Kem Chuối Ép | Frozen Pressed Banana

September 16, 2023

Kem Chuối Ép | Frozen Pressed Banana

makes about 10 servings

Ingredients

1 bunch of Namwa Bananas

2 cups fresh shredded coconut

1 cup crushed peanuts

Clear pastry bags or ziplock bags

Preparation

Peel bananas
Place each banana in one pastry bag
Press and roll the banana out until desired thickness. I like mine about ½ inch or 1-2 cm tall.
Add a layer of shredded coconut to the banana
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of crushed peanuts on top
Fold the opening of the bag over to seal
Freeze until frozen, about 4 hours or overnight

Good to know

You can add a few drizzles of coconut cream on top of the shredded coconut, before the crushed peanuts, for added creaminess.

Strawberry Matcha Pound Cakes

March 24, 2023

strawberry matcha pound cakes

makes 4 mini cakes

Ingredients

Cake batter

150 gr unsalted butter

150 gr granulated sugar

½ tsp salt

3 eggs (150 gr)

90 gr milk (⅓ cup)

150 gr cake flour (1 ¼ cups)

1 tsp baking powder (3 gr)

2 tbsp strawberry powder

2 tbsp matcha powder

White chocolate glaze

100 gr heavy cream

100 gr white chocolate

Garnish

Dried strawberry crumbles

Matcha powder

Preparation

Chocolate glaze

Over medium-low heat, bring the heavy cream to a simmer.
Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate and mix until the chocolate is completely melted.
Cover with plastic wrap, ensuring the plastic wrap presses on top of the chocolate.
Place in the refrigerator to cool.

Pound cakes

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Cream the butter, sugar and salt until well combined, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time.
Make sure each egg is well incorporated with the batter before adding the next.
Scrape down the side of the bowl occasionally.
Add the milk.
Sift in the flour and baking powder. Mix until fully incorporated.
Avoid over mixing as it will make the cake tough.
Divide the batter into two separate bowls.
Add the strawberry powder to one bowl and mix until well combined.
Add the matcha powder to the other bowl and mix until well combined.
Butter the loaf pans.
Pipe the two batters into the pans- matcha first then strawberry.
Marble them together using a chopstick or tooth pick.
Bake for 20-25 mins.
Let cool completely before removing from the pans.

Assemble

Remove the white chocolate from the fridge and give it a good mix. If the mixture is too thick, you can microwave it in 5 seconds increments. A slightly runnier consistency will make it easier for glazing.
Pour the glaze over the cakes and smooth out using an offset spatula.
Decorate with matcha powder and strawberry crumbles.
Enjoy!

Vietnamese Coffee | Cà phê Việt Nam

August 1, 2020

Vietnamese Coffee | Cà phê Việt Nam

makes enough for 1 serving

Ingredients

30 gr (3 tbsp) coarsely ground Vietnamese coffee

125 ml (4.5 oz) hot water

15 gr (2 tsp) condensed milk

1 set of Vietnamese phin

Preparation

Soak and rinse all phin pieces in hot water.
Add the condensed milk to a cup.
Add the coffee ground to the phin chamber.
Place the filter press on top of the coffee and gently press it down.
Place the phin disk and chamber over the cup.
Add 25 ml (2 tbsp) of hot water and allow the coffee grounds to bloom for 30-60 seconds.
Add 50 ml of hot water.
Once the first pour is completely extracted, add another 50 ml of hot water for the second pour.
Stir the coffee and condensed milk until well combined.
Enjoy as is or pour over a glass of crushed ice.

Good to know

This coffee is best if using Vietnamese coffee grounds. My favorite brand is Trung Nguyên, available for purchase online or if you’re lucky, at your local Vietnamese supermarket.

Passion Fruit Ice Cream

July 18, 2020

Passion fruit Ice Cream

makes about 5-6 cups

Ingredients

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

1 cup passion fruit pulps

Preparation

Prepare the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Mix the passion fruit pulps with ¼ cup of sugar, set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks until it becomes a light yellow color and set aside.
In a medium pot, add the heavy cream, whole milk and ½ cup sugar. Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Cook the milk mixture over medium heat until the edge starts to bubble.
Stream ⅓ milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly until fully combined- this is to temper the yolks.
Whisk the tempered yolk slowly back into the remaining warm milk.
Once both the milk mixture and yolks have been incorporated, return the pot to the stove and cook over low heat.
Whisking constantly until the mixture becomes a custard-like consistency and can coat the back of a wooden spoon. You should be able to run a finger down the spoon and leave a clean trail.
Remove from heat.
Strain the ice cream base through a sieve to remove any chunks.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Add the ice cream custard and churn for 30-40 minutes.
Scoop the ice cream into a container and fold/layer in the passion fruit puree.
Freeze for a couple of hours before serving.

