Stir Fried Shrimp, Beef, and Korean Cabbage...

Stir Fried Shrimp, Beef, and Korean Cabbage...

 

I did not follow any recipe for this. I learned that after cooking for 4 months, sometimes, I just make up any food according to what I have left in the refrigerator. I will give an estimate of what I did earlier today. Please adjust according to your taste after experimenting this dish. :)

 

Ingredients

1/2 korean cabbage (chopped thinly)

1 lb shrimp (peeled, divined)

1 lb beef

white pepper

oil

3 tbspn fish sauce

4 cloves garlic (minced)

 

Instructions

 

Using a big pan, heat up med to high, and add in oil. Then, put in the garlic. Stir fry the beef and shrimp. Add in the fish sauce and some white pepper according to your preference. Cook until almost cooked. Pour out onto a plate.

 

There should be some sauce leftover from the meat and shrimp. Using the sauce, add in the cabbage. Stir fry a bit and then cover with a lid to soften the cabbage. Now, add in the meat and shrimp. It should be done pretty quick after adding everything together.

 

Enjoy! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Xoi Lap Xuong, Tom Kho, va Cha Bong... (Savory Sticky Rice)

Xoi Lap Xuong, Tom Kho, va Cha Bong... (Savory Sticky Rice)

 

For this recipe, I asked how my mom, friend, and sister in law made it. Then, I used their ideas and tried to experiment it base on my estimate of how much I need to make for a big family. It's not perfect but not bad at all. Like I say, I'm still learning how to cook. I'm not a professional chef yet. I just try my best and when you guys ask for the recipe, I tell you what I did and you can go on from there. Adjust it according to your taste okay.   :)

 

Ingredients

1 pack of chinese sausage (I used Mai Que Lo; cut thin and diagonal)

1 small bowl of dried shrimps

Crushed dry pork meat

4 cups of sweet glutinous rice

1 container of chicken broth

5 Green onions (minced)

4 tbspn oil

Salt

1 tbspn Soy sauce

 

Instructions

 

Rinse the sweet rice and soak for 15 min. Rinse the dried shrimps and soak with just a bit of water right above it for 30 min. While waiting, prepare a small pan with med to high heat of oil and stir fry half of the minced onions in it. Add just a pinch of salt to have some salty flavor. Leave to the side.

 

Now, rinse the sausage and cut it thin and diagonally. Drain the dried shrimps.

 

Drain out the water in the rice. Using a rice cooker, add the sweet rice to it. Then, add chicken broth to the same level as the sweet rice. Earlier I added a little bit above, according to what my mom told me, and my sweet rice was a little soggy. Cook it. Hopefully your will be better than mine. Please let me know how it comes out.

 

Now, heat up a big pan with med to high heat. Add in the sausage. Stir fry a bit so that the oil in it comes out a bit. Then, add in the leftover onions and dried shrimps. Sauteed all with soy sauce.

 

When the rice is cooked, as desired, add it to your bowl or plate. Flatten down evenly with a spatula. Start the first layer with the crushed dried pork meat. Then, spread out the sauteed shrimp and sausage on top. Finally, add the onion sauce on top.

 

Enjoy! Hopefully, it's not too bad! It's my 1st time making this so give me some opinions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soup Man Cua (Vietnamese Asparagus and Crab Soup)

Soup Man Cua (Vietnamese Asparagus and Crab Soup)

This is one of my favorite soups I like to eat at weddings and Vietnamese parties (birthdays or holidays). I learned this recipe from my mom. Now, I can be able to cook this for my children’s birthday parties. J

Ingredients:

4 cartons of chicken broth 32 oz each

Green onions, minced

Garlic, minced

4 big cans of white peeled asparagus (slice diagonally)

2 small cans of white thin mushrooms

4 small cans of quail eggs

2 tbspn fish sauce

White pepper

Cilantro, finely chopped

1 container of fresh lump crab meat

2 eggs

2 tbsp cornstarch

Water

Oil

Instructions

Boil with med to high heat a big pot of chicken broth. While broth is cooking, stir fry crab meat with a little bit of oil and garlic for 1 min (My mom told me it’s a method of getting rid of the fishy smell in the soup).

