Delicious Green Pea Cookies Recipe for Your Chinese New Year Festivities

Celebrate Chinese New Year with the delightful tradition of making green pea cookies, a treat that is becoming increasingly popular in Singapore and Malaysia. Crafted from green pea flour, these cookies offer a distinct flavour and texture, making them a perfect choice for the festive season. Symbolising luck and prosperity, these cookies are a favourite during Chinese New Year celebrations.

 

To make green pea cookies, you will need a few essential ingredients, including green pea flour, icing sugar, and oil. You will also need to follow a step-by-step baking guide to ensure that your cookies turn out perfectly. Once your cookies are baked, you can add finishing touches and preserve them for later.

If you want to add a unique twist to your green pea cookies, consider using seafood as an ingredient. Shrimp, crab, and lobster all pair well with the flavour and texture of green pea cookies. You can also experiment with different variations and related treats to create a truly personalised Chinese New Year dessert.

Key Takeaways

• Green pea cookies are a traditional Chinese New Year treat that symbolises good luck and prosperity.
• Essential ingredients for green pea cookies include green pea flour, icing sugar, and oil.
• You can add a unique twist to your green pea cookies by using seafood as an ingredient.

The Significance of Green Pea Cookies in Chinese New Year

Cultural Importance

Chinese New Year is one of the most significant festivals celebrated in Singapore, Malaysia, and other countries in the region. During this time, families come together to celebrate and share traditional foods, including Green Pea Cookies. These cookies are a popular snack during the festivities and are usually served as a symbol of good luck and prosperity.

Green Pea Cookies are believed to have originated from China, where they were traditionally made with flour, sugar, and green peas. Over time, the recipe has evolved, and different variations have emerged. Today, Green Pea Cookies are made using green pea flour, which gives them a unique flavour and texture.

Traditional Celebrations

During Chinese New Year, it is customary to offer guests a variety of sweet treats, including Green Pea Cookies. These cookies are often served alongside other traditional New Year cookies, such as pineapple tarts and kueh bangkit.

If you're looking to make Green Pea Cookies for your Chinese New Year celebrations, you can easily find green pea flour online. However, if you're unable to find it, you can substitute it with other flours, such as rice flour or cornstarch.

To add a unique twist to your Green Pea Cookies recipe, you can also include seafood. For example, you can add dried shrimp or scallops to the cookie dough to give them a savoury flavour. Alternatively, you can serve the cookies with a seafood dip, such as prawn or crab dip, to add a touch of luxury to your Chinese New Year celebrations.

Overall, Green Pea Cookies are a delicious and popular snack during Chinese New Year, and they're a great way to add a touch of tradition to your celebrations.

Essential Ingredients for Green Pea Cookies

When it comes to making green pea cookies for Chinese New Year, there are a few essential ingredients that you will need to have on hand. In this section, we will cover the three main ingredients that you will need to make these delicious cookies: green peas, flour, and oil.

Choosing the Right Green Peas

The first ingredient you will need for green pea cookies is, of course, green peas. You can use either fresh or dried green peas for this recipe, but it is important to choose the right type of peas. If you are using fresh green peas, be sure to shell them and then boil them until they are soft. If you are using dried green peas, you will need to soak them in water overnight before boiling them.

Flour Varieties

The second ingredient you will need for green pea cookies is flour. You can use a variety of different flours for this recipe, including all-purpose flour, self-raising flour, and cake flour. All-purpose flour is the most commonly used flour for this recipe, but you can experiment with different types of flour to see which one works best for you.

Selecting Oils

The third and final ingredient you will need for green pea cookies is oil. You can use a variety of different oils for this recipe, including peanut oil, corn oil, and vegetable oil. Peanut oil is the most commonly used oil for this recipe, but you can experiment with different types of oil to see which one works best for you.

If you want to add a twist to your green pea cookies, you can consider adding seafood to the recipe. You can use shrimp, crab, or lobster meat to add a unique flavour to the cookies. Just be sure to chop the seafood into small pieces before adding it to the dough.

Step-by-Step Baking Guide

Preparing the Dough

To start with, preheat your oven to 180°C. In a mixing bowl, combine 260g of green pea powder, 160g of icing sugar, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 340g of self-raising flour. Mix well until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Next, gradually add 200ml of vegetable oil (preferably peanut oil) to the mixture while continuously mixing until a smooth dough is formed. If the dough is too dry, add a bit more oil, teaspoon by teaspoon, until it becomes moist and non-sticky.

Shaping and Glazing

Once the dough is ready, shape it into small balls, about the size of a cherry. Flatten each ball slightly and place them onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

For the egg wash, beat one egg yolk with 1/2 tsp of water. Use a pastry brush to apply the egg wash onto the surface of each cookie.

Baking to Perfection

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Once done, remove the baking tray from the oven and let the cookies cool down for a few minutes.

