INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

INNER DOUGH LAYER: Same as above outer dough layer, except replace
spinach juice with boiling water.  This one pretty much sums up the
idea that in Asia things are not  always what they seem.  Looking at
the picture, I see what are  obviously steamed pears++complete with
stems++with a couple of water  caltrops on one plate and steamed finger
citrons (an Asian fruit that  looks sorta like a hand) accompanied by a
couple of peaches on the  other plate. (Water caltrops are those seeds
that look like a set of  miniature water buffalo horns.) What these
things really are, though,  are steamed, stuffed sweet dumplings. I
really wish I could post a  .gif with this message. These things look
REAL! Somehow, I doubt that  anyone will want to attempt this one, but
here it is just in case.  Establishment: Yung Kee Restaurant 36-40
Wellington Street, Central,  Hong Kong Chinese Cuisine Practical Class
Platinum Award - Desserts  THE NEVER ENDING STORY (12 servings) Chef:
Yau Shing (Yung Kee  Restaurant) "Longevity" would be an
over-simplified literal  translation for this dual presentation of
treasured culinary symbols  crafted out of flour. Peaches symbolize
longevity, and fairy tales  often feature water caltrops (bull
horn-shaped roots) as part of the  fairy diet.  The Fairy Mother
herself is given peaches on her  birthdays.  The finger citrons, a kind
of fruit, have long  represented Buddha, owing their resemblance to the
shape of Buddha's  palm.  The combination of associations - with long
life, happiness,  elegance and spiritual peace - heightens the diner's
admi- ration of  the culinary sculptures.  To prepare and cook: 1. For
sesame paste filling, stir-fry sesame  seeds in a dry, heated wok until
golden. Set a quarter aside and  grind rest to powder. 2. Stir-fry
flour in a dry wok, over a low  flame, all slightly yellow.  Then sift
it.  Mix all filling  ingredients together.  Place in refrigerator
until firm. 3. For  doughs (made in two batches, one with spinach
juice, one with boiling  water). Heat spinach juice or water. Pour hot
liquid into a mixing  bowl containing wheat starch and glutinous flour.
Mix well. Remove  mixture to a clean working surface and add remaining
ingredients one  a time, working up a smooth texture. 4. For pear
shaping, form  spinach-dyed dough into small balls of approximately 4 g
each.  Flatten round discs.  Do same for uncoloured dough. Place one
uncoloured disc on top of a dyed dough disc.  Place a small portion  of
sesame paste filling on top, and mould discs upwards around it to  form
pear shape. Stick one dry twiglet into top end of pear shape.  Press
lightly on bottom of pear shape to form a firm base. 5. Steam  for 3 to
5 minutes. (If shrimp roe not available, chocolate powder  could be
dusted over the pears after they have cooled.) (The water  caltrop
garnish recipe is not included. it is also steamed dough with
colouring.)  From "Champion Recipes of the 1986 Hong Kong Food
Festival".  Hong  Kong Tourist Association, 1986.  Posted by Stephen
Ceideberg; October 28 1992.  File
ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/cberg2.zip

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 2497
Calories From Fat: 1462
Total Fat: 167.2g
Cholesterol: 54.5mg
Sodium: 1809.7mg
Potassium: 853.9mg
Carbohydrates: 234.2g
Fiber: 15.9g
Sugar: 99.3g
Protein: 35.6g