Thursday, February 11, 2010

Sesame Seaweed Chips

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Sesame seaweed chips don't look impressive but are very tasty and addictive!

Ming left for Melbourne last night and Wey was so desolate he didn't eat dinner. He actually cried on the way back from the airport, a rare thing for him to do. Said Ming is the perfect brother. Before I knew it, I too burst into tears when we arrived home. Hub gave me 20 seconds of sympathy and quickly went into the house for refuge.

I got busy straight after dinner, making Nee's momo cookies (didn't turn out satisfactory as I made them too big). As I was frying the flour in my outdoor kitchen, I could hear fireworks in the distance. Cool wind blew at me and I nearly dropped everything as I felt a wave of pity (that I have to make Chinese New Year cookies on my own) and fear (that in old age it'll just be me and Hub celebrating CNY). Yes, MP, it's hard to celebrate CNY when the kids are not around. Thank God there's still Wey. Now if only I had that 4th child.

Today I made chigu (Chinese arrowroot, a kind of bulb) chips and sesame seaweed chips. Again, I got the seaweed chips recipe from Nee, the master baker. Instead of sesame oil, I added white sesame seeds for extra flavor and bite and the chips went so fast I had to tape the canisters so Hub and Wey can't get at them. Of the kuih momo, chigu chips and seaweed chips, seaweed chips are the easiest to make. A packet of spring roll 'skin' (wrapper) and nori (Japanese seaweed sheets) can make plenty of chips and that's basically all the ingredients you need, if you don't add sesame seeds. I didn't make any prawn crackers this year (very toned down CNY) so the seaweed crackers will make up for that.

Sesame Seaweed Chips
1 packet popiah or spring roll skin/wrapper*
2 packets nori
white sesame seeds
salt & white pepper (mix 1 t salt to 1/2 t pepper)
oil for frying
2-3 egg whites, whisk lightly (do not use water to substitute; wrapper n nori won't stick)

* Do not get the Lotus brand because the wrappers are about 2 cm smaller length and breadth than the nori sheets. Pertama brand is perfect.

1. Peel and separate all the spring roll wrappers. Cover with a tea towel.

2. Lay 2 pieces wrapper side by side. Brush egg white on left wrapper(work quickly!). Sprinkle sesame seeds on the left wrapper, then lay a piece of nori on that wrapper. Brush right wrapper. with egg white. Dab the salt & pepper mixture lightly with two fingers and quickly smear it all over the right wrapper. Lay the salt & pepper wrapper over the nori, pressing down firmly.

3. After you've finish sandwiching all the wrappers, fold each into 3 and use scissors to cut into 3 equal strips. Turn the strips short side towards you and cut into 1 cm small strips.

4. Heat 4-5 cups of oil in a wok. While waiting for the oil to heat up, separate the strips of sandwiched seaweed. When oil begins to smoke, turn heat to low and throw in a handful of the seaweed strips, using a pair of chopsticks or tongs to stir and separate the strips. Do not cook too many strips each time. Continue stirring so that both sides of the strips get cooked and when they just begin to brown, lift the chips out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Remember that the chips will continue to cook & brown after it's lifted from the oil so don't cook them too brown.

5. When cool, pack the chips in a canister.

note: if you prefer to use sesame oil like Nee, brush it on the nori and smear the pepper & salt on the nori instead.

10 comments:

fishm0i said...

Somehow, I found this year CNY is sorta... Quiet...

Katie said...

Those look really delicious. I love spring roll pastry so I imagine they would be so nice and crispy. They also make eating nori a little less intimidating for first timers too!

LilyAnette said...

Kong Hei Fat Choi. I missed out on all the fun for 10 years now & always wonder if my own children will ever get to feel the atmosphere of Chinese New year celebration in Asia. Sigh.

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

This year I did not make this. Wishing you a Happy CNY.

red | hongyi said...

Wey said Ming's the perfect brother, AGAIN?! and me, awkward and funny?! PFFFFFFT

how come no tears were shed for ME?

NEE said...

wow with the tall hat you gave me, i am blushing....your seaweed crackers def very creative. will try it next time. should be very flavourful.

My mum and dad prob felt the same way when we were in melbourne. guess that is why most parents want their kids to stay nearby and some even at home. my parents and i are 5 min away, youngest staying at home and with roger in aust, they are flying there on the third day. prob miss him too.

terri@adailyobsession said...

aggie: tt's what everybody says every year but then when the actual day comes, it's usually not tt quiet! gong xi fa cai!

katie: try making it katie, real easy.

lilyann: no, they'll never celebrate cny the way u did...but u can hav some cny traditions at home n tt's what they'll rmember. next year, come back for cny, not christmas. gong xi fa cai!

sonia: gong xi fa cai to u n family!

yi: u shd've had a sister too...no tears bc we're so glad to get rid of u! haha, i think wey left it more bc now there's no one but him. and us. and poh. no one to take him to movies or try cool things. like shisha.

nee: you are what i said you are! what, roger not coming back ah, bad boy:(

Anonymous said...

Hi Terri
You are one the very few technically competant and generous (do not omit any trick of the trade) food blogger around. Do you have any formal training in cookery?

KKtastebud

Zurin said...

OO la la!!! my fave chips!!happy new year Terri n to ur family too!!

terri@adailyobsession said...

anon: no, i'm home-trained . i took short courses in wedding cakes, basic cake making, baos, etc

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