Walnut Crisps

Walnut Crisps

　　   Beijing specialty — walnut crisps, are made from processed walnuts. Walnuts, originally from the Near East, are also known as Persian walnuts or Juglans regia, and are counted among the world-renowned “Four Major Dried Fruits” along with almonds, cashews, and hazelnuts. They can be eaten raw or roasted, or used to make oil, pastries, candies, and more. Not only are they delicious, but they are also highly nutritious and are praised as the “Fruit of Longevity” and the “Immortal Nut.”

　　       Specialty Culture: To make walnut crisps, first sift the flour and place it on the work surface in a ring shape. Put the food essence, baking powder, white sugar, syrup, and fresh eggs inside the ring and mix until dissolved. Then add the oil, walnuts, and mix well. Next, add the flour and stir evenly. Divide the mixture into 200 small portions, roll them into balls by hand, and place them on a baking tray. Press a small hole in the center of each dough ball, brush with egg wash, stick on chopped olive seeds, then brush with egg wash again. Bake in the oven at 140–150°C until golden brown with a slight crackle on the surface for the best effect.

　　       Specialty Benefits: Walnuts have high medicinal value and are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. According to traditional Chinese medicine, walnuts are warm in nature, sweet in taste, and non-toxic, with benefits such as strengthening the stomach, enriching the blood, moistening the lungs, and nourishing the spirit. The “Shennong Bencao Jing” (The Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica) lists walnuts as a premium tonic that, when taken over time, helps lighten the body, boost energy, and prolong life. Meng Shen of the Tang Dynasty wrote in his “Shiliao Bencao” (Dietotherapy Materia Medica) that eating walnut kernels can stimulate the appetite, improve blood circulation, and make skin and flesh more delicate. Liu Han of the Song Dynasty, author of “Kaibao Bencao” (Kaibao Materia Medica), noted that walnut kernels “make one sturdy and healthy, moisturize the skin, darken hair, and when consumed in large amounts, benefit urination and eliminate hemorrhoids.” Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty, in his “Compendium of Materia Medica,” recorded that walnut kernels can “build qi and nourish blood, moisten dryness and dissolve phlegm, benefit the Life Gate and Triple Burner, warm the lungs and moisten the intestines, treat wheezing and coughs due to deficiency and cold, heaviness and pain in the lower back and legs, abdominal and hernia pain, bloody dysentery, and intestinal wind.”