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Soy Milk | Sữa Đậu Nành

July 4, 2020

Soymilk | Sữa Đậu Nành

makes 5 cups

Ingredients

180 gr (1 cup) dried soybeans

15 gr (2 tbsp) white sesame seeds

25 gr (4) pandan leaves

1.5 liters (6 cups) water

A pinch of salt

Preparation

Gently rinse the soybeans under cold water for 30 seconds.
Soak soybeans for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. The beans will expand 3-4 times so make sure you use plenty of water.
The following day, drain and rinse the soybeans one more time.
In a high speed blender, add soybeans, sesame seeds and water.
Blend at high speed for 1 minute. Rest for 30 seconds. Blend on high speed again for 1 minute.
Place cheesecloth in a strainer and both over a large bowl.
Strain the soybean mixture through the cheesecloth. Twist and wring the cheesecloth to extract as much liquid as possible.
Pour the soy milk in a medium pot and bring to a boil.
Let the mixture boil for 3 minutes.
Reduce to medium-low heat, add pandan leaves and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Make sure to stir the pot frequently to prevent the milk from burning. Skim any bubbles and milk skin forming on top.
Remove from heat and strain the milk once more with a strainer. This will filter out any leftover residue and ensure the milk is extra smooth.
Transfer soy milk to glass containers and store in the refrigeration.
Enjoy!

Good to know

6 cups of water yields a similar consistency to the soy milk I drank growing up but feel free to increase/reduce the amount water to fit your preference.

You can drink the soy milk plain or add honey as sweetener. Similarly, this can be enjoyed hot or cold.

The sesame seeds are there to enhance the nutty and creaminess of the soy milk. Alternatively, you can replace them with a handful of peanuts.

I recommend straining the milk twice to remove any leftover milk skin and minimize the amount of pulp left. Gritty soy milk (or any milk really) is a no-no!

There are other methods which required you to boil the blended soy mixture and then strain it. That works just as well but I personally prefer this way as I don’t have to wait for the cooked milk to cool and avoid the need to handle hot milk during the straining process altogether.

Square Milk Bread

June 14, 2020

Square Milk Bread

makes two 4x4 inch loaves or one 9x4 inch loaf

Ingredients

Tangzhong

20 gr bread flour

50 gr water

50 gr milk

Dough

290 gr bread flour

6 gr salt

30 gr sugar

5 gr dry yeast

130 gr warm milk (100-110F)

25 gr egg, room temp

25 gr unsalted butter, softened

Preparation

One day prior

In a small pan, mix all tangzhong ingredients together until well combined.
Place the pan over low heat, mix continuously until the mixture resembles thick glue, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the starter to a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Can omit refrigeration and just let cool to room temp for about 1 hour.

The day of

Remove the starter from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the bread.
In a stand mixer, add the bread flour, sugar, salt and dry yeast together.
Using a dough hook, gently mix the dry ingredients until combined.
Add milk, egg and tangzhong.
Mix on low speed for 5 minutes until a rough dough ball is formed.
Add butter, 1 tbsp at a time. Mix the dough for about 1 minute between each butter addition to ensure the butter is evenly incorporated in the dough.
Once all butter is added, mix on high speed for 10-12 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth.
Remove the dough from the mixing bowl.
Knead and tuck the outer edges of the dough under to form a smooth ball. Refers to video for folding instruction.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Proof for 1 hour or until double in size.
Deflate and knead the dough a few times.
Cover and proof for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough in two. Use only one dough ball if making one 4x4 inch square loaf. Use both if making a 9x4 inch loaf.
For each piece of the dough, fold it in half, rotate 90 degrees and fold it in half again. Continue to do so a couple more times. Shape the dough into smooth balls again.
Proof on the counter for 15 minutes.
Roll the dough out length wise. If the dough resists too much, gently stretch it by hand until desirable length first, then roll it out.
Fold each dough letter style- fold the bottom third up and then top third down.
Turn the dough 90 degrees, roll it out until desirable length and do another letter fold.
Repeat this step once more.
Roll the dough out length wide and shape into a log. The width should be about 4 inches wide. Pinch seams together.
Place the shaped roll in the loaf pan, push dough down gently to cover all corners, cover and proof for 40-60 minutes.
Stop proving once dough rises to the last 1/2 inch of the pan rim.
Brush with milk wash, if baking without the lid.
Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350F.
Let cool for 10 minutes before removing the bread from the pan.

Good to know

The milk should be lukewarm (100-110F), if too hot it will kill the yeast. I typically microwave the milk for about 15-30 seconds.

Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies

April 17, 2020

Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes 16 cookies

Ingredients

¼ cup (50 gr) white sugar

¾ cup (150 gr) dark brown sugar

1 ¾ cups (200 gr) cold unsalted butter, cubed

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups (200 gr) all purpose flour

1 cup (120 gr) cake flour

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

⅔ cup (150 gr) dark chocolate chunks

⅔ cup (150 gr) milk chocolate chunks

2 ½ cups (260 gr) nuts of your choice, chopped (i used walnuts)

Preparation

Cream the sugar and cold butter together.
Beat eggs in a separate bowl.
In two batches, add eggs to sugar/butter mixture and mix on high speed. Scrape down the bowl occasionally.
Add vanilla extract to wet ingredients. Mix well.
Sift dry ingredients together.
Add dry ingredients mixture to wet ingredients.
Mix lightly until combined.
Add chopped nuts and chocolate chunks.
Mix gently on low. Do not over-mix.
Divide dough into 90 gr (3 oz) balls.
Place cookie doughs on baking tray, 3 inches apart
Cover and freeze for 90 minutes (or refrigerate overnight)
Preheat convection (fan forced) oven to 392 F degrees.
Lower to 350 F degrees and bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown. Rotate half way.
Let cool completely for 15 minutes before removing from pan.
Enjoy!

Good to know

Feel free to use any nuts of your choice or mix/match different kinds of nuts together for additional textures.

