Roasted Pecan

I tried this from MaoMao Mom's receipt.

Ingredients:

Pecan Halves - 1 lb
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Five spices powder - 2/3 tsp

Steps:

1. Put pecan in a stainless steel mixing bowl, pour in boiling water. Let the pecan soak for 15 seconds and then drain the water.
2. sprinkle salt and five spices powder on pecans and mix well.
3. Preheat over to 330°F.
4. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spread the pecans.

5. Bake for 20 minutes. Stir the pecans, and bake for another 4 minutes. Turn off the oven and take the tray out after 2 minutes.
6. Let the pecans cool for 1-2 hours, then store in sealed container.

Steamed Rice Cake with Brown Sugar - Nian Gao (红糖年糕)

Steamed rice cake is popular during Chinese new year. It is considered good luck to eat "nian gao" during Chinese new year, because "nian gao" is a homonym for "higher year."

Ingredients:

Glutinous rice flour - 1 bag (1 lb)
Brown sugar - 360 g (1 and 3/4 cup)
Water - 1 and 1/2 cup

Steps:

1. Boil water and brown sugar in a pot until the sugar is fully dissolved. Let the sugar solution cool.
2. Add sugar water in rice flour, and mix well. If the batter is too sticky, add some water.

3. Pour the batter in a greased 8" cake pan and  steam for 2 hours.

4. After cake is cool, refrigerate overnight.

 

You can slice the cake, and pan fry it over medium heat  until the slices are crusted on both sides. Serve them warm.