When broth is boiled, add in the eggs, mushrooms, asparagus, and crab meat. Lower the heat down to low to med.

Crack the 2 eggs and put it in a separate bowl. Stir until smooth. Then, add into the pot of soup and stir evenly.

With another bowl, add the cornstarch and some water in and stir evenly. Then, add to the pot of soup. Adjust according to thickness however you prefer.

Then add in the fish sauce, white pepper, and cilantro. Also, adjust according to taste. I have a family of 7 people to feed. Each adult has their own distinct taste. It is very hard to please everyone. Anytime I finish a dish, the opinions are either “a little salty, a little flavorless, or just right”. Serve with green onions and cilantro if you desire.

Enjoy!

 

Mam Chung (Vietnamese Meatloaf)...

Mam Chung (Vietnamese Meatloaf)...

 

I was visiting my parents in law one day when my mother in law taught me this recipe. She told me if I ever need to learn anything, just ask her. She's very sweet! Before heading home, she gave me the small purple onions and ground white pepper. For the rest of ingredients, I went to buy at the supermarket.

 

Ingredients

4 lbs of ground pork

2 jar of "mam loc xay (snakehead fish sauce)"

12 eggs (save 3 egg yolks for the top layer)

green onions (minced)

2 tbsp ground white pepper

5 small purple onions (minced)

5 small red peppers (cut in half each)

 

Directions

 

Turn on high heat for the steamer to start before starting the preparation.

 

Use a large mixing bowl. Add pork, fish sauce, 12 eggs, white pepper, and purple onion. MIX WELL. On the other hand, save 3 egg yolks in a small bowl, add green onions, and stir well.

 

Pour the mixture into a baking dish. Leave about an inch on the top as the mixture will rise when cooked.

 

Check to see if the meatloaf is cooked in about 25 to 30 min.

Use a toothpick to test if the meat is cooked. If it is dry, the mixture is about to be ready. Then, with a spoon, smear the yolk w/green onions on top of the mixture. Decorate the top w/a couple of pieces of red pepper on top. Cook for another 5-10 minutes with the lid off or when the yolk looks cooked.

 

This is how my "Mam Chung" came out!

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Canh Kho Qua (Bitter Melon Soup)...

Canh Kho Qua (Bitter Melon Soup)...

I did not know how to eat this soup when I was younger because it was so bitter. It was until high school, that I tried to eat it again and started to appreciate the bitter taste. I have asked my mother and mother in law to show me a little bit in how to prepare this. Of course, I also like to research online for other ideas and here I found this link that matches exactly what my mothers taught me:


http://www.theravenouscouple.com/2010/10/canh-kho-qua-bitter-melon-soup.html


It's easier for me to just copy the link here for you to follow then creating my own when it's the same. Here is how my "Bitter Melon Soup" looks like!

Trung Chien Voi Ca Chua va Hanh (Fried Eggs w/Tomatoes & Onions)...

Trung Chien Voi Ca Chua va Hanh (Fried Eggs w/Tomatoes & Onions)...

This is very quick and easy to make when I don't have time to cook a big meal for the family. I learned to make this from my aunt in Vietnam who came to visit recently.

Ingredients
9 eggs
7 green onions, minced
1/2 white onion (small pieces)
4 tomatoes (small pieces)
4 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tspn black pepper
1 tbspn oil

Directions
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, onions, tomatoes, fish sauce, and pepper together until well blended.

Using a pan w/medium-low heat until hot; put in oil. Then, pour in egg mixture. Reduce heat. As mixture begins to set on bottom and sides of pan, lift and fold over with a spatula. Cook until the eggs are almost set.

Enjoy!

Vietnamese Honeycomb Cake (Banh Bo Nuong)...

Honeycomb Cake (Banh Bo Nuong)...

I have heard from many people that this dessert is very difficult to make. Of course, before I started baking this, I was really nervous but yes very excited to try something new. I learned this recipe from this link:

http://www.the350degreeoven.com/2011/02/cake/banh-bo-nuong-vietnamese-honeycomb-cake/

It was very simple to follow. I tried my first one last night and this is how it looked like... The only thing I saw not satisfactory was that my cake didn't turn out green. I guess I didn't put in food color or the pandan extract was not enough.

