Home-made Yummy Vegetarian Chinese New Year Lou Sang

Chinese New Year is around the corner, thinking what to cook for this reunion dinner?  Having Lou Sang is my family culture every year, I would love to share this recipe for all of you, it's from my MIL, once I tried it, I loved it!!! 

It's so colorful, healthy, yet a delicious dish to serve at Chinese New Year eve - Vegetarian Lou Sang (捞生）.

Lou Sang ingredients: (usually prepare 8 different kind, because 8 means prosperity in chinese)

1 medium pomelo, peeled and sacs separately

1 carrot, shredded

1 small beetroot, shredded

1 cucumber, shredded

1 white radish, shredded

half of small cabbage, shredded

2 cups roasted peanuts, then blend it into small pieces   

1 cup corn flakes 

Sauce ingredients:

5 Tablespoons plum sauce

2 Tablespoons water

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

A pinch of salt

Serves 8

Arrange all the ingredients into sections on a large serving plate, and sprinkle corn flake on the top before serve, to make sure it is crispy.  

Sprinkle toasted peanut over the dish.

Lastly, added the sauce.

All the Family members gather around, use chopsticks and toss as high as possible, and say "Prosperity!", "Happy Chinese New Year!", or any wishes for you and your families. Then enjoy it! 

Cuttlefish Crystal Rolls

I was gone from my blog for a while because our lovely home added a new family member - baby boy!!!  Did not really cook for months, confinement lady and MIL cooked for me and I just busy to take care of my baby.  "Honeymoon" is over, I need to go back to the same routine, preparing good food for my family but added taking care of baby.  Busy schedule!  

I will try my best to post my new recipes. 

I opened my kitchen closet, saw some left over Vietnam rice paper sheets from the last time I used (They really can store for a long if you keep them away from humid environment).  

This time, I wanted to do something different from the last time.  An idea came to my mind, I am going to change the filling in the wrap and the sauce for it. 

Ingredients:

a. Vietnam rice paper sheets

b. 1 pack of King Oyster mushroom, fried them on a non stick frying pan with some olive oil and a   

    pinch of salt  

c. 1 Japanese cucumber, cut into thin strips

d. 1 ripped avocado, sliced into 10 pieces

e. 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

f. 1 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds

*  Want to know the way to wrap them, please go to my crystal rolls site

Sauce:

1 dried chili (soak in the water for 20 minutes)

1/2 cup water

1 Tablespoon honey

(Blend well all the ingredients)

sprinkle some sesame seeds on the top

Guacamole Spread and Dip

I fell in love with Guacamole since I studied in USA, my favorite breakfast was home-made whole grain toast with guacamole spread and grapeseed oil veganaise sandwiches.  I am missing it!!!  

Even though I can get the grapeseed oil veganaise at here anymore, but I still able to make Guacamole, because it is a simple recipe and the ingredients are not hard to find.

Ingredients: 

a. 1 ripe avocado, mash with a fork and stir till creamy

b. 1 small onion, finely chopped

c. 1 small tomato, diced

d. 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice

e. a pinch of sea salt

f.  1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together and spread on toasts or serve with your favorite corn chips. 

Note:  

Guacamole does not keep well, it oxidizes in the air.  Make it at the last moment before serving.  

Red Dragon Fruit Konnyaku Jelly

Last time I made Konnyaku Jelly and my families really enjoy it.  I made more today because I got a red dragon fruit from my mother's farm.  I always want to give this a try, because I know that this fruit's natural color will make the jellies look appetite and nice.  

What I did was put some finely diced dragon fruit in each mold.  Poured the boiled Konnyaku jelly into the mold and used a chopstick to stir it until the color mix well.  I was so happy because it appeared just like what I expected.   The little tiny black seeds even made the jellies look fresh and cute.   

Put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

Booster Pineapple Juice

It is good to have a glass of cold booster pineapple juice in the summer, start to make one for your own.

Ingredients:
a. 2 pieces of ripe pineapple
b. 1 tablespoon honey
c. 1 cup ice cubes
d. 1 strawberry (chopped)

Blend the pineapple and honey in the blender, then add ice cubes blend for 1 minutes.  Yummy!

Bubur Cha Cha with Cendol

I cooked Nonya dessert - Bubur Cha Cha today, but in different version, because I added my favorite, cendol green noodles.  It tastes very good.  

Ingredients:

a. 1 medium sized yam

b. 1 sweet potato (can be yellow, orange, or purple)

c. 50 gram black-eyed peas

d. 1 liter boiling water

e. 200 ml thick coconut milk

f. 80 gram sugar 

g. 1 coconut sugar or gula Melaka  (optional, it gives the good smell and taste)

h. 1 pack cendol green noodles (can find them at the Asian store or Indian shop)

Directions:

1. Peeled the yam and sweet potato, cut them into small cubes, steam about 20-30 minutes.  Use a chopstick to prick through to test if they are cook.

2. Rinse the black-eyed beans.  Cook them in the boiling water about 20 minutes or until soft.  Drain it and prepare to use later.

3. Cook coconut sugar or gula Melaka in separate pot with some water till it dissolved completely.  Drain it with strainer to filter out solid matter.

4. Prepare a big pot with 1 liter of water and sugar, bring it to boil.  Pour in coconut milk, then add in yam, sweet potato, black-eyed peas and coconut sugar.  

5. Taste and add more sugar if needed.  

6. Can served in hot, warm or cold.  Add in cendol green noodles before serve.   

Vegan German Carob Cake

Thank you Debbie for sharing her recipe with me, I have tried to make it for my friend's 26th birthday. They were all like it so so much.

