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Love Letters ( Kueh Belandah)

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Kueh Belandah-Love Letter Crisps

With the need to sweeten the lips of celestial messengers, it probably explains why among the Straits Chinese, certain cakes are called kueh chuchi mulut or cakes to wash the mouth with. One Chinese New Year goodie that goes back centuries is kueh belandah or love letters. Crisp rolls are made from a batter that is poured onto cast-iron moulds with long handles so they can be baked over charcoal fires. Looking much like brandy snaps, kueh belandah hark back to ancient Chinese history when similar egg rolls were used to hide secret messages between army factions fighting off the marauding Mongols. Edible E-mail of a sort. They were also believed to have been used as containers for thwarted lovers to pass secret letters of romantic intensity. Each mould is etched with graphic and symbolic representations of flowers, birds or animals.

Ingredients:
3 whole fresh coconuts, grated (about 3 1/2 pounds in weight)
7 large eggs
550g (19 ounces) granulated sugar
600g (21 ounces/4 1/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tbsp. rice flour

Instructions:
Dry-fry flour for a few minutes and allow to cool. Squeeze coconut for thick milk and reserve shreds for additional thin milk if batter is too thick. Beat eggs with sugar until completely dissolved. Place fried flour in a large mixing bowl, make a well into the centre and add beaten egg. Fold in gently from the sides and stir to form a smooth paste. Add thick coconut milk and continue stirring until all lumps are removed. To ensure this, pass mixture through a think muslin cloth or fine colander. Set aside.

Place charcoal in your special brazier and heat until they become glowing ember. Always have glowing hot charcoal in another stove on standby to add on.

Oil each belandah mould on both sides (one person should be able to handle two at the same time) and heat on charcoal.

Now comes the hard part. Holding mould at a slight angle over the pot of batter, pour a ladleful on the mould that is on the horizontal so that excess is drained off immediately. Quickly shut the mould and place on charcoal grill. Cook for about 2 minutes and turn over. Check by opening the mould and when it is light brown, use a sharp knife to scrape off excess from the side of the mould.

Open mould and with one quick roll of the free hand, roll into a cylinder about 1/2 inch in diameter. If this is difficult, fold over twice to make loose triangles.

Cool and store in an airtight tin as love letters go soft quickly when exposed to air.

Cook's tip: Add a little warm water to used coconut shreds and squeeze out thin milk. This can be added to the existing batter as you go along as it settles a little and becomes thick.

Note:
You will need love letter molds to make these love letters, or as suggested by a guest to Diana's Desserts Website, a pizzelle maker can be used to make the love letters.

Date: January 13, 2003

Reviews

Reviewer: Kate
Rating: 
Review:
I love this love letter roll! I tried to make it with sesame seeds but is a bit oily and won't long! I'm trying other flavours. Anyone can advice? thanks~

 
Reviewer: Rosalind Chan
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Review:
I would love to try your love letters recipe. We don't get fresh coconut in Canada and would like to know how much coconut milk I should use in this recipe instead of fresh coconut. Thanks.

 
Reviewer: Rosalind Chan
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Review:
Please provide the recipe in Grams or ounces. How much coconut milk should I use in this recipe if we do not have fresh coconut in Canada? Thanks.

 
Reviewer: Diana, Diana's Desserts
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Review:
Carol, I have corrected the amounts for the flour and sugar. I have now put these ingredients in metric AND imperial measurments as well as CUPS for the flour. Also, I have added a note about using a pizzelle maker. Thank you for your advice, Diana, Diana's Desserts

 
Reviewer: John Lee
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Review:
Dear Sir/Madam, Thank you for your love letter recipe. Where can I buy the cooking ware for the love letters and how much will it cost? Hoping for your immediate reply. Regards, John Lee

 
Reviewer: Diana, Diana's Desserts
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Review:
Hi John, I don't know where you can buy the molds for the Love Letters here in the United States, although it's possible that you might find them at Asian stores. If you live in an Asian country, you may be able to purchase them at stores that sell cookware. Good luck.....Diana, Diana's Desserts

 
Reviewer: Nickname: E1ev1N
Rating: 
Review:
Is this site all about egg roll? if so, I love to eat egg roll. It's very good...you can have pork, beef, or chicken mixed in with your other ingredient to fry it and eat it. It's Asian egg roll I am telling yah...

 
Reviewer: Carol Gibbons
Rating: 
Review:
The recipe was a bit off. 600 g of flour is the same as 4.5 cups of flour and not 2.5 as stated. I also reduced the sugar from 550g to 400g so that it is not too sweet. And I skipped the rice flour completely. And finally, I used 4 cups of water with 1 can of coconut milk. I use a pizzelle maker to make it and it came out great. It tasted exactly like how my mum used to make it. You can also add sesame seeds in.

 
Reviewer: Jessica
Rating: 
Review:
I would like to try this recipe. But like what Rosalind has mentioned. Can we replace the squeezing of coconut milk with instant ready made coconut milk. And how much is needed?, and Diana, do you have the recipe for sambal mini prawn roll/ shrimp roll that is usually very popular during Chinese New year. Thanks.

 
Reviewer: Diana
Rating: 
Review:
Makes a great love letter waffle too..

 

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