Lotus Seed Sweet Soup #ChineseNewYear #dessert

This post is unexpected, as we were busy doing our spring cleaning before flying off next week to celebrate the Chinese New Year together with our family.  That's why you will not see more pictures as what I did usually.  

While in the midst of cleaning and tidying our fridge, noticed I had all these three ingredients (Dried Lotus Seed, Dried Lily Bulb & Dried Longan) for Lotus Seed Sweet Soup.

Lotus Seed Sweet Soup or Leen Chee Tong Sui (in Cantonese) will be served on the first day of the New Lunar Year is a tradition practice in my house.  This sweet soup is a significant auspicious dessert which also being served during weddings, birthdays celebrations of Chinese communities as this sweet soup significance "harmonious". 

My recipe of this sweet soup will be a little different as I use soft brown sugar instead of rock sugars or brown sugar sticks, as I prefer the aroma of the soup from these soft brown sugar.  So, do not get alarm when you see the colour of the soup is darker.  

This is a super easy recipe and its only need four ingredients, so, give it a try and may you have a sweet and harmony of Rooster year.  

Ingredients

100g Dried Lotus Seed ( I used the brown type), soaked about half an hour, remove sterms

60g Dried Lily Bulb, soaked until soften

80g Dried Longan

2 liters of water

50g soft brown sugar, or to your desired taste

Instructions

1.  Bring water to boil in a pot.  Add in cleaned and drained lotus seed in medium heat for about 30 to 40 minutes or until it has soften.

2.   Add in drained and dried-up lily bulbs petals and dried longan and let it boil another 10 to 15 minutes in low heat.

3.  Add in soft brown sugar and off heat.

4.  Serve and enjoy your sweet soup.

Clay Pot Preserved Meat Rice (Lap Mei Fun) #ChineseNewYear dish

Finally, we had settled down at our new house and is time for me to get back to the kitchen and my blogging.   As the atmosphere of Chinese New Year is getting stronger, I would like to share a significant recipe for this festive - Clay Pot Preserved Meat Rice (Lap Mei Fun in Cantonese).

When we able to see preserved meat or some of you prefer to name them as cured meat, available in the market, that is mean the Chinese New Year is round the corner.  There are so many types of preserved meat in the market nowadays, among those popular are Chinese sausages, cured pork belly, duck meat, etc.  

Origin as a Cantonese Chinese,  preserved meat will not be missed for every Chinese New Year celebration, so I decided to make use of it for my first post for 2017.  This is a very simple recipe whereby you may also choose an electric rice cooker for cooking.  As I preferred the tradition way, I will still prefer a clay pot but a modern cooking way, so, I had chosen an induction clay pot, whereby, I just need about 20 to 30 minutes of cooking time.  For those who prefer the rice to be a little crust at the bottom, you may few drops of cooking oil by the side of the clay pot.  Hope all of you will love this recipe.

We wish all of you who are celebrating Chinese New Year - A Prosperity Rooster Year!