I admit I am a cook book hoarder and have been going through them all trying to decide if I really need them all (and if I can justify purchasing more!) I picked up a Chinese takeaway cookbook as I adore any form of Eastern food, from Chinese and Thai to Japanese, Sushi etc.
There are some great recipes to create at home that will cut your take away bill down straight away. I have found a decent Chinese take away can cost anything upwards of £50 for 2 people. With this book you can create over 70 recipes including everyones favourites, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Crispy Chilli Beef, Peking Duck and some delicious sweet treats too.
I will be creating a couple of the recipes and doing a write up to say just how easy they are too follow, how easy the ingredients are to obtain etc.
These mini toffee apples are a perfect way to create quick and easy sweet treats that don’t feel totally indulgent considering they contain fresh fruit! That means you can eat more, right?
I found this first recipe really simple and will definitely be making them again. I think I would use a Golden Delicious or Granny Smith as the Pink Lady apples I used this time didn’t give much flavour once fried.
What you need:
- Groundnut oil for deep frying
- 100g self raising flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 100ml water
- 4 apples, peeled and cored and cut into cubes
To Finish:
- 8 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 tbst water
- 1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
Heat enough oil in a wok or deep sided saucepan to deep fry the apple cubes to 170ºC
Mix the flour and beaten egg together in a large bowl, then slowly add enough water so you have a medium-thick batter.
Dip each apple cube into the batter and carefully drop into the oil. Fry for around 8-10 minutes, cooking in batches if necessary, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack or a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.
Heat a wok over a medium heat and stir in the sugar and water. After about 3 minutes the sugar should begin to caramelise, so gently add the apples and the sesame seeds. Mix well – being really careful not to splash the molten sugar – ensuring each apple is thoroughly covered. Transfer the apples to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Taken from Chinese Takeaway Cookbook by Kwoklyn Wan