Use an ice cream scooper to divide the dough for consistent and uniformed looking cookies. Shape by hand if you prefer a chunkier look.

Refrigerating the dough before baking is always recommended. This will prevent the cookies from spreading after they hit the oven.

Clay Pot Chicken rice

February 21, 2020

Chicken clay pot

makes enough for 4 servings

Ingredients

For the rice

1 cup rice

1 ⅔ cups chicken broth

2 links of Chinese sausage (lap xeong), slice diagonally

For the chicken

1 pound chicken thigh, skin on, cut in 1 inch pieces

1 thumb size ginger, peeled and sliced lengthwise

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

½ tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tbsp sugar

Cooking oil

For the mushroom

½ cup dried wood ear

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp salt

For the spinach

3 cups spinach

A pinch of salt

Cooking oil

Garnishment

1 stalk of green onion, thinly sliced

Preparation

Prepare the rice

Wash the rice until the water runs clear.
Soak the rice in chicken broth, in the clay pot, for 1 hour.

Marinate the chicken

In a large bowl, combine chicken, ginger, oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, shaoxing wine and sugar.
Mix well, cover and set aside for 20-30 minutes.

Prepare the spinach

Cook the spinach with 1 tsp cooking oil for 2-3 minutes or until wilted. Set aside.

Prepare the mushroom

Soak the wood ear mushroom in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Drain, pat dry and slice thinly.
Cook the mushroom with 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp salt

Prepare the rice

Place the clay pot over medium heat.
Cook the rice with the lid on for 5 minutes or until it comes to a boil.
When the rice has come to a boil, add the Chinese sausage (lap xeong) and reduce to a simmer (lowest heat) for 30 minutes.

Prepare the chicken

In a pan over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp cooking oil. Wait a few minutes for the oil to becomes hot then add the marinated chicken.
Stir continuously for 5 minutes.
Cover and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Once cooked through, turn off the heat and set aside.

Finish the rice

Once the rice has simmered for 30 minutes, add the cooked chicken, drizzle some of the chicken sauce over the rice and continue to cook on the lowest heat for another 15-20 mins.
This will allow the rice to develop its crispy bottom.

Serve

Remove the rice from the heat, garnish with green onion and enjoy!

Good to know

For optimal time management, prepare the dish in the order listed above.

Congee with Lap Cheong, Soft Boiled Egg and Mushroom

January 30, 2020

A week ago, my husband came down with the flu and I knew the epidemic that is the Man-Flu was about to befall us. So aside from the usual Vitamin C, elderberries, water and lots of sleep, I wanted to make him something nutritious, easy on his sore throat and comforting to eat. If there’s one thing this husband of mine craves most while being sick, it’s the feeling of comfort and being taken care of. I mean, don’t we all? Though I tease him a lot for it, I find it quite endearing.

Below is the recipe I came up with after rummaging through our pantry and gathering everything I deemed has healing components. He finished the whole pot in 2 sittings when I intended for it to last a few days. And yes, the Man-Flu is no more.

Congee with lap cheong, soft boiled egg and mushroom

makes about 6 cups

Ingredients

1 cup rice

5 cups chicken broth

6 cups water

¼ cup ginger, peeled and sliced lengthwise

½ cup dried lotus seeds

1 tbsp mushroom powder

1 link lap cheong (Chinese sausage), sliced diagonally

1 tbsp sesame oil

¼ cup dried wood ear mushroom

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tsp soy sauce

½ tsp salt

4 jujubes (dried dates)

4 eggs

1 stalk of green onion, thinly sliced

Preparation

For the congee

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Drain and soak in fresh water for 30 minutes.
Soak lotus seeds in boiling water for at least 2 hours. Drain and set aside.
In a pot over medium high heat, add the rice, chicken broth, water, ginger, lotus seeds and mushroom powder. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and continue to boil for 15-20 minutes. Stir frequently.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and let simmer for 60 minutes. Stir frequently.
If the congee becomes too thick or the water is evaporating too quickly while the rice has not fully cooked, add water (1 cup at a time) to the pot. Remember to stir the pot every 5 minutes or so to avoid the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
At the 60 minutes mark, add the jujubes and continue to cook covered for another 15 minutes.

For the garnish

Soak wood ear mushroom in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain, slice lengthwise and set aside.
While the rice is cooking, add the Chinese sausage and 2 tbsp of water to a pan over medium heat. Cook until the sausage is becoming semi-translucent in color and the water has evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a separate pan over medium heat, combine sesame oil with wood ear mushroom and cook for 2-4 minutes. Season with sesame seeds, salt, soy sauce and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
To soft boil the eggs, add enough water in a pot to submerge them all. Bring the water to a boil then add the eggs. Cook for 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat, soak in cold water for 15 minutes. Peel and set aside.

To serve

Pour congee in a bowl, garnish with mushroom, Chinese sausage, half an egg and green onion.

Good to know

The congee base is simple: rice and water. The rest of the flavoring is up to you, add whatever you want and go from there. The only thing to be mindful of is that you need to stir it frequently as it has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan if left alone for an extended period of time.

The thickness of the congee also depends on your preference. Some like their congee thicker, others like it thinner. Adjust your cooking time and water accordingly. Stop cooking once the rice is fully cooked and the congee is at your preferred consistency.

