Page 41 - BACGG CNY Flipbook V2 03032021

Mrs. Chan’s Ngow Sing - Cow Tail Cookies Makes about 16 dozen
Reprinted with permission from Good Luck Life by Rosemary Gong

¼ cup Sesame Seeds
1 package (1/4 ounce) Active Dry Yeast
2 ¼ cups Warm Water
8 cups All-Purpose Flour
5 teaspoons Salt
¾ cup Vegetable Shortening
Vegetable Oil for deep-frying

1. In a small pan over medium-low heat, toast the sesame seeds and let
cool. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. In a large
bowl, mix the flour, toasted sesame seeds, and salt together. Add the
vegetable shortening and work it into the flour mixture with your hands.
Add half of the yeast-water mixture to the flour mixture while kneading the
dough, adding the second half of he water mixture once the first addition is
completely mixed into the flour. Knead the dough briefly and form into a
loaf measuring approximately 2 ½” inches in height. With a kitchen knife,
cut the loaf into slices 1” thick by 2 ½” inches high. Cover the dough slices
with a wet kitchen towels and keep moist. Proceed by cutting the dough
slices into individual sticks that measure approximately ¼ inch thick by 2
½ inches long

2. To form cow tail braids, take a stick of dough and roll it with the palm of
your hand against a flat surface, such as a table or cutting board, into a
long thin string of dough resembling a shoestring measuring 16-18 inches
long and less than 1/8 inches thick. Be careful not to make the string too
thick, or they won’t be crunchy once fried. Bring the two ends of the string
dough together. Hold the center loop of the dough string with your index
finger while rolling the opposite end of the dough in one direction until the
dough string twists up, bring the two ends of the string together. Secure
the cow tail by inserting the ends of the dough into the center loop and
place on a baking sheet covered with a wet kitchen towel until ready to fry.
Repeat with the remaining dough.

3. In a frying vessel at least 2 inches deep with a 2 inch clearance, heat the
vegetable oil to 325 degrees F. Test the oil’s heat by dropping in a morsel
of dough. If the oil sizzles and the dough quickly rises to the surface, the
oil is ready. Gently drop the cow tails into the hot oil. When the cow tails
rise to the top, press them into the oil until they begin to harden. Lightly
toss the cow tails in the oil with a long pair of chopsticks or a slotted spoon
until golden brown. Remove the cow tails from the oil with a flat wire mesh
strainer and place on baking sheets lined with paper towels to cool. Let
the cow tails sit uncovered overnight to retain their crunch. Store in a foil-
lined airtight container for up to two weeks.