CHINESE COOKING: If you like the texture of yam and taro, you will be delighted with these yummy treats.

SHRIMP & TARO BALLS 香芋蝦球:

 

 

 

 

1 lb. taro, available at Chinese supermarket

4 oz. small shrimp

glutinous rice flour to dust

seasoning for shrimp:

    1/4 tsp. salt, sugar, white pepper

    1/2 egg white

seasoning for taro:

    1 tsp. each salt & sugar

    1/2 tsp. 5-spice powder

    dash of sesame seed oil & white pepper

    2 tbsp. cooking oil

oil for deep frying

 

 

 

Rinse and shell shrimp; then mince in food processor. Season with seasoning ingredients.

 

Peel taro, wash & dry well. Cook taro either by steaming or cooking in a pot of boiling water until tender. Mash with a potato masher; then add in seasoning ingredients. Use a pair of chopsticks to mix, stirring in one direction only, until well mixed.

 

 

Scoop out 2 tbsp. taro and work it into a rough circle. Add in 1 tsp. shrimp paste. Shape the whole thing into a ball. Dip each ball into glutinous rice flour to coat lightly, shaking off excess flour.

 

Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

CHINESE COOKING: Lotus root is readily available in Chinese supermarket. Stuffed pancakes can be served as a "dim sum" variety or as a main dish to go with rice.

POTATO OR LOTUS ROOT PANCAKES WITH SHRIMP STUFFING:

 

 

 

1 to 11/2 lbs. small shrimp

48 potato or lotus roots slices, trimmed to same size

6 water chestnuts, finely chopped

4 tbsp. minced pork

4 tbsp. chopped green onion

seasoning:

    1 tsp. each salt & sugar

    1 tbsp. tapioca starch

    dash of white pepper & sesame seed oil

 

 

 

Rinse and shell shrimp; then wrap with double thickness of paper towels. Refrigerate for a few hours below using. Mince shrimp in food processor; then transfer to a large bowl.  Add in seasoning ingredients as well as the pork and water chestnut. Use a pair of chopsticks to mix together, in one direction only, until well mixed.

 

Put 1-2 tbsp. shrimp paste on top of 1 potato or lotus root slice; then top it with another piece.

 

Heat enough oil for deep-frying until very hot and tested ready. Lower pancakes into oil gently. Deep fry until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

CHINESE COOKING: This recipe makes use of that famous Chinese black vinegar that had been made in the city of Zhenjiang since the 1800s.

STEWED PORK RIBS IN VINEGAR 鎮江骨

 

 

 

 

1 to 1/2 lb. side ribs, cut into roughly 2-inch pieces

seasoning:

    1 tsp. salt

    1/2 tbsp. each dark soy sauce & good rice wine

sauce:

    4 to 5 tbsp. good quality dark Chinese vinegar 鎮江醋

  2 1/2 tbsp. sugar or 1 piece brick sugar--to taste

    1 tbsp. tomato ketchup

    1/2 cup + water

    1-2 tsp. dark soy sauce

    salt to taste

2-3 pieces fresh finely-sliced ginger

1 stalk green onions, cut into long pieces

 

 

 

Marinate ribs with seasoning ingredients for 30 minutes. Heat 1-2 tbsp. oil in an skillet over high heat until high; then add in ribs. Cook and brown ribs in batches until well-browned.

 

Add 1 tbsp. oil to a large clay pot and heat it over medium-high heat until hot. Add in ginger and cook until fragrant. Mix sauce ingredients together then pour into pot. Bring to a boil;  taste and adjust seasoning. Add in ribs, tossing gently, adding a bit more water and vinegar and water to taste if necessary to make sure ribs are covered with sauce .

 

Bring to the boil again; then reduce heat to medium low to stew ribs for 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Add in green onions and a little starch solution to thicken sauce. Cook for 1 minute or so; then serve in the pot right away.

CHINESE COOKING: This recipe is a nice way to cook a whole fish. Hope you would give it a try at home.

