Coconut and Azuki (Red Bean) Glutinous Rice Cake 椰汁紅豆糯米糕—For Chinese New Year

According to the Luna Calendar, the Chinese New Year (CNY) falls on January 23rd this year.  I can't believe it's only a week away from now.  Chinese New Year is the biggest Holiday in many Asia countries, pretty much like Christmas or Thanksgiving in the United States.  In Hong Kong, most retail stores, businesses and schools are close for a week during the CNY to celebrate.  Traditionally, the days off also allow everyone to celebrate and visit family members and distanced relatives.  Boy, don't I miss that tradition!  To read more about other Chinese New Year traditions and a scrumptious Butter Cookie recipe, you can also refer to this post here from last year.  As we say farewell to the Year of Rabbit, we'll be welcoming the Year of Dragon.  The Dragon certainly has the characteristic and image of strong, energetic and mysterious.

There are many specialty food, savory dishes or sweet treats, made just for the Chinese New Year.  These special treats often have special meanings, for good health, wealth and/or good luck for the new year.  Rice cakes are one of the "must have" treats during the CNY because the pronunciation of Rice Cake in Chinese (年糕) sounds exactly like "growth (taller) every year".  These rice cakes symbolize growth and improvement for the year to come.  There are many different version of Rice Cake.  The more traditional ones are simply glutinous rice flour mixed with brown/palm sugar and/or coconut milk or water, and then steam away.




This particular recipe of Coconut and Azuki (Red Bean) Glutinous Rice Cake 椰汁紅豆糯米糕 is my modernized version of the Rice Cake.  Baked with a crunchy and fragrant layer of coconut flakes on top.  The first time I tried this coconut rice cake was from my Aunt.  It was so amazing that I went back for second and third.  I adopted my Aunt's recipe and added Azuki beans.  The red beans not only added a little sweetness and tender texture to this rice cake, but also added some red color that symbolized good luck in Chinese.  The slightly sweetened red bean flavor compliment really well with the coconut.  My Aunt's recipe called for just vegetable oil, but I replaced it with some coconut oil to add more coconut flavor.  It came out wonderfully.  Here are the main ingredients you'll need: Coconut milk, glutinous rice flour, eggs, coconut milk, prepared azuki red beans, evaporated milk, sugar and of course coconut flakes.



When the batter is done mixing, pour onto a prepared baking dish and dollop the red beans on top randomly.



With a spoon, swirl around to make the marble patterns as shown below.  Don't worry about the red bean staying on top now as some of them will sink during the baking process.  Also, I bake the rice cake for a few minutes before sprinkling the coconut flakes on top to prevent the coconut flakes from sinking.  When the coconut flakes stay on top, that’s how you get the golden brown and crispy layer.



See the golden brown top and crunchy edges?  YUM!  I particularly love the sides and corners for the extra crunch, just like brownies.



When the rice cake cooled down a bit, cut them into bars of your preferred size and serve.  I love them when they are still slightly warm from the oven.  The texture is a mix of crunchy from the edges, flaky and crisp from the coconut flakes on top, and tender and chewy from the inside.  The sweetness is perfect and packed with red beans and coconut flavors.  The coconut aroma truly shines through.



These Coconut and Azuki (Red Bean) Glutinous Rice Cakes 椰汁紅豆糯米糕 are perfect for sharing in gatherings, pot lucks, or package them to give to friends and relatives for the CNY.  Just a reminder, the edges of these rice cake will soften the next day.  Simply pop them back to a toaster oven or regular oven for a few minutes if you prefer them to be crispy.  Or simply enjoy their tender and chewy texture as is.




I want to wish all of you all a bountiful, healthy, and happy Year of Dragon (Gong Hay Fat Choi). May you reach higher than ever, exceed your next goal and target in life, just as these Rice Cake symbolized. 祝大家恭喜發財, 龍馬精 神  , 身體健康, 步步高升!





Coconut and Azuki (Red Bean) Glutinous Rice Cake 椰汁紅豆糯米糕:
(Printable Recipe)
Makes 24 bars

1 bag (16 ounces) glutinous rice flour
11/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 large eggs

11/2 cups castor sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4  cup vegetable oil
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
6 oz evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup prepared red bean (Yude Azuki)

1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 380 degrees F.  

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the glutinous rice flour, baking powder and baking soda, set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs and the castor sugar together on medium high speed until pale yellow.  Add coconut oil, vegetable oil, coconut milk, evaporated milk and salt, beat together until well combined.