 

 

So today, my kids asked me if I can bake another one. I tried one more time, now with adding green food coloring, and this is how it looks like:

 

 

Very tasty and yummy! I would recommend this link. It feels great that I didn't fail on my 1st try baking this due to the recipe I learned from this website. Overall, one idea I really like from learning this recipe is the part of flipping the baking pan upside down on a metal rack to help it from deflating.

 

:)

 

 



 

 

 

Suon Xao Chua Ngot (Sweet and Sour Pork Spare Ribs)...

Suon Xao Chua Ngot (Sweet and Sour Pork Spare Ribs)...

This recipe came from my mom. I was able to finish cooking today before working out at the gym. I feel very relieved to have everything done at home today before "FIT & Soul Grooves" class. :)

Ingredients
3 lb pork spare ribs bone in (cut into 1.5 in pieces)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 white onion (wedges)
4 tbsp fish sauce
4 tbsp white vinegar
4 tbsp sugar
cornstarch mix (1 tspn cornstarch w/.5 cup water, stir into slurry)
1 red pepper, minced
2 tbspn oil
Black Pepper
2 tbsp caramel sauce

Directions

1.) Heat up a pot of water with high heat. Add the spare ribs in. Wait until boiled. Drain with a colander, and rinse. This is to clean the meat first before cooking and also tenderizing it.

2.) Marinade the ribs with 1tbsp fish sauce, a little garlic, some onions, and black pepper.

3.) Heat up a pan with med to high heat. Add in oil. Then, add in the onions and garlic. Stir fry until fragrant. Now, add in the pork ribs. Drizzle the caramel sauce in. Stir fry until golden brown. Add in the remaining fish sauce, white vinegar, sugar, and red pepper. Then, add in the corn starch mix. Adjust more fish sauce, vinegar, or sugar according to preference.

 

Canh Cai Chua Suon Non (Pickled Mustard Green w/Pork Spare Ribs Soup)...

Canh Cai Chua Suon Non (Pickled Mustard Green w/Pork Spare Ribs Soup)...

My mother taught me this recipe. Today was my 1st time learning how to chop spare ribs. I actually made a comfortable spot on the floor of the kitchen and chopped right there.

Ingredients
4 quarts of water
2 tbsp chicken granulated powder
1 lb pork spare ribs cut in 1 in pieces
1 container of pickled mustard greens (already made from store; sliced in thin long pieces)
4 tomatoes (cut in wedges)
Salt
Black Pepper
1 tbsp of oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 white onion, minced
1 red pepper, minced

Directions

1.) Heat up a pot of water (6 cups) with high heat. Add in the pork ribs. Bring to a boil. Drain in a colander, and rinse. Marinade with a sprinkle of salt and black pepper.

2.) If you use the same pot, then clean it well and reuse. If not, use another pot. Fill with water and put on high heat. Add in chicken powder and then the pork ribs. Once it starts boiling, lower the heat down to med to soften the meat.

3.) While waiting for the meat to soften, stir fry the pickled mustard greens. Heat up a pan with med to high heat. Put in oil, and then add garlic and then onions. Stir fry for a minute till golden brown. Then, add in the pickled mustard greens. Stir fry for 3 min. Then, add to the pot of soup.

 

 

4.) Now, add the tomatoes. Skim off any excess. Lower the heat down to low and simmer for 10 to 15 min till ribs are softened.

 

 

ENJOY!

 

 

Canh Cai va Gung (Cabbage & Ginger Soup)...

Canh Cai va Gung (Cabbage & Ginger Soup)...

This soup is very easy to make. I learned this from my father. He use to cook this often for us when I was younger.

Ingredients
3 quarts of water
2 tbsp chicken granulated powder
1 piece of ginger (peeled, sliced in long thin strips)
1 cabbage (slice into small pieces)

Directions
Heat the pot of water from med to high until boil. Add in the chicken powder. Then, put in the ginger and cabbage. Lower the heat down to med. The soup will be done after cooked and softened.

