Polish Apple Pancakes - Racuchy

Racuchy are traditional Polish pancakes similar to American pancakes but may have different variations in terms of ingredients and toppings.

The batter for racuchy typically includes flour, eggs, milk or water, and sometimes yeast or baking powder for leavening. It can also contain additional ingredients such as sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and sometimes grated apples or other fruits.

Once the batter is prepared, it's cooked on a skillet or griddle until golden brown on both sides. Racuchy can be served sweet or savory, and they are often enjoyed with toppings such as powdered sugar, maple syrup, jam, fruit compote, or sour cream.

Ingredients:

- 250g all-purpose flour

- 25g fresh yeast (or 10g dry yeast)

- 180ml warm milk

- 2-3 tablespoons sugar (about 40g)

- 1 egg

- 2 apples

Instructions:

1. Activate the Yeast:

   - If using fresh yeast, crumble it into a small bowl. If using dry yeast, you can add it directly to the flour.

   - In a mixing bowl, combine the warm milk with the sugar and yeast. Stir until the yeast is dissolved. Let it sit for a few minutes until it becomes frothy.

2. Prepare the Dough:

   - Once the yeast mixture is frothy, add the flour and egg to the bowl. 

   - Mix everything together until a smooth batter forms. You can use a whisk or a spoon for this step.

3. Proof the Dough:

   - Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place it in a warm place. 

   - Allow the dough to rise for about 30-60 minutes, or until it doubles in size.

4. Prepare the Apples:

   - While the dough is proofing, peel and core the apples. 

   - Cut them into small cubes or thin slices, depending on your preference.

5. Incorporate the Apples:

   - Once the dough has risen, add the chopped apples to the batter. 

   - Gently fold them in until evenly distributed.

6. Cook the Pancakes:

   - Heat a frying pan or skillet over medium heat. 

   - Lightly grease the pan with butter or oil.

   - Using spoon scoop 1-2 spoonful of pancake batter onto the hot pan, spreading it out slightly with the back of the spoon.

   - Cook the pancake for 2-3 minutes on one side, or until bubbles form on the surface and the edges start to set.

   - Flip the pancake and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown and cooked through.

   - Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter or oil to the pan as needed.

7. Serve:

   - Serve the apple pancakes warm, either plain or with your favorite toppings such as maple syrup, honey, powdered sugar, or a dollop of whipped cream. 

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake

Cookie Layer Ingredients:

- 1 egg

- 60g brown sugar

- 45g oil

- 70g all-purpose flour

- 30g cornstarch

- 5g baking powder

- 60g chocolate chips

Cheesecake Layer Ingredients:

- 250g cream cheese

- 2 eggs

- 40g sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a round cake pan or line it with parchment paper.

2. Prepare Cookie Layer:

   - In a mixing bowl, beat together the egg, brown sugar, and oil until well combined.

   - Sift in the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Mix until a dough forms.

   - Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

   - Pour into the prepared cake pan. Leave some to place on top of cheesecake.

   - Bake at 180 degree Celsius for 5 minutes.

3. Prepare Cheesecake Layer:

   - In another mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with sugar until smooth and creamy.

   - Add the eggs gradually, and continue beating until well combined and smooth.

4.  Assemble and Bake:

   - Pour the cheesecake batter over the chocolate chip cookie layer.

   - Smooth out the top with a spatula.

   - Add the rest of the batter on top.

   - Optionally, sprinkle some additional chocolate chips.

   - Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set and the edges are slightly golden brown.

5. Cool and Serve:

   - Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 20-30 minutes.

   - Once cooled, carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan and transfer it to a serving plate.

   - Allow it to cool completely before slicing and serving.

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Spinach Crepes - Naleśniki

"Naleśniki" are thin, crepe-like pancakes that are popular in Polish cuisine. They are made from a simple batter of flour, eggs, milk, and a pinch of salt, and they are typically fried in a pan until golden brown. Naleśniki can be served with a variety of fillings, both sweet and savory. Sweet fillings often include fruit preserves, Nutella, or sweetened cheese, while savory fillings can include cheese, mushrooms, or meat. They are a versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert.

Ingredients:

- 210 g cake flour

- 2 eggs

- 250 ml milk

- 120 ml water

- 60 g spinach leaves (fresh or frozen)

- 20 g sugar (more or less if desired)

- Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Spinach:

   - If using fresh spinach, wash it thoroughly and remove any tough stems.

   - If using frozen spinach, thaw it completely and squeeze out excess water.

2. Make the Batter:

   - In a blender or food processor, combine the spinach, eggs, milk, water, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.

   - Add the flour gradually while blending until a smooth batter forms. You can adjust the consistency by adding more water if needed.

3. Rest the Batter:

   - Let the batter rest for about 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax and the flavors to meld.

4. Cook the Crepes:

   - Heat a non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat and lightly grease it with oil or butter.

   - Pour a small ladleful of batter onto the hot skillet, swirling it around to spread it thinly and evenly.

   - Cook the crepe for about 1-2 minutes on one side until lightly golden brown, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side.

   - Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the cooked crepes on a plate as you go.

5. Serve:

   - Serve the spinach crepes warm with your favorite fillings or toppings, such as cheese, ham, mushrooms, or cream sauce.

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Chinese / Lunar New Year Food Explained

The most common Chinese New Year foods

Fish - an Increase in Prosperity

Fish is one of the most typical Chinese New Year foods. In Chinese, "fish" (魚 ; Yú) sounds like surplus. People believe that having a surplus at the end of the year will lead to making more in the next year. Steamed fish is one of the most famous Chinese New Year recipes. There are several types of fish that can be eaten during this time:

Crucian carp: The first character of 'crucian carp' (鯽魚 ; jìyú) sounds like the Chinese word 吉 (jí ; good luck), so eating crucian carp is considered to bring good luck for the next year.

