Today I wrote down the secret recipe to share with everyone.I don't think many people will interest in making this teochew traditional green bean mooncake.Second or third generation of teowchew do not know how to make or have eaten this greenbean mooncake.This recipe will be lost,I asked my eldest sister permission to let me pass the recipe ,we can't bring it to our grave.It pain staking taking down the notes and the processed of making it.I try my very best taking down the notes .
GREEN BEAN MOONCAKES
Ingredients;
3 kg green bean
2 kg of sugar
maltose sugar 2 tbspful
4 cup water ( 1 liter)
Pork lard 1 rice bowlful
a few drop of yellow colouring.
For filling; 1 kg red bean paste,roll into a small ball,flatten a bit.
First before making this greenbean mooncake,you must have this plastic mould ,.without this you mould,you can't make it.This was left by my late mother,we have only 10 left.In the early 70, a few teochew aunty bought the plastic mould from bangkok and sold to them.In the year 2012,my father sister-in law and two relative accompany my dad back to this hometown ,teng hai.In guandong Province,In a town of shantou,a few shop sold this plastic mould during the mid atumn festival when my dad was there.My dad do not bought any,since all the children are not interested making this green bean mooncake.
The picture on top,is cooked green bean.Cook the green bean in a big pot with more water,bring to a boil,reduce to medium heat,cook till every grain of the green bean till puff up,but not split open or overcook.Drain,put into a big bamboo tray,pour in some,use hand spread the bean thinly and evenly put in the open air to dry in the hot sun for a week or more day to dry.Take a few green bean in your hand rub the bean together if easily split into two.Move to the next step
If you have the traditional stone grinding,put a hand ful in the hole and turn and push the stone handle till it split in two.If you do not have,use a rolling pin,put a handful on the table top and roll still it split in two.fan off the skin. The less skin the better,have a clean yellow bean.Cannot use the bean to cook the lek tau suan for this mooncake,it a failure,we have try it.
We took the split green bean to a indian shop who specialised in grinding any spices to powder.We told the indian man to grind a few time in order to get the finest powder. have to use the finest wire mesh to sieve through.discard the rough bit.and weight the powder.Roughly near 2 kilo green bean
powder. You have know how much the powder is,then only you know how much to cook the syrup.
This is the important step
In a big , high pot.add in the sugar and water bring to a boil,switch to medium low heat,using long wooden spoon to stir till tiny bubbles appear.add a few drop of yellow coluring
Keep stirring till biggest bubbles appear,do not cook to a caramelise stage,add in the pork lard and maltose sugar .keep stirring.next step, how to check whether it was ready or not.
Take a bowl of water to check,drip a drop of the cooked syrup into the bowl.it should not be dispersed and should be a soft dough that can be push.( check a few time to get the soft dough)
The most important step to determined your green bean powder.
Remove the pot of cooked syrup and put into a big basin of tap water,keep stirring till is cold and turn to a thick paste. If really too thick,take half a cup of hot water add in and stir to combine well.
The cold syrup should be thick,soft like.let it cool.Make a day ahead or make on the same day
In a big basin add in the green bean powder,the cool cook syrup,use hand to rub till resembles
breadcrumb mix evenly combines
Take a small batch of the mix green bean powder on the table top,use a big heavy rolling pin and roll over the green bean really flat use some strength,push to the top make sure the green bean powder
all have been roll flat a few times.then take a big bamboo tray with medium holes ,put the ready roll green bean powder on to it,use hand to rub and as well sieve to a loose powder.(make a few batch)
ready to assembles,take the plastic mould outer cast,put in some green bean powder,add a small ball
of red bean paste,flatten.( forgot to take a picture of it.).
take some green bean flour put on top,use one finger to level it,put the top cover mould .
push the surrounding flour aside ,use your right palm put on the top and press down with some strength and at the same time use left hand to turn round,press one time,turn round to make sure the green bean mooncakes is firm enough.
use both left and right thumb to push down the top and slowly lift up the round mould.
use two finger lift the bottom two sides and put into a big round bamboo tray,becareful when lifting,cos the edges will loose a bit.
Heat a big wok with some water ,cover the lid and bring to a boil.Use a round aluminum tray with hole,put a pieces of clean cotton cloth,arrange the green bean mooncakes and space it and put in to steam for 3-5 minutes.Don't over steam,it will crack .(cut a pieces of the cloth to the size of the tray.)
on another table top place two layer of white cotton on it,once it cook left to cool for a 1 minutes and
place pcs by pcs on the white cotton cloth.let it absorb the heat and cool thoroughly before packing into boxes.Dip a toohpick with some red colouring and dot on the top.
packed into boxes and kept in the room temperature for a few day,after that kept in the fridge.it can last a month.eat it cool,very nice and moist,You can reheat by steaming for a min or two .Came out,very soft.Don't copy my picture and gave credit to my blog.