Caramelized Fish w/Tamarind Sauce (Ca Kho Me)...

Caramelized Fish w/Tamarind Sauce (Ca Kho Me)...

Today my husband crave for this dish. He taught me this recipe. It's a little similar to "Ca Kho To" but more watery.

Ingredients

• Catfish - 4 to 5 one inch pieces
• Fish sauce - 4 tbsp
• Green Onions minced - 5
• Caramel sauce - 3 tbsp
• Red peppers minced - 2
• Water (2 cups)
• Sugar - 1 tbsp
• Tamarind Powder - 1/3 small bag

Instructions

1. Turn your heat on from med to high. Add in the water, fish sauce, onions, red peppers, powder, and sugar. Wait till it boils.
2. Then, add the fish in (do not flip over the fish). Add the caramel sauce. Just use a spoon to scoop the sauce and drizzle over the fish when needed to marinade the fish.
3. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Adjust seasoning to taste according to your preference with fish sauce, tamarind powder, and sugar.



Stir Fried Shrimp w/Purple Eggplant & Carrots..

Stir Fried Shrimp w/Purple Eggplant & Carrots..

 

 

This is a dish I made up by myself. I didn't have time to grocery shop that one day and didn't research for any recipe. I just made what I had from the kitchen.

 

Ingredients

 

2 large Purple Eggplants (sliced in small rectangles)

5 long Carrots (Chopped in slanted circles)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp oil

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 lb shrimp (peeled and divined)

 

Directions

 

Heat up a pan med to high. Add in 1 tbsp oil, then 1/2 the garlic. Wait until golden brown. Then, stir fry the shrimp. Once it's cooked, put it aside onto a plate. Now, use the leftover oil and garlic, and stir fry the vegetables. Once the carrots and eggplants soften, add in the shrimp. Add oyster sauce and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.

 



 

 

Fettucine Alfredo w/Chicken & Shrimp and Vegetables...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fettucine Alfredo w/Chicken & Shrimp and Vegetables...

 

For this dish, I didn't do the sauce from scratch. I just went to Target and bought the "light Alfredo sauce" to make it faster for me since it was getting late and I wanted to finish cooking before the family gets home from work. I eat somewhat healthy so if I ever shop for any ingredients, I'll try to buy low fat or light if possible. You can use whichever you prefer. I asked many people how they made this dish so the ideas came from them.

 

Ingredients

2 lbs Chicken Breast chopped into cubes

2 lbs Shrimp peeled and devined

2 Florets of Broccolli

5 Long Carrots (chopped in slanted circles)

Olive Oil

5 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1/3 Stick of Butter

2 Box of Fettucine

3 jars of Alfredo sauce

 

 

Directions

1.) Heat up a pot of water. When boiling, drizzle a little bit of oil and salt in. Add in the fettucine. After 5 to 10 min, test the noodles by using your fingernail to see if you can break it to determine if cooked.  Taste to see if that's the texture you would like from the pasta. Drain in a colander.

 

2.) Heat a pan med to high. Melt 1/2 stick of butter and add garlic. Until golden brown, add in the chicken and shrimp. After cooked, put it to the side in a plate.

 

3.) Do the same method again with the vegetables.

 

4.) Pour the Alfredo sauce into the pan and heat it up med to high. Mix in the vegetables, chicken, and shrimp.

 

From what I heard, some people mix in the fettucine too. However, my family prefers to only add them together when we decide to eat so my sauce and fettucine are separate.

 

Enjoy!

 

:)

 

 

 

Stir Fried Squids w/Pineapple, Onions, and Cilantro (Muc Xao Khom, Hanh Tay, va Ngo)...

Stir Fried Squids w/Pineapple, Onions, and Cilantro (Muc Xao Khom, Hanh Tay, va Ngo)...

 

I made this last night with my mom. For the first time, I learned how to clean the squids. Thanks to the education from my mommy. She taught me to slice a side of the squid and pull out the insides that included the ink. Then, to cut the head part by keeping the tentacles and discarding the eyes and below. We rubbed a little bit of salt on the squids to clean it and rinsed it with water. Then, we boiled a pot of water and put the squids in there for around 20 sec to clean it even more.