Dried lotus seeds are tricky as some are older than others – which impacts the time required to soften them while cooking. If you are unsure, you can soak them overnight before cooking.

Bánh Chưng

January 23, 2020

It is with great joy that I am finally writing blog! Bánh chưng is a must-have during Vietnamese New Year, which is also the Lunar/Chinese New Year. The cakes are typically filled with sticky rice, mashed mung beans and pork belly pieces. As a child, I loved the event surrounding the making of these beautiful rice cakes. It is tradition that families and neighbors would gather in someone’s kitchen to make these. Everyone would be prepping, wrapping, cooking and chatting all night long. Most of the time, they are up through the night as these cakes take 8-10 hours to cook through. Even so, the whole house is constantly filled with laughter and this infectious loving, communal warmth. It is and has always been a time to reflect, give thanks and celebrate together.

I love old traditions. The ones that make sense at least. I find them beautiful, humbling and great reminders of our culture, upbringing and to be grateful for where we are today. Since it is not possible to relive those childhood memories, I figured it would be great to recreate them myself. Below are the bánh chưng recipe and instructions I have put together. I want to mention that this is an adaption of my grandma’s recipe in combination of Trang from RunawayRice’s brilliant(!) folding techniques. You can find her original video linked below.

This recipe seems intimidating and time consuming at first, but I promise you it is not. I had an amazing time making them every year and I am confident you will, too. Wherever you are in the world, I wish you a New Year full of love, great health and happiness. Chúc Mừng Năm Mới, everyone!

Bánh Chưng

makes 8 rice cakes

Ingredients

5 cups glutinous rice (aka sticky rice)

3 tsp salt (1 for mung bean 2 for rice)

2 cup peeled split mung bean

3 cups water for cooking mung bean

2.5 lb pork belly

1/2 cup finely minced shallots

1/4 cup finely minced garlic

3 tsp sugar

5 tsp fish sauce

2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

2-3 packages banana leaves, cleaned

Wrapping Materials

8x8 inch piece of cardstock

4x4 inch piece of cardstock

2x8 inch piece of card stock

4x4x2 inch mold

8 (7 feet long) string or twine

Scissor

Preparation

Day 1

Prepare and cut the banana leaves using the cardstock templates. You will need:
- 32 pieces of the 8x8
- 8 pieces of the 4x4
- 16 pieces of the 2x8
Soak the mung beans in cold water overnight.
Wash the sticky rice until water runs clear. Soak them in cold water overnight.
Cut the pork belly roughly in ½ inch slices. Combine the pork with shallot, garlic, sugar, fish sauce and pepper. Mix well, cover and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Day 2

Prepare the mung beans

Rinse and drain the mung beans.
In a medium size pot, combine the mung beans with 1 tsp salt and 3 cups water.
Cover and bring to a boil. Allow the mung bean to boil for 5 mins.
Reduce to a simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the mung bean is soft and fluffy. Remember to stir occasionally to avoid burning.
Remove the cooked mung beans and smash with a paddle or a spoon.
The mung beans should resemble the consistency of mashed potatoes at this point.

Prepare the glutinous rice

Drain the rice and combine with 2 tsp salt.

Wrap the bánh chưng

I preferred my bánh chưng to have an even amount of sticky rice and pork belly. During the cooking process, the fat from the pork will seeped out and seasoned the rice. Hence, the more pork belly you use for each cake, the more flavorful your sticky rice will be. Of course, this is up to your liking so adjust wherever needed.
For each bánh chưng, I used the following measurement:
- 1st layer: a heaping ½ cup of sticky rice
- 2nd layer: 2 tbsp of mashed mung bean
- 3rd layer: 3-4 pieces of pork belly
- 4th layer: 2 tbsp of mashed mung bean
- 5th layer: a heaping ½ cup of sticky rice
For the wrapping instructions, you can check out RunAwayRice’s video for a live demonstration.

Cook the bánh chưng

In a huge pot (and I mean pho-making, turkey brining, 15-quart huge), add the bánh chưng and fill water enough to completely submerged them.

Weight bánh chưng down with a heavy plate.
Bring to a rolling boil and let stand for 15-20 minutes.
Reduce to a simmer for 4 hours.
Remove bánh chưng from the water, keep track of which ones were at the bottom half and top half of the pot.
Add the bánh chưng back into the pot, this time place the ones that were on the top half on the bottom of the pot and vice versa. Don’t forget to weight them down again with a heavy plate.
Since we are making a huge batch, this will ensure that all of the bánh chưng are cooked thoroughly and consistently.
Continue to cook on simmer for another 4 hours.
Remove the bánh chưng from the pot.
Lay a kitchen towel at the bottom of a pan. Place the bánh chưng neatly and tightly next to each other.
Lay another kitchen towel on top of the bánh chưng. Place a large cutting board on top and weight them down with something heavy (bags of sugar, ceramic plates, etc.). This is to remove any excess water while maintaining their square shape.
Let them sit like this for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before serving.
Cut and serve with dưa món củ kiệu.

Good to know

I didn’t wrap the bánh chưng in aluminum foil before cooking them and they turned out fine every year. My guess is the aluminum foil will help retain their square shape better but I haven’t tested that myself. As long as you take the time to press out the water at the end, aluminum or not will not affect the taste of the bánh chưng. My grandma also confirmed that in all her years of making them, she has never wrapped them in aluminum foil before cooking.

