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Almond tea
Hang yan cha (杏仁茶): silky sweet soup of ground apricot kernels and rice
Despite the name, there's no tea in hang yan cha, and almonds play no part either: Hong Kong's version is ground from sweet apricot kernels, the 'southern almonds' sold loose in Chinese herbal shops. Old-style dessert shops in Yau Ma Tei and Sheung Wan ladle it hot from big pots after dinner, sometimes with a black sesame swirl, and grandmothers make it for coughs in the dry winter months. It is pale, creamy and smooth as single cream, with a perfumed, marzipan-like aroma and a gentle sweetness from rock sugar. A grainy texture comes from skipping the straining, so press the blended mixture through muslin. Chef's tip: stir constantly once it's on the heat; the rice starch catches on the bottom of the pan within seconds and gives the whole pot a scorched taste.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 oz sweet apricot kernels (southern almonds)the large, pale sweet kind; never eaten raw; do not swap in bitter kernels
- 1 ⅜ oz long-grain rice
- 2 cups just-boiled waterfor soaking
- 3 ¼ cups water
- 2 ⅞ oz rock sugaror caster sugar
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rinse 4 oz sweet apricot kernels (southern almonds) and 1 ⅜ oz long-grain rice, cover with 2 cups just-boiled water and soak for at least 30 minutes, until the rice breaks easily between your fingers. Overnight in cold water works too.
30 minStep 2: Drain, then blend with 3 ¼ cups water on full speed for 2–3 minutes, until completely smooth and milky white.
3 minStep 3: Line a sieve with muslin or a clean thin cloth and strain the mixture into a pan, then gather up the cloth and squeeze hard to get all the liquid out. Discard the pulp.
Step 4: Add 2 ⅞ oz rock sugar and bring to a simmer over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula and scraping the bottom.
5 minStep 5: Keep simmering and stirring for 10–12 minutes, until it thickens to the consistency of single cream and the raw, beany taste has cooked out.
12 minStep 6: Taste for sweetness and serve hot in small bowls. It thickens as it stands, so loosen leftovers with a splash of water when reheating.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does almond tea take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of long-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of rock sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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