Turn mixer to low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until well incorporated.  You'll get a very thick batter.  Don’t worry about over mixing the batter as it’s already packed with glutens.  

Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, pour batter into the dish in an even layer.  Dollop the Azuki red beans on top and slightly swirl them with a spoon to form the marble patterns.  Bake for 5 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle the coconut flakes on top in an even layer.  Return to oven and continue to bake for another 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Loosely cover the top with a foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserts in the center and comes out clean.

Let cool on a wiring rack.  With a sharp serrated knife, cut into bars in desired sizes.



This recipe is linked with:

Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Mingle Monday
Tuesday Talent Show
Success U
I'm Lovin' It
Foodie Friday
Full Plate Thursday

Miso Pork Noodle Soup with Soft Boiled Egg (ゆで卵)

I hope all of you had a wonderful and blessed Christmas this year.  Mine was filled with wonderful food, lots of presents, great friends and family.     hm….maybe a few too many cookies and chocolates!    Is there such a thing as too many cookies and chocolate?  hahaha… I guess not.   



Nothing is more comforting than having a bowl of hot noodle soup after the holiday feast. Noodle soup gotta be one of the top 3 of my favorite brunch items. I hope some of you had a chance to make the Roasted Pork Loin with Miso and Asian Pear Glaze in my previous post. Actually, I do make that pork roast from time to time. Because I can use whatever left over to make this Miso Pork Noodle Soup. Plus, my little boy is a big fan of noodle soup, especially when I serve it with the pickled daikon (the yellow half circles you see on the small plate).



This Miso Pork Noodle Soup with Soft Boiled Egg is super simple to make. If you know how to boil water, you can make this noodle soup! No kidding. I love soft boiled eggs, if you are serving them to young kids, elderly or pregnant ladies in the house, just make sure you get the pasteurized eggs so everyone can enjoy a soft boiled with the peace of mind.



The trick to prevent cracking on the egg shells is to place the eggs in the cold water before heating your pot. When it’s the doneness you want (I cooked mine 3 to 4 minutes more after the water comes to a full boil), remove the eggs from the pot and run under cool tap water until the eggs are completely cool to the touch. That way, the eggs shells will peel off nicely and won’t stick to the egg whites.



In this particular noodle soup, I thinly sliced the Roasted Miso Pork Loin I had along with some Japanese fish cakes (they comes in all kinds of shapes and colors).  Add the soft boil egg and some bok choi and you are all set.  The pork slices were still very juicy and tender even after reheating in the miso soup.   My little boy declared he can (and wants to) have this noodle soup every day and won’t get bored! 

Thank you for stopping by today and I wish you all a prosperous 2012!  Happy New Year.  





Miso Pork Noodle Soup with Soft Boiled Egg (ゆで卵)
(Printable Recipe)
4 Servings

2 eggs
4 servings of egg noodles or ramen (I used fresh egg noodles)
8 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons instant dashi granules (This is what I used)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 tablespoons red miso paste (Such as this one)
1 bunch of bok choy
some ready to eat fish cakes (Kamaboko), whatever kind you prefer
12 thinly sliced Roasted Miso Pork Loin

In a medium saucepan filled with cool tap water, place the eggs in the pot before heating on the stove.  When the water comes to a full boil, let the eggs cook another 3 to 4 minutes (depending on how cooked you want your eggs to be).  Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and run them under cold tap water until completely cool to the touch.  Remove the shells and cut each egg in half, length wise.

Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles to el dente according to the package’s instructions.  Remove noodles from water and equally divide them into 4 serving bowls.

In another clean medium saucepan, heat the chicken broth with the dashi, soy sauce and miso paste to a boil.  Place the bok choy, fish cakes and roasted miso pork loin slices into the broth.  When the broth returns to a boil, remove from heat and arrange the veggies, fish cakes, pork loin and soft boil egg on top of the noodles.  Equally divide the soup in each bowl and serve hot.


This recipe is shared with:

Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Friday Favorite
Pink Saturday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Tuesday Talent Show
Success U
What's Cooking Wednesday

Roasted Pork Loin with Miso and Asian Pear Glaze

If you haven’t decided what entrée to make for the Holiday Dinner, here’s a simple and scrumptious recipe for you.  Honestly, I’m not a big fan of turkey.  They often turn out to be on the 'dry' side rather than juicy and moist.  With that said, I still have to fine tune a turkey recipe.  But I’ll save that task for next year.  This Christmas, I’m totally all over the Oink! Oh, I mean pork.   