FISH FILET 骨香魚柳:

 

 

1 whole sole, rinsed & rescaled carefully

1 pumpkin

veggie mix:

    3 asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch sections

    5-6 mushroom caps, quartered

    1 green onion, cut into sections

    1/2 red pepper, cut into pieces

    1/2 cup canned or packaged ginkgo nuts

    1 large clove garlic, mashed

    2 pieces ginger, diced

seasoning:

   1/2 tsp. each salt, sugar and tapioca starch

   dash of white pepper

   1 tsp. cooking wine

oil for deep frying

1 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with 3 tbsp. cold water

 

 

 

Use a sharp knife to filet the fish, saving the bone in 1 piece and cutting the flesh into bite-sized pieces.

 

Cut pumpkin cross-wise into 1-inch thick rings. Remove pulp and seeds from 1 ring while reserving the rest for another recipe. Cook the pumpkin ring in boiling water for  5-6  minutes to soften. When cool enough to handle, scoop and trim ring, leaving a 3/4- inch of flesh as border. Sit pumpkin ring on the serving platter and reserve.

 

Add seasoning ingredients into fish pieces and marinate for 20 minutes. Blanch asparagus  in boiling water until just cooked but still green and crunchy. In a wok or non-stick saucepan, stir-fry red pepper and mushrooms with ginger & garlic until softened, then add in asparagus and ginkgo nuts. Cook together for 1-2 minutes, then add in green onions. Add salt to taste; then remove from pan and keep warm.

 

Clean and dry wok; then heat enough oil for deep frying until very hot. Lower the reserved fish skeleton, without head, into it. Deep fry for a few minutes until golden brown; then remove right away. While hot, place fish skeleton into a large ladle, with the tail end sticking out. Use a spatula to bend and manipulate the skeleton into a curved shape. Arrange skeleton to sit across the pumpkin ring, with the tail-end sticking upwards like a sail.

 

Pour off all but 1 tbsp. hot oil from wok/pan, reserving it for other uses. Heat remaining oil until hot, then stir fry fish pieces until just cooked. Return vegetables, tossing well with the fish. Add in starch solution, tossing and stirring well until it comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat right away and transfer mixture to sit on top of the fish skeleton. Serve immediately.   

 

  

 

 

CHINESE COOKING: Your family would be delighted with this recipe of shrimp balls. Please try it.

DEEP-FRIED SHRIMP BALLS炸蝦圓:

 

 

 

400 gm. pkg shrimp                                                        

2 oz. ground pork

1/2 to 1 pkg store-bought wonton wrappers

seasoning:

    1 egg whites                                                

    1 tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry

    3/4 to 1  tsp. salt                                                   

    ½ to 1 tsp. sugar

    ½ tsp. white pepper                                     

    dash of sesame oil

    1- 11/2 tbsp. tapioca starch

sweet & sour sauce:

 

    2 pieces of Chinese "brick" 片糖 sugar

    4 pieces of "haw" flakes 山渣片, available at Chinese herb store or supermarket

    2 tbsp. tomato ketchup

    1/2 cup of a combination of white vinegar & pineapple juice from canned pineapple

    1/2 tsp salt

    1-2 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with a bit of cold water

cooking oil for deep-frying

 

 

Rinse, shell and de-vein shrimp. Wrap with double thickness of paper towels and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

 

Make sauce by melting brick sugar & haw flakes in the vinegar & fruit juice solution over low heat. When mixture comes to the boil, taste and adjust sweet and sourness, adding a bit more sugar or water for taste. Add in starch solution and cook for a couple of minutes until sauce is thickened to desired consistency. Strain sauce & keep warm.

 

Mince shrimp by chopping with a large cleaver or in a food processor fitted with steel blade. Transfer shrimp paste to a large bowl. Add in ground pork and seasoning ingredients. Use a pair of chop sticks to mix ingredients together, stirring in one direction only. Use your hand to scoop up shrimp mixture; then throw it back down into the bowl. Repeat this scooping and throwing process about 10 times. The purpose is to make shrimp paste more elastic to have more “bite” on eating. Form shrimp paste into small balls. Separate wonton wrappers and cut each into thin short strips. Transfer to baking sheet; keeping strips separated. Wrap baking tray with plastic wrap.  

 

In wok or large saucepan, heat enough oil for deep-frying over high heat until very hot. Form shrimp paste into small balls and attach as many strips of wonton wrappers to each ball as desired. Drop shrimp balls carefully into hot oil. Deep-fry over medium-high heat until shrimp balls float to the surface and are golden brown in colour.  Drain on paper towers and serve right away.

