We’re all a bit confused about whether this year should be called the year of the ram, sheep, or goat. I’ve taken the liberty to simplify things for all of us. Happy year of the fluffy, woolly, white (sometimes black) mammal! Put that on a t-shirt.
For those of you who are born in the year of the tiger like me, this is what we have in store for 2015:
- Things will go smoothly this year. (<— High Five!)
- We should expect a promotion and salary increase. (Mo’ money, mo’ problems though.)
- For those of us who own a business, we need to be careful and have a solid business plan. (Buy big notebook to lay out business plan. Check.)
- Yikes — female tigers might get injured in the face in January or July! (I’ve escaped January unscathed, but I’m bracing myself for July.)
- We should do regular exercise to stay healthy. (“Amen,” said Michelle Obama.)
- Anyone studying for a big exam should work hard and study more. You’ll do better with your exams that way. (How is this even zodiac fortune-worthy? That’s just stereotypical advice that Chinese mothers give to their children. ALL THE TIME.)
All in all, I’d say that 2015 isn’t looking too bad for us.
Sweets are a HUGE deal on Chinese New Year. First, there’s what I like to call the hodgepodge candy platter, filled with candied kumquats, winter melon, coconut, carrots, lotus root, ginger, and lotus seeds. Fruit jelly candies are also a must. A must! Then, we have fried dumplings filled with sugar, peanuts, coconut, and sesame seeds. I can chow down 10 of those dumplings when they’re fresh out the wok, easy.
One of my favorite CNY sweets would have to be Mama Lin’s peanut brittle. The ingredients list is short, and the steps are deceptively simple. Melt the sugar, mix all the ingredients, roll out the candy, and chop. Sounds easy, right? But whenever I’m dealing with hot sugar, you can expect trouble.
A few months ago, I asked Mama Lin to show me how to make the peanut brittle, and I quickly realized that her method of measuring ingredients is with her eyes. She’ll make some vague effort to measure ingredients in a cup or bowl first, then toss in a handful of nuts and coconut along the way, depending on how the ingredients worked together. This imprecision with her cooking is probably why Mama Lin will never be a professional baker.
After a few tries, I’ve finally reached a recipe that is as close to Mama Lin’s brittle as I can get. Of course, I still think hers taste better, but maybe after I continue making this for another 10 years, I’ll finally get the hang of it.
Here’s to a healthy and prosperous year of the fluffy woolly mammal to you all!
Peanut Sesame Ginger Brittle
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 1 TBS minced fresh ginger
- 2 1/2 cups (420g) roasted unsalted peanuts*
- 1/4 cup (40g) sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup (25g) shredded coconut
Instructions
- Pour the sugar into a wok or deep sauté pan and heat over medium-low heat.
- Let the sugar sit in the pan until you see that clumps start to form. This may take 5 to 10 minutes. When you see clumps of sugar, start stirring the sugar to prevent it from burning. Continue until all the sugar has turned into a deep golden liquid. Turn off the heat.
- Pour the ginger in first to cook off some of the spice. This should take no more than 30 seconds. Add the peanuts, sesame seeds, and coconut.
- Take a large wooden cutting board, and pour the mixture on top. Lightly wet a rolling pin with water. This will help prevent the candy from sticking to it while you roll out the candy.
- Touch the candy mixture to see how hot it is. If the candy feels burning hot, I would let it cool for a few minutes before rolling out the candy.
- Roll out the mixture to a 1/4-inch thick brittle. Chop the mixture into small rectangles or squares while the candy is still warm.
- Let the candy cool off completely before storing. The candy should stay fresh for up to a month.
Notes
This little guy insisted that he help me out with making the candy.
Sarah says
Looks so delicious! I may need to try this out before we head to New Years festivities!
Lisa says
Yes! Thanks, Sarah!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Happy New Year! It may not be Mama Lin’s, but your brittle looks like a tasty treat!
Lisa says
Thanks, Brianne! Happy new year to you too!
Joanne says
I think all mothers/grandmothers cook/bake this way…it somehow becomes ingrained into your genes after a certain point in time! This brittle sounds soooo tasty. I love all the nuts and seeds!
Lisa says
It’s so true. My grandmother was even worse. I don’t think she even pretended to use measuring utensils! Everything was done according to how ingredients looked or felt to her.
Liz @ Floating Kitchen says
Happy Chinese New Year. I’m down for a holiday that’s all about sweets. Ha ha. This brittle looks amazing!
Lisa says
Haha, why am I not surprised at all?
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Lisa, do you have a son? if so, he’s so cute!!! “Mo’ money, mo’ problems though.” .. I laughed out loud. . but this is truth! I’d say 2015 is going to be a great year for you. . especially if there’s peanut sesame ginger brittle involved!! yummm!!
Lisa says
That’s my baby nephew, Alice! He’s so spoiled by all the adults in his life, but he is soooo freakin’ cute! A bit of a terror around the kitchen though. He’s always banging on pots and pans and wants to play with the stove!!
Nutmeg Nanny says
These look so nutty and delicious! Love!
Lisa says
Thanks, Brandy!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
I’m a huge sesame fan, and these look amazing! Lots of great flavor and texture for a treat! I was born in the year of the “fluffy, woolly, white (sometimes black) mammal!” Fun!
Lisa says
Thanks, Patricia! This is your year to shine! (I feel a bit like my mom just saying that haha.)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Sesame and peanuts……so good!
Lisa says
Oh, yes indeed!
Alanna says
Yum! Happy CNY 🙂 This brittle reminds me of one of my personal local favorites – few ingredients and doesn’t break your teeth when biting into it. Love the addition of ginger because the more ginger the better! Have a great weekend!
Lisa says
Thanks, Alanna! Happy new year to you, too!
genevieve @ gratitude & greens says
Happy Chinese New Year, Lisa! This peanut sesame ginger brittle sounds delicious and I wish I had some to nibble on right now!
Lisa says
Happy new year to you too, Genevieve!!
Farrah says
I feel like I’ll miss home a little less if I can at least make these. <3 Thank you for the recipe!
Lisa says
Aw, thanks, Farrah! Happy new year!
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
Year of the dragon YO.
I pinned this before seeing the recipe and now I want it even more….share? I’ll give you a red packet with a methos in it (what the Chinese restaurants do here).
Lisa says
Dragaon baby! My brother’s a dragon, too. Oh I’d take any sort of red envelope here. I’ll definitely do a swap!
Carrie says
I’m year of the tiger, too! Hmmm, my cat accidentally scratched the crap out of my chest recently (jumping off of me when she got freaked out by something), so maybe that counts as getting injured in the face? Anywho, happy New Year, Lisa! :0)
Lisa says
OH NO!!! I hope you’re feeling ok! Alright, I think you’ve paid your dues. No more injuries to Carrie for the rest of the year! Happy new year to you too!
Jennifer Farley says
I love sesame brittle! This looks fantastic.
Lisa says
Thanks, Jennifer!
Leslie says
Yum! I’ve never seen a recipe like this before. That looks really yummy. You’ve also got a really cute little helper!
Lisa says
Hah, thanks, Leslie!!
Sarah @ SnixyKitchen says
Happy New Year! I’ve been wanting to make sesame brittle for awhile now – yours sounds AMAZING. And the ginger addition? I’m all over it. You’d find me hovering over a plate of this at any party.
Lisa says
Happy new year to you too! I’ll make some for you the next time we meet up!