Melt-in-your-mouth Flour-less Hung Kee Black Sesame Cookies
My heart pounds excitedly at the sounds of a familiar tune while browsing the well-stocked shelves of a local supermarket, a song that has brought a lot of joy and smiles to myself and children of many generations. It is the melody of a Chinese New Year song. The arrival of spring marks the start of a new Lunar New Year and is grandly celebrated by many Chinese around the globe. The Chinese are well known for their fondness for the color red, naturally, this is the theme color for Chinese New Year decorations and gifts. According to scientists, red creates a wave of excitement by increasing one's heart and respiratory rate, it is also said to increase one's appetite, I wonder if the ancient Chinese chose red due to these scientific reasons.
As much as I would like to share the wonderful range of Chinese New Year snacks, it would take ages to just list my favorites, but here's a very condensed post. =)
#1 This snack is a very new addition to my very long list of favorite CNY cookies, flour-less Black Sesame Cookies by Hung Kee. I was introduced to it during a Tangs closed-door-sale recently. Priced at Rm12.90 for a box, these melt-in-your-mouth-mini-delights are definitely worth every penny! I was told these are hand-made and are very limited in stock as it is very hard to make as they do not use flour in this recipe, making it very easy to fall apart-which is good news for consumers as it would mean that they are guaranteed to melt-in-your-mouth!
#2 Nga Gu aka Arrowroot which is only available during Chinese New Year and can be cooked in various ways. We either stew it WARNING: These are highly addictive and one can finish the whole tin in just one sitting!
#3 Pineapple Tarts - eggless recipehere! Although the tarts looks a little dull (due to no egg-wash) but I assure you that they are as tasty as the store bought ones as the pastry melts in your mouth, creating a satisfying sensation, making you crave for another one straight after.
#4 Kuih Bangkit During my younger days, I hoped time would fast forward to the next Chinese New Year, not that I was greedy for more ang pows, but because I wanted to indulge in another round of kuih Bangkit. I am cutting down on these after I found out that coconut milk is one of the main ingredients.
#5 Almond Cookies These are another irresistible Chinese New Year snack, though the strong almond flavor wards off quite a few of my friends. I am not complaining as it leaves more for me! XD
Two avid vegetarians are here to share some insights to the world of vegetarianism.
Hopefully, through this site, the lives of some animals can be spared. Always remember, animals have feelings too, they are our friends not our meal.
Vegetarian Party
Pot Luck Party