TALAM PANDAN

Indonesian two layered steam pandan flavored dessert cake, a combination of rice and tapioca flour in coconut milk

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INGREDIENTS :

For green layer

• 2 Cups rice flour
• 1/2 Cup tapioca flour (sago flour)
• 2 Cups coconut milk
• 1 Cup sugar
• 1 Teaspoon pandan flavor
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• Fresh pandan leaves

For white layer

• 1/2 Cup rice flour
• 1/4 Cup tapioca flour (sago flour)
• 2 Cups coconut milk
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS :

• For green layer ; Put all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
• Mix well to combine all the dry ingredients.
• Add coconut milk a little at a time, stirring constantly.
• Add pandan flavoring, keep stirring, until you get a smooth batter.
• For white layer ; Put all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Mix well to combine all the dry ingredients.
• Add coconut milk a little at a time, stirring constantly until you get a smooth batter
• Steaming ; Prepare mold pans and grease them if necessary.
• Fill each pan two-thirds full with the green batter and steam for 10 minutes.
• Pour the white batter to each pan, Fold in half and insert the  pandan leaves on the top.
• Steam for another 10 minutes, cool and serve with fresh coconut or flakes.

COOKING TIPS :

1. Pound the pandan leaves and extract the juice in small amount of warm for flavoring.
2. Steam in low medium fire for best result.

WATCH TALAM PANDAN COOKING VIDEO :

WILD BERRIES JAM

Fresh wild berries, sugar, lemon juice and fruit pectin are cooked briefly then processed in a can for flavorful  homemade jam.

INGREDIENTS :

• 2 Cups wild berries
• 4 Cups white sugar
• 2 Tablespoon lemon
• 2 Pouches liquid pectin

DIRECTIONS :

• Put bottles into a rolling boil of water, let stand in hot water until ready to use.
• Put prepared fruit into large saucepan, Add sugar and  mix well. 
• Bring to full rolling boil on high heat,  stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and immediately stir in pectin.
• Pour  immediately into warm sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of rims.
• Seal while hot with sterilized lids.
• Let stand at room temperature until set.

COOKING TIPS :

1. Using strawberries, cut into small pieces and crush with sugar.
2. Using pineapples, Blend 1 cup and crush the other cup.
3. Amount of sugar depends on the desired sweetness.
4. Drain jar and lids before pouring the jam.

WATCH WILD BERRIES JAM COOKING RECIPE :

COCONUT CUSTARD

Traditional dessert from Thailand, Can be steamed or baked. Often served with a selection of fruit.

INGREDIENTS :

• 4 Eggs
• 1 Cup brown sugar
• 1 Cup coconut milk
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Decorations ;

• Mint leaves
• Icing sugar
• Fruits

DIRECTIONS :

• Preheat oven to 300 °F / 150 °C.
• Whisk the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth.
• Add the coconut milk.
• Strain the mixture and  add the vanilla flavor.
• Pour into individual ramekins, stand in a baking pan.
• Carefully fill the baking pan with hot water to reach halfway up the outside of the ramekins.
• Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the custard are sets.
• Remove from the oven to cool.
• Turn out on to a plate and serve with slice fruit, decorate with mint leaves and sprinkling of sugar.

COOKING TIPS :

• To test whether custard are set, insert a toothpick into the center.
• Palm sugar are good replacement for brown sugar.
• Spray the ramekins with cooking oil.

WATCH COCONUT CUSTARD COOKING VIDEO :

KHAO DOME

Laotian steamed sweet coconut sticky rice with banana fillings wrapped in banana leaves. 






INGREDIENTS :

• 2 Cups glutinous rice
• 1 Can coconut milk
• ½ Teaspoon  salt
• 3/4 Cup sugar
• 1 tbsp Margarine
• 7 Ripe banana
• Banana leaves
• Cooking twine

DIRECTIONS :

• Soak glutinous rice in water overnight.
• In a wok or non stick pan, pour the coconut milk.
• Add sugar and salt, keep stirring  to dissolve.
• Strain the glutinous rice and add to the pan.
• Bring to a simmer and let it boil, add the margarine.
• Keep stirring until the coconut milk was absorbed and rice is thick and sticky.
• Soften the banana leaves, either over a gas fire or in microwave oven.
• Lay 2 pieces of  banana leaf, Place one heaped tablespoon of the cooled rice in the center.
• Add a single piece of banana, followed by another tablespoon of rice on top of the banana.
• Roll the banana leaves to form a logs tightly.
• Tie a string at both ends to secure.
• Half-fill a large steamer and bring to a rapid boil over high heat.
• Place the wrapped mixture and steam for an hour.