I also haven’t tried making them in a pressure cooker. My aunt did and she said the sticky rice was tougher and not as soft as the stove cooked ones. I’m not that surprised, low and slow is always the preferred cooking method in these type of dishes. I’ll have to try the pressure cooker method next year to see for myself.

If you planned on refrigerating them, make sure to wrap them in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container first.

Since the sticky rice is very, well, sticky once cooked, the easiest way to cut them is using a piece of thread. You just have to wrap the thread around the cake and pull the thread ends across each other. You can of course use a knife, just make sure to rub the knife with some cooking oil first to make clean up a bit easier.

Bánh chưng is typically enjoyed with dưa món củ kiệu, which you can find at most Asian grocery stores.

Also pro-tip, fried bánh chưng or bánh tét (it’s cylinder shaped sister) is the best thing in the world. Fried carb, pork belly and bean- need I say more?

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

August 26, 2019

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

makes enough for 2 people

Ingredients

1 lb chicken

4 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 tbsp ginger (julienned)

1/4 cup dried wood ear mushroom

1 can watercress (diced)

1 cup carrot (shredded)

1/4 cup goji berries

1 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp cooking oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp sesame seeds

iceberg lettuce (leaves separated)

Preparation

Soak mushrooms in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes or until fully bloomed.
Drain water and slice mushrooms in long thin strips. Set aside.
Add cooking oil to a pan over medium heat. Wait 2-3 minutes for the oil to be ready.
Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
Add ginger and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add ground chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes or until opaque in color.
Add soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sugar and sesame oil to chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add mushroom, watercress, carrot and goji berries. Cook until watercress is tender but still crunchy.
Feel free to adjust seasoning to your liking at this point.
Place chicken inside lettuce, sprinkle on some sesame seeds and enjoy!

Good to know

Nothing! It’s that easy.

Strawberry Vanilla Vegan Cheesecake

February 10, 2019

Strawberry vanilla vegan cheesecake

makes 12-14 (2”x 2") mini cheesecakes

Ingredients

Silicone mold

Crust:

1/4 cup roasted almond

3/4 cup roasted walnut

5 Medjool dates, pitted

2 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup shredded coconut

2 tbsp cacao nips

1/8 tsp salt

Filling:

2 cups raw cashew

2 cups dried strawberry

1 1/4 cups coconut cream

5 tbsp cacao butter

5 tbs coconut oil

10 tbsp agave nectar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 pinch salt

Preparation

Soak cashews for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
For crust: blend all ingredients together in a food processor until a crumbly, sticky paste is formed.
Press crust evenly onto bottom of mold. About 1 tbsp per square.
For filling: blend cashews until smooth.
Add rest of filing ingredients, except dried strawberries.
Blend until creamy.
Save about 1/2 cup of filling to use for frosting later.
Add dried strawberries to rest of the filing, blend until smooth.
Pour strawberry filing into mold, freeze until set. About 30 minutes or overnight.
Thaw for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Pipe on vanilla frosting and enjoy!

Good to know

You can use fresh strawberries instead of dried ones, but I don’t recommend doing so. Fresh strawberries are high in water content, which will give the cheesecakes an icier, popsicle-like texture.

Always allow the cheesecakes to thaw for at least 10 minutes before serving. This will bring out its soft and creamy texture.

Keep the cheesecakes in the freezer until ready to eat.

Linzer Cookies

January 8, 2019

Linzer Cookies

makes makes 48 cookies or 24 cookie sandwiches

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup almond flour

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup strawberry jam

1/3 cup almond butter

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preparation

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together on medium high until light and fluffy. About 2 to 3 minutes.
Scrape down sides of bowl to ensure sugar and butter are well incorporate.
Add egg to sugar and butter mixture, one at a time. Let mixer run for 30 seconds in between each egg addition.
Add vanilla extract and beat until well combined, stopping occasionally to scrape down bowl.
Add in the flour mixture and mix on low speed until well incorporated.
Divide dough in 2 pieces. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and roll each of them out to about 1 inch thick.
Place dough disks in the refrigerator and let chill for least 2 hours before baking.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out the dough disks to about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
Use a round cookie cutter (mine is about 2 inches in diameter) and cut out as many circles as possible.
Use a smaller heart shape cookie cutter to cut out the center of half of the cookies. These will be the top cookie pieces.
Transfer cookies to baking sheets, cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 5 - 10 minutes before baking.
Remove cookies from refrigerator, remove plastic wrap and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The edges should be slightly golden when done.
Remove the cookies from the baking sheets and let cool completely before filing.
To fill, add about 1 teaspoon of jam or almond butter to the flat, bottom pieces. Place the heart cut out pieces on top and gently press together.

Good to know

The high fat content from the butter, almond flour and egg will make the dough very moist so make sure to flour your work surface generously before rolling them out. Alternatively, you can roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper.

If the dough get soft while handling, put it back in the fridge for 5-10 minutes before continue handling.

Chilling the cookies again right before baking will help them retain their shape and not spread out too much. Again, this is due to the high fat content.

You can re-roll the scraps to make additional cookies if needed.

The dough can be made 5 days ahead, tightly wrapped and refrigerated.

Match top and bottom cookie pieces before filling to make sure they are the same size.

Dust the heart cut out cookies with powdered sugar first then place them on top of the strawberry jam. This will avoid getting powdered sugar on the jam and helps retain the cookies’ vibrant red center.

