Vietnamese Fish Cake (Cha Ca)

This Vietnamese fish cake reminds me of the Thai version one :D Looks rather similar but slight difference in the herbs used. Both are equally tasty but I find that the Vietnamese version taste lighter than the Thai one. Instead of using ready made fish paste, the fish cake is made from fresh fish fillet blended with spices and herbs thereafter shaped into round disc and pan frying till golden brown. Fast and simple dish which can be whipped up anytime :D

Recipe ref : Kitchen Corner

Ingredient (12 patties)

• 450gm tilapia fillets
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 garlic, mashed
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 stalks spring onion, roughly chopped
• handful of thai basil, roughly chopped

Method

1. Cut fish into chunks and marinate with sugar, fish sauce, garlic, egg and pepper. Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight in fridge.
2. Transfer mixture into a food process and blend to form a coarse mixture.
3. Add in basil, spring onion and chilli flakes and blend to just combine.
4. Remove mixture from the processor. Grease hands with oil. Shape mixture into 12 round flat patties.
5. Heat some oil in a pan. Pan fry fish cakes till golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels and serve with Nouc Mam Cham Ngot (recipe below).

Marinated tilapia chunks, thai sweet basil & spring onions

Blend in food processor and shaped into patties

Pan frying in hot oil till golden brown

Dipping in simple fish sauce with some chilli padi...shiok!

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest – IndoChina hosted by Kelly Siew Cooks

Rainbow Flan Dessert (Rau Cau Flan)

I was first attracted by the layers of this flan dessert.....pandan, coconut and coffee agar agar layer. Thinking of these 3 combinations already made me drools! I was actually contemplating whether to try out this recipe when I saw the rich flan layer which uses ONE canned sweetened condensed milk and ONE canned evaporated milk. But considering the layers of agar agar did not use much sugar and the final outcome of the whole flan should taste just right, therefore I just closed one eye on the amount of condensed milk used hahaha...Indeed when my boy tasted a slice of this Rainbow Flan Dessert, he asked me why the jelly layer not sweet one?? Therefore savour the sweet and rich egg custard  layer with the not so sweet agar agar will balance out the richness of this chilling dessert! 

Caramelised sugar setting in pan and ready to pour in egg custard

The flan after steamed baking...ready to layer in the agar agar!

Love the caramelised surface! This pandan layer is made with bottled pandan paste.

This version the pandan layer is made with fresh pandan extract with an additional layer of coffee agar agar.

Recipe source : theravenouscouple.com
Ingredient

Basic Flan :

• 250gm sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 can sweetened  condensed milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Agar Agar Layers :

Pandan Layer	Coconut Layer	Coffee Layer
1 cup water (or 1 cup fresh pandan extract 2 tbsp sugar ¾ tsp pandan paste (exclude if using fresh pandan extract) 1 tsp agar agar powder	1 cup coconut milk 2 tbsp sugar pinch of salt 1 tsp agar agar powder	1 cup water 1 heap tsp coffee granules (not instant powder) 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp agar agar powder

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg cel and fill a baking pan with hot water.
2. In a saucepan, caramelise the sugar and water until golden brown and pour into a pan or several ramekins and coat evenly. Allow to cool and crystallise.
3. In a bowl, combine eggs, condensed and evaporated milk and vanilla and whisk till smooth. Strain the mixture and sit for 15 mins. Gently pour the egg mixture over caramelised sugar and cover the ramekins with foil.
4. Place the ramekins onto the tray of hot water and bake for 60mins or until the custard is well set.
5. While the flan is cooling down, prepare the agar agar layers. In a saucepan heat all the ingredients for the pandan layer until sugar and agar agar is dissolves and comes to gentle boil. Remove from heat and carefully spoon the mixture onto the flan. 
6. Prepare the coconut layer when the pandan layer is about to set. To test : lightly touch the layer with your fingers, it should be firm but still slightly sticky and not set completely. Repeat with the coffee layer.
7. After all 3 agar agar layers have set, chill in fridge. To un-mould, use a spatula to loosen the edges and invert onto serving plate. 

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest – IndoChina hosted by Kelly Siew Cooks

Vietnamese Sizzling Crepes (Banh Xeo)

I've never travel to Vietnam so I don't have to chance to compare my homemade version Banh Xeo to the one selling in Vietnam. But I think I've pass the look of this dish and it does taste real good! Crisp and thin crepe (the yellow hue crepe is actually by adding turmeric powder to the rice batter) with lots of greens at the sides and not forgetting the dipping sauce Nuoc Mam Cham which brings out the refreshing taste of the crepes :)

Some of the ingredients required : Rice flour, coconut millk, prawns, chicken fillet, bean sprouts

The batter recipe just nice for making exactly 4 crepes using Happy Call Pan. Huge serving per crepe? Not really as the crepe is real thin with lots of greens added so it is rather light and refreshing crepe to enjoy :)

Recipe source : simplyvietnamese.wordpress.com

Ingredient (4-6 servings)

Crepe Batter:

