Lotus Root and Peanut Soup

Lotus root have been found to be rich in dietary fiver, vitamin C, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganes while very low in saturated fat. Lotus root is one of the common vegetables use by chinese for soups, stir fry dishes and even dessert. The natural sweetness of lotus root could further enhance the 'sweetness' in the soup.

Ingredients:-

• 1.5 litre water
• 400g spare ribs OR chicken pieces with bone-in OR chicken feet
• 400g sliced lotus root (I used frozen lotus root)
• 1 cup raw peanuts, scalded with hot water (I prefer skin off)
• 3 dried scallops (optional)
• 1/2 bulb garlic, only remove the papery skin
• 8-10 red dates
• salt to taste
• ground white pepper to taste

Method:-

1. Add  lotus root, peanuts, dried scallop garlic and red dates into a big pot with 1.5 litre of water at high heat. Bring to boil.
2. Blanch spare ribs with boiling water. Drain and add them into the big pot when the water is boil and bring to boil again after you add the ribs. 
3. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 2 hours.
4. Add salt and pepper before serving. Serve hot.

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

Few weeks ago I posted a flourless peanut butter cookies recipe and today I am posting up another peanut butter cookies but this time is with flour. So what's the different? Obviously the one with flour is slightly energy draining when you knead the dough however it is easy to shape compare to flourless cookies. I personally prefer the one with flour because I like the feel of texture and absolute peanut butter make me sick.

Ingredients:-

• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup sugar (I use half white sugar half brown sugar)
• 1/4 cup oil or melted butter
• 1 cup peanut butter (You can use smooth or crunchy)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 3/4 cup self raising flour, sifted  (I added 2 tbsp plain flour to get 3/4 cup SR flour)
• some icing sugar for sprinkle (optional)

Methods:-

1. Preheat oven to 160 degree celcius (fan forced), normal oven 180 degree celcius.
2. Mix egg, sugar, melted butter and vanilla essence in a mixing bowl. Stir until well blended
3. Add in peanut butter and mix well.
4. Gradually add in sifted flour. Mixing thoroughly. It maybe easier to use hand when the mixture gets heavier.
5. Place a teaspoonful of mixture on baking / greasy sheets. You may shape them as into ball or flatten them with fork. Sprinkle some icing sugar on the mixture before putting them in oven.
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden. 
7. After removing the cookies fron oven, let them sit for a couple of minute until cool. (This cookies is very fragile when they are still hot).

Flourless and Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

These cookies are so easy to make and really delicious and guess what it is flourless. Yes! No flour is needed and the ingredients are really simple. Any one will have these ingredients in their pantry.

To make this very easy peanut cookies, you will need:

• 1 cup peanut butter (you may use smooth or crunchy ones)
• 1 cup sugar (it can be white, caster or brown)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 11/2 tsp vanilla essence (if you have vanilla extract use 1 tsp)
• a pinch of salt
• some sugar for sprinkle (and again any sugar will do.. i use icing sugar)

and yea.. that's it.... and now.. you just need to put them together and bake:

...............will make about 24 pieces.............

1. Preheat oven at 160 degree celcius (fan forced) or 180 degree celcius (non fan forced)
2. Combine all ingredient in a medium bow, mix until well combined.
3. Spoon teaspoon size amount and make it into 1 inch balls.
4. Place 2 inch apart on cookie sheet. Press criss cross pattern with fork tines on each ball and flatten to 1/2 inch thickness.
5. Sprinkle some sugar on the criss cross pattern.
6. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until set. Cool on cookie sheets for couple of minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

TIPS:

Cookies will fall apart if you remove them from cookie sheets immediately after they come out from oven. Standing time allow biscuit/cookies to firm

Let me know if you like it or not.... :)