 

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 white onion, cut into wedges

2 lbs squids

1 large can of Dole pineapple chunks (or fresh if desired)

1 bunch of cilantro

4 tbsp fish sauce

1 tspn sugar

1 tspn ground blk pepper

 

 

Directions

 

In a large pan, over medium to high heat, heat the oil and then add the garlic. Fry until the garlic is golden brown. Add the onions and stir-fry for 1 minute. Then, add the squids and cook until they just turn white (do not overcook it). Add the pineapple chunks, cilantro, fish sauce, sugar, and pepper. Stir fry for 2 minutes.

 

 

 

 

Ca Kho To (Vietnamese Caramelized Catfish)

Ca Kho To (Vietnamese Caramelized Catfish)

I've been sick these past couple of days so I stopped cooking since Tuesday. Yesterday, I managed to go grocery shopping for ingredients to make my "Ca Kho" and my mom helped me last night to cook for the family. Here is the recipe my mother taught me:

Ingredients

• Catfish - 4 to 5 one inch pieces
• Fish sauce - 4 tbsp
• Green Onions minced - 5
• Black pepper - 1 tspn
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Caramel sauce - 3 tbsp
• Red peppers minced - 2 to 3
• Water (2/3 cup)
• Sugar - 1 tbsp

Instructions

1. Turn your heat on from med to high. Put the oil in and wait till it's hot. Then, add in the green onions, black pepper, fish sauce, and water. 
2. Now, put the fish in (Do not flip over the fish). Add the caramel sauce. Just use a spoon to scoop the sauce and drizzle over the fish when needed to marinade the fish.
3. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to a fairly thick syrup.
4. Adjust seasoning to taste according to your preference with fish sauce and sugar.

Bake Mussels

I love "Bake Mussels". Our family always ordered this dish when we went to "Miyako" to eat. Somehow one day, my sister learned this recipe from her friend. It was so easy and simple to make. I've been making this for my kids birthday parties and I just made this again on Friday night when we were on our mini vacation at the resort in "Piney Shores". Here is the recipe that I learned from my sister.

Ingredients
1 box of mussels on the shell
Roe
2 bunch of green onions
Black pepper
Mayonnaise
Sriracha Hot Sauce

 

First, defrost the mussels. Then, pull the mussels out of the shells and rinse both separately. Dry the shells. Note: Most sushi restaurants keep the mussels whole. However, my family likes to cut out the black soft part of the mussels. It depends on your preference if you want to keep whole or not. Then, chop the mussels in pieces (Some people like it finely chopped but we like it a little thicker). Put the pieces of mussels in a mixing bowl. Chop the green onions in fine pieces and mix in with the mussels. Sprinkle in some black pepper. Scoop 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise and stir in with the mussels. Then, add in some sriracha sauce in depending on how spicy you like it. After mixing everything, you are ready to add it to your shells. Put a little bit of roe (fish eggs) on top of the mussels. Finally, bake at 375 degrees for 25 min.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Banh Bo Hap (Vietnamese Coconut Steam Rice Cakes)

Here is the link to the website I learned to make the "Banh Bo":

http://annievang.com/content/how-to-make-steamed-rice-cake-banh-bo



"Banh Bo" has always been one of my favorite dessert. When I was young, my mom use to always make it for us to eat. She use to cook so much and anything you name it, she knows. However, ever since she had her own business, she stopped cooking these different variety of foods and forgot. I had to google myself this recipe. Last year, when I followed a "YouTube" video, I failed. It did not rise at all. Then, my mom thought she remembered so we tried her method and we also failed. I was so disappointed when it didn't come out right. I had to throw it in the trash can and it made my son cried so much. My kids also love to eat this dessert so I told myself I'll one day try again.

Just a month ago, I decided to try again. I found "AnnieVang's website". I love her recipe. It was her recipe that gave me a successful result. This was my 1st batch I made so it was kind of thin but after doing more, I finally did better.

 

 

The next day after this first attempt, I did make a 2nd batch and it was thicker.