CHINESE COOKING: You should be proud of serving this dish at home. It is generally not available any more in overseas Chinese restaurants these days. So please try it and enjoy.

SPARE RIBS WITH SWEET & SOUR SAUCE生炒排:

 

 

 

 

1 lb. meaty Chinese style spare ribs, cut between bones into serving-sized pieces

1/2  each green & red peppers, cut into rough cubes

2 slices canned or fresh pineapple, cut into pieces

1 green onion, optional, cut into lengths

1 clove garlic, crushed

seasoning for ribs:

    1/2 -1 tsp. each salt, sugar, tapioca starch & light soy sauce

    1/2 tsp. dark soy sauce

batter:

    1/4 cup tapioca starch

    3/4 cup flour

    1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

    1/2 tsp. salt

    1 tsp. sugar

    1 egg

    2 tbsp. cooking oil

    cold water

 

sauce:

    2 pieces of Chinese "brick" 片糖 sugar

    4 pieces of "haw" flakes 山渣片****

    2 tbsp. tomato ketchup

    1/2 cup of a combination of white vinegar & pineapple juice from canned pineapple

    1/2 tsp salt

    1/2 to 1 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with a bit of cold water

cooking oil for deep frying

 

 

****Haw flakes, made from the fruits of the Chinese hawthorn, are believed to have medicinal benefits. They are available in Chinese supermarkets & herbal medicine supply shops in dried form, or in candy form****

 

 

 

 

 

Add seasoning ingredients into spare ribs in a large bowl, mixing well to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes.  

 

Prepare batter by mixing flour, starch, baking powder, and seasoning with the egg and oil, using a wire-whisk to mix well. Add in cold water gradually, beating well to get rid of lumps with each addition. Add only enough water to make a batter that has the consistency of thick cream. Allow batter to rest for 30 minutes before use and stir again to mix before using.

 

Fill large saucepan or deep-fryer with enough oil for deep frying and heat it over high heat to 375 degrees or hot enough to sizzle rapidly and vigorously when a dry wooden chopstick is inserted to test readiness.  Transfer spareribs into batter, turning to coat each piece evenly. Carefully lower rib pieces into hot oil, 1 piece at a time, and cook in batches in order not to crowd the pot. Cook for 4 minutes or a little longer until pieces are no longer pink, golden coloured and crispy. Do not overcook. Remove cooked pieces with tongs or a strainer to drain on paper towels.

 

Heat 1 tbsp. oil over high heat until hot in another non-stick saucepan or wok. Cook garlic and peppers for a couple of minutes; then add in pineapple pieces and the green onions if using; tossing together for 1 minute or so.  Set aside and keep warm.

 

Rinse pan and add in sauce ingredients. Cook and melt brick sugar, haw flakes and salt in the vinegar & fruit juice solution over medium-low heat until totally dissolved. Taste and adjust sweet & sourness to taste, adding a little more vinegar if not acidic enough, or granulated sugar and/or a little water if too sour for taste.  Remove haw flakes if the dried forms are used. Thicken sauce with starch solution to slightly thick but not jelly-like consistency. Add in pepper mixture and the sparerib pieces. Toss and mix quickly to coat meat with sauce; then transfer to serving platter and serve right away.  

CHINESE COOKING: This is a nice way to cook either whole chicken or just the thigh & leg pieces. Hope you'll give the recipe a try.

LEMON GRASS CHICKEN 香茅雞扒:

 

 

 

 

6 chicken thighs & legs pieces, skin on but trimmed of excess fat

2-3 stalks lemon grass

marinade:

    2 tbsp. fish sauce

    2 tsp. sugar

    2 tbsp. coarsely chopped garlic

    2 tbsp. water

    1 strip lemon rind, finely chopped

    1 tbsp. each rice wine and finely minced ginger

sauce:

    1/2 tsp. minced garlic

    1 tbsp. reserved finely chopped lemon grass

    2 tbsp. fish sauce

    2-3 tsp. sugar

    1/2 cup water

2 tbsp. tapioca starch mixed with 2 tbsp. water

 

 

 

Wash chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Use a sharp paring knife to debone chicken piece; then season with 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. salt.

