and lightly moist, but not crumbly or wet.
Taking a handful of dough at a time, roll it out into a snake and take a centimeter-long piece and roll into a ball and set aside on a plate; make sure they do not touch or else they'll stick.
To cook, gently drop the balls into boiling water. They will float and after a minute since they began to float, they are cooked. Transfer to a bowl of cold/cool water, which increases its chewiness then immediately place in serving bowls and pour the tong sui over it.
TIP: If you don't plan on using it all, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to containers or freezer bags to use at another time.
NOTES/COMMENTS
In addition to that, my mom made a Vietnamese dessert. I don't exactly know what it's called in Vietnamese and when I asked her, she gave me its name. In Cantonese. So as far as I know, it's called 綠豆黑糯米, which directly translates to what it's made ingredients are: Green Bean and Black Glutinous Rice. I think it's something with the word "xoi" or "nep" or a combination of something like that in Vietnamese. And maybe "dau xanh," which is "green bean" in Vietnamese.
---->
Erm... I was too camera-happy so I caught the "after" picture before my mom topped it off with sliced almonds. Because my mom likes nuts and is a health freak like that. ;)
I haven't made tang yuan before, but I think of them like the dough for mochi/daifuku, which I have made loads of. Well, except these are significantly more simple with no filling.
Tang Yuan (湯圓)
[Loosely Based on this Recipe]
Makes A Lot
INGREDIENTS
16 oz (1 pound) bag of Glutinous Rice Flour
1 to 2 cups of Warm Water
2 - 3 TBSP of Sugar
4 tsp of Matcha Green Tea Powder
DIRECTIONS
In a medium mixing bowl, empty the entire bag of glutinous rice flour. In a small bowl, prepare one cup of water by warming it up, then adding the matcha powder and sugar, stirring until completely dissolved. Mix the water mixture with the flour, then adding more warm water a little at a time until it reaches a play-do-like consistency; soft and lightly moist, but not crumbly or wet.
Taking a handful of dough at a time, roll it out into a snake and take a centimeter-long piece and roll into a ball and set aside on a plate; make sure they do not touch or else they'll stick.
To cook, gently drop the balls into boiling water. They will float and after a minute since they began to float, they are cooked. Transfer to a bowl of cold/cool water, which increases its chewiness then immediately place in serving bowls and pour the tong sui over it.
TIP: If you don't plan on using it all, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to containers or freezer bags to use at another time.
NOTES/COMMENTS
- It's pretty simple and straightforward. The original recipe called for merely a cup of water, but I found that I used almost 2 cups until it became the preferred consistency. That was the only inconsistency. :) I only added a tablespoon and a teaspoon of sugar and you can't taste it much - but we let the tong sui do that.
- It's delightfully chewy (and cute)! I haven't tried it with the tong sui, as that's reserved for the people at class tonight, but it looks most beautiful. [I would have attempted to take a picture of it, but my camera's focus really sucks; if you think the pictures I have now are unclear, you should see the others, 'cause these were the best.]
In addition to that, my mom made a Vietnamese dessert. I don't exactly know what it's called in Vietnamese and when I asked her, she gave me its name. In Cantonese. So as far as I know, it's called 綠豆黑糯米, which directly translates to what it's made ingredients are: Green Bean and Black Glutinous Rice. I think it's something with the word "xoi" or "nep" or a combination of something like that in Vietnamese. And maybe "dau xanh," which is "green bean" in Vietnamese.
---->
Erm... I was too camera-happy so I caught the "after" picture before my mom topped it off with sliced almonds. Because my mom likes nuts and is a health freak like that. ;)