 

 

Yesterday night, I did it for "Valentine's Day". I stayed up till 1:30 A.M. to finish my last batch so I can bring it to work for my co-workers. It turned out great! I even created a heart design to match with my holiday theme. 

 

 

Bo Luc Lac (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)

I learned how to make this the first time from this website:

http://rasamalaysia.com/bo-luc-lac-vietnamese-shaking-beef/2/

On my 2nd time making this, my mom marinated it herself. All I had to do was fry the beef and cut the veggies. We didn't have watercress at home so I replaced it with lettuce.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon)

This is a recipe I learned from my husband. I cooked this for the family last night.

Ingredients
2 lb Pork Shoulder
1 lb Shrimp
1 bunch of chives
1 bunch of mint
1 bunch of Vietnamese Balm
Romaine Lettuce
Half Container Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter
3 tbspn Hoisin Sauce
Bowl of Hot Water (For rice paper)
Rice Paper
Vermicelli
Half a bottle of water

 

 

Rinse the pork meat. Slice it in half and boil high heat in a covered lid pot to cook. Skim the scum off when seen. (Note: I learned from my mom a technique to make sure it's cooked. Poke a chopstick through the middle of it and if it goes through and you see no blood leaking out or pinkness, then it's good. Another method is you can take one piece and cut it in half again to see in the middle.) Once it's cooked, rinse the meat again and slice thin.

 

Boil shrimp. Peel, slice in half, and devine.

 

Boil vermicelli. To know when it's ready is when you can break it with your nail and is not too chewy. After cooked, pour into a drainer and rinse with cold water.

 

In a small pot, put in the hoisin sauce. Cook low to medium heat. Then, add in the peanut butter. Stir until peanut butter dissolves. After that, add in the water slowly. Keep stirring until smoothe the way you want it.

 

Rinse all greens and set aside to dry.

 

 

Enjoy!



 

 

 

 

 



Steam Banana Cake (Banh Chuoi Hap)

Here is a recipe to the "Steam Banana Cake" I made today:

http://trucvy-zoe.blogspot.com/2008/10/bnh-chui-hp-vi-nc-ct-da-vietnamese.html

Pork & Ginger Congee (Chao Thit va Gung)

Tonight, my hubbie craved for congee. I didn't have time to go grocery shopping since I had so much errands today so I prep what I had at home first and my sister helped by grocery shopping for the things I needed.

Ingredients
1lb ground pork
4 cans chicken broth
4 cups water
half a lemon
1.5 cup rice
bunch of cilantro (chopped .5 in)
1 tbsp blk pepper
1 ginger (slice in long thin pieces)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1tbspn fish sauce
.5 tspn salt
3 green onions (finely chopped)

 

 

First, stir fry the raw rice until golden brown (without oil) in a pan. Then, fill a pot with chicken broth and water. Add in the rice. Leave heat on medium to high. Make sure to every once in a while stir so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Marinate ground pork with garlic, salt, and a little bit of pepper. Add into the pot of rice soup along with ginger. Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice in. Then, put some fish sauce in with black pepper. Adjust according to taste. When rice seems to soften as wanted for congee, add in some green onions and cilantro.

 



Lemon Grass Tofu, Stir Fry Seaweed, and Sweet Taro Dessert

I had a busy day yesterday but was still able to maintain my cooking. I did laundry, picked the kids up from school, dropped the nephew off, took my daughter to the dentist to pull out her teeth, went to a last minute call party, and worked out for 2 hours at Lifetime Fitness. Wheew! Long day!

Here are the three foods I learned to cook yesterday:

Lemongrass Tofu

http://projects.eveningedge.com/recipes/crispy-lemon-grass-tofu/

You can find the recipe on the link above. I did not buy the soft tofu and fry it. Instead, I bought the ones already fried at the Asian supermarket. It shortens my time a bit. Also, the only thing different is that I didn't have bell pepper.

