Thai Lemongrass Tea - Nam Tak Rai (AFF Thailand) & Korean Sweet Pancakes with Brown Sugar Syrup Filling - Hotteok (AB)

Two in one post today :)
The drink is from Thailand. The snack is from Korea. Two different countries. But they go really well together :)


Thai Lemongrass Tea (Nam Tak Rai)

 

 

Really simple to make. Taste so good. And great for body, too :)

 

Recipe is from HERE

 

What you need:

(with some modification)

 

3 litre water

3 lemongrass (discard the root) - pound lightly

thumb size of old ginger - peel and pound lightly

honey rock sugar (as desired)

 

Method:

1. Bring all the ingredients to a boil (except rock sugar)
2. Simmer for 15 minutes
3. Add in rock sugar and simmer for another 5 minutes
4. Discard lemongrass and ginger
5. Serve hot

 

Now, the companion: Korean Sweet Pancakes

This popular street snack in Korea. Served hot and folded in a paper container, every bite will burst with melted brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Chew it together with the chewy dough, it's just so yummy!

 

 

 

 

Recipe is from HERE

 

What you need:

 

1 cup lukewarm water

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp instant yeast

1 tbsp. oil

2 cups plain flour, plus 1/2 cup for kneading, filling and shaping

1/2 tsp salt

 

 

Filling:

(to mix well)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon powder

2 tbsp chopped walnut (I didn't use)

 

Method:

1. Mix lukewarm water, sugar, yeast and oil. Stir well
2. In another bowl, mix plain flour and salt
3. Add in the flour mixture into the yeast mixture, mix with rice scoop or hand (I used rice scoop)
4. Let the dough sit for an hour (I let it sit for I 1/2 hour), then knead for awhile to let the gas bubble out
5. Spread about 1/2 cup of plain flour on cutting board (this is a lot of flour, but it's necessary since the dough is real sticky)
6. Knead dough for awhile, cut into 8 equal sized balls
7. Flatten, put filling at the centre (about 1 heaped tbsp), seal to make a ball
8. Place on a heated non stick pan with about 2 tbsp of oil (medium fire)
9. Let cook for about 30 seconds til bottom turned light brown, turn over and press the dough with spatula til thin and wide (about the size of a CD). Let cook til golden brown at the bottom
10. Turn over again and turn heat very low. Cover pan and cook another 1 minute (to let the sugar filling melts)
11. Serve immediately

 

Note:

*This snack won't taste so nice after cooling down - in my opinion (DH didn't mind eating it cold LOL). The best is to serve it immediately

*This recipe makes 8 pancakes. I made 4 pancakes and I froze the other 4 dough balls (in separate plastic wrap). After thawing, it worked just as good as the first 4 pancakes I made :)

*Another great filling recommended is mozzarella cheese. I shall try it next time :)

 

 

The tea is for  Asian Food Fest November 2013: Thailand hosted by Lena from Frozen Wings

 The green strange-looking dog at the back is clay modelling done by Ian, and he's so proud of it he wanted me to use it as prop :)


And this yummy snack is for Aspiring Bakers #37:Korean-Feast of Hansik (Nov 2013) hosted by Grace of Life Can Be Simple

 

 

I just realized that this post is my 100th post for Aspiring Bakers :)