This Roasted Pork Loin with Miso and Asian Pear Glaze recipe is wonderful.  Not only that it’s super easy to make, it’s also very favorful.  The meat will turn out tender, juicy and moist.  Want to join me into the kitchen?  Come check it out.

First, we need to hold the pig hostage!  Tie it up so that it does not run away.  Well, actually, the kitchen twine helps the pork loin to stay in its beautiful shape after roasting.  Whatever the case is, tie it up!



Up next, keep the pig happy!  We will need some flavorful marinate to do that.  The red miso paste in this recipe is one of the star ingredients.  You might notice from my recipe below that I didn’t use a lot of salt in the marinate because both the miso paste and soy sauce will add saltiness to the meat.



Now, give that pig a mask and a massage!  Smear the marinate onto the pork loin and put it into a ziploc bag and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.  Gotta keep the pig cool!



To make this pig even happier, feed it with some Asian pears!  These pears are crisp, sweet and juicy.  Very different than the skinnier, mushy, green and red version you normally see in the markets.  If you haven’t try these Asian pears before, you need to hung them down and give them a try.  They are delicious as is, and really work wonderfully in this recipe by adding some natural sweetness to the glaze. 



When you are ready to roast, tuck the pig in along with the Aisan pears, onions and chicken stocks.  Let the pig get its beauty sleep in the oven.  Well, more like a nap, I should say.  I have a 3 1/2 pound pork loin and took me 60 minutes to cook.  Make sure a meat thermometer reads 145 degree F when inserted at the thickest part of the meat. 



The whole house smells wonderful when it’s roasting.  When it’s ready to get out of the oven, I couldn’t help but inhaled deeply before I take the whole dish out.  It’s amazing how scrumptious it is.  See how beautiful the pig turns out after its beauty nap?



Let the loin rest on the chopping board covered with a foil for at least 3 minutes.  Now, the pig is happy, relax and satisfy.  You can untie it and serve.  It’s not going anywhere except to your tummy.  And you’ll be one happy camper, or kidnapper.



I reduce the sauce a little and add another tablespoon of miso paste to finish off the glaze/gravy.  These pork loin are wonderful over rice, noodle, or mash potatoes, whatever you prefer.  After I finished my plate, I wanted my beauty nap too!



I’m sharing this recipe with Kitchen PLAY this month.  The National Pork Board is also sponsoring a delicious giveaway at Kitchen PLAY.  All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win a National Pork Board prize.  If you’re joining in the fun, please review the complete contest rules before entering.  Good luck!








Roasted Pork Loin with Miso and Asian Pear Glaze
(Printable Recipe)


Ingredients:

3 ½ pound pork loin
1 large Asian Pear (Korean Pear), cored and cut into small chunks
1 small onion, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon red miso paste

Marinate ingredients:

1/4 cup red miso paste
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Shao Hsing Rice Cooking Wine
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and split in half
2-inch fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into small chunks
3 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon white ground pepper

In the bowl of a small food processor, ground all the marinate ingredients until it’s a smooth paste.
Tide the pork with a kitchen twine so the pork remain its shape after baking. Place the pork in a large zip log bag with marinate paste. Squeeze out excess air in the bag and close the zip. Move the pork and marinate around so all surface of the pork is covered with marinates. Place the bag in a container and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven at 350 degree F. Place pork loin along with all marinate onto a large glass baking dish (mine is 8 by 10 by 2-inch). Arrange Asian pear and onion on the sides of the pork. Pour chicken stocks onto the pork. Bake for 60 to 70 minute or until a meat thermometer reads 145 degree F in the thickest part of the loin.

Remove loin onto a cutting board and cover with foil to rest for at least 3 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer sauces, pears and onion from baking dish to a small sauce pan and cook on high heat. Reduce the liquid by 1/2. Stir in a tablespoon of red miso paste, to taste. Then, puree reduced stock, pear and onion until smooth.

Cut pork loin into desired thickness, about 1/2 to 3/4-inch. Drizzle gravy/glaze over pork and serve over rice.


This recipe is shared with:

Foodie Friday
Fresh Bite Friday
Full Plate Thursday

Marx Foods Challenge — Fregola Sarda Pudding and Ginger Snap Cookies — Vegan Friendly Recipes

I was thrilled to be selected to participate in the Marx Foods Fregola Sarda Blogger Recipe Challenge—Dessert!  Marx Foods carries the world’s finest foods, from meat, seafood, produce, to herbs, spices, sauces and even desserts, & etc.  If you haven’t been to their site, it’s time to check it out, my foodies friends.  You’ll be amazed by the varieties of products they carry, even hard to find ingredients.





