Lookchoop (Thai Mung Bean Marzipan) 泰国王室小甜点



After last visit to Bangkok, I have been wanting to make this Thai dessert- Look Choop..Finally I spent about 4hrs to make it happened ! According to here, Look Choop was a Thai dessert that originated in the royal palaces of ancient Siam. Each of Look Choop shaped into mini size of fruits or vegetables and painted colourfully, as it was important that foods look attractive and draw the attention from royal members. I had this Thai dessert when I was a kid, can't remember who went to Hat Yai and brought back this for us.

 

This was the original Lookchoop I saw in Bangkok

 

My version ...

 

 

First prepared the mung bean filling..

 

 

Then shape it ..

 

Colour it ..

 

 

 

Last coat with agar-agar mixture for two times..

 

The first day, I made six difference shapes.

1. Corn on the cob

 

2. Cermai (Phyllanthus ) , a type of local fruit that usually peoples use to make pickled..

 

3. mangosteen 

 

4. carrot

 

5. mango

 

6. should be strawberry, but it turned out look more like cherry, LOL..

 

The next day, continued with another four patterns.

7. watermelon



 

8. orange

 

9. papaya

 

10. pomegranate

 

How it taste like? The filling is similar like Ang Ku Kueh's filling that using mung beans with a hint of coconut smell. The outer skin is coating with agar-agar, but it tasted crunchy, very good indeed. Homemade Lookchoop is less sweet since we can control the level of sweetness..and this recipe I made it tasted exactly same like those sold at Bangkok..

 

Desmond brought some to school for the Children's day celebration, it seem like even teacher never seen this type of Thai dessert before..

Making this dessert is quite additive ^_^, next time I want to try with natural food colouring, the artificial colouring used was quite scary ..
And my son Lucas suggested me to make it taste like real thing, corn must taste like corn, I fainted ,LOL..
For your information, the agar-agar mixture in this recipe can yield more than 85pcs, so I would suggest you to increase the mung beans amount. Also suggest to split cooking agar-agar mixture into two batches since it requires to dip Lookchoop in agar-agar mixture for two times.

Lookchoop (Thai Mung Bean Marzipan)

(recipe source: reference made to here, by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)
*makes appx 85pcs with each of the weight ranging from 6g – 8g

Filling ingredients

250g split yellow mung beans/green beans (clean and wash, soak for 2-4hrs, steam for 30mins)
1 cup fresh coconut milk
½ cup caster sugar

Outer skin ingredients

3 cups water
4tbsp sugar
2tbsp agar-agar powder
 

Food colouring-red, orange, lemon yellow, green, purple or etc

Tools- toothpick, styrofoam, Chinese Calligraphy brush, drinking water to mix with food colouring, few small containers to put the colouring, fresh lemon leaves (optional)

Method

1. Mix steamed mung beans with coconut milk and sugar in a food processor, process till fine paste.
2. Transfer mung bean paste into a small pot, stir with a wooden spatula over low heat till became thick paste or until it don’t stick to your dry hands, make sure you stir the mixture all the time.
3. Remove the ready mung bean paste and put into a container, lay a piece of cling film on top of the paste as to prevent it turned dry while cool down in the room temperature. Once cooled down, refrigerated for 1hr.
4. Now, is the fun part, and use your imagination to shape as real as possible. First take small portions of the mung bean mixture, roll and mould the mixture into the shape of your choice (most of the shaping job is using a toothpick (to create and draw the lines) and hands ). Put a toothpick to one end and another end poke into a piece of styrofoam. Leave it to dry and continue to mould the rest.
5. Adjust the tone of food colouring by adding a bit water, one small container for one type of colour. Gently hold the toothpick from below and use the Chinese calligraphy brush to paint the Lookchoop candy. Put them back on styroform.
6. Add agar-agar powder and sugar with water in a small saucepan, cook over medium heat till agar-agar melted. Once it boiled, change to very low. Scoop some agar-agar mixture into a small bowl (to prevent colour mix with the mixture) then dip the fruit shape into it and leave it dry on the styrofoam. Dip the rest of Lookchoop till finished.
7. Then, dip the Lookchoop for 2^nd time and leave it dry on styrofoam again. Once they have dried, decorate with leaves to make it look real (optional) and also remove the toothpick.
8. Store in the refrigerator before consume.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest ( Thailand ) - November Month hosted by Lena of frozen wings

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all Hindu readers and bloggers a Happy Diwali and Happy Holidays !!

Chinese Spareribs with shallots 紅葱烤排

When I flipping through a new cookbook that I bought recently, the chopped shallots sprinkle on top a braised spareribs photo was attracted me. I have no regret to try out this recipe, it was very flavourful with melted shallots (braised with a lot of shallots) mix with the soy sauce mixture, juicy , tender, and we especially love the chopped shallots on top, it gave extra spiciness and aroma to the ribs, yum yum !

 

With few ingredients but resulted great taste, this recipe definitely a keeper !

