Mini Kok Chai (Chinese Crispy Peanut Puffs) - Baked or Fried
Course: Chinese New Year
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep Time: 1 hourhour15 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 30 minutesminutes
Total Time: 1 hourhour45 minutesminutes
Servings: 30mini pieces
Author: Marvellina
Make these traditional Cantonese mini peanut puffs kok cai / yao kok that are usually seen during Chinese New Year. They can be baked and fried and tastes so amazing.
Cooking oilfor deep-frying, if you choose to deep fry
Egg wash (if you bake them):
1egg yolk
1tsp water
Instructions
Prepare the peanut filling:
Place peanuts, sugar, sesame seeds, and salt in a food processor. Chop into smaller pieces, taking care not to grind into a powder. We still want to be able to bite into small pieces of nuts. Add the oil and mix everything. Set aside
Prepare the dough:
Combine flour, salt, and butter. Rub the butter into the flour to get a coarse crumbly dough
Add egg yolk and 1 Tbsp of water at a time and continue to knead into a smooth non-sticky dough and add water as needed. Cover the dough and rest for 30 minutes (DO NOT skip the rest)
Wrapping and Shaping:
Preheat oven to 350 F if you choose to bake. Roll the dough into a thin sheet, about 3 mm in thickness. Use a small round cookie or biscuit cutter, about 3-inch in diameter, or simply use the lip of the round glass jar about that size to cut out round shapes
Gather the extra dough left from after cutting out the dough to form a ball. Rest it a bit and then roll it out into thin sheet again and cut out more round shapes if possible
Place about 1 teaspoon of the filling into the middle and then fold over to form a half-circle. Start folding and pinching the edge to seal. Make sure you seal them good or the filling will spill out when you fry or bake them
If you choose to bake:
Place the kok chai on a baking sheet lined with a parchment paper. Brush with egg wash. Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes and then rotate the baking sheet and bake for another 10-15 minutes until nicely golden brown
If you choose to deep fry:
Preheat about 2-inches of oil in medium-size pot over high heat. When the oil is hot, lower the heat to medium and carefully put the wrapped kok chai into the oil, in batches, and fry until golden brown and puffy on both sides. Remove into absorbent paper towel and continue with the rest
Storing:
Let them cool down completely and then store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 weeks