DRIED AGAR-AGAR CANDY

In frenzy of preparation for the Chinese New Year, I was busy digging up recipes for goodies/candies which have more or less disappeared from the usual lazy susan tray.

These goodies are traditionally all make by hand with tender loving care and these are cherished as family favorites. They only make their appearances once in year- because it is always time consuming. But they taste marvelous and you can still recall their flavour and texture and its etched in our memory. Sad to say, nowadays the younger generation seldom treasures these "gold". Nowadays with fast pace living and everything available in instant mode, who wants to bother making them.

But in doing so, we missed the camaraderie, the joy and laughter that we had when we are doing these goodies together as a family and it is this time together that really makes Chinese New Year worth looking forward to.

Now one of these candies is DRIED AGAR-AGAR CANDY. Now I came across a food blog on this candy and immediately I can recall the first time I had this candy. In the early days of my marriage we used to visit our friends and relatives and it was at this friend's house that I ate them. It was made by her mother and of course, being curious I asked how it was made, but then I never made them. I can remember the chewy texture, its crusty on the outside and soft gel inside.

So, I tried the recipe just before CNY hoping to bring it to my family members. Alas, the weather has not been kind and the sun had gone on holidays. But then again the sun came out again and it was ready for the CNY.

Anyway, the recipe used rose flavouring. I have omitted this and instead use around just 50 ml of the Rose Syrup topped with water to bring it to 750 ml. The result is very good, the jelly sets beautifully and hard and can be cut nicely. After that the jelly sits in the trays waiting to be dried in the sun. It should be dried for 7 days so that a sugary crust is formed.

I also tried another lot with lemon zest and again I used lemon juice to make up the amount of liquid required. But funnily this lot does not set. I think it must be the acidity of the lemon.

Then I remember that I had a bottle of Rose Water and Orange Blossom water in the fridge- gifts from my sister May from Australia.

So, I tried another lot with Orange Blossom water. I love the aroma arising from the pot when cooking this lot. It smells so heavenly of Orange Blossom-hah-happy sign! Again this lot is successful.

(lovely smell arising from the pot)

So I am greedy and tried another with Pandan juice. Needless to say, it was good as practice makes perfect!.

However, it was really time consuming as I have said. I had to carry these trays to the sun, take them in now and then and turn each piece over individually and again to the sun. I think, I must have been sun tanned by CNY.

By the 3rd day a sugary crust has formed. The texture is crisp outside and gummy inside. The flavours seems to have gotten lost and so is the colour, so more or less like a very sweet.

Will I make them again? Why not- come next CNY?