Simply Addictive

Since semester started, I have been so super uber busy, I can't even find much time to post something proper here. *sigh*

And because everybody is really busy as well, (I assume - from all the late night facebook updates and complaints on homeworks and lab reports XD) let me at least share something that I personally LOVE, something so simple and easy to make, something REALLY addictive (beware).

I don't know the original name for it, (does it even have a name?) but let us just call it The Majestic Wonderfully Addictive Spring Roll Snacks! :D Everybody loves something deep fried. Everybody loves something sweet. And most of all everybody goes for anything addictive (despite how unhealthy it is). :D

I think I first learnt about this snack from my mum (or somewhere in the family) when we made it once upon a time for Chinese New Year. When I first made and served it during Chinese New Year that year, I was surprised by how quickly it finished. Everybody loved it and asked me how I made it. The best thing is how simple it really is to make it.

Ingredients:

1.) Spring Roll skin (depending on how much you want to make, but two of this would be enough to start off)

2.) Icing sugar (also depending on how sweet you want it to be)

3.) Oil for deep frying

Method:

1.) Defrost the packet of spring roll skin if it is frozen.

2.) Take a piece of spring roll skin and cut it into half.

3.) Roll it up (as illustrated). If it doesn't stay rolled up, mix some corn starch with water, and apply it at the end of the roll. (acts like glue)

4.) Cut up the roll according to the size you want.

5.) Once you've finished rolling and cutting, heat up oil for deep frying, and fry the spring roll skins until they turn light brown. (it shouldn't take a long time)

6.) Take them up, and sprinkle icing sugar evenly (to taste).

And that's it!

I made this for Raya celebration this year (took me only an hour - and I was in a rush), and everybody loved it! They're even more surprised at how simple it is to make. :) Making this little snack can also be very fun. If you're bored of rolling the skins, try making other shapes! During Chinese New Year this year, my friends got bored and curious, and decided to make origami using the skins. This is how one turned out.

Cute eh? :D

Oh and you can roll it up with seaweed too if you like, as you can see in the picture, if you look carefully. :D

Go ahead and try it! It's addictive I swear! :D

Old Cucumber Soup!

After so long, I finally persuaded my mum to cook/boil some soup for me. Yeah, we cater so my mum seldom cooks. And the craving for soup comes once in a while. A nice steaming hot soup is excellent for cold weathers! Cream soups are not that suitable for me because well, they're creamy and don't possess that subtle, herby flavour. Not much omph, to shorten words. A chinese will always be chinese. Nothing beats chinese style boiled soup. =D

Old Cucumber is my favourite so I'm sharing this recipe with you guys. =D
Ingredients:
400g of pork bones. *not the full bones of course. have some meat on em'!*
A handful or more of red dates
A handful or more of wolfberries. (kei chi)
A handful of dried longans (this is optional, but it makes the soup sweeter)
A cube of chicken stock
1 old cucumber

Method:
1. Boil the pork till they are half cooked. Leave to cool for later use.

2. Wash the old cucumber then scrape the brown skin of with a knife. Don't peel the skin. Just scrape it off and you'll see a layer of green inside.

3. Cut the old cucumber in half and then into three sections. Or you can cut it in any lengths as you wish. Its really up to you. Remember to remove the seeds! unlike ordinary cucumber, its not necessary to cut off the edge of the cucumber and rub off the sap. My mum laughed at me when I did that. = =

4. Boil a pot of water and put in the half cooked pork bones. let it boil for a few more minutes then add the wolfberries, red dates, and longans. 

5. Cover the pot and let it boil for about ten to fifteen more minutes. 

6. Add the chicken stock cube and cucumber. Stir with a ladle before covering and reducing to a simmer for about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can use salt and sugar to season the soup. We don't use salt and sugar because we're not that sure of the ratio. Chicken stock works best for us.

7. Place the pot of soup into a warmer and leave it there till its time to serve. You guys probably don't have a warmer so you can let the soup simmer for about 2-3 hours. Is works either way.

tadaaa! a steaming hot bowl of old cucumber soup! excellent for cold days. =)