Peanut Cookies

You don't need much special equipment to make peanut cookies.

If you don't have a food processor, you can pound the peanuts with a mortar and pestle.

The ingredients are mixed together in a bowl. It's done by the time you drag your electric mixer out and set it up.

You don't need a cutter to shape the cookies; you just need 10 fingers (or thereabouts).

No oven? No problem! You can pan-fry peanuts on the stove. Surely you need an oven to bake the cookies? Nope, you can do that in a frying pan or wok on the stove. The cookies are quite firm once they're cooked, so you can flip them over easily.

Besides being quick and easy, peanut cookies are cheap as chips. How much does it cost? About 5 cents per cookie. How can you resist such a good bargain?

Peanuts may be the least glamorous in the world of nuts but they pack one hell of an aroma. Why do you think peanut butter is so popular? Cookies made with peanuts are inexpensive, idiot-proof and quick. But you can bake these nutty treats even if you're a billionaire, your IQ is over 200, and you have all the time in the world. I do . . . . *fall off chair laughing*

PEANUT COOKIES Source: adapted from All About Kueh and Pastries (Recipe for 65 pieces) 200 g plain flour sift with icing sugar 150 g icing sugar ¼ tsp salt 200 g + 50 g peanuts, with peel roast in oven set at 200°C (no preheating needed); when peel is dry, remove 50 g from oven and, when cool, rub off and discard peel; bake remaining 200 g till brown and fragrant, then peel when cool and grind till fine-medium 140 ml peanut oil 1 yolk beat thoroughly with 2 tsp water Preheat oven to 180°C. Line baking tray with parchment paper. Mix flour, sugar and salt. Add 200 g ground peanuts. Mix thoroughly. Add oil. Mix till even, adding more oil if crumbly, or more plain flour if sticky. Divide dough into small pieces weighing 10 g each. Roll each piece into a ball. Place balls on baking tray spaced about 3 cm apart. Garnish with remaining whole peanuts, 1 per ball, pressing nuts firmly into dough. Bake cookies till peanuts on top are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Brush with egg yolk. Continue baking till cookies are well browned, 5-10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack. Leave till cool. Serve immediately or store airtight.