QQ Bakery Mango Fruit Cake.
Made with fresh yellow mangoes! The cake was very good, I like it.
May 21, 2011
Chuc Mom Sinh Nhat Vui Ve!
Happy 58th Birthday to my amazing, loving, and beautiful mother.
QQ Bakery Mango Fruit Cake.
Made with fresh yellow mangoes! The cake was very good, I like it.
QQ Bakery Mango Fruit Cake.
Made with fresh yellow mangoes! The cake was very good, I like it.
May 18, 2011
Music Update!
Wedding bells are in the air! Less than two month's before the sister's big day. The playlist has been updated with happier songs (so hard to find!). Also updated with songs I've just recently come across like Reno Binh's Se Mai Yeu Em - love it!. And I brought back modern and traditional favorites.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
May 13, 2011
Simmered Fish | Ca Kho Xup
I learned how to make this from my mom a couple years ago. It's kinda like sour fish soup (Canh Chua Ca) meets braised fish (Ca Kho). The ingredients are similar to those of the soup, but with a small amount of cooking liquid like a braise. You can tweak it with your choice of vegetables normally used in sour fish soup (pickled mustard, bean sprouts, celery, etc).
Prep Vegetables: Sliced shallots, crushed garlic, cut scallions, sliced pineapple, tomatoes, and sliced bamboo shoot. I like to use the young yellow bamboo shoot (fresh or canned), not the sour white bamboo shoot for the dish.
A clean firm fish cut into steak size pieces and seasoned with fish sauce, sambal chili paste, salt, black pepper, and chili flakes. I'm using my favorite fish, Pompano.
As usual, infuse the oil, shallots, and garlic. Heat oil first, brown the shallots, add the garlic, and then a little sambal chili paste. (careful - sambal paste might start spattering in the oil!)
Add the pineapple.
After a quick stir of the pineapple, move the mixture to one side area of the pan to make room for the fish. Sear the fish steaks.
After searing the fish, layer the shallot/pineapple on top of the fish and deglaze with 1 cup of water.
Layer on the bamboo shoot and a sprinkling of chili flakes.
Layer on the sliced tomatoes.
Cover and simmer until the fish is cooked; about 10 minutes depending on the size.
Garnish with cut scallions and or cilantro.
Serve with rice. Simple flavors and refreshing!
Prep Vegetables: Sliced shallots, crushed garlic, cut scallions, sliced pineapple, tomatoes, and sliced bamboo shoot. I like to use the young yellow bamboo shoot (fresh or canned), not the sour white bamboo shoot for the dish.
A clean firm fish cut into steak size pieces and seasoned with fish sauce, sambal chili paste, salt, black pepper, and chili flakes. I'm using my favorite fish, Pompano.
As usual, infuse the oil, shallots, and garlic. Heat oil first, brown the shallots, add the garlic, and then a little sambal chili paste. (careful - sambal paste might start spattering in the oil!)
Add the pineapple.
After a quick stir of the pineapple, move the mixture to one side area of the pan to make room for the fish. Sear the fish steaks.
After searing the fish, layer the shallot/pineapple on top of the fish and deglaze with 1 cup of water.
Layer on the bamboo shoot and a sprinkling of chili flakes.
Layer on the sliced tomatoes.
Cover and simmer until the fish is cooked; about 10 minutes depending on the size.
Garnish with cut scallions and or cilantro.
Serve with rice. Simple flavors and refreshing!
April 29, 2011
Taro & Tapioca Pearl Dessert
Easter Sunday, Mom and Phuong put me up to the task of making Che (sweet soup dessert). Mom was busy prepping all the stuff for Bun Thit Nuong and frying up some eggrolls while Phuong made Banh Bot Loc.
First time making this dessert - a few lessons learned for sure!
The pearls can be purchased at your local asian market.
Boil the pearls covered (about 1 cup of pearls to 6 cups of water)for 10 minutes. The centers will still be white - but if you let sit covered as you prepare other components, they will eventually become clear.
Steam cubed pieices of Taro. Then let cool so that they will hold up in the dessert.
Smash ginger root (1/4 cup of it) and dilute it with 1 cup of hot water (the Ginger is optional)
Strain the ginger tea and discard the pulp.
The tapioca pearls will look like this.
Fill a medium-large pot halfway with water. Stir in 1 can of coconut milk, ginger tea, and 2 cups of suger. Bring to boil. Add the cooled Taro. Bring to boil again and then turn off heat.
Gently stir in the pearls and 1 tablespoon of vanilla flavoring. Avoid stirring to much to keep the the Taro from falling apart. Taste, add more sugar if necessary.
Serve.
First time making this dessert - a few lessons learned for sure!
The pearls can be purchased at your local asian market.
Steam cubed pieices of Taro. Then let cool so that they will hold up in the dessert.
