Kok Chai (角仔)

When I was little, I used to watch how my grandma prepares Peanut Puff (角仔) prior to Lunar New Year.  

My aunts and mom will gather round the round table while my grandma prepares the dough.

There will be this huge amount of flour on the table, and then she will make a well in the centre.  Next, she will pour in this big bowl of oil and etc etc.  

Her swift big hands will bring the flour together, quick enough not to let the liquid out onto the table.

Very soon, a big lump of the dough is ready for rolling out.  Using a glass cup, grandma is able to produce many thinned round disc ready for the fillings. Watching her is like watching a machine churning out goodies.  So systematically and quick.

As for my aunts and mom, their job is to pleat these into kok chai.  

My grandma's 角仔 is really nice.  It has this 松 mouth feel (light texture).  I was told that it is because of the lard used that create this texture.   I am not crazy over 角仔 because I am not a fan of peanut but I do miss the togetherness as the family comes together to churn out these golden "nuggets".  I guess I am feeling nostalgic at this moment.

I don’t really see this item being offered during house visiting days.  It is a rare find unless there are elders in the family that we visit.  DC’s mother in law is one of them and after two years of seeking her recipe, I finally had a chance to try my hand at this.

Note: I did try Do What I Like but somehow I had huge difficulty rolling out the dough.  In the end, it ended up in the bin.   As for DC's mom in law's, I think the cup measurement is different from mine.  I have yet to clarify with her on the exact measurement.

  

What you need:

Pastry

600g flour (I added another 50g)
280g (12oz) oil
215g (8oz) water.

Filling

200g coarsely chopped peanuts
100g dry-fried white sesame
200g sugar (more if you like it sweeter)

Method:

Bring all the ingredients together.  Knead into a dough.  Set aside.

Mix all the ingredients for the filling together.

Working on a floured surface, use a rolling pin to flatten dough into a thin sheet. Use the rim of a glass to cut out the circular shape.

Wrap it with some of the fillings and fold over to get a crescent shape. Stick the edges together with water or egg. Seal well and pinch the edges with your thumb.

Fry in medium heat till golden brown.

Verdict: My sister said it is good but I have a problem rolling the dough as it somehow tends to shrink.