Stir Fry Seaweed

This is my 2nd time buying the wrong bag again. I thought it was the one already prep and you can instantly eat it but not. This is the one with the seaweed marinated with lots of salt. I had to soak it with cold water until all the salt was removed. I couldn't find a recipe online to show me how to do this so I just mixed it with some of the seasonings the bag said to use on the back. I used sesame oil, rice vinegar, chili paste, soy sauce, and garlic and kept adjusting till I had the taste I wanted.

Sweet Taro Dessert

I learned this recipe from my sister-in-law and husband. I bought one big taro, cut off the outside skin, and sliced into small pieces. I rinsed it clean. Then, I added it to a pot of water barely above the taro with medium to high heat and wait for it to boil. After boiling, I removed any scum if there was and lowered the heat down to low to medium. As it softens, I just smash until all solid forms are smoothed out. While smashing and stirring, I added one bag of Vanilla sugar and 12 tablespoons of sugar. My husband likes it very sweet so that's why I put a lot. Depending on your taste, you can adjust it. 

Hope you enjoy! 

Vietnamese Jello (Rau Cau)

Yesterday, I had two parties to go to. One was to go to a "1st Birthday" and the other was the "Superbowl Party" at my in laws. Weekends are my rest days since now my hubbie told me I can take breaks those days...However, I woke up kinda early so I thought I'd do something quick and thoughtful. I decided to make "Vietnamese Jello (Rau Cau)" that my mom has taught me before.

Ingredients

Agar Powder (1 bag) 

1 cup sugar

5 cups water  

Food Coloring
Toothpick

Mix the water, sugar, and powder together and stir in a small pot on the oven with high heat. Turn off the stove immediately when it boils. Skim the scum off. Pour your desired amount of liquid into a container with the food coloring you like. For me, I do one at a time since the jello starts to form pretty quickly. I'll leave the rest in the pot and when I get back to it, I might have to reboil a bit to dissolve the solid forms. After your color is mixed in, pour into molds. Leave aside for 3 to 5 min until solid. Use a toothpick to pick from under the edge and flip backwards to take out the jello. Refrigerate the jello after everything is done! It taste better when it's cold!

Braised Pork With Eggs (Thit Kho Va Trung)

Today my hubbie texted me and asked if I can cook "Braised Pork With Eggs". I said, "Sure I'll try". So he taught me on the phone some basic guidelines on how to prepare for this...And I took notes of what measurements I actually used...

Ingredients
6 lbs of pork legs with fat
3 tbsp garlic, minced
3 tbsp white onions, minced
1.5 tspn salt
1.5 tspn black pepper
6 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 cup fish sauce
4 cans of cocunut juice (ex. Rico brand)
3 cups of water
14 hard boiled eggs
1 tbsp caramel sauce

Directions
Heat up high a big pot of water. Rinse the pork meat and put into pot to boil so where it's cooked a little bit. Take it out, rinse it again, and let it drain and cool down. This way, it makes it easier for you to cut it. Cut the pork meat into 1.5 in cubes. Marinate with the minced garlic, minced onions, salt, and pepper and leave it aside for 30 min. Boil eggs while waiting...

In another large pot over medium heat, add cooking oil and sprinkle the sugar in. The sugar will melt and turn into a caramel color. Add the marinated pork with caramel sauce for more coloring, stir around, and then pour the coconut juice and water in. The amount should cover over the pork. Add in the eggs (peeled and without shells). Add in fish sauce and adjust to your taste. Skim off the scum and leave it simmering covered for 3 hours or more if desired for tenderness. The longer the simmer, the sauce will become saltier.

Can you believe I have never boiled eggs before? I remembered hearing from my hubbie that in order to know when your eggs are cooked is when you can hold them up with chopsticks. I tried that today for the first time and it worked! So Cool!

 

This is a picture of how the pork is cut up and marinated with salt, pepper, garlic, and onions. My mom's technique of boiling it beforehand really is easier for me when it comes to cutting the pieces.

 

Da Da Da Dahhhh....This is how my "Braised Pork With Eggs" finally looked like....What do you think? FYI - Asian New Year is coming up next week. We normally cook this for every new year as a tradition and serve this with either cucumber, pickled cabbage, cauliflower, or other pickles.

I hope you enjoyed reading and seeing my FIRST post!

:)