Sunday, December 26, 2010

26 Dec 10 (Sun) - Red Bean Soup with Lotus Seed (红豆莲子汤)

Went to sis's place on Christmas Eve to spend the weekend. It was fun and enjoyable. I got to open up the presents from my friends at work and from my sis as well as eating Christmas Dinner that consisted of Roasted Beef and Ham with my sis and her family.

Found the remaining of the red beans that I used for the Osmanthus Red Bean Pudding previously and decided to finish it by cooking Red Bean Soup. Soaked the red beans with water overnight and started cooking around 9+am on Boxing Day.

I was told that it takes a very long time to cook the red beans and I didn't know how much water to add to the red beans so cooked them using two cups of water on low heat. Stirred the content on and off and after about one hour, added another cup of water to the pot to make sure that the red beans were covered with just enough water all the time.

After another hour, added another cup of water and at the same time pressed the beans to try to make it into paste like. Dug around my sis's kitchen cabinet and found a packet of ready-to-eat sweet lotus seeds so added that into the red bean soup and let it cook for another 20mins.

Finally when the red beans were soften, added sugar to taste. Again I didn't know how much sugar to add so I had to use my taste bud to gauge. When it was about right, turned off the heat before taking my lunch. Ate quickly, then scooped a bowl of the red bean soup with lotus seeds, took a few photos before eating it. Though it wasn't exactly the same as those served in restaurants during wedding dinners, it was close enough.

Red Bean Soup with Lotus Seeds (红豆沙莲子汤)

Ingredients:
80g red beans
800ml water
40g fine sugar (or amount to your preference)
80g ready-to-eat sweet lotus seeds

Methods:
1.  Soak red beans overnight.
2.  Add two cups of water to the red beans and cook for one hour stirring the content occasionally
3.  Add another cup of water to the pot (depends on how much water is left in the pot)
4.  Cook for another one hour, stirring the content occasionally and press the beans
5.  Add another cup of water (depend on how much water is left in the pot), add the lotus seeds
6.  Stir and press the beans for another 20mins, add the sugar and stir till dissolve
7.  Off the heat and served

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