Lin Chee Kang/ Lotus Sweet Drink

January 29, 2011

Lotus-sweet-drink

Yesterday was a very HOT day in Perth.... humid and sticky.
I woke up at 5.30am yesterday and was sweating like it was midday. At 7 am... I was hanging out my washing and the sun was a quarter way up on the horizon and the heat was getting intense... and by 8.30am ... my washing was done... and its not even midday yet...
Since we are heading towards a HOT weekend... to have Lin Chee Kang / Leng Chee Kang or Lotus Sweet Drink would be just nice... serve it chill (you can serve this warm too).
Mr H was reminiscing his younger days while enjoying his Lin Chee Kang... it is not a daily or even weekly treat for him as a boy ... but yearly... only when the Chinese Opera comes to town...   There would be heaps of stalls set up for this festival... selling varieties of food and drinks. The children would run about while the adults sat and enjoy the performance... stories of ancient era ... were told in colourful costumes, singing, dancing and acrobatic movements. 


Chinese Opera ~ Photo Courtesy from Google Image
And it is my late dad's favourite dessert too... and he would have his HOT... I was introduced to Lin Chee Kang by my dad as I sat and slurped my Sweet Ais Kacang (shaved ice with all sweet nutty ingredients ) and he would order this HOT dessert.

Lets whip up Lin Chee Kang  for Chinese New Year celebration next week



Some of the dried ingredients.


Recipe


2 tablespoon basil seeds or biji selasih
6-7 Malva seeds(kembang semangkuk in Malay or Tai Hoi Lam in Hokkien)
jelly - cubes
dried lotus nut
dried lotus bulb
a packet of dried Longan
1 cup of sugar plus 1/2 cup of water (to make syrup)
icecubes to serve
Barley and sago (optional)

Soak basil seeds, Malva seeds, lotus nuts and lotus bulbs overnight.
Boil lotus nuts and lotus bulbs until soften. Note: Split the lotus nuts and gingko nuts and take out the core... seed or pips like shape ~ these little ones are so bitter!!)
Boil the dried longan with 1 1/2 cups of water... reserve the water and leave it aside.
Mix everything in a bowl and add water to adjust 'sweetness' to your liking... and serve in individual bowl..
Enjoy it HOT or COLD...


Comments

  1. Hi Lisa,
    I've just had enough oof this hot weather. Seems like it's never ending kan!
    My hubby loves lin chi kang, he used to have it all the time in M'sia. I've never made it because I don't know what to put in it. Thanks for the recipe and the labels on the dried ingredients, now I can go to the asian shop and buy them :-)

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  2. Lemongrass,
    and the end of summer seems far ... far... away..*sigh*

    Kembang semangkuk or Malva seeds packets ... are labelled as Seed Pondo or Duoi Oui (I guessed its vietnamese) :)

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  3. Lisa, oh my!!! This is my childhood fav n yes only could have it when the Chinese opera came to town! I remember that was the reason that I wanted to go to the Chinese opera, not for the opera but for Leng Chee Kang!! Haha... Come to think about it now, do we still have Chinese opera in Msia, I wonder?
    Buah kembang semangkuk is my fav!! Also the basil seeds that look like Tadpole ;)

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  4. Leemei,
    I still call basil seeds ~ telur katak (frog eggs!!!) and so are my kids now.. hehehe :D

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  5. oh, this looks so delicious! I`m absolutely sure that`s really tasty!

    Have a great time,
    Paula

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  6. Salam Lisa

    n selamat berkenalan. Benda2 utk buat lin chee kang ni boleh dpt kat semua oriental shop kat Perth ni ke. Dah lama tak makan lin chee kang ni. Arwah my mom suka yg panas jugak dan kalau beli mesti ada telor burung puyuh.

    Lemongrass
    Kalau you beli benda2 dia, you ckp kat I ok kat kedai mana. Boleh I pergi cari.

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  7. Oh, so those are called basil seeds! I always wonder what are those. This is my hubs favourite Chinese dessert!

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  8. This looks so refreshing and good. I love the basil seeds. Gotta look out for some.

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  9. Paula,
    It is nice and sweet especially in the summer heat :)

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  10. Flower,
    Salam Flower...and selamat berkenalan to you too :). All the ingredients ... I beli from Asian Grocer kat sini... (NOR)... but I tak jumpa getah anggur :(

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  11. Angie,
    love the 'slimy' and crunch texture of basil seeds :)

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  12. Tried pronouncing the word "Lin Chee Kang" but it does not ring a bell at all! So it is totally new to me.

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  13. tigerfish,
    Leng Chee Kang???

    or this could be from Northern Part of Malaysia :)

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