Pulses in Chinese Cuisine

China shares borders with 14 countries and is bounded by the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea to the east. Its terrain ranges from majestic mountains and arid deserts in the west to fertile plains in the east.

The people of China are a vibrant and diverse population, comprising 56 recognized ethnic groups. They are known for their strong family values, rich cultural heritage, and resilience.

China has a rich diversity of traditional garments, including the Hanfu, Zhongshan suit, Tang suit, and Cheongsam. The Hanfu dress is a stunning representation of China’s cultural heritage, predominantly red, symbolizing good fortune and prosperity.

To create mooncakes with intricate designs, you’ll need a specialized mould with 3-4 interchangeable plates. This mould is surprisingly easy to use: simply shape your dough into a ball, place it in the mould, and press out the mooncake with the design. Here’s an image of the mooncake mould equipment.

150 gm mung bean

25 gm butter

60 gm sugar

25 gm refined oil

2-3 tsp coco powder/colouring

A pinch of salt

1. Soak the mung beans for 30 minutes. Rinse and cook in a pressure cooker with just enough water to cover the beans.
2. Once the first whistle, turn off the heat and let the cooker cool naturally.
3. If the beans are cooked, add salt, butter, and sugar, then mix well.

4. Blend the mixture into a smooth paste using a mixie or blender.

5. Heat a pan, add oil, and then pour in the mung bean paste. Stir continuously over low heat until the mixture thickens, the water evaporates, and the oil starts to separate, leaving the pan’s sides clean.

6. Divide the mixture into two equal parts.

7. Mix cocoa powder into one part to create a chocolate-coloured mixture.

8. Divide the yellow mung bean mixture into equal portions, approximately 30g each, and shape into smooth balls.

9. Similarly, divide the chocolate mixture into equal portions, approximately 20g each, and shape into smooth balls.

10. Flatten a yellow ball into a round disk.

11. Place a chocolate ball in the centre and gently wrap the yellow mixture around it, sealing the chocolate inside.

12. Roll the combined mixture between your palms to form a smooth, uniform ball.

13. Insert a decorated plate inside the mooncake mould.

14. Position the prepared mung ball in the mould, then invert the mould over a plate.

15. Press the handle gently to imprint the design, then lift the mould to reveal your beautifully crafted mooncake on the plate.

16. Repeat the process with the remaining balls. You’ll have a plateful of gorgeous mooncakes.

For a delightful twist, I used the chocolate mixture as the wrapper and the yellow mung bean paste as the filling for two cakes, and they turned out just as beautifully.