Bánh Phồng Tôm (Shrimp Crackers/Chips)

Most chips sold in stores are “floured down”. The producers use more flour than shrimp to boost profits. As a result, shrimp chips or crackers end up tasting nothing like shrimps. This recipe produces a heavily shrimp flavored chip/cracker. If you prefer store bought flavor more simply adjust the ration of shrimp to starch. The weight of starch can be up to 3x the weight of shrimp. Ingredients: -500g peeled and deveined shrimp-250g tapioca...

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Meme: 10 Things I Miss of Mum's Cooking

Let’s see…to be honest, I’d have admit I don’t miss anything. It’s not that my mom’s food was a terrible; it’s very good. The reason is I’m still in the nest and thus, fortunate enough to have a frequent dosage of my mum’s cooking. So, with that being said, here’s a list of the 10 things I like most about my mum’s cooking. 1: Bánh Bò (Steamed Rice Cakes) I remember she used to make these rice cakes for me to snack on when I came home from preschool. Sadly, I only had a few shorts years to enjoy these cakes, as she soon got a job and was too busy...

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Chả Giò (Eggrolls/Fried Springrolls)

Spring rolls or Egg rolls…which is the correct name to call this? Let’s call it by its Vietnamese name Chả Giò. What makes a good Chả Giò? First of all, the filling should be juicy but not soggy. When you take a bite into a Chả Giò you should notice the crispy texture. Furthermore, the rolls should be somewhat dense, meaning the filling should be tightly rolled up within the wrapper to ensure the filling does not fall all over the place when you...

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Bánh Sát Phu (Husband Killers)

This is a Cambodian snack composed of glutinous rice flour, palm sugar and grated coconut. If you curious about the name… The story behind it is....once upon a time there was a newly wed couple. One morning husband went to work and the wife decided to make a treat for when her hubby returns. The husband returned just as the wife was done cooking the snacks. He quickly popped one in his mouth but it was still too hot and he ate too fast he started...

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Gỏi Đu Đủ Ba Khía Thái Lan (Thai Papaya Salad with Salted Crabs)

Ingredients: -2 cups shredded green papaya-2 tsp: sugar, fish sauce-salted baby crabs (as much or as little as you prefer)-tomato and cucumber slices-1 tbs dried shrimp-Thai chilies (optional)-Thai basil-juice from ½ lime-3 string beans What to Do:Slice string beans thinly and chop basil. In a large bowl pound dried shrimp, chilies, and sugar using a pestle. Add fish sauce and lime juice and mix to make “dressing”. Add papaya. Using both hands,...

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Bắp Cải Nhồi Thịt (Braised Stuffed Cabbage)

Ingredients: -1/2lb ground pork-1/2 large onion-1/2 tsp each: salt, pepper-pinch of sugar-4-5 large cabbage leaves-4 scallions What to Do: Dice onion and mix with pork, salt, pepper and sugar. Cut cabbage leaves in half and remove stems. Cut the scallions in half lengthwise. Boil a pot of water and give the cabbage and scallions a quick dip, remove and drain. Fill each cabbage leaf with pork filling, wrap and tie with a piece of scallion. ...

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Cơm Rượu (Rice Wine Dessert)

The tricky part about making this desert is figuring out the right ratio of yeast to rice. Too much or too little yeast can result in mold growing on the rice. The bottom line is you’re making wine, thus everything should be clean, dry, and accurately measured. If Using Hong Kong Yeast: -1 wine yeast ball (approx. 8g, about the diameter of a US quarter)-1kg white or brown glutinous riceIf Using Vietnamese Yeast: -1/2kg white or brown glutinous rice-2...

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Khổ Qua Xào Thịt Bò (Beef with Bittermelon)

Ingredients: -1/2lb beef-1 large bittermelon about 1lb-3 cloves garlic-1/3 tsp salted preserved beans (tau xi)-1 tsp oyster sauce-1/2 tsp tapioca or corn starch-3 tbs water-1 tsp oil-salt and sugar to taste What to Do: Slice beef thinly. Mince garlic and beans. Mix together oyster sauce, water and starch. Cut bittermelons in half length wise and remove seeds, then cut into thin strips. Heat oil in a wok, fry garlic and beans until fragrant...

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Bánh Hoa Mai/Hoa Đào (Cherry/Plum Blossom Cookies)

Ingredients: -100g butter-100g sugar-200g flour-1 tsp vanilla-1 egg (50g)-1 tsp baking powder-1/3 tsp baking soda-food coloring-maraschino cherries What to Do: Drain and dice cherries. Cream butter and sugar, add egg and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add coloring (yellowing if making plum blossoms and pink if making cherry blossoms). Fill a cookie gun with dough and press cookies directly onto a baking sheet, add a...

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Bánh Men (Yeast Cookies)

I have come across numerous English translations for this cookie anything from button cookies, to coconut cookies. However, the literal translation of this cookie would Cookie Yeast. It is named so because the cookies look like yeast balls. This cookie is made with tapioca flour which explains why it is so hard to get the recipe right. Anyone who has worked with tapioca flour knows it is very hard to get it to hold its shape. The other hard part...

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Bánh Flan (Caramel Flan)

This is a French dessert that made its way into Vietnamese Cuisine via the French colonization of Vietnam. Traditionally, Flan is usually baked in a water bath. However, ovens are rare in Vietnam and hard to operate (only serious or professional bakers own and know how to properly operate an oven). This is one of the reasons why Vietnamese cakes and pasties are usually steam, or boiled…very rarely baked. The steaming method is much faster than...

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Cơm Gà Nướng Xả (Lemongrass Grilled Chicken with Rice)

Recipe here, serve with rice and a healthy helping of fresh lettuce and tomato...

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Bánh Choux (aka Bánh Xu, Bánh Su, Choux à la Crèam, Bánh Sữa, Cream Puffs)

This is a French pastry that made its way into Vietnamese Cuisine via the French colonization of Vietnam. Known as Choux à la Crème, the Vietnamese translate it to Bánh Sữa or Bánh Sữa Nhân Kem (which means milk pastry/cake). Other names for this pastry include Bánh Xu or Bánh Su. “Xu or Su” is spelled from the Vietnamese pronunciation of the French word “Choux”. In the US they’re known as cream puffs. However, American cream puffs are usually...

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Bánh Bò Lá Dứa (Pandan Coconut "Bak Tong Koh")

Recipe here, replace 1 cup water (when making syrup, step B) with pandan juice. Have F...

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