My son Lucas even stuffed the cooked meat with sandwich, and he said it was heavenly delicious ^_^

Chinese Spareribs with shallots 紅葱烤排

(recipe source: reference made to cookbook titled 60 Chinese home cooked dishes, by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)

900g prime pork spareribs

1/3cup light soy sauce
1tbsp Chinese cooking rice wine

2pcs star anise

10-15 shallots (depend on the size), removed skin and lightly crushed
3 slices ginger
2 cup water
3tbsp cooking oil
1/2tsp salt or to taste
1tsp dark soy sauce or dark caramel soy sauce
1/2tbsp rock sugar or to taste

Some chopped shallots for garnishing

Method

1. Wash and clean pork spareribs, pat dry with kitchen towels. Marinate with light soy sauce and cooking wine for several hours in the fridge.
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot, add in shallots and sauté till brown and aroma. Add in pork spareribs, lightly fry till both sides turned golden brown.
3. Add water, light soy sauce (from marinated sauce), dark soy sauce, ginger and star anise into the pot, boil over high heat. Once boiled, reduce to low heat, continue to braise for about 1hr ( check from time to time and stir the ribs ).
4. Once the meat is fork tendered, add in the rock sugar and adjust the taste by adding salt or more rock sugar.
5. Turn on to high heat to thicken the sauce if any, otherwise dish out and garnish with chopped shallots, serve with rice, sandwich or noodles.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, hosted by Mich of Piece of Cake at this post.

Japanese Taco rice (タコライス, takoraisu)

My son requested me to make Taco, while I searching for a recipe, and I found this special Japanese Taco rice (according to Wikipedia, Taco rice is a popular meal in Okinawa Japan, read more here).
And my son was enjoyed this rice very much, and temporary he has forgotten the real Taco ^_^

Just coincidence I found this mixed shredded cheeses with Taco seasonings, perfectly matched with this rice

Own mix Taco seasonings

 

Top with hot salsa and shredded lettuce

Try to assemble the Taco rice while rice and beef are hot..

Japanese Taco rice (タコライス, takoraisu)

(recipe source: adapted from Adam’staco rice, with changes)

Japanese cooked rice (2 cups rice)

Ingredients

300g minced beef
2tbsp olive oil
1tbsp light soy sauce
1/2tps sugar
1tbsp Tonkatsu sauce

Taco seasonings

1tsp garlic salt
1/4tsp cayenne pepper
1/2tsp ground cumin
1/4tsp dried oregano
1tsp hot paprika
1/4tsp black pepper

Hot salsa

100g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 shallots, sliced
2tsp apple vinegar

2 cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce

Mexican style of natural finely shredded cheddar and Asadero cheeses with taco seasoings (Kraft brand)

Method

1. To make the taco seasoning, combine all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan. Cook the minced beef, stirring, until well browned. Add the soy sauce, sugar, Tonkatsu sauce and taco seasoning and stir until well coated and cooked. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, to make the hot salsa, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss to coat. Stand for 10 minutes before serving.
4. Assemble the taco rice by placing the hot rice on a plate, topping with the meat sauce and shredded cheese. Cover with finely shredded lettuce and a generous amount of the hot salsa. Serve.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest #1 Oct 2013 : Japan , hosted by Alan from travelling-foodies

No Knead Artisan Bread 免捏乡村面包

When I saw this title with No Knead bread, I feel excited to try it out.

For me, it taste very close like focaccia..

 

Can't really shape the dough as the dough is quite sticky..simply just make into ball shape..

 

Pad Thai (Thai style fried rice noodles)



Finally I took out a packet of dried rice noodles that have been sitting for too long in the pantry. It was brought back from last Bangkok trip. Since it still looks good (can't see the expiry date), so no think twice, I quickly cook this popular Thai style fried rice noodles- Pad Thai.

 

I learned how to cook Pad Thai from this lady at the Floating market..

 

This was the best Pad Thai I have ever eaten. After tried few times in other restaurants in Bangkok and local Thai restaurant, i still couldn't find one to beat with her yummy Pad Thai.

Actually it requires quite a lot of ingredients to cook this noodles

 

 

Recently i gotten a good cast iron wok to work for all stir fry and deep fry foods. It is so easy to use and after 1 month of using it, it turned to non-stick, perfectly for stir fry noodles, like "Tai Chow"..Next time i share with you how to "season" a cast iron wok and how to maintain this wok.

 

How to enjoy this noodle? simply mix it up together, and squeeze some lime juices on it, then enjoy !

Pad Thai (Thai style fried rice noodles)

(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)

165g Thai dried rice noodles

100g bean sprouts
30g chives, cut 1" length
70g prawns
1 egg
15g carrot, shredded
1/2pc firm tofu, deep fried and sliced
3 shallots, chopped
50g preserved radish (Choy Poh), chopped

Sauce ingredients

1tbsp white sugar or brown sugar
1/2tsp salt
15g tamarind paste, dissolved in 1/4cup water
1/2tsp dark soy sauce
1 1/2tsp fish sauce

20g roasted peanuts

Limes wedges
1tbsp chili flakes

Method

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl, stir well to mix.
2. Add in dried rice noodles into boiling water and turn heat to medium low (take about 3mins to soften).
3. At the same time, heat oil in a wok, sauté chopped shallots till aroma.
4. Add in prawns, stir fry till colour changed. Then add in chopped preserved radish and carrot, stir to mix well.
5. Push the prawn mixture to a side, add little oil, then add in egg, scramble the egg.
6. Drain the rice noodles and add into the wok, mix well with other ingredients, pour in the sauce, fry and toss the noodles to well mix. Taste-test for seasoning, adding more fish sauce until desired flavor is reached.
7. Add in bean sprouts, chives and fried tofu, continue to frying or until noodles are cooked.
8. Dish out, and top with roasted peanuts, lime wedges and chili flakes.