• 150gm rice flour
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 3 stalks spring onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup coconut milk

Crepe Filling :

• 200gm chicken fillet, thinly sliced
• 200gm peeled prawns, sliced into 2-3 sections
• 1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 300gm beansprouts, trimmed
• salt & pepper to taste

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Mam Cham):

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup sugar

Side Salads :

• lettuce
• mint leaves
• sweet basil leaves
• cilantro

Method

1. Marinate chicken fillet with a pinch of salt, pepper and cornflour. Set aside.
2. Combine all ingredients for the crepe batter and whisk until smooth. Rest for 15-30mins.
3. Make the dipping sauce by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl. Whisk till sugar is well dissolved. Adjust taste if desired.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in Happy Call Pan (HCP). Add onion and sauté till fragrant and slightly softened. Remove from pan.
5. Add in chicken slices and pan fried for 2 mins. Remove from pan.
6. Finally add in prawns and sauté till prawns turn pink. Remove from pan.
7. Clean the pan with a paper towel. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Stir the batter well. Scoop a portion of the batter (slightly less than a cup) into the pan and swirl the pan to distribute the batter evenly over the pan to create a thin layer. As the sides of the pancakes start sizzling, top with onions, chicken, prawn and bean sprouts (be generous with the sprouts!) on the left half sides of the crepes. Sprinkle some pepper over. Lock the pan and cook for 1-2 mins. Uncover the lid and continue to cook over medium high heat until the crepe is crispy and golden. Shift the pan occasionally. Fold the crepe in half and gently slide the crepes onto a serving plate. It is rather tricky to remove the crepes if using a deep HCP. So I use 2 spatulas, each supporting one side of the crepes and swiftly lift the crepes out and place onto a serving plate.
8. Continue with rest of the crepes, stirring well the batter before scooping. Adding more oil to the pan for each crepe.
9. Serve crepes hot (cooling down will lose its crispiness) with the dipping sauce along with more salads!

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest – IndoChina hosted by Kelly Siew Cooks

Preserved Salted Kumquats (Quất Muối)

Salted kumquats which have steeped in salted brine for over 3 months

Beautiful fresh kumquats

Sitting the jars of salted kumquats over a sunny window sill for at least 1 month or longer before using.

Recipe source : www.rauom.com

450gm cleaned and dried kumquats and enough coarse salt to cover the fruits. Layer the kumquats and salt alternatively in a clean and sterilised jar.  Seal the jar and place it near a bright window sill.  Overturn the jars occasionally to allow the salted brine to distribute evenly over the kumquats. Let it cure for at least a month or longer until the fruits shrivelled and softened before transferring the jar to fridge. 

After about 1 week, some of the coarse salt has melted and liquid filling up half the jar

Making of salted kumquat drink! 

Salted kumquat drink : Mash 1 kumquat thoroughly in a glass. Add in 2 tsp honey to taste and top with a cup of cold water. Refreshing!

 I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest – IndoChina hosted by Kelly Siew Cooks

I found another preserved kumquats on another web-site, these preserved kumquats are served as a relish rather than using it to make as a drink. The process of curing is shorter, around 2 weeks, as to retain its crunchiness.

Salt & Pepper Preserved Kumquats

Recipe source : hungrytigress.com

Ingredient

• 450gm kumquats
• 1/2 tbsp black peppercorns, ground
• 2 cloves, ground
• 1/4 cup coarse salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• juice of 2 lemons

Method

1. Wash the kumquats and air dry completely. Slice half in lengthwise.
2. In a bowl, combine halved kumquats, peppper, cloves, salt & sugar till evenly mixed.
3. Place kumquats in a clean dry jar, pour in lemon juice and seal the jar.
4. Store at room temperature for 10 days to 2 weeks, shake the jar once a day, until they reach the desired softness. Chill the mixture.
5. To use : using a clean, dry spoon, take out desired amount and rinse under cold water, chop or serve whole along with roasted meat or toss into salads.

Khmer Krom Coconut Pound Cake

If you are a fan of coconut, I'm pretty sure you will like this lovely butter coconut pound cake! Unlike the usual butter cake I've attempted, this cake batter was very very runny and therefore it took longer time to bake through. Though the combination of butter and coconut milk sounds very rich, the taste of the cake actually turned out very light with soft and moist crumbs! 

Recipe source : www.khmerkromrecipes.com
Ingredient

• 125gm butter, melted
• 200gm sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla paste
• 125ml coconut milk
• 250gm plain flour
• 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut

Method

1. In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and melted butter till creamy.
2. Beat in eggs, one at a time and beat for about 2 mins.
3. Add in baking powder, salt, vanilla and coconut milk and beat briefly.
4. Sift in flour and fold in together with grated coconut till well combined. Batter will be runny.
5. Pour batter into a lined 9" x 5" loaf pan  and bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 60mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
6. Remove cake from pan and cool completely on wire rack before slicing.

