Coconut and Raspberry Cake

For the Cake:-100g unsalted butter-170g sugar-150g cake flour-3 eggs (150g)-120g milk-1 tsp baking powder*Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, add eggs 1 at a time, add milk. Sift in flour and baking powder, fold together. Bake at 350'f for about 30-35 mins.Icing:-400g whipping cream-1 tbs powdered sugar-1 1/2 tsp whipped cream stabilizer*Whip cream and stabilizer in a bowl until soft peaks, add sugar and whip until stiff peaks.Raspberry Filling:-raspberry-sugar*simmer...

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A Taste of Gotanda

I’ve been meaning to post this for quite awhile. It’s my research project that I did close to a year ago for my drama 476 class. If you’re a frequent visitor you probably already know that I'm a recent graduate of UW, majoring in Drama. Instead of writing a boring paper, I decided to go with the creative project option. So here it is, my creative research project on Phil Gotanda and his works…for your pleasure :D. Approximately...

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Eating off the Streets - Malaysian Street Food

Food is everywhere! My first stop while in Malaysia's Chinatown was this jerky stand. These goodies are made from ground meat + spices, flattened, dried and then grilled. They are absolutely to die for!Next up....Satay, another must eat to add to the list for anyone visiting M'asia. Your choice of chicken or beef, deliciously prepared and served with fresh slices of cucumber, onions and their dipping sauce. They're a bit greasy, probably from...

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Putu Bambu - Past vs. Present

To my friends from Malaysia, I have a question for you, putu bambu means bamboo cake...right?I discovered these treats while visiting the night market in Chow Kit. Funny story, apparently Chow Kit is the redlight district of Kuala Lumpur, but I had no idea. I actually didn’t find this out until the day before my scheduled return to Vietnam. Earlier that day, I took the train to Subang Jaya to buy baking supplies and then waved down a taxi afterwards...

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Eye on Malaysia

Malaysia, Malaysia, Malaysia.....wow, what a country! This year happens to be Malaysia's 50th independence anniversary, and there's so much celebrating on. Eye on Malaysia being a year long party is my first stop while visiting. They have a pretty impressive light show at night...see for yourself.Not sure what these are called but they're sooo good. Can't resist must have a taste and snap a picture.My most favorite are the green mangoes and the...

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Bánh Bao Cả Cần - Food, Drama and Paus

What makes this place stand out from the thousands of pau shops in Saigon? Paus aka Bánh Bao were introduced to the people of Vietnam via 1000 years of Chinese rule. Most if not all savory paus in Vietnam contain a filling composed of pork, onions, chinese sausage and 1/4 of an boiled egg. Ông Cả Cần's paus were famous for containing a quail egg in the center instead of the usual boiled chicken egg. His paus were also bigger than the others.Bà...

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Vũng Tàu: Beachside Yummies for the Tummy

Vũng Tàu is one of the many famous beaches in Vietnam. Literally translated, its name comes to mean Puddle of Boats. Its beaches are a hot spot for foreign travelers as well as Saigonians who's agenda is to seeking a little ocean breeze and, of course......... fresh seafood. Most of the the seafood consumed in Sai Gon as well as the south come mainly from the freshwaters of Mekong Delta. Vũng Tàu offers seafood from the ocean, all sorts...

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Kẹo Dừa - Coconut Candy, the sweetness of Bến Tre

Literally translated, Bến Tre means Bamboo Port. It is a small provience of Vietnam, located in the Mekong Delta. Bến Tre is famous of its coconuts. It's all things coconut.... even religion. Ông Đạo Dừa used to call this place home. He developed his own religion based on hòa hảo which united and worshiped both the Buddha and Jesus. Sadly, when the communist invaded South Vietnam, his property was seized and turned it into a restaurant....

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Cá Lóc Nướng Trui, Tôm Càng Nướng – An Explosion of South Vietnamese Flavors

This dish is considered the trademark of southern Vietnamese cuisine. It has deep roots extend into the Mekong delta regions where Cá Lóc (sometimes referred to in English as Snake/Mud Fish) and Tôm Càng (Freshwater Prawns) are plentiful. Simple local ingredients are combined with traditional cooking methods to give birth the perfect balance of flavor and texture. All you need are fresh herbs, bean sprouts, cucumber, bánh hỏi (or noodles) and...

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Class of 2007........7 days away!

Greetings! First off, I apologize for not posting lately. If you're a frequent visitor to my blog you probably know that I'm a UW student that's on the verge of graduating. The past few months have been hectic and I just couldn't find the time to bake and cook as much as I would like....so no posts. Forgive me....As I reflect on the last few years...I would like to thank all of you for your support. As you may already know, I entered UW planning to major in education. But by my 2nd year I started to realize my passion for cooking and was...

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Gỏi Đu Đủ Khô Bò Chay (Vegetarian Beef Jerkey and Papaya Salad)

This is the vegetarian version of papaya and beef jerkey salad. The recipe is pretty much the same, except:-Use gluten in place of beef-Use pressed tofu instead of liver (pressed tofu = firm tofu, weighed down by an heavy object for a few hours or overnight to remove as much water as possib...

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Bún Măng Vịt (Rice Vermicelli with Bamboo Shoots and Duck Salad)

To some this dish may seem weird in the way it's served. This is one dish not two. What do I mean by that? It means you eat both the noodles and the salad at the same time, much like how you would eat rice with another food item. Think of the noodles are your "rice" and the salad is your "food item". In order to fully experience the unique flavors of this dish you must eat both the noodles and the salad at the same time. For the Noodle Soup:-Rice...