Smash ginger root (1/4 cup of it) and dilute it with 1 cup of hot water (the Ginger is optional)
Strain the ginger tea and discard the pulp.
The tapioca pearls will look like this.
Fill a medium-large pot halfway with water. Stir in 1 can of coconut milk, ginger tea, and 2 cups of suger. Bring to boil. Add the cooled Taro. Bring to boil again and then turn off heat.
Gently stir in the pearls and 1 tablespoon of vanilla flavoring. Avoid stirring to much to keep the the Taro from falling apart. Taste, add more sugar if necessary.
Serve.
Mussels Baked in a Dynamite Sauce - Bread Crumb Topping
My contribution to the spring potluck was Dynamite Mussels. I make this dish too much I think (only because it's easy and good). The difference in this batch compared to the ones I've made before is the panko bread crumb crust - which turned out nicely for some added texture.
Click link for the recipe (Less the breadcrumbs) >> Mussels Baked In Dynamite Sauce
Click link for the recipe (Less the breadcrumbs) >> Mussels Baked In Dynamite Sauce
Company Spring PotLuck
Today, the office held a Spring PotLuck. Below are the visuals of all the delicious dishes!
Various Salads, Spinach Pie, Mexican Pie, Chili, Cheesy Jambalaya, Chocolatey Desserts, Fresh Fruits, Spicy Tofu, Chicken Wings, Dynamite Mussels: Happy Tummies!
Various Salads, Spinach Pie, Mexican Pie, Chili, Cheesy Jambalaya, Chocolatey Desserts, Fresh Fruits, Spicy Tofu, Chicken Wings, Dynamite Mussels: Happy Tummies!
Food Venture: Monterrey Cantina
A few weeks ago, when the weather was extraordinarily nice, some loved ones and I went for a stroll in Downtown Royal Oak, in hopes of eating at What Crepes. When it was closed, we checked into Monterrey Cantina since no one ate there before. After about 15 minutes wait, we were finally seated.
The dishes:
Warm Toasty Chips and Salsa to start.
Mojito, Strawberry Daq, and Water for the Misses.
Grand Chimichanga!
Steak Burritos
Nachos!
Steak Fajita.
The Mojito was okay. The food the pretty good and the servings were hefty! Nice atmosphere too.
The dishes:
Warm Toasty Chips and Salsa to start.
Mojito, Strawberry Daq, and Water for the Misses.
Grand Chimichanga!
Steak Burritos
Nachos!
Steak Fajita.
The Mojito was okay. The food the pretty good and the servings were hefty! Nice atmosphere too.
April 21, 2011
March 20, 2011
Happy Birthday Thu!
Happy Birthday Swag.Haven! Hope you have an amazing day and year! Miss You Love and see you soon!
March 19, 2011
Agar Jelly Dessert | Rau Cau
I made this last month. Must admit, I was a little lazy to post it and because it didn't quite turn out the way I wanted it to.
For each pack of agar agar powder, you'll need 6 cups of water, 1 cup of sugar, 1 can of coconut milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and any other flavorings you might like (coffee, strawberry, pandan, etc)
Fill a small pot/sauce pan with the 6 cups of water. Stir in 1 pack of agar power and 1 cup sugar until dissolved. Add 1 can of coconut milk and bring to boil.
Pour half the mixture into your mold and let set at room temperature.
I added 1 teaspoon of strawberry extract and a little red food coloring to the other half and bring it back to a boil. Or which ever flavor you desire.
When the first layer has set, pour the rest of the mixture into the mold. Before it totally sets, I garnish with some strawberries.
I like to eat it cold, so I chill it in the refrigerator. Cut and serve!
My problem: The mold was too small and the first layer was too thick, it didn't set when I added the second layer and the two flavors blended with each other. The coconut milk separated and surfaced to the top (bottom half is a little more translucent). It's pretty though and tasted good. Note to self - next time use large mold or make layers thinner by using multiple molds! hehe
For each pack of agar agar powder, you'll need 6 cups of water, 1 cup of sugar, 1 can of coconut milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and any other flavorings you might like (coffee, strawberry, pandan, etc)
Fill a small pot/sauce pan with the 6 cups of water. Stir in 1 pack of agar power and 1 cup sugar until dissolved. Add 1 can of coconut milk and bring to boil.
Pour half the mixture into your mold and let set at room temperature.
I added 1 teaspoon of strawberry extract and a little red food coloring to the other half and bring it back to a boil. Or which ever flavor you desire.
When the first layer has set, pour the rest of the mixture into the mold. Before it totally sets, I garnish with some strawberries.
I like to eat it cold, so I chill it in the refrigerator. Cut and serve!
My problem: The mold was too small and the first layer was too thick, it didn't set when I added the second layer and the two flavors blended with each other. The coconut milk separated and surfaced to the top (bottom half is a little more translucent). It's pretty though and tasted good. Note to self - next time use large mold or make layers thinner by using multiple molds! hehe
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