Mung Bean Biscuits aka 'Luk Tau Paeng' - CNY 2010

This is another Chinese New Year biscuit  ...... Mung Bean biscuit aka 'Luk Tau Paeng'.  Mung Bean is 'Luk Tau' in Cantonese.  I remember eating this during Chinese Lunar New Year when I was a child.  Traditionally, this biscuit is made with lard and chopped peanuts but now I've substituted with vegetable shortening and nibbed almonds.

This is the mould for the biscuits, also handed down by my mother.  Compared to the 'kuih bangkit' mould, this one is a bit shallow.

Plain flour, mung bean flour, rice flour, icing sugar and nibbed almonds all mixed together in a mixing bowl.
Shortening is added in.  Mix all together till it resembles bread crumbs.

Press some dough into the moulds, compress them ...... then knock  out and place on a baking sheet.
Baked Mung Bean biscuits fresh from the oven .... they're baked when tiny cracks surface.  A bit difficult to judge, must admit, because of its basic brown colour.

Although the colour is not too appealing, attributed to the slightly roasted brown mung bean flour, but when they melt in the mouth, coupled with the nutty taste of almonds, is enough to win your heart over and you'll reach for more!

Recipe for Mung Bean Biscuits aka 'Luk Tau Paeng'

Ingredients

• 200 gm mung bean flour
• 20 gm rice flour
• 40 gm plain flour
• 80 gm icing sugar
• 65 gm nibbed almonds
• 90 gm shortening
• A bit of cooking oil to add when necessary

Method

1. In a wok,very lightly heat up the mung bean flour together with the rice flour.  Let it cool.  Set aside.
2. Once cooled, transfer it to a mixing bowl. 
3. Sift in the plain flour and icing sugar, add in the nibbed almonds and mix thoroughly.
4. Cut in the shortening, mix till the dough resembles bread crumbs.
5. Knead a bit, press hard into the wooden moulds and knock out the biscuits.  Place the biscuits onto a baking sheet near to each other because they hardly expand.
6. Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg.C for about 25 to 30 mins., or till tiny cracks appear.
7. Cool completely before storing them in a cookie jar.

Note

1. If the dough is too dry to handle, add a tiny bit of cooking oil.
2. There is no need to flour the moulds.
3. They do keep well in an airtight container.

Delicious with a hot cup of Chinese tea .............  Enjoy!