Tết Đoan Ngọ (Dumpling Festival)

Recipe LinkTết Đoan Ngọ is also know as tết sâu bọ or tết tháng 5 is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. It is said that this special day is when “New Year” in haven, hell and on earth collides (in Vietnamese tradition there is a “New Year” to celebrate every lunar month). It is also called tết sâu bọ (sâu bọ = worms, pests) because by this date framers would have prepared their land and rid all pests to start growing their crops for...

Read More

Bánh Ú Nước Tro (Lye Water Dumplings)

Ingredients:-375g sweet rice (aka glutinous rice)-3 tbs lye water or 4 tbs baking soda-water-bamboo leaves What to Do: Wash rice and mix with lye water or baking soda. Add enough water to cover surface of rice by 2 inches. Soak rice overnight. Next morning wash rice may times until and drain. Wrap using bamboo leaves to form a triangular cone shape. Tie with kitchen twine and boil for at least 1 ½ hours. These dumplings are small use 1 tsp...

Read More

Bánh Bá Trạng (Bak Chang Dumplings)

Does anyone know why these pastries are called “dumplings”? I see it as more of a pastry. Anyways this is Chinese recipe as the name “Bá Trạng” is just the Vietnamese pronunciation of the Chinese name “Bak Chang”. The dumplings/pastries are usually put together to celebrate the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. The recipe itself is pretty easy, but very time consuming. I suggest marinating the meat, soaking the rice, chestnuts, mushrooms, beans,...

Read More

My Busy Weekend.....

No recipes this weekend....I was too busy working on with these....

Read More

Đậu Đủa Kho Đậu Hủ Sốt Cà (String Beans with Shitake Mushrooms and Tofu in Tomato Sauce)

A vegetarian dish…Ingredients: -1/2lb string beans aka long beans-1/2lb fried tofu-2 dried shitake mushrooms-4 tbs ketchup-3 tsp sugar-2 tsp soy sauce-salt, pepper to taste-1 tsp oilWhat to Do: Hydrate mushrooms in water, cut into small pieces. Pinch beans into shorter pieces, wash, blanch and drain. Heat oil in a pan, add soy sauce and mushrooms, stir-fry until fragrant. Add ketchup, sugar, beans, and tofu. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for about...

Read More

Cánh Gà Chiên Nước Mắm (Fried Fish Sauce Chicken Wings)

Ingredients: -1-1 1/2lbs chicken wings-1/2 garlic-1 shallot-1/2 tsp each: salt, sugar, fish sauce, pepper-1 recipe basic fish sauce -watercress or tender lettuce, tomatoesWhat to Do: Mince garlic and shallot. Mix chicken wings with garlic, shallot, fish sauce, salt, sugar and pepper and marinate for at least ½ hour. Wash watercress and tomatoes and arrange on a serving plate. Deep fry the chicken wings until golden and dip in fish sauce for 30 seconds....

Read More

Canh Xà Lách Son Nấu với Tôm (Watercress Soup with Prawns)

Ingredients: -1 bunch watercress-1/4lb prawns-1 green onion-dash of oil-3-4 cups water (approx.)-salt, pinch of sugarWhat to Do: Peel, devein, and crush prawns. Crush and mince onion. Pinch watercress into short “bite size pieces”, wash and drain. Stir fry onion and prawns in oil until fragrant add water and bring to a boil, skim surface of soup. Add salt and sugar to taste. Add watercress right before servi...

Read More

Canh Bông Cải Thịt Vien (Cauliflower with Carrots and Pork Soup)

Ingredients: -1/4lb ground pork-1 scallion-1/2 tsp each: pepper, fish sauce-salt to taste-1/2 cauliflower-1 carrot-approx. 5 cups water What to Do: Chop scallion and mix with pork, pepper, fish sauce and a pinch of sugar. Cut carrots into thin slices. Cut cauliflower into small bite size pieces. Boil water and add meat mixture a tsp at a time. Add carrots and bring soup to a boil skim surface and add cauliflower. Bring soup back to a boil,...

Read More

Gà Xào Măng Chua (Chicken with Pickled Bamboo Shoots )

Ingredients: -1/2lb chicken -1lb pickled bamboo shoots -3 cloves garlic -1 tbs sugar -1 tsp fish sauce -1/2 tsp oil -salt to taste -water What to Do: Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Peel and mince garlic. Wash bamboo shoots a few times to make it less salty, squeeze out excess water. Heat oil in a wok, fry garlic until fragrant, and add chicken, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir fry for about a minute, add bamboo mix well. Add a little water...

Read More

Cá Hấp Chiên Tỏi (Fried Steamed Fish)

These fishes are dipped in a salt solution and steamed in a baskets right on the fishing boats to ensure freshness. Since they’re already steamed you can eat it as is or fry it for more flavor. You can usually find these fishes in the frozen section of most Asian grocery stores. Ingredients: -1 basket of steamed fish (usually 2 fishes) -3 cloves garlic -1 tsp oil -1 shallot What to Do: Wash fishes and pat dry with a paper towel. Mince...

