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Mung bean cake is a traditional Chinese dessert. The main ingredient, mung bean or sometimes called as green mung bean is a common and daily ingredient in Chinese cooking. In traditional Chinese medicine, those little green beans have a cold property, which can further help to protect our body from hot temperature in summer. Personally, I love various recipes made with mung beans or related ingredients. The mung bean cake is also a perfect match with Chinese tea. Its sweet flavor goes perfect with the tea flavor. I have made two versions of mung bean cakes this time. One batch of the cakes are custard yellow while the other batch is matcha green (reproduce the green color of the cake).
The fish flavored shredded pork is called “Yu Xiang Rou Si”in Chinese. It is a famous Sichuan food, and also it is said to have originated in Sichuan cuisine, but has since spread to other regional Chinese cuisines. It is called the fish flavored shredded pork, but there’s nothing regarding to fish at all. There’s no fish in this dish, and also without any seasonings relates to fish. In fact, the fish flavor comes from the Sichuan style pickled chili and pickled ginger.
Tried a new dessert yesterday – the almond pound cake. Almost all coffee shops sell pound cake slices, and friends told me that the pound slices are perfect for siding with coffee in an afternoon tea. Well, the flavour is too heavy for me because I am not a dessert lover! The only dessert I love is probably the chiffon cake with lots of cream on top haha…
I have a bit of research about the origin of pound cake. It is believed that the pound cake is a Northern European dish, that dates back to the early 1700s. But over time the ingredients for pound cake changed.
This dessert actually refers to a type of cake traditionally made with a pound of each of four ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. However, any cake made with a 1:1:1:1 ratio, by weight, of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar may also be called a pound cake, as it yields the same results. Pound cakes are generally baked in either a loaf pan or a Bundt mold, and served either dusted with powdered sugar, lightly glazed, or sometimes with a coat of icing. 
The Dong-Po Cubed Pork is a popular dish in the eastern part of China, especially in the ShangHai – HangZhou area. It is made by the cubed pork belly. The pork belly is cut thick, about 4cm square, and should consist equally of fat and lean meat. The skin is left on. The mouthfeel is oily but not greasy and the dish is fragrant with wine (Shao Xin wine). The dish is named after the famed Song Dynasty poet and gastronome Su Dong Po.
The Sweet and Sour Squirrel Mandarin Fish is actually a traditional ShangHai dish. It is famous across the Eastern China. The ShangHai cuisine is famous for the sweet and sour flavour. Therefore, sugar is a must seasoning in ShangHai families’ kitchen. This dish is not very popular in other parts of China as most Chinese actually does not like sweet and sour dishes. Spicy dishes seems more popular in China. However, this dish gives a good presentation for festivals and parties; therefore, you can find it at almost all the Chinese restaurants. Also, Chinese people like to have it on the dinner table of the new year eve, because the name of the dish has the meaning of happiness and a good fortune. And fish in Chinese normally stands for a wealthy life in the following years. Therefore, it is normal that Chinese likes to cook this dish during the spring festival.
This is almost the easiest cake I’ve ever made! No technical difficulties and no professional cake making tools needed. Even my mommy can do it at her first try haha! However, easy doesn’t mean boring. When I was young, the madeline was called “shell cake” because the shape looks like a shell. It was sold in the cake shop, and it was normally few dollars per kg! Therefore, this was once the most popular cake in my hometown haha. Mommy always bought lots of shell cakes and stored them in a glass bottle. And I could get one if I finished my homework on time every night after dinner. It smells pretty much like the egg cake, and it tastes like the chiffon cake. And just because of its cute shape, it can always win kids’ heart.
Zongzi goes hand in hand with the Dragon Boat Festival (also known as the Duanwu Festival, usually celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the traditional Chinese lunar calendar). This year, the Dradon Boat Festival falls on the 10th June, which is just yesterday haha;)…That’s why I am bringing this easy Zongzi recipe.
I am kind of girl who never eat sweet foods. I am also not a fan of making dessert. However, as far as I know that most people love dessert. They treat dessert as a must need for a day. and they think desserts make them happy, well at least feel happy;) So I learnt to make macarons for a special party, a girls afternoon tea, or maybe for my kids few years later. Last month, when I was going to pick up my new car from the car dealer, I thought to make something for gift giving to the friendly sales manager. I came up with the “bright idea” of baking macarons even though at the time I did not even know macarons are made from almond flour! I found a recipe online, and after following the recipe, I was extremely surprised to discover that 10 beautiful macarons came out of my oven on that very first try. I still remember that special feeling when I watched those macarons rising in the oven. I went to bed but I couldn’t resist waking up to look at my little babies again, staring at them in awe;) I still get that feeling every time I put something in the oven when I get to see it rise into a new edible creation. That’s what really fuels my passion ♥