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Tôm Hùm Tiềm với Bông Bống Cá và Nấm Đông Cô (Braised Fish Maw and Shitake Mushroom with Lobster)

Ingredients:-1 lobster about 2lbs-5 shitake mushrooms-3 pieces fish maw (about 150g)-sliced ginger-2 green onions-chicken broth or water-salt, sugar, oyster sauce-bok choyWhat to Do:Steam lobster and remove the flesh. Reserve the shells to braise with the mushrooms. Soak mushrooms in water for a few hours or until hydrated. In a pot, simmer together mushrooms, ginger, onions, and lobster shells with broth or water for at least 1/2 hour. After...

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Chè Bách Niên Hảo Hợp (Chinese Style Redbean Tong Sui)

This dessert is usually served as weddings as the name translates to "100 years match".Ingredients:-100g dried lotus seeds-200g red beans-50g dried lily bulb-dried tangerine peel-rock sugar-water-3 tsp corn starch + 3 tsp sugar-1 1/2 tsp lye waterWhat to Do:Mix together lotus seeds and red beans with lye water and enough water to cover the beans and lotus seeds by a few inches; soak overnight or until the beans and seeds are "plump". Wash the beans...

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Gỏi Bưởi Ngó Sen (Pomelo and Lotus Stem Salad)

Ingredients:-1 large pomelo-12oz lotus stems-1 carrot-1 small cucumber-rau răm (laksa leaves)-4 tbs sugar-3 tbs vinegar-1/2 tsp salt-fish sauce, limes-fried shallots, roasted peanuts-choice of: prawns, chicken, beef or tofuWhat to Do:A: Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and remove the seeds; slice into thin slices. Julienne carrot, and lotus stems. Mix together sliced cucumber, carrots lotus stems and sugar, rest for 15 mins. before adding vinegar;...

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Cải Chua (Pickled Mustard Greens)

Cải Chua or Dưa Chua what's the difference? Nothing besides the name. What's known as Cải Chua in the south is known as Dưa Chua in the north. Cải/Dưa chua should have a crispy texture, slightly sour and salty with a little "bite" from the mustard in taste, and light yellowish green in color. To achieve the crispy texture, some recipes instruct to wilt the greens before adding the brine, while others like me prefer to blanch the greens instead...it's...

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Bánh Xốp Bơ (Chewy Butter Cookies)

There is very little butter in this recipe, yet it has a rich buttery taste. Weird huh?Ingredients:-2 egg yolks-90g tapioca starch-40g flour-1/3 tsp baking powder-few drops yellow coloring (optional)-60g sugar-2 tbs sweetened condense milk-1 tbs melted butterWhat to Do:Mix together tapioca starch, flour and baking powder. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until light and lemoned colored. Add yellow coloring, condensed milk, and butter. Add flour...

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Gỏi Đu Đủ Khô Bò Gan Cháy (Papaya Salad with Beef and Liver Jerky)

The first step in making this dish is to make the basic sauce. The basic sauce is then used to make the beef and liver jerkies, and as dressing for the salad. Basic Sauce:-3 parts sugar-3 parts soy sauce-3 parts water-1 part ginger (crushed)-1 part chili sauce (optional)*Boil everything together in a saucepan until sugar dissolves. Cool before using.Beef Jerky:Basic sauce + pepper + 5 spice + honey + minced garlic + mince shallots = marinate...

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Express Pau Dough

What do you do when you're itching to make paus but don't have the time to go after "traditional recipes" which call for long hours of proving? Use a mix? NO! Why use a mix when you can make you own paus from scratch... in roughly 20mins? Here it is, my express pau dough recipe. Enjoy!Ingredients:-400g all purpose flour-4 1/2 tsp double acting baking powder-100g sugar-1 tbs oil-130g fresh milk or waterWhat to Do:Mix together flour and baking...

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Bắp Hầm (Vietnamese Style Grits)

Ingredients:-300g crushed hominy-100g sweet rice (aka glutinous rice)-pandan leaves (optional)-toasted sesame seeds-salt-sugar-fresh grated coconutWhat to Do:Mix together hominy and rice; rinse and soak overnight. Drain and add enough water to cover the surface of the rice and hominy by approx. 1 1/2". Simmer with pandan leaves until all of the water is absorbed and the hominy is tender (about 30-45mins). Serve with sugar, coconut, pinch of...

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Apam Sri Ayu - Steamed Pandan Sponge Cake with Grated Coconut

Ingredients:-1/2 recipe basic spongefon cake-approx 150g grated coconut-2 tbs tapioca starchWhat to Do:Make the pandan variation of spongefon cake. Mix together coconut and starch. Lightly grease cake moulds and fill about 1/3 with coconut mixture. "Pack" the coconut down with you fingers. Fill the remainder of the mould with cake batter. Steam cakes for about 15 mins, lifting the lid of the steamer every 5 mins to release excess ste...

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Time to Celebrate

Chúc Mừng Năm MớiIt's that time again. Time to make a big deal over Tết the Vietnamese New Year. Tết is more than a celebration it's also in a sense the rebirth of things. Firecrackers, lion dances, fresh colorful flowers and of course food are plentiful to bring luck, happiness, and prosperity to all. Although tết is technically the first day of the lunar calendar, preparations for tết start about a month before and celebrations last for a month...

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