For this particular challenge, Marx Foods sent me a sample package of Medium Fregola Sarda (Italian couscous), Vanilla Beans, Star Anise, and Saffron Threads as shown in the picture above.  (Please feel free to click on each ingredient to learn more about them.)  The rule of the challenge is to use the fregola to create a dessert recipe along with at least one of the other three ingredients in the sample package.  Sounds like fun, huh?  It really is. 



The samples Marx Food sent me was in high quality. The fragrant and aroma were wonderful when I opened the package.  Imagine how good my kitchen smelled as I was preparing my dishes using these ingredients! They were simply awesome.  I was up to the challenge and I couldn’t resist from using everything (instead of just '1 other ingredient' as the rules have stated) from my sample package. All the ingredients went so well with each other in the recipe I created. The quality of these ingredients surely makes a big difference.



The recipe that I created, Fregola Sarda Pudding, was inspired by the marriage of (the appearance of) rice pudding and (the flavor and appearance of) a traditional dessert from Hong Kong 椰汁西米露 (using coconut milk and tapioca).  The result was amazing!  Over all, it’s a rich, fragrant and satisfying dessert.  The texture was silky, smooth, and tender.  The sweetness from the vanilla bean balanced really well with the nutty flavor from the fregola (because of the toasting process, that's why the color of the fregola varies from a light creamy tan to a very dark brown).  The liquorish flavor from the star anise balanced out the richness from the coconut milk; and the cloves added a depth of flavor to the over all dessert.  The saffron thread added a pungent earthy and slightly bittersweet flavor to the fregola which went nicely with the nutty flavor from the fregola.  The saffron threads also imparted the yellow color to the fregola, which was fun, vibrant and simply exotic!



The warmth flavors from the Fregola Sarda Pudding really reminded me of fall and winter.  I couldn't help but to pair it with some Gingersnap cookies for a crunchy contrast.  I love that contrast in the textures.  Mind you, these gingersnap cookies really snap!  They are crunchy and the flavor goes hand in hand with the Fregola Sarda Pudding.



Boy, I just love this close up picture above.  You can totally see the vanilla seeds on the fregola pudding!  It’s such a fun dessert to prepare and to serve.  I’m sure my vegan friends would be especially happy that I have another lovely recipe that they can enjoy.  Thank you all for visiting and reading today.  Hope you would love the recipes as much as my family does.

Judging:
After December 4th, Marx Foods will post links to all entered recipes on the Marx Foods blog & two champions will be picked.  One will be selected via reader poll on their blog.  The other will be chosen by the participants of this Challenge and the MarxFoods.com staff.

The  Prize:
Each champion will receive $100 worth of baking ingredients from MarxFoods.com (their choice). 


Disclaimer: I received the sample package as shown on this post from Marx Foods for free to participate in the Fregola Dessert Challenge for a chance to win the contest prize.  I was not compensated in any other way to write this post.  All opinions are 100% my own and always will be.




Fregola Sarda Pudding (Vegan friendly)
Serves 4 Printable Recipe

2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
2-inch fresh ginger root, peeled and slightly smashed with the back of a knife
1 star anise
2 cloves
a generous pinch of saffron threads
1 vanilla bean
1 cup Fregola Sarda

In a medium pot, bring coconut milk and water to a boil.  Reduce to low heat, add sugar, ginger root, star anise, cloves and saffron into the pot to simmer. 

Split the vanilla bean in half, length-wise.  Scrape the seeds inside and add both the seeds and the vanilla pod into the coconut mixture.  Rinse the fregola sarda in cold water, then add them into the pot and continue to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on the size), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.   

After simmering for 15 to 20 minutes, remove from heat and cover the pot with a lid.  Let the fregola sarda pudding stand for another 10 minutes to fully absorbed the liquid.

When ready to serve, check the doneness of the fregola sarda.  Remove the vanilla pod, start anise and cloves.  You can return the pot to low heat and warm up the pudding right before serving.

Gingersnap Cookies (Vegan friendly)
Makes 36 to 40 cookies Printable Recipe

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground star anise*
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons soymilk (or coconut milk)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, seeded (or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat.  In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, star anise and cloves until well combined, set aside.

In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the canola oil, molasses, soymilk(or coconut milk), sugar, vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla extract), stir until blended.  Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient mixture.  Stir until well incorporated.

