Lychee Heart - Shiratamako

Method

• Rehydrate the kikurage mushrooms in water.
• Make the syrup.
• Place the ingredients together on the burner, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, boil for 3 minutes, and remove from the burner.
• Stew the Chinese wolfberries, raisins, and white kikurage mushrooms in the syrup, let cool, and then chill in the fridge.
• Combine the soy milk with the shiratama flour, mix well, and let sit for about 15 minutes.
• Add water a bit at a time and knead until smooth once the soy milk is blended in.
• Make sure not to add too much water.
• Try to make a ball.
• If the sides collapse, then you used too much water.
• Add more flour and knead some more.
• Separate 40%, divide that amount in half, and shape into ovals as shown in the photo.
• Stick the bottom halves together as shown in the photo.
• Taper the ends that are stuck together, and make a plump heart.
• Dip your fingers into water once the surface has dried, and replenish the moisture.
• Place the heart onto the middle finger of your left hand, and taper with your thumb and index finger.
• It will become round when boiled, so make it as sharp as possible.
• Line up the hearts with space between each one, and let harden in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
• You don't need to cover them with plastic wrap.
• I used a supermarket plastic tray in the photo.
• Place into a plastic storage bag etc after they harden, and you can freeze them.
• Boil right before serving.
• Bring water to boil in a pot, and boil the shiratama flour hearts.
• Take them out into cold water once they float to the surface, and let cool.
• This is what it should look like after boiling.
• Pile them up, but taper beforehand for a cool effect.
• Serve together with washed and skinned lychee berries , shiratama flour hearts, the syrup from step 3, white kikurage mushrooms, raisins, and Chinese wolf berries.
• Top with pine nuts for the finishing touch.
• The photo shows one serving with 4 lychee berries, and 10 hearts.