Serve the cookies once they have cooled down completely. They can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

To add a seafood twist to this recipe, you can try adding some dried shrimp or scallops to the dough mixture. Simply grind the dried seafood into a fine powder and mix it in with the other ingredients. This will give the cookies a unique flavour and texture that is sure to impress your guests.

Finishing Touches and Preservation

Achieving the Perfect Texture

To achieve the perfect texture for your green pea cookies, it is important to cool them on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes after baking. This will help them to firm up and become less fragile. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container to maintain their soft and crumbly texture.

If you want your green pea cookies to melt in the mouth, use a combination of green pea flour and cornstarch in the recipe. This will make the cookies more delicate and tender, resulting in a texture that will dissolve in your mouth.

Storing for Freshness

To keep your green pea cookies fresh for longer, store them in an airtight container. This will prevent them from becoming stale and losing their softness and crumbliness. You can also add a slice of bread to the container to help absorb any excess moisture and keep the cookies fresh.

If you plan to keep your green pea cookies for more than a week, you can store them in the freezer. Place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. When ready to eat, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

As a suggestion, you can add some seafood to your green pea cookies recipe to give them a unique twist. For example, you can add some dried shrimp or scallops to the dough before baking. This will add a subtle seafood flavour to the cookies and make them even more delicious.

Variations and Related Treats

Alternative Flavours

While green pea cookies are a classic Chinese New Year treat, there's no harm in experimenting with different flavours to keep things interesting. You can try adding some other ingredients to the recipe to create new variations of the cookies. Here are some suggestions:

• Peanut Cookies: If you're a fan of peanut butter, try adding some to the green pea cookie dough. This will give the cookies a nutty flavour and a slightly different texture. You can also sprinkle some chopped peanuts on top of the cookies before baking them for an extra crunch.

• Seafood: While not a traditional addition to green pea cookies, seafood can be a great way to add some umami flavour to the treats. You can try adding some dried shrimp or scallops to the dough, or even some chopped crab meat. Just be sure to soak the seafood in water before using it, and chop it finely so that it blends well with the other ingredients.

Complementary Chinese New Year Delicacies

Green pea cookies are just one of many treats that are enjoyed during Chinese New Year. Here are some other delicacies that you can serve alongside the cookies to create a festive spread:

• Pineapple Tarts: These sweet and tangy tarts are a must-have during Chinese New Year. They're made with a buttery pastry shell and a pineapple jam filling. You can find many recipes for pineapple tarts online, and they're relatively easy to make at home.

• Kuih Bangkit: This traditional Malaysian cookie is made with tapioca flour and coconut milk. It has a delicate, crumbly texture and a sweet, coconutty flavour. Kuih bangkit can be a bit tricky to make, but it's worth the effort for the authentic taste.

• Recipe Index: If you're looking for more Chinese New Year recipes to try, be sure to check out recipe indexes online. You can find recipes for everything from dumplings to steamed fish, and they're a great way to expand your culinary horizons.

Overall, Chinese New Year is a time for feasting and celebrating with loved ones. Whether you stick to traditional treats like green pea cookies or try something new, the important thing is to enjoy the festivities and share the joy with those around you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you make green pea cookies for Chinese New Year without much fuss?

Green pea cookies are a great snack to enjoy during the Chinese New Year. Fortunately, they are quite easy to make. You can follow a simple recipe that requires only a few ingredients. All you need is green pea flour, oil, icing sugar, salt, and eggs. Mix all the ingredients together, shape the dough into small balls, and bake them in the oven. The entire process should take you no more than 30 minutes.

What's the secret to the tastiest green pea cookies for the festive season?

The secret to making the tastiest green pea cookies is to use high-quality ingredients. Make sure you use fresh green pea flour and good quality oil. Also, don't forget to add a pinch of salt to bring out the natural sweetness of the green peas. You can add some seafood to the recipe to give it a unique flavour. For example, you can add some dried shrimp or scallops to the dough to give it a savoury taste.

Can you suggest a healthier alternative to traditional green pea cookies?

Yes, you can make healthier green pea cookies by using alternative ingredients. Instead of using traditional flour, you can use almond flour or coconut flour. You can also use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. These alternatives are healthier and will give the cookies a unique flavour.

Are there any quick and easy steps to bake green pea cookies at home?

Yes, there are quick and easy steps to bake green pea cookies at home. You can follow a simple recipe that requires only a few ingredients. Mix all the ingredients together, shape the dough into small balls, and bake them in the oven. The entire process should take you no more than 30 minutes.

Where might one find green pea flour for baking these cookies?

Green pea flour is not easy to find in regular grocery stores. You can find it in specialty stores or online. You can also make your own green pea flour by grinding dried green peas in a food processor.

What are some other popular snacks enjoyed during Chinese New Year?

Other popular snacks enjoyed during Chinese New Year include pineapple tarts, love letters, kueh bangkit, and peanut cookies. These snacks are all delicious and easy to make. You can also add some seafood to these snacks to give them a unique flavour. For example, you can add some dried shrimp to the pineapple tarts to give them a savoury taste.