On a lightly floured surface and rolling pin, roll the dough into 3/8-inch thickness.  Floured a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter and stamp out cookies (use a small, round cookie cutter to stamp out the center to create the one hanging on the spoon as shown in the picture).  Place cut out cookie dough on prepared baking sheet, place each one at least 1/2-inch apart. 

Bake for 7-8 minutes, let cool on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle.  Transfer to a wiring rack to cool completely.  Enjoy with the Fregola Sarda pudding or store in an air tight container.

*Note: I used a mortar and pestle to grind my spices.  You can also use a spice grinder/coffee grinder to do the job.  But be sure to clean it well before and after grinding.  Or, simply dedicate one for spices.  Click here to get some tips from Marx Foods on grinding whole spices.




This recipe is shared with:

Sweets for Saturday
On the Menu Monday
Tuesday Talent Show
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Full Plate Thursday

How to Make Won Ton Noodle Soup (鮮蝦雲吞湯麵)—with Step by Step Pictorial

I’m so glad that the temperature is finally getting cooler.  Not only winter clothes can “hide” my body fat a little better, but I can also enjoy my favorite bowl of hot noodle soup without shedding a sweat.    My favorite bowl of noodle soup is the home made Won Ton Noodle Soup (鮮蝦雲吞湯麵).  It’s easier to make than you think.  Another good news is, you can make the Won Ton ahead of time in a large batch because they freeze really well.  You can pull out a few won tons straight from the freezer and get cooking without (and shouldn’t) defrosting them ahead of time.  Let’s get started shall we?  There are just a few main ingredients in this Won Ton Noodle Soup.



First, you’ll need some shrimps, I like to use 31-40 count (which means there are 31 to 40 shrimps in a pound), the texture of this size of shrimp is more bouncy than smaller size ones.  I usually cut them into smaller pieces so they are easier to wrap.  Up next is some ground pork for flavor and as a binding agent.  Also, there are some ready to eat bamboo shoots in chili oil that are already julienned.  Up next,won ton wraps; I’ve tried a few different brands and they are pretty much the same in flavor and quality.  Just make sure to get the thin one for Won Ton and not the thick kind for Chinese dumplings.   I love to serve the won ton noodle soup with Bak Choy, you can use your preferred vegetables.  Last but not least, the chopped green onions.  They are not only for garnish on top, but also add a nice mild oniony flavor to the soup.

Of course, you’ll need noodles for this noodle soup.  The egg noodles shown on the picture below is the authentic fresh egg noodles used in traditional Won Ton Noodle Soup.  They are available in most Asian supermarket in the refrigerator session. Make sure you get this skinny kind, not the wide and flat ones that looks like linguini.  Although the package shown four sessions of noodle, this whole package can easily serves six.  Well, of course, that depends on your appetite as well.



Up next are the marinade ingredients, there are sesame seed oil, Shao Hsing cooking wine, fish sauce, soy sauce, ground white pepper, 1 egg, some corn starch, sugar and kosher salt.  The marinating is simple, just mix everything together with the shrimps, ground pork and bamboo shoots and you’re ready to wrap them up.



Before you start, prepare a lightly floured sheet pan so the wrapped won tons has a place to land.  Also, you’ll need a small bowl of tap water so you can seal the wrappers.  Here goes the step by step instructions as shown in the picture below:

1) Pick up a piece of won won wrap, spoon a heaping teaspoonful of won ton filling onto the center of a piece of won ton wrap.  Make sure you get a little bit of everything, a few pieces of shrimps, some ground pork and bamboo shoots are in the mix.  Dip your finger into the prepared bowl of water and wet all the edges of the won ton wrap. 

2) Fold a corner of the wrap to the opposite side to form a triangle. 

3) Gently press the sides of the wrap to seal the edges. 

4) Pick up the bottom two corners of the filled won ton

5) Wet the tips and press them together. 

6) Place the wrapped won tons onto prepared sheet pan.  Continue to fill won ton wraps until all fillings are used up.



Easy right?  It’s really fun wrapping these little jewels up.  Almost as much fun as eating them, almost.  I can’t wait until my kids are old enough to help out in the wrapping process. Although they already can’t wait to get their hands on them now.



I love spicy food so I usually serve the Won Ton Noodle Soup with some chili oil or chili sauce. The picture below shows one of my favorite chili oil to use.  The English name on the bottle says “hot and spicy sauce”!  hahaha…so helpful, huh?  Anyway, you don’t really need the name as the logo is so distinctive!  Don’t judge, this is a really flavorful chili oil with a nice crunch.  The manufacturer must have toasted the chilies really well before they’re bottled. 



