【马齿苋菜馍】Purslane Steamed buns

去年夏天我在野外带了一株马齿苋回家栽到后院，收获了好几茬。今年开春后院又长出一大片密密麻麻的马齿苋，摘都摘不完，难怪马齿苋有个别名叫不死草呢！

今天摘一把比较肥美的马齿苋做了这个玉米面和白面两掺的菜馍馍，健康又好吃。多两周可以再做一批冻起来，冬天就有好吃健康的馍馍可以吃啦！

据百度百科记载：

“马齿苋含有丰富的二羟乙胺、苹果酸、葡萄糖、钙、磷、铁以及维生素E、胡萝卜素、维生素B、维生素C等营养物质。马齿苋在营养上有一个突出的特点，它的ω—3脂肪酸含量高于任何植物。ω—3脂肪酸能抑制人体对胆固酸的吸收，降低血液胆固醇浓度，改善血管壁弹性，对防治心血管疾病很有利。”

I brought a bunch of purslane from the woods last year and threw the seeds at my backyard, it grew into few large plants and I harvest a couple of time to make purslane salad, I also sun-dried a batch to be used in winter time.

Little did I know that the purslane will return this year so much more than before... I had harvest it thrice since and the last batch that I brought home I used it to make this Steamed buns, very healthy and a great way to get more nutritions!

According to https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Purslane is best used for human consumption as a green vegetable rich in minerals and omega-3 fatty acids [20]. Omega-3 fatty acid is a precursor of a specific group of hormones. It may offer protection against cardiovascular disease, cancers, and a number of chronic diseases and conditions throughout the human life.

【豆沙碱水粽】Kee Zhang/Alkaline Dumplings with Adzuki Bean Paste

Every year during the dragon boat festival (端午节), mom will make a lot of Nyonya and meat dumplings for us. 

But for prayer purpose, she would order some Kee Zhang/Alkaline Dumplings (碱水粽）from some ladies in town. Kee Zhang is normally much smaller in size, only about 1/3 of the normal dumplings. 

The dumplings have a very unique flavor and texture after adding alkaline water/lye water, the color of rice changes and take on a yellow hue, the alkaline water also makes the rice turned firmer and finally the taste of Alkalinity, a very distinctive, slick and pleasant feeling in the mouth, it is hard to explain, but a unique experience.

Since I have some Sweet Adzuki Bean Paste at home, I decided to make this Alkaline Dumplings with Adzuki bean Paste this year instead of the normal Kee Zhang. 

I really love the texture and color of this dumpling!

小时候每逢端午节妈妈都会裹上好多的咸肉粽和娘惹粽，但拜拜用的碱水粽却总是向乡里的一些家庭主妇买的，碱水粽有股特别的碱水味，家里的小孩都不爱吃，所以一般会沾了甜味的香兰咖央，或焦糖咖央吃。

今年端午节我裹了好些肉粽和朋友们分享，冰箱里还有一大盒我自己熬制的红豆沙，裹粽子还剩下一些糯米和粽叶，就随手裹了两串的豆沙碱水粽，真是香甜美味，颜色也特别漂亮！

【花生肉粽】Bak Zhang with Peanuts

咸棕子里我最喜欢的就是烧肉粽了，小时候不会欣赏加了花生和豆子的肉粽，就喜欢糯米和多多馅料的烧肉粽。现在反而喜欢带有花生和各种豆子的粽子，人的口味真的会改变的呢！

今年裹了一批红豆肉粽和一批闽南烧肉粽后又做了这个花生肉粽，一样好吃。

When I was young, my favorite dumpling was Bak Zhang. But as I grow older, I started appreciating dumplings with various kinds of pulses in it, this year I decided to make a type with peanuts and it came out absolutely delish!

【泰式芒果糯米饭】Thai Mango Sticky Rice (Khao Niaow Ma Muang)

夏天终于来了，超市里开始出现各种芒果，全都香甜美味。泰式芒果糯米饭是我们家每个夏天都要吃的甜点之一，前几天买的芒果熟度刚刚合适，今天的饭后甜点就是泰式芒果糯米饭啦！

Summer is finally here and so is mango season! A good time to make this classic Thai dessert khao niaow ma muang. It is the most famous of all Thai desserts, and is a must have for us every summer when mangoes are in season.