Onward on another new and exciting food filling for our Five Flavors Mini Crystal Zongzi! This Winter Melon Pastry Filling 冬瓜餡 is a filling that surprised us quite a bit. I had never realized that the Winter Melon Candy could be used to make a filling! Even though candied, the winter melon candy still retains the sponginess of the original melon, thus, when transformed into this filling, it soaks up all the flavors it is cooked with, especially the floral hints from the osmanthus flower syrup. Sweet and delicate, this unique filling is quite delectable!
Winter Melon Candy 冬瓜糖 is the base of this filling. It is basically just strips of winter melon cooked in a sugar syrup until throughly soaked and then dried into fruit candies. Note that these candies, when fresh, are usually more of a light green hue. They last a good long time, however, and, as I've had these for a while, they were more of a light yellow green hue. The change in color doesn't affect the taste at all and you'll find that, when cooked, the winter melon candy turns a bit yellow anyways.
This candy can be found in HK at Chinese dried good stores, sometimes at Chinese pharmacies, and also at the wet markets. You may need to look around for it a bit, but persevere and you'll hit the jackpot.
To soften the winter melon candies, they are first parboiled for a minute or so. And then into the hand blender the softened candies go. Just go ahead and blitz these babies.
The blitzed winter melon candy. See the lovely texture of the final puree? Perfect for a smooth filling that still has a nice texture to it.
Next step is to add the pureed melon candy, water, honey and glutinous rice flour into a small pot and heat while stirring constantly until the flour is incorporated. The glutinous rice flour will help the filling to come together.
The winter melon puree is cooked down to the point that it comes together. After a while you can see that the winter melon has formed a solid sticky mass in the center of the pan. Rather like a jam, eh?
Two last additions will really jazz this winter melon filling up. The first is white sesame seeds. But you really gotta roast the seeds to bring out their best nuttiness. The second is osmanthus syrup 桂花漿, a most aromatic syrup made with osmanthus flowers.
Mix in these two flavour power players and your winter melon pastry filling's flavor profile is raised through the roof! This Winter Melon Pastry Filling 冬瓜餡 is a new flavor for us and a surprise hit, with a clear sweet juiciness infused with the delicate aroma of fragrant osmanthus flower, so delectable and yummilicious that I'm longing for a taste of it as I write. Try it out, dear readers, and see if you don't fall in love with this newbie!
Winter Melon Pastry Filling
(adapted from 正統中式點心全書: 師承香港傳奇料理大師 by 吉岡勝美)
(makes 8.5oz/240g) Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 1 mins
Ingredients:
- 9 oz winter melon candy 冬瓜糖, 250g
- 3 1/3 tbsp water, 50g
- 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp osmanthus flower syrup 桂花漿
- 1 1/3 tbsp glutinous rice flour 糯米粉
- 1 1/2 tbsp fruit liqueur of your choice
- 3 tbsp roasted white sesame seeds
Directions:
Prepare the winter melon candy: Heat up a large pot of water. When the water is boiling, add the winter melon candy and let cook for 1 min. Remove from the heat and strain water away. Add the blender or processor and pulse until the winter melon candy is a paste.
Cook the paste: Add paste, water, honey, osmanthus sauce and glutinous rice flour into a small pot and cook over medium heat while stirring constantly. Cook until the mixture looks and feels like jam. Add the fruit liqueur and cook until the winter melon paste comes together in a nice sticky clump. Let the paste cool while you roast the sesame seeds.
Roast sesame seeds: Heat the sesame seeds in a non stick pan over low heat, stirring and flipping until the seeds are slightly browned. Remove from heat and let cool.
Add the seeds: When both the winter melon paste and the sesame seeds are at room temperature, add the seeds to the paste and incorporate in evenly.
Fabulous Fillings at The Hong Kong Cookery:
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