1 Preparing the Ingredients
There are numerous options for sweet fillings, including beans, lotus seeds, taro, and matcha.
– For harder ingredients like dried beans, lotus seeds, or other hard seeds, it is recommended to soak them overnight, rinse, and add baking soda while boiling.
– For softer, fresh seeds, soak them in warm water for 2 hours.
– Add matcha or pandan leaves towards the end of cooking the bean or taro filling.
2 The 3 Essentials for Cooking the Filling
It is crucial to follow the 3 essentials when cooking the filling: enough oil, low heat, and dryness.
Oil: Ensure you use a ratio of 3:1 of ingredients to oil. For every 3 parts of beans or taro, use 1 part oil. This ensures a soft and smooth texture.
Heat: It is best to use low heat, even if it takes longer. This prevents burning and ensures a fragrant, sticky filling.
Dryness: The filling should be dry and not sticky to the pan or your hands. This prevents water separation, allowing you to shape the filling into balls easily. It also ensures the baked mooncakes remain intact and do not separate.
3 Adding Supplementary Ingredients
, , essence, glutinous rice flour, or maltose are added during the cooking process to enhance the sweetness, moisture, and stickiness of the filling. However, the timing of adding each ingredient varies.
Sugar: Use granulated sugar or palm sugar for a subtle sweetness and fragrance.
Essence: Choose an essence that suits your taste, such as coffee, pandan leaves, coconut, or matcha. Pandan leaf essence is the most commonly used.
Glutinous Rice Flour/Maltose: These ingredients provide structure and hold the filling together while maintaining its softness and deliciousness.
Note that maltose is sweet, so reduce the amount of sugar if using maltose to avoid an overly sweet filling.
Even the most delicious filling can quickly spoil and separate if the ingredients are not cleaned properly after soaking and if the cooking process does not follow the correct principles. With this information, you can confidently create sweet fillings that meet your expectations.