 

Use a meat mallet to flat out lemon grass. Discard the outer green part, and chop the inner white part coarsely. Transfer lemon grass, lemon peel and garlic to food processor with steel glade attached. Process until finely chopped.  Reserve 1 tbsp. of lemon grass mixture; then transfer the rest to a bowl. Add in fish sauce, sugar, wine and water. Pour marinade into deboned chicken piece; turning pieces over couple of times to coat well with marinade. Leave chicken in fridge overnight to develop favour.

 

In the morning, remove chicken pieces, brushing off as much of the lemon grass clinging to the meat as possible; then refrigerate until ready to cook.

 

To make sauce:  Heat 1 tsp. oil in a saucepan over high heat until hot to cook garlic and lemon grass for a minute or 2 until fragrant. Add in fish sauce, sugar and water and bring  mixture to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a bit more sugar if desired. Add in starch solution, mixing and stirring well. Continue cooking until sauce is thickened. Strain sauce into a container and keep warm.

 

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat until hot. Pan fry chicken pieces, in batches if necessary, for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until well-browned and just cooked.

 

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and arrange decoratively on serving platter. Spoon some  hot sauce on chicken to serve.

MISCELLANEOUS: If you have enjoyed these delicious snacks in Vietnam restaurants before, you would enjoy making them at home.

SAVOURY STICKY RICE CAKE--VIETNAM STYLE:

 

 

 

 

dough:

    3 cups glutinous (stick) rice

    1 cup + 2 tbsp. warm water

filling:

    1/2 cup dried mung (green) beans with skins removed, available at Oriental supermarket

    1/2 cup water

    1/4 cup minced pork

    1/4 cup shrimp, shelled, deveined and coarsely chopped

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    3 stalks green onion, green & white parts separated, chopped

seasoning:

    1/2 tsp. each salt & sugar

    1 tsp. fish sauce

    1/2 tsp. ground pepper

cooking oil

1 tbsp. bean paste

dipping sauce, see recipe below

 

 

 

Soak mung beans in warm water for about 1 hour to soften. Drain, rinse again then drain, discarding any brown beans.

 

To make filling:  Simmer beans gently in 1/2 cup water, together with the salt and sugar,  for 10 to 15 minutes. Check for doneness by picking up one bean, cool slight; then squeezing it between finger and thumb. Drain; then mash beans until smooth.

 

Cook pork and shrimp together in a non-stick saucepan over high heat until no longer pink; then add in rest of seasoning ingredients. Add bean paste and mix everything together well. Cool completely before dividing filling into 15 portions and shaping each portion into a ball.

 

Put flour in a large bowl; then add in warm water to mix into a dough. Knead until smooth and pliable, adding a little more water if dough is too dry. Cover with damp tea towel and rest it for 30 minutes. Transfer dough to work surface, kneading it a couple of times, adding a little more water if dough is a bit dry. Cut dough into 15 portions, shaping each piece into a ball.  Oil your hands and flatter each ball of dough against the work surface. Add a filling ball into the middle of each dough piece. Gather the dough to cover the filling; then roll the dough by hand into a smooth ball again. Use oiled hands to cover the dough balls thinly with a layer of oil.

 

Put dough balls on pieces of oiled foil or banana leaf squares if available. Sit balls of dough into large bamboo steamers stacked one on top of the other. Arrange steamers to sit on the rim of a large saucepan of boiling water. Cover the top steamer with a lid and steam for 15 minutes at high heat to cook through.

 

Serve hot with dipping sauce or "nuoc mam cham".

 

 

 

 

DIPPING SAUCE:

 

 

1½ cups fresh coconut juice or water

8 tbsp. fish sauce

6 tbsp. each fresh lime juice & sugar

6 tsp. rice vinegar

1 red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped

4 cloves of finely chopped garlic

¼ cup finely sliced carrots (optional)

 

 

 

Simmer coconut juice or water, vinegar and sugar together in a saucepan over low heat until sugar is dissolved.  Add in rest of ingredients and mix well. Cool then serve.

 

Save left-over sauce in a glass jar and freeze until needed again.