Ingredients for the cake:

a. 3 cups whole wheat flour

b. 1/2 cup honey (I put about 2 tablespoons more in, it depends on you if you want it sweeter)

c. 3 tablespoons vanilla (i use the fake stuff, with no alcohol)

d. 1 teaspoon salt.    

e. 2 tablespoons fake coffee (Roma)  
(If you do not have any, don't worry. i have made it before with out it and it came out alright)          

f. 1/2 cup maple syrup

g. 2+1/4 cups water

h. 1/4 cup carob powder

i. 1/2 cup apple sauce or oil  

(I have always used my own home-cooked applesauce. If you make your own applesauce, save the water that you cooked the apples in and use that water in the cake. that's what i do.)

j. 2 tablespoons baking powder

k. 1 tablespoon baking soda. 

(The recipe does not call for baking soda, that is something that i put in myself. i think it makes it raise more.  It is up to you if you want to use it. i always do.  

Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a sprayed cake pan, bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes.  Cool for 15 to 20 minutes then top with nut frosting topping.

Ingredients for Nut Frosting:

a. 1 cup maple syrup

b. 1 cup coconut

c. 1/2 teaspoon salt   

d. 1/2 cup water

e. 1 cup pecans & walnuts

f. 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Toast coconut and chopped nuts in a 350 F oven for about 10 minutes, watch carefully so it does not burn,  bring water and maple syrup and salt to a boil.   Add cornstarch mix and stir until mixture dissolves and gets a little thick.  Remove from heat and add the toasted nuts and coconut, stir all together.  Frost cake while frosting is still warm.  

Happy Mother's Day

I have prepared a simple card and carnation flower for my mother in this special day, her cares and loves toward me are countless.   When she received these from my hands, a big smile showed on her face.  I know she really happy and she knows I love her.
  

Classic Scrumptious Thai Sticky Rice With Mango

Last time, I had done a treat with my favorite fruit for my hubby.  Right now mangos are in season, what else I can do or make with mangos, mhm... of course I would not miss out the classic Thai sticky rice with mango.  I am going to cook the sticky rice with the pressure cooker which is very quick and doesn't need to soak for hours or overnight.

Ingredients for sticky rice:

a. 500 gram Thai sticky rice

b. 500 gram water (for the use of cooking the rice)

c. 150 ml coconut milk

d. 3 tablespoons sugar or turbinado sugar

e. 1 peeled ripe mango, cut it into thick slices or cubes

f. 1/4 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for the sauce:

a. 1/4 cup coconut milk

b. 1/4 cup of water

c. 2 teaspoon of cornstarch

d. 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions: (cook in the pressure cooker)

1. Simply rinse Thai sticky rice in a bowl.

2. Put the rice into the pressure cooker and add the water. 

3. Press the button HIGH, cook for about 5 minutes.

4. While the rice is cooking, prepare the sauce.

5. Put all the sauce's ingredients in a small pot stir until dissolved.

6. Then warm it over low medium heat, stir constantly until the sauce become thick, if necessary can add some more cornstarch water.  

7. Remove the sauce from the heat. 

8. After the rice is done, open the pressure cooker lid carefully and away for  the steam.  

9. Use a long wooden spoon mix gently with 150 ml coconut milk and 3 tablespoons sugar until the sugar dissolve into hot rice.

10. Cover the rice with lid for 5-10 minutes, the coconut milk will absorbed by the hot sticky rice.

11. Place the rice on a serving dish, arrange some mangos on the top or side, then pour the sauce over the rice and mangos.

12. Makes 5 servings.

I simply like it so much!!!  It can be serve when the rice is in warm  temperature or in room temperature.  The ideal one is it has to be eaten as soon as you serve on dish before the rice tend to get drier.  I am not recommend to keep it in the refrigerator and serve for the next day.  So what can you do when you make more than enough for yourself and your family?  "It is more blessed to give than to receive", your neighbors and your friends are going to be blessed by this wonderful recipe as well!  

Spring Flowers

I had been staying in the States for a while and the four seasons really excited me, warm summer, cooling autumn, white winter, and colorful spring.  I liked to take pictures of spring flowers yet was not too care about the pollen allergic. ^.*  

I am going to share some of my flowers collection photos and a spring story here.  

I remembered one spring time, I received an email from a girl who complained about her life just miserable, hopeless, families and friends couldn't understand her.  She was telling me how she was not as good as her twin brother that let her did not have confidence.  The email caught my attention for I had desire to help this girl to see the bright side of her life.  I had been thinking about her case and did not want to take too long to reply her email.  I walked on the street along with spring flowers at two sides of it, and there were happy tulips blooming at that time for that new season.  From the nature, I always learn lessons and an idea came to my mind to reply her.  I run back to my room and started to type her an email.

Dear **,

I was glad that you wrote me the email as I really concern about you.  When I took a walk today, I saw beautiful tulips bloom right after daffodils, every flowers have their timing to grow and bloom.  Even at the dark days of winter, no one would realize there are lives under the thick white show.  But when spring arrives, the sequences of blooms is similar in the most places.  You are still young and have so much space to learn and grow.  Your spring will come one day, just need to be patient.  I believe you will be a very nice, colorful, and charming flower.  One more thing before I end, tulips are different compare with daffodils, if you would ask me which one is more beautiful, I would say they are all beautiful in different ways.  Everyone has their own talents and strong points, do not compare with the others but we can learn of each other.

I love you and God loves you.  

Two days later, she replied me, " Thank you so much, I understand what you said.  I will be okay."  I very thankful for she is a happy girl again after the winter.  

How many winters we will have in our lives is not important, the most important is we always have hope for tomorrow.  

How many flowers of my photos do you know the names?  And how many have you seen them before?  They are all colorful and beautiful, aren't they?