Instructions: The green bean tu (to stick out in Mandarin) or pong (to puff up in Taiwanese) is a traditional Taiwanese pastry. It is a puff pastry in the shape of a little dome, like a flaky sweet knish, and is eaten year-round, but particularly during the Moon Festival season.

Makes 20-25 puffs

First dough:
3 cups cake flour
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 sticks butter
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup hot water
Second dough:
3 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 sticks butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Filling:
2 pounds green mung beans (see Note)

Water
1 1/2 cups oil
3 1/2 cups sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

For first dough: Mix flours. Add butter and vegetable oil to flour. Combine ingredients with pastry cutter until dough is crumbly. Then add hot water to bind dough together. On a floured surface, with a rolling pin, roll out dough to about 1/4 inch or less. Fold the dough into quarters and roll over folded dough.

Do this twice. Then roll out the dough again; roll it up into a log shape and slice to about 1 inch thick.

For second dough: Mix flour, butter and oil with pastry cutter and spoon until smooth. Roll out dough slices from above just until flattened slightly.

Distribute flour-butter-oil roux evenly over dough slices. Fold slices in half so that roux mixture is enclosed and roll again.

For filling: Soak beans for about 2 hours to soften. Drain. Place beans in large pan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cook for about 1 hour until beans soften and open. Drain water. Add 1 1/2 cups oil and 3 1/2 cups sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until any remaining water has evaporated.

To prepare: Place teaspoonful of green bean filling in the middle of each slice and wrap it up into a small pouch, bringing the sides together and pinching dough to close. Place on cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Note: You can substitute sweet red bean paste, which is sold in cans.

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