Gingko nuts & Lotus Bulb Dessert

Okay, this was a favorite Chinese dessert of mine growing up. I don't know how to describe the tastes...but it's GOOD.

But this time, it was a fail. Not sure if it's because I bought the de-shelled and preserved gingko nuts isntead of fresh ones...but it had a bitter taste to it. Every. Single. One. I ended up throwing away half the pot. So sad.

Fresh gingko nuts
Fresh lotus bulb
Rock sugar
piece of raw ginger
water

 

Grass Jelly & Almond Jello Dessert

THIS is a favorite summertime Asian dessert for me. It light and really cools you down. Grass jelly has medicinal qualities that is cooling for your body, perfect after a meal of grilled meats and veggies. Because it's a little bitter, I love to pair it with almond jello and some fruit. In this case, I have canned lychees. The syrup from the lychee can is PERFECT for making the sweetness level just right.

Grass jelly	Comes in a can, plop it out and dice it
Almond jello	Can make it yourself by buying a powder that you add to water and then cool, like jello. Or you can also buy premade Almond tofu and just dice that up. You can see a bit of it at the bottom of my dish. I poured the jello into a few dessert bowls then after it set, scopped the grass jelly with lychee mix on top.
Canned lychees	Can sub with canned long-an, add jackfruit, strawberries, pear slices, whatever...

So yum!!