It's Friday night, what are you doing staying at home?
a) You're wallet's on that great diet that you've been meaning to try?
b) No date?
Not to worry, there's a perfect remedy for you.
No, it's not spiritual enlightenment neither is it self-actualisation, that's someone else's blog.
It's what those under-eating stick figures never indulges in: Sugar and spice and everything that's nice.
For those of you who are on a budget, AND are worrying about the jeans getting a little too tight. There's a great alternative for you:
Oriental desserts!
No, I don't mean deep-fried ice cream from the Thai takeout down the road.
Now the picture above contains 3 of the best desserts the Far East can offer, with high nutritious level and low in both processed sugar and fat? It's not a guilty pleasure, just sheer delight without the baggage.
Roxanne, you don't have to put on the fat-pants, those days are over, you don't have to have to sell your body to Krispy Kreme.
So, allow me to introduce to you the finger licking trio:
Green-tea flavoured sticky rice bun with red bean filling: High quality green tea extracts were infused with the rice dough during the manufacturing process, along with that popular red-bean filling that never goes wrong with anything. For those of you who like anything "fusion", this dessert combines the popular Japanese mochi texture and the tea flavour with the red bean, something that Chinese people have always had a fond relationship with.
Sticky date cake with 8 different kinds of dessert beans: If you're already familiar with the culinary culture of the Orient, you must know that there's nothing more us Asians love in our traditional desserts than ingredients that not only taste great without additives, but also have high natural supplements. In this baby, there's dried longan, silver ear fungi, lotus seeds and chunky sweet potatoes amongst others are mixed with a the black rice cake infused with dates. To those who are more adventurous with their food, this dish dances serenely on the border between sweet and savoury, and not a little too much. However, these cakes are all open to alterations, should you wish to glace your rice cakes with a douse of aloe vera edible extract for that syrupy sweetness? You've got it.
Traditional red bean rice cake: Not ready to excite your palate with something exotic yet? No worries, this ancient recipe hasn't changed much since our ancestors first discovered that red beans, amongst others in the wilderness, are not only edible, but taste great with rice. This is the fried rice of Eastern desserts, the safest option and you won't be disappointed.
Now, you're telling me the reason you're feeling the Friday Night blues is because there're 3 cats in your apartment and no human contact? Well honey, you need something more hardcore than what the skinny Asians can concoct:
For just under $5 AUD, you'll be able to take this baby home. In a box of four, you have at least an hour of good old American apple pie to bake and taste. Topped with cinnamon sugar and bailey sugar, with the luscious filling of pink lady apples and the the gourmet Sara Lee pastry? I bet you haven't taken care of yourself like this for a long while. Just a dollop of any ice cream of your desire, may it be a palate cleansing sorbet or a big scoop of guilty vanilla, just sit back and relax, and enjoy this great traditional recipe.
So until we meet again, my kindred, I hope you'll find that those dull Friday nights are a thing in the past.
Xxxo
C.