 I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest – IndoChina hosted by Kelly Siew Cooks

This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (June 2014 Event: Butter) organised by Zoe (Bake for Happy Kids) and Mui Mui (My Little Favourite DIY) and hosted by Jozelyn Ng (Spice Up My Kitchen)

Coconut Waffles (Nom Pum)

I love any food that have coconut flavours in it so does my son :) This coconut waffle is flavoured with coconut milk and fresh grated coconut therefore it tastes good on its own though my boy love smearing lots of butter over it! The texture of the waffles is slightly denser than the usual soft and fluffy traditional waffles but after grilling them for 2-3 mins it transforms! The crust is so crispy and the coconut flavour seems to intense after the grilling process....nom nom nom really addictive and my son actually love it so much that he had this for breakfast and snack till I told him there were no more left in the fridge ^0^

Recipe source : cambokitchen.com
Ingredient 

• 200gm rice flour
• 120gm brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 120ml thick coconut milk
• 3/4 tsp pandan paste (optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut
• corn oil for greasing

Method

1. Preheat waffle pan.
2. In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, eggs, coconut cream till smooth. Stir in grated coconut. Set aside for 30 mins.
3. Generously brush waffle pan with corn oil. 
4. Using a ladle, scoop batter into heated waffle pan. Cook till waffle is set and browned. 
5. Repeat till all batter are used up. 
6. To serve, grill waffles till crisp on both sides. Serve immediately. Balance waffles can be chilled for 3 days or freeze for a month.

 I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest – IndoChina hosted by Kelly Siew Cooks

Bánh Bò Nướng, Vietnamese Honeycomb Cake

It started to rain cats and dogs after this cake is out from oven...sigh no natural lights for proper photo shooting and worst till I'm just using my normal old digital camera. All the pictures turned out just gloomy.....but the taste of the cake save the day! It has honeycomb, and it should looked this way, if not the cake will be a failure, and it is very chewy! My parents and kids all given thumbs up for this lovely GREEN cake hehehe :)

I never been to Vietnam and the most familiar Vietnamese dish to me are Vietnamese Spring Roll (nem cuốn) and Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soup (Pho) :D Hope to attempt these 2 dishes soon! Too little time too many recipes to try >0<

Recipe source : Asiadish.com
Ingredient

• 200ml coconut cream (kara brand)
• 150gm sugar (can increase to 180gm-200gm if u have a sweet tooth)
• pinch of salt
• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 tsp pandan paste (koepoe brand)
• 240gm tapioca starch
• 2.5 tsp baking powder, single acting

Method

1. In a saucepan, dissolve sugar with coconut milk and a pinch of salt under low heat. Set aside to cool down.
2. Grease a 9"x5" non-stick loaf pan. Preheat oven together with the pan at 180 deg cel.
3. Crack eggs in a mixing bowl. Use a fork to break up the eggs. Do over over-stir, STIR just enough to homogenize the whites & yolks.
4. Stir in pandan paste.
5. Add in coconut mixture and stir gently.
6. Sift tapioca starch into the mixture. Fold gently. It will be lumpy. Use a strainer to strain the mixture into another mixing bowl.
7. Sift in baking powder and stir gently. You will see small bubbles appearing. Strain the mixture again.
8. Pour the batter into the heated pan and bake for 45mins or until golden brown and centre is set.
9. Cool cake in the pan for 10mins. Use a silicon spatula to dislodge the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Vietnamese Caramelized Chicken Wings

Recipe adapted from My Kitchen Snippets
Ingredient

• 12 chicken wings – clean and cut
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 3 stalks lemongrass – finely chopped
• 2 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 shallots – sliced thinly
• 3 bird eyes chilies – finely sliced

Seasonings

• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce

Caramel:

• 4 tbsp sugar
• 4 tbsp water

Method

1. To make the caramel, gently heat up the sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan until it turns golden. Set it aside.
2. Heat up the wok with 2 tbsp of oil. Stir fry the lemon grass, grated ginger and shallots until fragrant and lightly brown.
3. Add in the wings; toss them around the wok to brown. Pour in the caramel sauce, seasonings, kaffir lime leaves and bird eyes chilies. Give it a few stir and turn down the heat.
4. Cover and let it simmer 20 – 25 minutes or until tender and sauce caramelized.
5. Remove and serve warm or at room temperature.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad

To reduce the raw taste of the cabbage, after shredding thinly, I sprinkle 1 tsp of salt over the cabbage and mix evenly then set aside. After a while you will see that the cabbage has became limp. Squeeze away the excess water, make sure it is as dry as possible.

Ingredient

• 450gm cabbage
• 250g chicken fillet, poached and shredded
• 25gm shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 sprigs coriander leaves
• 3 sprigs spring onion, finly sliced
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 chilli padi, finely minced
• fried shallots
• roasted peanuts

Method

1. Remove the central stem from the cabbage and shred finely. (see tips above)
2. Mix fish sauce, lime juice, chilli padi and garlic evenly.
3. Combine the cabbage, chicken, shallots, coriander and spring onion in a large serving bowl.
4. Add the dressing over the salad and toss throughly.
5. Garnish with peanuts and shallots.