Pandan Rice Cake (Bánh Đúc Lá Dứa)

Ingredients

  * For the cake:

• 4-6 pandan leaves, finely chopped (available in Asian grocery store)
• 600ml water
• 4 tbsp rice flour
• 4 tbsp tapioca starch
• 2 tbsp mung bean starch (opt)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• A few drop of pandan extract

  * For the syrup: 

• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 6 tbsp water
• 1 tsp tapioca/mung bean starch

  * For the coconut sauce: 

• 250 ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot
• 2 tsp tapioca/mung bean starch

Method
- Blend the chopped pandan leaves with 620 ml water. Strain to get 600 ml pandan water.
- To make the cake paste: combine the rice flour, tapioca starch and mung bean starch with pandan water. Add sugar and a pinch of salt. Then add a few drops of pandan extract for more vibrant color. Stir well to dissolve. Microwave the mixture for 6 minutes, remember to take out and stir after every 2 minutes. It helps cook the mixture evenly.
- Grease a 20x20 cm mold with some vegetable oil. Fill the mold with the cake mixture, use a spatula to flatten the surface and steam for 20 minutes.
- To make the syrup: In a saucepan, combine sugar with 3 tbsp water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, occasionally swirl the saucepan to help sugar dissolve. Mix 1 tsp tapioca/mung bean starch with 3 tbsp water in a separate bowl and add to the syrup. Cook a few more seconds to thicken the syrup.
- To make the coconut sauce: In a saucepan, combine coconut milk with sugar and a pinch of salt. Add pandan leaves and bring to a boil, occasionally swirl the saucepan to help sugar dissolve. Mix 2 tsp tapioca/mung bean starch with 2 tbsp water in a separate bowl and add to the coconut milk. Simmer on low for a minute or until thickened.
- Chill the rice cake until completely set (preferably overnight). Cut into cubes or slices, drizzle the coconut milk and sugar syrup on top. Serve chilled with a sprinkle of roasted sesame seeds.

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BBQ Chicken Spare Ribs

Ingredients

• 500g chicken spare ribs
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp rice wine/cooking wine
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp chilli sauce
• Salt to taste & ground pepper

Method
- Whisk all the ingredients in a large bowl, then add the spare ribs, and toss until well coated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, tossing at regular intervals.
- Heat oil in a griddle pan over medium heat, add the spare ribs and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until it's cooked to your liking.
- Serve hot with salad.

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Mutton Karahi

Ingredients

• 850g goat curry cut
• 2 onion, finely sliced
• 3 tomatoes, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder 
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp kasoori methi 
• 1/2 tbsp meat masala (opt)
• 1/2 cup beaten yogurt
• 2 green chilies, sliced
• 1/2 cup cooking oil, salt to taste
• Chopped coriander leaves

Method
- Heat oil in a big wok or pot over medium heat, saute ginger-garlic paste for 1-2 minutes until the raw smell of ginger goes off. Then add in the mutton and sear it for a few minutes.
- Add chopped onions and tomatoes into the wok, stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, kasoori methi, meat masala and salt to taste, stir well to combine. Let it cook for 10 minutes.
- Beat the yogurt then add it into the wok, stir well. Add a bit of water if you prefer more gravy. Cook it over medium low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the meat is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add chopped green chilies and coriander leaves. Let it cook for further 5 minutes.
- Serve hot with steamed riced or chapati.

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Paneer Beetroot Paranthas (Indian Stuffed Flat-bread with Paneer)

Ingredients

• 1 cup crumble cottage cheese (paneer)
• 3/4 cup beetroot juice
• 2 cups whole wheat flour 
• 1/4 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp carom seeds
• 3 tsp fresh chopped coriander leaves
• 3 tsp oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• Salt to taste

Method
- In a big mixing bowl, combine flour, ginger-garlic paste, salt, carom seeds, 1 tsp chopped coriander leaves, 2 tsp oil, and mix well. Slowly add beetroot juice and knead it into a semi-soft dough (add a bit water if needed). Form the dough into a big ball and sprinkle oil around it. Cover the dough with cling wrap and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients and salt in another bowl. Mix well.
- Divide the dough into equal portions and shape into balls. Flatten the ball a little and place a spoonful of paneer mixture in the center and enclose the mixture. Roll out into paranthas dusting with flour.
- Heat a non-stick pan or tawa, place the paranthas one by one on it, and cook basting with a bit oil till both sides are evenly done.
- Sprinkle chaat masala on top and serve hot.