Watch Khao Dome cooking video

STUFFED VEGETABLES

Stuffing pepper and eggplant with white fish paste, are crunchy on the outside and juicy in the inside.

INGREDIENTS :

• 2 Basa fillet
• 2 Red or green pepper
• 1 Tablespoon flour
• 1 Teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 Stalk green onion
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS :

• Chopped the fish fillet finely until it turn smooth.
• Place in a mixing bowl and add the green onion, sesame oil, seasoned with salt and pepper.
• Add flour and and mix well, use hand for extra kneading.
• When the mixture turn into a thick smooth paste, set aside.
• Cut the eggplant diagonally and peel the strip, make a cut for a fillings.
• Cut the pepper into desired sizes, half or quartered.
• Scoop a small amount of filling and slightly overfill the pepper.
• Fill all the eggplant pockets with fish paste mixture.
• Heat oil in a pan in medium high heat.
• Fry the eggplants down on one side and stuffing facing down for pepper.
• Transfer the cooked stuffed vegetables into a flat plate line with kitchen paper, to absorbed oil.

Cooking Tips :

1. You can use any white fish like tilapia or silver fish.
2. Fry the fillings and leave pepper for a crunchy result.
3. Can be serve with soy sauce and spice dipping.

Watch Video :

UA SI KHAI

Traditional Laotian food with the citrus flavor of the lemongrass that penetrates to the meat.

INGREDIENTS :

• 6 Stalks of lemongrass
• ⅓ Lbs ground chicken
• 2 Green onions, finely chopped
• 3  Cloves garlic
• 2 Teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
• ½ Teaspoon salt
• 1 Teaspoon ground pepper

For Frying

• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying

DIRECTIONS :

• With a mortar and pestle, mash garlic to a paste
• Make 4-inch cuts lengthwise all around the lemongrass stalks.
• In a mixing bowl, mix together, except the 2 eggs for coating and the frying oil.
• Divide the mixture into six portions, 1/2 cup  for each 6 basket.
• Stuff one portion of the meat into each lemongrass basket.
• Press each filled stalk with your palms  to form a tight rugby ball-shaped capsule.
• Heat up the frying oil on low medium heat or until it reaches about 300°F.
• Dip each filled lemongrass stalk into the beaten eggs, turning to coat all sides.
• Deep fried in low medium heat, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through.
• Transfer the stuffed lemongrass into a mesh strainer, to remove excess oil.

COOKING TIPS :

1. You may use ground pork, ground turkey or ground fish.
2. Make the fillings, about 1/2 cup for every stalks.
3. Wrap the lemongrass stalks with a paper towel and microwave on high for 30 seconds, before making a cut.
4. Don't let the temperature to get too high as the outsides will burn, before they’re cooked all the way through.

Watch Video :

PHO THAI

An authentic, delicious, and easy to make Vietnamese beef noodle soup with steak, tendon and tripe. Full-flavored noodle soup and season with fresh lime, bean sprouts. fresh cilantro, coriander leaves and basil.




INGREDIENTS :

• Beef bones
• 12 Cups water
• 2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 2 Tablespoon fish sauce
• Pinch sugar
• 1 lbs flank or round beef, thin sliced
• 32 oz pho rice noodles
• 1 Bunch green onion, diced
• 1 Onion, sliced into ring
• Mint
• Cilantro
• Basil
• Bean Sprouts
• Coriander leaves
• Lime wedges
• 3 Green chilli, Sliced
• Hoisin sauce and hot sauce to taste

Pho spice

• Mesh bag
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1Tablespoon coriander seed
• 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 Cardamon pod
• 3 Star anise
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 Teaspoon ginger, grated
• 1 Onion, slice

DIRECTIONS :

• In a large pot, put water and beef bones  and bring to a boil.
• Using a ladle or a fine mesh strainer, remove any scum that rises to the top.
• Add the ginger and  onion in a mesh bag together with pho spice and simmer uncovered for an hours.
• Remove the beef bone and set aside, continue simmering for another hour.
• Remove the spice bag and drain broth of all the scummy stuff on the surface
• Season with fish sauce and a pinch of sugar.
• Cook noodles according to the package instruction.
• Fill bowls with handful of  noodles and top with raw thin slices of beef and sliced onions.
• Fill the bowl with boiling broth and garnish with mint, cilantro, basil, bean sprouts and long coriander leaves.
• Squeeze a quartered lime, hoisin sauce and hot sauce.

COOKING TIPS :

1. Beef should be cut thin, the boiling broth will cook the raw beef in minutes.
2. If adding tripe and tendon, boil it with the beef bones.
3. Sliced green chili for garnish is optional.
4. For convenient cooking, Pho spices can be replace with Pho Vietnamese beef flavor paste.