Paleo Banana Bread

December 2, 2018

Paleo banana bread

makes 1 loaf of bread

Ingredients

3/4 cup almond flour

3/4 cup coconut flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

3/4 cup honey or agave nectar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup coconut cream

4 ripe bananas

1 cup of walnut, chopped

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degree.
In a bowl, mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Sift the above dry ingredients and set aside.
In a blender, add together the melted coconut oil, honey or agave nectar, egg and vanilla extract.
Blend on medium high speed for a couple of minutes or until smooth.
Mash 3 bananas together with the coconut cream. Set aside.
In a mixer, add the dry and wet ingredients together. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.
Add the banana coconut cream and mix until everything is well incorporated.
Fold in the the chopped walnut.
Line the baking pan with parchment paper.
Add the batter to the pan. Smooth out the top.
Cut the last banana in half, length wise. Lay the banana halves on top of the batter. Gently press down so the banana is slightly submerged in the batter.
Bake for 50-60 minutes.
Brush the top with 1 tbsp of honey or agave nectar immediately after the bread is done baking.
Top with slivered almonds.

Good to know

To test the readiness of the bread while baking, insert a toothpick in the center of the pan, if it comes out clean then your bread is ready. I recommend start doing this at the 40-45 minute mark and continue testing every 5 minutes or so.

If the top of the bread starts browning too early, cover the baking pan with a piece of aluminum foil.

This bread is delicious hot or cold but I especially like mine slightly warm with a drizzle of coconut cream. Give it a try, I promise you’ll like it.

Toodles!

Vegan Matcha Sesame Cheesecake

October 14, 2018

Vegan Matcha Sesame Cheesecake

makes 12-14 (2”x 2") mini cheesecakes

Ingredients

Silicone mold

Crust:

1 cup roasted almond

5 Medjool dates, pitted

2 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup shredded coconut

2 tbsp cacao nips

1/8 tsp salt

Filling:

2 cups raw cashew

1 cup coconut cream

8 tbsp coconut oil

8 tbsp agave nectar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 pinch salt

2 tsp matcha powder

2 tsp black sesame seeds

White chocolate topping:

1/2 cup raw cashew

1/4 cup coconut cream

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 tbsp agave nectar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

Soak the cashews for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
For the crust: in a food processor, blend all ingredients together until a crumbly but sticky paste is formed.
Press the crust evenly onto the bottom of the mold.
For the filling: drain the cashews and blend until smooth.
Add the rest of the filing ingredients, except the matcha powder and sesame seeds. Blend until creamy.
Split the filling in half.
Add the matcha powder to one half, blend until smooth.
Pour the matcha filing into the mold, freeze until set. About 30 minutes.
Add the sesame seeds to the other half, blend until smooth.
Pour the black sesame filling on top of the set matcha filing. Freeze until set, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, blend all of the ingredients for the white chocolate topping together.
Add a thin layer on top of the set matcha and black sesame layers.
Freeze overnight.
Thaw for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Dust with extra matcha powder and enjoy!

Good to know

I like using this silicone mold as it divides the cheesecake into serving size portions. Plus, the silicone makes it very easy to pop them out of the mold right before serving.

Alternatively, you can use any baking pan and cut the cheesecake into smaller pieces after it’s done setting.

Lastly, it is VERY important that you allow the cheesecake to thaw before serving. This will bring out its soft and creamy texture. You will also be able to taste the matcha and sesame flavor much better.

Keep the cheesecake in the freezer until ready to eat.

Toodles!

Vietnamese Chicken Curry

July 15, 2018

Hello hello!

It feels like a million years ago since I last posted something. Life has been hectic and I have been neglecting this happy little corner for quite some time. But I am back to share the below Vietnamese Chicken Curry recipe with you. This is another one of those dishes that I grew up eating and is a stable at every family gathering or party. The most time consuming part is getting the vegetable prepped. Other than that, it’s pretty much a dump-it-all-together-and-wait kind of dish. Easy-peasy!

Vietnamese Chicken Curry

makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

I3 lbs chicken, cut into bite size or 1 1/2" pieces

2 cans baby corn, drained the liquid

2 medium sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1 1/2” pieces

2 medium carrot, peeled, cut into 1/2” thick wide

1 yellow onion, cut in 1 1/2” pieces

1 stalk of lemon grass, minced

2 tbs ginger, minced

4 lime or bay leaves

6 cups chicken stock

3 cans coconut milk

4 tbs shallot, minced

3 tbs garlic, minced

3 tbs sugar

2 tsp salt

2 tsp onion powder

2 tbs red chili powder

5 tbs yellow curry powder

2 tbs coconut oil

4-6 tbs fish sauce

Preparation

Combine the chicken with salt, sugar, onion powder, curry powder, garlic, shallot and chili powder.
Mix well and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
In a big pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes. To test the oil readiness, add a small piece of onion, if it start sizzling immediately then the oil is ready.
Add the lemon grass, ginger, yellow onion and bay leaves. Stir frequently for 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken. Stir frequently for 5-8 minutes or until the skin of the chicken is a golden yellow color.
Add half of the chicken stock and coconut milk.
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the curry to a boil, about 15 minutes.
Add potatoes, carrots, baby corn.
Add the rest of the chicken stock and coconut milk.
Add the fish sauce according to your taste.
Simmer everything over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
It’s done when the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
Enjoy hot with vermicelli, rice or french baguette.

