Purple Yam Wagashi

Using purple yam filling left from Purple Yam Zongzi, white bean paste I brought back from Japan, to test out my new Wagashi mold from Japan.

Purple Yam ZongZi(水晶粽子)

Zongzi is a traditional Chinese food made to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. It is made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. The filling varies from region to region, and the way to wrap it also varies. This is a spin off  desert version which tapioca is used instead of glutinous rice so that the end result is a semi-translucent, chewy desert.

Ingredients:

Tapioca
Reed leaves
purple yam 4-5 medium
Sugar
Optional: Black sesame (Roasted and grounded)

Steps:

1. Peel and steam purple yam. Then blend the purple yam and sugar to your taste. Optional, you can add some roasted black sesame powder.

2. Soak leaves in water overnight. Drain all water and rinse off leaves. Cut the end stem off.
3. Immerse leaves in boiling water and boil for 3 minutes. Then drain off water. The leaves are now ready to use.
4. Rinse Tapioca (no soaking). Mix in some sugar.

5. There are few different ways to wrap Zongzi. Just search "Zongzi" on YouTube. I basically followed YouTube to make those.

6. Steam Zongzi for 1 hour. Unwrap and serve.

You can store Zongzi in refridgerator. Just steam it again for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Nama Chocolate (ROYCE' Copycat Recipe)

This is adapted from Just One Cookbook. A copycat to the Japanese Royce Nama Chocolate.

Ingredients

Good quality dark chocolate (70% cacao) - 14 oz (400 g)
Heavy whipping cream (38% fat) - 3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp (200 ml)
Cocoa powder (to dust the chocolate)
Optional: liqueur of your choice - 1 TBSP

Steps

1. Chop the chocolate into smaller pieces using a knife so that they will melt faster and more evenly.
2. Line an 8" x 8" baking dish (I used a 21cm x 21cm pan) with parchment paper. Choosing the right size tray is important for the
height of chocolate (If you use a bigger tray, the chocolate will be flatter).

3. Add the heavy cream into a small saucepan and bring it to ALMOST boil over medium heat. Keep an eye on the cream; when you see small bubbles around the saucepan, remove from the heat.
4. Add the chocolate and stir till the chocolate and cream are completely combined. If you like, add liqueur of your choice.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.

6. Remove the chocolate from the baking dish and cut it into cubes using a warm knife. Make sure to warm the knife after each cutting to prevent splintering. Run the knife under hot running water and dry completely before each cut.

8. Sprinkle the cocoa powder and serve it chilled. You can keep in the refrigerator for 2-3
days.

Recipe Notes

IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ BEFORE MAKING!

• Make sure the bowls and utensils you are using are perfectly dry. Even a small amount of water/steam can "seize" the chocolate melting process.
• The ratio of heavy whipping cream (ml) and chocolate (gram) should be 1:2. Please do not replace chocolate with white chocolate for this recipe. The ratio is not the same.

Matcha and White Chocolate Cookie (绿茶饼干)

Recipe is adapted from A Food Lover's Journey.

Ingredients

All purpose flour - 4 cups
Matcha green tea powder - 5 TBSP
Unsalted butter - 1.5 cups (softened under room temperature)
Powder sugar - 2 cups

Salt - pinch

Large egg yolks - 4
White chocolate chips -1/2 cup

To make about 4 dozen cookies.

Steps

1. Combine flour and green tea powder in a large bowl and sift it.

2. In a stand mixer, beat butter until smooth and creamy.
3. Add a pinch of salt and blend.
4. Add powder sugar and blend until soft and light. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
5. Add egg yolks and mix well until combined.

6. Gradually add the flour and matcha green tea powder mix and blend until the dough is smooth.
7. Add white chocolate chips and blend well.

8. divide and shape the dough into rolls or fit into cookie dough mold.

9. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours (or overnight).

10. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking liner.
11. Remove the dough from the plastic wrap, and with a sharp knife, slice the dough into ⅓ inches. Place them on the baking sheet, leaving about 1” between cookies.

12. Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, or until the edge of the cookies starts to get slightly golden brown.
13. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; then carefully transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

If you pack the cookies in an airtight container, they will keep for at least 4 days. You can also freeze the unbaked logs of dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 months. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before cutting and baking. Do not let the dough fully defrost.

Sakura-mochi (Cherry Blossom Mochi Cake)

On my last Japan trip, I went to Hanami, Japanese phrase for Sakura viewing. Wrapped in cherry leaf, Sakura-mochi is a typical spring wagashi that celebrates the season.

Ingredients (for 6 pieces)

Domyoji rice powder - 65 g
water A -100 g
Sugar - 30 g
Water B - 20 g
Red food coloring - some
Azuki beans paste 120 g
pickled cherry leaves 6 pieces
pickled cherry blossom 6 pieces

Sugar syrup for hands
sugar -10 g
hot water -10 g

Steps

1. Pour water A in a bowl, and sprinkle Domyoji rice powder in. Keep and soak about 30 min.

2. Put sugar and water B in a microwave-safe bowl, mix and heat in a microwave until sugar is fully dissolved.
3.Add food color to sugar water to make it pink.
4. Add soaked rice powder to sugar water bowl; mix until the whole mixture becomes evenly pink.

5. Heat the bowl in microwave on high heat for about 1.5 minute
6. Mix with spatula to turn upside down. Reheat 50 sec.
7. If mixture is not ready, mix and reheat 40 sec.
8. If mixture is not ready, mix and reheat 30 sec.
9. Mix and spread in the bowl. Cover with wrap film to fit the dough. Keep about 30 min.

10. Prepare the cherry leaves by washing them in water, and then wipe with paper towel. Remove the some stalk if needed.

11. Prepare the cherry blossom by socking them in water about 1-2 min, and then lay on paper towel to remove excessive water.

12. Take moisture off the bean paste if necessary using paper towel. Then divide and roll into 6 balls.

13. Making sugar syrup for hands by dissolving sugar in hot water.
14. When the dough is ready, divide it into 6 parts. Dip hands in syrup before handling the dough. Wrap each bean paste ball with mochi dough, then wrap with cherry leave, and finally decorate with cherry blossom on top.

The pastry is best consumes together, the salty taste from the cherry leaf and blossom blends perfect with the sweet bean paste. You can also wrap it like this.

If you make too many, which could never been the case in my house, you can put them in freezer. Take it out 3 hours before serving for the pastry to return to room temperature.

Cold Pea Jelly (豌豆凉粉)

Pea jelly is a delicious Chinese appetizer. The Jelly is best to be served cold. You can put on any sauce/topping you want, spicy or non-spicy, even condensed milk to make it into a desert.

I normally just pour on some vinegar and off the shelf hot sauce. Easy and delicious.

Ingredients:

- Pea starch(豌豆淀粉) 100g
- Water 1000g

Steps:

1. In a sauce pot, dissolve pea starch fully in cold water.

2. Cook with medium heat until the solution becomes half translucent; keep stirring to prevent clots.

3. Pour in a glass bowl, and wait for it to cool down. Then you can cut or shred it to serve with your favorite sauce/toppings.

It should be consumed within 24 hours.