SOUPS: This is a nice & nutritious soup that can be put together in no time at all.

PUMPKIN & SHRIMP SOUP

 

 

 

 

1 squash or 700g Japanese pumpkin                                         

4 shallots, diced

olive oil                                                                      

salt & pepper & grated nutmeg

4 to 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock                                                                 

1//2 lb. cooked shrimp

 

 

 

 

Cut squash or pumpkin into halves or quarters and immerse into boiling water in a large pot. Bring back to the boil; then reduce heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes until soften. Cool until able to handle; then remove skin with a paring knife. Cut flesh into small dices.

 

Sweat pumpkins in olive oil & shallots for a few minutes over medium heat. Add in salt & pepper & nutmeg to taste to season pumpkin. Pour in stock, bring to a simmer & cook 20 minutes. Take pan off heat, & use a hand blender to puree until smooth. Add cooked shrimp, adjust seasoning. 

MISCELLANEOUS: This tofu dish is easy to make & quite delicious, especially for tofu lovers

STEAMED TOFU:

 

 

 

1 pkg soft tofu

2 Chinese sausage, finely chopped****

1 tbsp. dried shrimp

2 eggs

seasoning:

    1/2 tsp. each salt & sugar

    1-11/4 tbsp. tapioca starch

    dash of white pepper

 

****Chinese sausage may be substituted with 1/2 cup chopped BBQ pork, shrimp or chicken meat****

 

 

Mash tofu with a fork and sit it in a colander to drain for 30 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

 

Beat eggs with a fork; then add it, together with seasoning ingredients, into tofu. Mix with a pair of chopsticks, stirring & mixing in one direction only, until well mixed. Transfer tofu mixture to a glass plate with rim of the right size to fit into a bamboo steamer, or the steamer insert of a steamer set of cookware.

 

Steam tofu over high heat for 15-18 minutes until set. Serve hot.

MISCELLANEOUS: Please give home-made veggie chips a try. They are nutritious and delicious.

MAKING VEGGIE CHIPS AT HOME:

 

 

 

veggies: 

    carrots:  Peel 2 large carrots; then either shave carrots with a Y-shaped peeler, or cut into 1/8-inch thick slices.

    taro:   Use 8 oz or 1/2 medium taro. Peel then slice into 1/16 thick slices with a sharp knife or use a veggie peeler.

    sweet potatoes:  Use 11/2 lbs of sweet potatoes, peel then cut into 1/8-inch thick slices.     Put in a large bowl and toss in 2 tsp. white vinegar to mix well.

    beets:   1 large beet, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices.

    green beans, top and tail beans, wash and dry well, drizzle with 1 tbsp. oil per cup of beans. salt & pepper to taste

 

seasoning:  Olive oil, kosher salt & black pepper to taste.

 

 

 

Technique:   Preheat convection oven and divide oven into 3 racks. Brush 2-3 cookie sheets with oil; then arrange veggies on sheets. Arrange veggies in single layer, with slices slightly touching, but do not overlap. Brush with olive oil, then season with kosher salt & black pepper. Drizzle more oil on top evenly. Bake until edges curl up slightly but do not brown too much or burn veggies. Half way through baking time, toss or rotate pans.

 

 

Cooking time and oven temperature setting:   For beets:  325 degrees F, cook for about 45 minutes, rotate pans half way through cooking. For carrots: 400 degrees F, cook 6 minutes, rotate pans and cook 6 minutes more to crisp. For taro: 400 degrees F, cook 12 minutes, rotate pans then bake 3 minutes more to crisp. For green beans: 400 degrees F for 30 minutes, stir every 10 minutes. For sweet potatoes: 450 degrees F.  Rotate pan after 12 minutes of cooking. Total cooking time about 25 minutes.

 

 

 

When veggies are done, cool on wire rack until cool & crisp. Store in air-tight containers for up to 5 days

CHINESE COOKING: This is a very convenient 1-dish meal that you can serve to family while on the run.