Good to know

Chicken: breast and drumsticks with the skin on is the way to go.

Curry powder: have you ever seen red Vietnamese curry? No? Me, neither. Get the yellow one.

Coconut milk: full fat does it better, always. However, if you want to spare the calories for 2 servings instead of 1 then you can use the light/low fat option. You do you, boo boo!

Fish sauce: my taste buds lean more on the saltier side and since there’s a hight fat content (thank you, coconut milk), I ended up using all 6 tbs. I highly recommend adding 3-4 tbs first and adjust thereafter. It’s an ordeal trying to salvage an overly salty dish. So add, taste, add, taste, repeat.

Potahtah: they should be tender but still retained their shape. After adding them, stir sparingly to avoid breaking down the starch too much. This is also the reason why I added them in with the 2nd batch of chicken stock and coconut milk. Some recipes suggested that you add the potatoes at the same time as the chicken, I found this theory false. They cook at different time and doing so will accidentally give me potatoes soup. It’s still be a pretty solid soup but I’m here for the curry.

Toodles!

Pickled Radish

August 23, 2017

Pickling is fun, I know this. There are so many different recipes and endless combinations of vegetables. Every air tight mason jar is a blank canvas for your creative mind. It can be suspiciously easy or extremely complicated, depends on the recipe. My An Ma’s (Grandma) pickled recipe is easy as cake and so darn delicious. Then there’s kimchi, which used to have me staring at the ingredient list and instructions for an hour before deciding to go take a nap instead. Every country has their own version of pickles, most require some type of radish or crunchy vegetable.

When I saw that radishes were in season, I thought it was time to put all my pickle jars to use. Below is a recipe that’s not only simple but will be perfect for all your summer condiment needs. After a day or so, the red pigment will seep out from the red radishes, turning the brine and radishes into a beautiful shade of pink.

I use them to perk up any salad with their crunch and beautiful color. They also go great with steak or BBQ meat - if you want a tart kick to go with the meaty bites.

These easily overlooked condiments should be celebrated instead of being considered a forever sidekick. So go ahead, pickle all the things.

Pickled Radish

makes enough for (2-3) 12 oz jars

Ingredients

1 medium daikon (white radish), thinly sliced

5 red radishes, thinly sliced

1 purple radish, thinly sliced

1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced

2 tbsp salt

2 cups white distilled vinegar

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

(2-3) 12 oz pickle jars

Preparation

After washing, thinly slice the radishes in circles.
In a bowl, add the salt to the sliced radishes. Mix well and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
The salt will extract the water from the radishes after 10 minutes. Drain the salt water and rinse with cold water.
In a separate bowl, add distilled vinegar, water and sugar together. Mix until sugar is fully dissolved.
Arrange your radishes in the pickle jars. I like to alternate between all 4 to showcase all the different patterns and colors of the radish.
Pour the brine over the radishes. Make sure there is enough liquid in each jar to fully submerge all of the radishes.
Let the radish marinate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Served cold and enjoy the refreshing crunch.

Good to know

Technically, these are good to go after 1 hour in the brine but I like to leave mine for at least 24 hours. It makes them extra crunchy!

Caramelized Catfish

May 29, 2017

FACT: no one makes braised or caramelized fish as well as my Ba Ngoai (Grandma). You can argue all you want, but save your breath, she wins, always. Also fact, she won’t give me the recipe. Every time I’ve asked, she would reply with something like, “It’s very simple. You just need to add the fish, let simmer for a while, add a couple seasonings and that’s it.” Now, whenever you hear a grandma say something along these lines it usually means her recipe includes 40 steps, 500 ingredients, requires 7 days to complete and is infused with 28 different potions plus some dark magic. It’s her secret and that is that!

Growing up, this dish was a staple and the epitome of comfort. There’s something about the sweet caramel flavor that blends so harmoniously with the savory fish sauce and the catfish’s fattiness. This dish served over rice on a dark cloudy day is one of my fondest childhood memories. Once we finished the fish, my Grandma would always mix some rice into the empty pan and eat it with me. This saucy, caramel-y rice is still a favorite of mine.

Below is my rendition of her recipe after almost 2 decades of eating it. The most common way of making this is with catfish, though I’ve tried it with tilapia and it tasted just as good.

I eventually gave up nagging her about giving up her recipe because I know, she’s just holding it hostage to make sure I visit often. Silly Grandma, I’ve figured this recipe out years ago…. but I’m still going to ask you for it this weekend.

Caramelized Catfish

makes enough for 4-6 people

Ingredients

For the fish

2 pounds catfish or tilapia, cut about 1 inch thick

¼ cup coconut water

A pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 cup caramel sauce

4 thai chilies, halved (or 1 jalapeno, sliced)

2-3 cloves shallot, sliced

1 thumb ginger, julienned

For the caramel sauce

1 cup of brown palm sugar

3 tbsp water

¼ cup fish sauce

Preparation

Prepare the caramel sauce:

