February 11, 2011

Water Chestnuts Jelly/Ma Ti Gao


Water chestnuts is a brown knobby vegetable that resembles a small bulb. Don't be mistaken by its name--as it is not a nut but an aquatic vegetable that grows in wet muddy marshes. You can buy it fresh or canned in most Chinese supermarkets. It has a crunchy texture with a delicate and nutty flavor. This dessert is another treat to prepare for the Chinese New Year.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water chestnut flour
1/4 cup dried chrysanthemum flower
2 1/2 cups water
10-12 wolfberries or goji berries (pre-soaked some water to soften)
10 water chestnuts, peeled and chopped finely
Method:
1. In a medium saucepan, heat water, chrysanthemum flowers and sugar. Stir until sugar has dissolves and lower heat and cook for another 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and filter away the chrysanthemum.
2. Return liquid to saucepan and add wolfberries, water chestnuts and cook and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in water chestnut flour slowly and whisk briskly to dissolve. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl or jelly mould to cool and chill overnight in the refrigerator. Unmould and serve or cut into thick slices and pan-fried with a little oil.
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1 comment:

Terriea Kwong said...

I love this dessert most in Chinese New Year. Like the texture and the sweetness.