Chinese mud carp: The first part of the Chinese for mud carp (鯽魚 ; lǐyú) is pronounced like the word for gifts (禮 ; lǐ), symbolizing a wish for good fortune.

Catfish: The Chinese for "catfish" (鯰魚 ; niányú) sounds like 年餘 (nián yú), meaning 'year surplus', representing a wish for surplus in the year.

Dumplings - Wealth

With a history of more than 1,800 years, dumplings (餃子 ; Jiǎozi) are a classic lucky food for Lunar New Year and a traditional dish eaten on New Year's Eve. Chinese dumplings can be made to look like Chinese silver ingots, which are boat-shaped, oval, and turned up at the two ends. Legend has it that the more dumplings you eat during the New Year celebrations, the more money you can make in the New Year. Popular fillings include minced pork, diced shrimp, fish, ground chicken, beef, and vegetables. Dumplings can be cooked by boiling, steaming, frying, or baking. On New Year's Eve, it's a tradition to eat dumplings with cabbage and radish, implying that one's skin will become fair and one's mood will become gentle.

Spring Rolls - Wealth

Spring rolls (春捲 ; Chūnjuǎn) are named because they are traditionally eaten during the Spring Festival. They are a dim sum dish consisting of cylindrical-shaped rolls filled with vegetables, meat, or something sweet. The fillings are wrapped in thin dough wrappers and then fried until they turn golden-yellow.

Sweet Rice Balls (Tangyuan) - Family Togetherness

Sweet rice balls (湯圓 ; Tāngyuán) are the main food for the Lantern Festival. The pronunciation and round shape of tangyuan are associated with reunion and togetherness.

Longevity Noodles - Happiness and Longevity

Longevity noodles (長壽麵 ; Chángshòu Miàn) symbolize a wish for longevity. They are longer than normal noodles and remain uncut, either fried and served on a plate or boiled and served in a bowl with broth.

Good Fortune Fruit - Fullness and Wealth

Certain fruits are eaten during the Chinese New Year period, such as tangerines, oranges, and pomeloes. These fruits are selected because they are particularly round and "golden" in color, symbolizing fullness and wealth. Eating and displaying tangerines and oranges is believed to bring good luck and fortune due to their pronunciation and symbolism.

Prosperity cake (Fa Gao) - Fortune 

Prosperity cake (Fa Gao, 发粿) is a steamed, cupcake-like pastry commonly enjoyed during Chinese New Year. It's also known as Fa ban (发粄) among the Hakka community. The name "Fa Gao" translates to "prosperity cake" or "fortune cake" in English. When cooked, the cake has a characteristic split top.

The name "Fa Gao" carries symbolic meanings related to prosperity and expansion. The Chinese character "fa" represents both prosperity and expansion, while "gao" means cake. This conveys the idea of the cake expanding and bringing forth prosperity and fortune.

In Hakka tradition, the split top of the Fa Gao is called "xiao," which means smiling. It is seen as a sign of incoming fortune. The bigger the split top, the better it is believed to be for one's fortune.

The cake is typically made from rice flour, leavening agents (traditionally yeast, but chemical leavening can also be used), and sugar. It is steamed on high heat until the top splits into three or four segments.

Fa Gao cakes are often dyed in bright colors such as white and pink, but they can also be turned brown by adding palm sugar for a different flavor and appearance.

New Year Cake (Nian Gao) - Higher Income or Position

Nian gao (年糕), also known as Chinese New Year's cake, is a traditional food made from glutinous rice flour. It is considered good luck to eat Nian Gao during the Chinese New Year as the name is a homonym for "higher year" or "grow every year" (年高), symbolizing a more prosperous year ahead. The traditional Nian Gao is round in shape and often decorated with auspicious characters like the character for prosperity (福) on top.

According to folklore, Nian Gao was believed to be an offering to the Kitchen God to ensure he couldn't speak ill of the human family in front of the Jade Emperor. The sticky nature of the cake was thought to stick the Kitchen God's mouth together.

Regional variations of Nian Gao

Guangdong: Sweet Nian Gao in Guangdong is dipped in egg and pan-fried. It is typically sweetened with brown sugar, resulting in a dark yellow color. The batter is poured into a cake pan and steamed until it solidifies. Once heated, the Nian Gao becomes stretchy and extremely sticky, and it is served in thick slices.

Fujian/Hokkien: In the southern region of Fujian, Nian Gao is commonly used for New Year rituals and gifts. It is made with glutinous rice and taro, usually sliced and cooked before consumption. It can also be wrapped in egg or cornstarch and fried.

Jiangnan/Shanghainese: Shanghai-style Nian Gao can be savory or sweet. It is made by mixing rice with glutinous rice powder and can be steamed, fried, sliced, or used in soups. The Shanghai variety is usually packaged as a thick, soft rod to be sliced and stir-fried or added to soup. The sweet version uses white sugar, while the almost tasteless version is enjoyed for its chewy texture.

Northern: Northern Nian Gao can be steamed or fried and is mainly sweet in taste. Different regions in the north have their own variations. For example, Beijing versions may include jujube and either glutinous rice or yellow rice, while Shanxi uses yellow rice and red bean paste or jujube paste for filling.

Nian Gao-like cakes can also be found in other countries such as Burma, Cambodia, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, and Indonesia, each with their own unique preparations and flavors.

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