Sweet Corn Custard Tong Yuen in Heavy Ginger Syrup

Original Recipe by Amy Beh

35g wheat starch (tang mein fun)

100ml freshly-boiled water

200g glutinous rice flour

300-350ml water

Custard filling

100ml UHT milk

15g cornflour

20g custard powder

45g castor sugar

1/8 tsp salt

150ml hot water

10g butter

100g puréed sweet corn paste

Ginger syrup

130g mature ginger

80g brown sugar

20g palm sugar (gula Melaka)

100g castor sugar

1.2 litres water

5–6 screwpine leaves, knotted

TO prepare the custard, combine milk, cornflour, custard powder, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Stir in hot water and mix well. Cook the mixture over a low heat, stirring continuously until it thickens.

Remove saucepan from heat and add butter and puréed sweet corn paste. Keep stirring until well mixed. Dish out and set aside to cool completely.

Refrigerate before use.

To prepare glutinous rice ball dough, put wheat starch in a bowl and pour in boiling water. Stir well with a pair of chopsticks until a soft dough is formed.

Combine glutinous rice flour and the cooked dough in a large mixing bowl. Stir in water and knead to form a soft dough. Divide dough into small balls. Flatten each ball into a thin disk. Spoon a little custard filling in the centre and wrap up to secure the filling.

Repeat with the rest of the dough. Bring a pot of water to the boil; drop in the prepared balls of dough. When the balls float, remove with a slotted spoon and place in cold water for 10 minutes. Serve tong yuen in hot heavy ginger syrup.

To prepare ginger syrup, grate ginger and set aside. Bring water to the boil with the three types of sugar. Put in the grated ginger and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the syrup and set over a gentle low heat to heat up.

Red Date Tong Yuen in Chrysanthemum Syrup

Original Recipe by Amy Beh

15 large red Chinese dates, pitted

100ml water

75g glutinous rice flour

10g wheat starch (tang mein fun)

30ml hot water

50g candied sugar

10g rock sugar

20g dried chrysanthemum flowers

250ml water

Cornflour mixture

RINSE the red dates and soak in clean water overnight in the refrigerator. Put the dates in 200ml water and boil for five to six minutes.

Drain and make a slit across the dates. Put glutinous rice flour and wheat starch in a mixing bowl. Pour in hot water to mix then add 100ml or just enough water to mix to a smooth dough.

Pinch a small portion of dough and stuff into the dates. Shape well and arrange them on a heatproof dish. Steam for 13 to 15 minutes.

Combine rock sugar, candied sugar, chrysanthemum flowers and 250ml water in a saucepan. Boil until sugars have dissolved and the tea is infused with the flavour of the flowers. Strain the syrup. Put the prepared glutinous rice ball dates into the syrup and boil for two to three minutes.

Dish out the red dates onto a serving plate and retain the syrup. Add cornflour mixture into the syrup to thicken. Pour the thickened syrup over the dates and serve immediately.