Read More

Chè Đậu Xanh Phổ Tai (Mung Bean Tong Sui)

This is one of those “cooling” dishes….used to flush out impurities in the body. Ingredients: -150g whole mung beans (not peeled and split kind)-5 cups water-30g dried seaweed-rock sugar-pinch of salt-coconut milk (optional) What to Do:Rinse beans and soak for at least 1 hour (the longer you soak the faster they will cook). Cook beans in water with salt until tender and cracked. Add sugar to taste and simmer for another 15 mins. Add more water...

Read More

Gỏi Xoài Tứ Sắc (4 Color Mango Salad)

Ingredients: -2 firm mangos-1/2 bell pepper-1 small onion-1 large squid or prawns (approx ½ lb)-1 large carrot-sugar, vinegar, lime juice, salt-basil-fried shallots What to Do: Cut carrots and pepper into thin strips, mix with 4 tbs sugar and 3 tbs vinegar and marinate until “wilted”. Boil and slice squid, mix squid with onions (thinly sliced), 2 tbs sugar and 3 tbs lime juice. Wash and chop basil. Peel mango and cut into thin slices. Squeeze...

Read More

Bông Cỏ Làm Bằng Rau Câu (Grass Flower Jelly made with Agar Agar)

Bông Cỏ literally translates to Grass Flower. This desert jelly is traditionally made by blending together bông cỏ seeds with water and a banana for flavoring. After blending, the seeds are filtered out the mixture is left alone to set from the natural pectin extracted from the seeds. These days bông cỏ seeds are very hard to get a hold of as the demand for it is just too low. Thus lead me to create this recipe for bông cỏ using agar agar as...

Read More

Thịt Nướng Satế Mã Lai (Satay)

Got this recipe from Dewy, a member of Nurkochen. The Satay turned out perfect! Thanks Dewy ;).Recipe: http://nurkochen.cheeli.de/index.php/topic,291.0.h...

Read More

Miến Xào Triều Tiên (Korean Chap Chae)

Ingredients: -1 package chap chae noodles-1/4lb beef-1/4lb chicken-1 large bell pepper-1 head of broccoli-2 carrots-4 shiitake mushrooms-3 cloves garlic-3 tbs sesame oil-salt to taste What to Do: Boil noodles according to package instructions, drain and cool completely. Fry beef and chicken, cool and slice into thin strips. Hydrate mushrooms in water and slice into thin pieces. Slice bell pepper and broccoli into bite size pieces. Slice carrots...

Read More

Tôm Hấp Nước Dừa (Prawns Steamed in Coconut Juice)

Ingredients:-2 large young coconuts-1lb prawns (approx.)-salt What to Do: Chop off the “caps” of the coconuts and drain the juice. Wash and drain prawns. Arrange prawns inside the coconuts. Boil coconut juice with a pinch of salt. Ladle juice back into coconuts to completely cover the prawns. Steam immediately over high heat for about 20-30 mins. Serve hot. Note: If fresh coconuts are not available, use frozen or canned coconut juice and...

Read More

Vegetarian for 500

What happens in the Buddhist community when the 4th lunar month rolls around? It’s Buddha’s birthday of course! The holiday is celebrated throughout the month with a peak in mid-month, the 15th day. We all know that celebration and food go hand in hand. After the ceremonies, most temples offer a vegetarian meal for all to enjoy. So how do you cook a vegetarian meal to feed 500 people? Just gather a lot of volunteers who love to cook, and just...

Read More

Nước Trái Cây (Tropical Berry Punch)

Ingredients: -1 can frozen concentrated tropical fruit juice (any flavor) -1 bottle lemon lime soda (2 liters) -frozen berries (your choice) -lime and lemon slices (optional) What to Do: Thaw juice concentrate and mix with pop, berries and citrus fruit slices. Note: Use frozen berries, they help keep the punch cold while not “watering down” the punch (like ice woul...

Read More

Seadragon's Cheese Sponge Cake

I made this cake using Seadragon's recipe from Cafe of the East. The cake was perfect! Very smooth, moist and melt in you mouth yumminess. Thanks Seadragon!...

Read More

Xôi Gấc (Coconut Sweet Rice Dyed with Baby Jackfruit)

Although called “baby jackfruit” gấc is not a related to the jackfruit (mít) family at all. It is only called baby jackfruit because it resembles a small jackfruit. A Gấc fruit grows on vines and has reddish-orange flesh which is used as a natural food coloring. You can usually by Gấc in the frozen section of well stocked Asian markets. If gấc is unavailable just dye the rice with orange and red food coloring, omit the wine. Because of its...

Read More

Bánh Quế/Bánh Kẹp (Vietnamese Love Letters)

Ingredients:-230g sugar-150g rice flour-150g tapioca starch-300g coconut milk-2 eggs (100g)-1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional) What to Do: Beat eggs with sugar until creamy and lemon colored. Mix together flours with coconut milk, add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix well. Bake in love letter or pizzelle moulds until golden. If making Bánh Quế, roll cookies while still warm. If making Bánh Kẹp, fold cookie into fourths while still warm. Reference:...

Read More

Bánh Bông Lan Rể Tre (Honeycomb Sponge Cakes)

I have been experimenting with different types of flours and their role in cakes. The interesting thing about this recipe is there is no chemical leavening to help create the “honeycombs”. The honeycombs are dependant on the type of flour used. This cake is more interesting than tasty. They taste just fine; like any other sponge cake when hot but hardens once cooled. The solution? Just let the cakes cool and store them in an air tight container....

Read More