You will need to make the caramel sauce first. This is the most complex (partially scary) part of the recipe since it can go from gorgeous caramel to a fish sauce volcano in 30 seconds. So, I urge you to give it your full attention.
Fill the sink or a big enough bowl with cold water that can come up to ¼ the height of the saucepan.
In a tall sauce pan over medium heat, add 1 cup of brown palm sugar and 3 tbsp water. Stir well for 1-2 minutes to fully dissolve the water .
Let sit and stir frequently through the next few steps.
Watch as the sauce bubbles and come to a gentle rolling boil.
The sauce will start changing color; starting from light yellow and gradually turning into a dark brown color with reddish tint (like how caramel looks). This should take about 8-10 minutes.
Once the sauce has reached the desirable color and consistency, remove from the heat and submerge the pan into the cold water in the sink (or bowl). This will seize the cooking process, preventing the caramel from burning.
Right away, add the fish sauce and stir until fully incorporated.
Now, I shall warn you that this will result in the sauce bubbling vigorously, hence the need for the large/tall saucepan.
In the event that your sugar cooled too fast and can’t fully dissolve in the fish sauce, return the saucepan to the stove and stir on low heat.
Allow the sauce to rest for 10 minutes, it will thicken as it cools down.

Prepare the fish:

In a large bowl, mix together the fish, pepper and caramel sauce. Make sure the caramel sauce fully coats the outside of the fish.
In a small pot (claypot if you have one handy) place the fish snugly in one layer. Pour any remaining sauce over the fish.
Add the shallot, ginger and chilis. I made sure to wedge them in the open spaces so the flavor can infuse well with the fish.
Add the coconut water.
Cover and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Reduce the heat so the pot is at a simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes.
Flip the fish pieces. Spoon some of the liquid from the pot over the fish to make sure it coats them thoroughly.
Cook for another 5-6 minutes until done.
Serve hot over white rice.

Good to know

Use a tall sauce pan to make the caramel. The sugar will boil quickly and can overflow if you’re not paying attention so the taller type of saucepan will be more forgiving.

If you don’t have or can’t find palm sugar, white sugar will suffice. I personally like palm sugar because that’s the way my Grandma made it and well, Grandma always knows best.

Again, I highly recommend using only catfish or tilapia to yield the best result. These types of fish have a “fall apart” texture that works best when coated with the sauce. Listen to me. Put the salmon away.

Mango Coconut Chia Pudding

June 26, 2016

When I first heard of chia seeds, I automatically didn't like them. I don't know why but there's an instant bias about something that doesn't have any taste to it. Then Billy introduced me to Mama Chia and Pinterest introduced me to chia pudding. Now I can't stop chia-ing! They are versatile, delicious AND healthy.

So with that, here's a recipe that you can whip up in less than 5 minutes. Let time do all the work and enjoy.

Mango Coconut Chia Pudding

makes 4 servings

Ingredients

5 tbsp chia seeds

1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk

3/4 cup water

3 tbsp agave nectar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 ripe Manila mango, cubed

2 tbsp shredded coconut

Preparation

In a large bowl, mix chia seeds, coconut milk, water, agave nectar and vanilla extract together.
Cover and let soak for at least 2 hours. Preferably over night in the refrigerator.
Remove from the refrigerator, transfer to serving cups.
Top with mango and shredded coconut.

Good to know

If you're soaking the chia seeds overnight, the seeds could expand too much making the pudding too thick. If this is the case, just add more water and mix well before serving.

Adjust agave nectar to taste. Honey is also a good substitute.

Be creative. Add them to smoothies, smoothie bowls, other desserts or whatever your inner child with the urge to play with your food want to do.This pudding is best enjoyed cold.

Toodles!

Strawberry Ice Cream

June 26, 2016

Strawberry Ice Cream

makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

2/3 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 cups fresh strawberries

1 tsp lime juice

Preparation

Chop the strawberries into small chunks.
Mix the strawberries with the lime juice and 1/3 cup sugar. Let sit while making the ice cream base.
In a medium pot, heat the heavy cream and whole milk over medium heat until the edge starts to bubble.
Add in 1/3 cup sugar, stir well. Turn off the heat.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp sugar and the egg yolks until it becomes a light yellow color.
Temper the eggs by adding the cream to the eggs, 1 tbsp at a time, stirring in between. Once both cream and eggs have been incorporated, return the mixture to the pot and cook over medium-low heat.
Continue to stir until the mixture becomes a custard-like consistency and can coat the back of a wooden spoon. You should be able to run a finger down the spoon and leave a clean trail.
Remove from heat.
Puree half of the strawberries in a blender and add to ice cream base. Mix well and strain the custard.
Mash the other half of the strawberries with a potato masher or a fork, leaving some small chunks.
Remove the frozen ice cream maker bowl from the freezer. Add the ice cream custard and churn for 20-25 minutes.
Remove the ice cream from the bowl and fold in the mashed strawberries.
Freeze for at least 3 hours before enjoying.

Good to know

Freeze your ice cream maker bowl at least 24 hours prior to churning. Make sure to read your machine manual since every machine is different.

I made this ice cream with an ice cream maker because I am lazy and don't have the arm strength (mostly patience) to do it san machine. But if you don't have the machine, then you'll need to pop your custard in the freezer, then stir it vigorously every 20 minutes while it freezes. You can do this with a spoon or fork. Spork not acceptable. I've tried this method and it turned out well, though it does get harder as the ice cream hardens.

I used the ice cream maker attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer. I've tried two Cuisinart ice cream makers prior to this one and broke both. They're too weak, especially if you're planning on churning anything with small chunks in it. The KitchenAid attachment is perfect! Then again, this mixer can do no wrong. AMIRITE?

Toodles!