Notice how clear the soup/stock is?  That’s because I cook the won tons and noodles in a separate pot than the stock.  The water used to cook the noodles and won tons would be too starchy and sticky to consume.  So, I never cook the noodle in the stocks directly.  That is an important step to a wonderful bowl of won ton noodle soup.



Since these noodles are fresh egg noodles, they cook up really fast compared to dried noodles.  They are el dente in about 2 to 3 minutes cooking time.  Just like pasta, do not over cook the noodle.  However, the texture of these egg noodles are quite different than Italian pasta.  They are a lot more “bouncy” than pasta, which is a lovely compliment with the won tons.



Yes, I love chili oil in every bite.    Here’s how the won ton looks like when it’s cooked.  The won ton wrap becomes slightly translucent, silky and smooth, so thin that it’s almost invisible.



And below shows the inside of the won ton….the shrimp is naturally sweet, bouncy and flavorful.  There’s a slight crisp from the bamboo shoots.  With a hint of sesame oil and chili oil, every bit is heavenly.  It’s such a heart and stomach warming dish!  With the weather getting colder each day, I know I’ll be enjoying this Won Ton Noodle Soup a lot more often as well.  I hope you’ll try the recipe and let me know how it goes. 



I'm submitting this post to Holiday Recipe Exchange.  Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Pacific Natural Foods.




Won Ton Noodle Soup (鮮蝦雲吞湯麵) Printable Recipe
Makes 54 Won Ton

1 pound Shrimps (31-40 counts), shelled and deveined
1/4 pound ground pork
1 (14 oz) Won Ton Wraps
1/4 cup bamboo shoot, strips
Bak Choy
Green Onions, chopped
A few cups of seafood or chicken stocks
A dash of sesame oil
A pinch of ground white pepper
A package of fresh egg noodles

Marinade Ingredients
1 egg
1 teaspoon Shao Hsing Rice Cooking Wine
1 teaspoon fish sauce
2 teaspoon soy sauce
A pinch of ground white pepper
A dash of sesame seed oil
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (more or less adjust to taste)

To Make the Won Ton Fillings:
Cut shrimps into thirds or fourths depending on their size.  In a large mixing bowl, add shrimps, ground pork, bamboo shoots and all marinade ingredients together.  Stir until well combined and marinade is evenly distributed.

Slightly dust a large sheet pan with all purpose flour, set aside.  Fill a small bowl with tap water, set aside.  Spoon a heaping teaspoonful of won ton filling onto the center of a piece of won ton wrap.  Dip finger into prepared water and wet all the edges of the won ton wrap.  Fold a corner of the wrap to the opposite side to form a triangle.  Gently press the sides of the wrap to seal the edges.  Pick up the two corners of the filled won ton, wet the tips and press them together.  Place onto prepared sheet pan.  Continue to fill won ton wraps until all fillings are used up.

To Prepare the Won Ton Soup:

In a medium stock pot, bring water to a boil.  Cook the noodles according to the package.  Usually just 2 to 3 minutes.  Do not over cook the noodles as they are fresh noodles, which cooks up much faster than dried noodles.  Use a pair of chopsticks or tongs to move the noodles around when they’re cooking.  Remove noodles from heat and into serving bowls.  

Wait until water return to a boil before dropping the won tons in.  Add won tons and cook until the water re-boil again.  When the won tons flow onto the top, they’re ready.  (Keep in mind, if your won tons are frozen, it might take a few more minutes to cook up).  Remove from water and divide them into serving bowls. 
In a separate pot, heat your favorite seafood or chicken stock until boil.  Add bak choy and cook for a few minutes, remove to serving bowls.  Ladle stock into serving bowls, sprinkle with green onion, a splash of sesame oil, ground white pepper and serve.  It’s wonderful with a few drops of chili oil/chili sauce as well.


Note:
Serving suggestion: Usually 12 is perfect for one serving without noodle.  6 if serving with noodle and vegetables.

Storage suggestion: The filled won tons freeze really well.  Freeze wrapped won ton on a sheet tray until frozen (1 to 2 hours).  Then, transfer to a zip log bag for long term storage.



Recipe Shared with:

Friday Potluck
Home Maker Monday
Success U
Mingle Monday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
On the Menu Monday
Fresh Bites Friday
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Friday Food and Recipe Linky