BAKED FISH & RICE:

 

 

 

6 pieces of white fish filets

1-2 eggs

1 carrots--peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

1/2 cup green beans

1/2 cup corn kernel +  1 small can creamed corn

 

1/2+ cup milk

 

1 tbsp. tapioca starch mixed with 3 tbsp. cold water

1/2 cup of grated mozzarella or parmesan cheese--optional

seasoning for fish:

    3/4 to 1 tsp salt

    1 tsp tapioca starch

    1/4 tsp white pepper

    1 tsp. cooking wine or dry sherry

3-4 slices thinly-sliced ginger

1/2 stalk green onion

4-6 cups cooked rice

 

 

 

Rinse and pat dry fish. Add in seasoning ingredients and marinate 30 minutes. Blanch carrots and green beans in boiling water for a few minutes to soften. Remove with slotted spoon; then add a bit of salt to season. Bring water back to boil and add in ginger and green onions. Then add fish. Cover pan, turn off heat and let fish blanch for a few minutes in hot water until half-cooked. Drain & wrap with paper towels.

 

In non-stick saucepan or wok over high heat, add 1 tbsp. cooking oil and heat until hot. Add in rice and toss well to heat up. Beat egg(s) with a bit of salt; then add into hot rice. Stir fry together to coat rice with egg. Add salt to taste & mix well together. Remove & set aside. Add in sweet corn and milk. Cook over medium high heat until boiling. Add in as much starch solution as needed to make into sauce, adding a little more milk if necessary.

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer rice to a large casserole. Top it with the cooked veggies and corn kernel. Arrange fish on top then pour cream corn sauce over the top. Top the whole thing with the grated cheese--if using. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until fish is cooked. cheese is melted and browned. Serve right away

MISCELLANEOUS: You might like to give this recipe to try to produce delicious vegetable chips at home.

OVER-BAKED VEGETABLE FRIES/CHIPS:

 

 

 

1 1/2 lbs. each potatoes and parsnips

1 lb. carrots

seasoning mix:

    1/2 tsp. each ground cumin, coriander, chilli powder & salt

    1/4 tsp. garlic powder

    pinch of ground cloves

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

 

 

 

Preheat over to 425 degrees F.  Peel and cut vegetables into 1/2 inch X 3 inch long pieces; then transfer to a large bowl. Mix seasoning ingredients together and add into vegetables together with the oil. Toss well together; then transfer to large baking sheet (s), spreading the pieces out evenly.

 

Bake for 50-55 minutes until vegetables are cooked and golden. Toss vegetables in pan from time to time during cooking to ensure even cooking.

DESSERTS: This is a spectacular dessert to be enjoyed on festive occasions. Hope you'll like it.

APPLE SOUFFLE:

 

 

 

3 eggs, separated, room temperature                           

6 large apples

1 tbsp lemon juice                                                      

2 oz butter

1 tsp. cinnamon                                                          

2 oz sugar

icing sugar for dusting

caramelized apple:

    2 oz each butter & sugar

    1 tsp. finely-grated lemon rind                    

    1 tbsp lemon juice

    2 tbsp. brandy or Calvados, optional                      

    3 apples      

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 400 degree F.   Slice off the stalk end of the 6 apples. Cut around the top edge of each apple and scoop out and reserve the flesh, leaving about ½-inch border. Brush all the cut edges of the apple cups with lemon juice to prevent discoloration.

Transfer apple-cups to an oven-proof pan

 

Roughly chop the flesh and place in a pan with 1 tbsp. water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes until softened. Remove from heat and press through a sieve into a bowl. Add butter into apple puree; then stir in cinnamon, sugar and egg yolks.

 

Peel, core and quartered the 3 apples, then cut each quarter into 4 slices. Melt butter in a shallow non-stick skillet and add apples. Cook quickly, turning once, until light golden. Stir in sugar, lemon rind and juice. Simmer mixture for a few minutes until syrupy and caramelized. Keep warm.

 

In a large, dry, grease-free bowl, beat egg whites until stiff and dry. Fold a quarter into the apple mix; then gently fold in the rest of beaten egg whites. Carefully spoon mixture into the prepared apple cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the soufflé filling is well risen and golden brown. Transfer to 6 serving plates.

 

Warm brandy or Calvados, if using, and pour over caramelized apples. Carefully ignite into flame; then when the flame dies down, spoon caramelized apples and sauce decoratively around the apple soufflés. Dust soufflés with icing sugar to serve.