Shrimp Wontons

3/4 lb shrimp (shelled and deveined)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons corn starch
3 sprigs coriander (leaves only, minced)
2 water chestnuts, peeled and finely chopped
White pepper powder to taste
1/2 beaten egg (for sealing wontons)

Coarsely chop shrimp into pieces (not too small) and mix well with the above seasonings. Set aside. Fill each wonton skin with 1 heaping teaspoon of filling and seal the wonton skin with the beaten egg.

Boil the wontons in boiling water for a couple of minutes or until they start floating. Serve hot with ginger vinegar dipping sauce and/or garlic chili sauce.

Ginger Vinegar Dipping Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons peeled, grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of dark vinegar
1 tablespoon of chopped scallion

Mix the above ingredients and set aside.

Garlic Chili Sauec Recipe

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves
8 dry red chilies (minced)
2 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger
Salt to taste

Blend the above ingredients and stir fry them with oil until fragrant. Set aside.

Bai Nian Hao H'er (Together Forever)

Ingredients
Syrup (Prepare three hours before starting on glutinous rice flour balls):
# 1 cup water
# 5 tbsp sugar
# 1 pandan leaf

Glutinous rice flour balls (soak in syrup for two to three hours):
# 100g whole lotus seeds, centres removed
# 100g dried pak hup (dried lily buds)
# 100g gingko nuts
# 50g dried longan flesh
# 300g glutinous rice flour
# 4 tbsp sugar
# 220ml water

Method
To make syrup: Boil ingredients together with pandan leaf until sugar dissolves, then leave to cool.

To make glutinous rice flour balls: Boil lotus seeds, pak hup and gingko nuts till soft and tender. Soak in syrup for two to three hours. Drain well. Boil the dried longan flesh until it is fully opened.

Mix the glutinous rice flour with the sugar and water to form a dough. Divide into four equal portions and add colouring of your choice to each portion.

Place a little of each type of filling, including the boiled longan flesh, into the centre of each portion of coloured dough. Shape into a ball.

Cook balls in a pot of boiling water until they float to the surface. Remove with a wire mesh ladle or slotted spoon and soak cooked balls in cool syrup.

Drain well, then serve sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.

Angkoo (Red Koo Kuih)

Ingredients
(A):
# 250g glutinous rice flour - sifted
# 1 tbsp tapioca flour
# 75g steamed sweet potato - mashed
# 3 tbsp sugar
# 1-2 tbsp corn oil





(B):
# 150g water
# 1/8 tsp orange-red colouring
# Banana leaves - cut into small circles and greased
# Corn oil for glazing

Filling:
# 200g split and skinned green peas - washed and soaked overnight;drain well
# 150g sugar
# 1-2 tbsp corn oil
# 2 pandan leaves

Method
Mix (a) in a large bowl. Make a well in thecentre and add corn oil and (b). Mix well and knead to form a smooth but not sticky dough.

Divide dough into equal portions and roll into balls. Flatten each portion slightly, add a small ball of filling. Pinch and seal the edges. Lightly dust angkoo mould with glutinous rice flour. Press each ball of dough into the mould. Knock mould lightly against table and the angkoo will slide out. Place each angkoo on greased, cut-out banana leaves.

Steam angkoo over boiling water for four minutes, then open the lid and continue steaming for six more minutes or till cooked. This will ensure that the pattern comes out sharp and clear after cooking.

Remove angkoo from steamer and brush lightly with corn oil to prevent them from sticking to one anotherand also to get the sheen.

To make the filling: Steam green peas in a steamer for 20-30 minutes or till soft. Mash the green peas.

Heat a non-stick pan, add in all filling ingredients and stir till mixture is almost dry. Remove the pandan leaves and leave aside to cool. Roll green pea paste into small balls and set aside to be used as filling.