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Vietnamese Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup (Canh Khổ Qua Dồn)

Ingredients

• 800g bitter melon, make a side split along the melon or cut into 3 inch cylinder, core removed
• 500g clown knife fish paste 
• 15g dried wood-ear mushroom, soaked in warm water and finely chopped
• 30g glass noodle, soaked in warm water and roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp minced shallot
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 liters of chicken stock 
• Chicken powder or knorr seasoning powder
• Salt, sugar, ground pepper to taste

Method
- Heat water in a big pot, when it comes to a boil, add all the bitter melons and let it be for 30 seconds, remove the bitter melons from pot, rinse well under cold water and discard the water (It is to reduce the bitterness of the melons)
- In a large mixing bowl, combine knife fish paste, mushroom, glass noodle and minced shallot. Season with 1 tsp each of salt, sugar, chicken powder and lots of ground pepper. Mix well and knead for 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Stuff the fish mixture into the bitter melon. Try to stuff them neither too loose or too tight.
- Fill a large pot with chicken stock, add fish sauce and bring to a boil. Then gently drop the stuffed bitter melons into the stock. Cook for 15-20 minutes, uncovered until tender. Occasionally skim off the foam if any.
- For a nicer presentation, blanch some spring onions and tie a bow at the middle of the bitter melons. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with steamed rice.

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Spicy Bean Curd

Ingredients

• 200g bean curd, cut into bite sized squares
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 fresh chilli, sliced
• 1 tsp chilli sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp chopped onion 
• 1 tbsp chopped spring onion
• 1 tsp chicken powder
• 1tsp salt
• Oil for frying

Method
- In a bowl, combine soy sauce, fish sauce, chilli sauce, chicken powder, ground pepper and water together.
- Heat oil in a frying pan, saute chopped onion and garlic until fragrant, add the sauce mixture, sliced chilli and  the curd into the pan, cook it on medium low heat for 15 minutes. Turn them occasionally.
- When the sauce thickens and reduces half, add spring onion and black pepper. Season it with salt.
- Serve hot with steamed rice.

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Vietnamese Spicy Beef Noodle Soup (Bún Bò Huế)

Ingredients 
--For the Broth--

• 500 ml beef stock
• 200 g beef shank
• 1 brown onion, peeled
• 6 stalks lemongrass, bruised 
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar

--For the Chili Saté--

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp minced lemongrass 
• 1 tbsp minced shallot
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar

--Others--

• 500 g rice vermicelli noodle (labeled as Bún Bò Huế)
• 2 tbsp Vietnamese shrimp paste (mắm ruốc)
• 200 g boiled blood cubes (huyết) (optional)
• 200 g Vietnamese ham (chả lụa) (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped spring onion
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• Fresh greens: mint, Vietnamese mint, bean sprouts, shredded banana blossom (optional), lemon wedges, shredded lettuce/cabbage.

-- The recipe is to serve 2, increase the amount if required--

Method
- In a big pot, add the beef stock, 200 ml water and the beef shank. Smash the lemongrass to release its fragrance, tie them up and add to the stock pot, along with 1 peeled onion, salt, sugar. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then lower to medium and simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes.
- When the beef shank is cooked, remove and soak it in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to prevent it from turning dark. Then drain, let cool and slice thinly into bite-sized pieces.
- To make the saté, heat oil in a pan, saute minced lemongrass, garlic and shallot until fragrant and slightly golden. Then take off the heat, add chili powder, fish sauce, sugar, stir well and simmer under low heat for 2 minutes until smooth. Add half of the saté to the stockpot. Save the rest in a small bowl for serving.
- Dissolve Vietnamese fermented shrimp paste in a cup of cold water. Let it sit for 10 minutes to settle the dregs. Fill a saucepan with 2 cups of water, add the shrimp paste liquid (discard the dregs at the bottom). Bring to a boil then remove from the heat and let it sit for 15 minutes to settle the dregs again. Then extract the clear broth on top and add to the simmering stockpot. Discard the dregs. Adjust the flavour of the broth to your taste with salt, fish sauce and chicken powder.
- Cook the rice vermicelli following package instructions. Then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and remove the outside starch. Then rinse again under hot water, this helps the noodles to get dried faster and become more fluffy.
- To assemble the dish, place a handful of the rice vermicelli in a serving bowl. Top with sliced beef, boiled blood cubes and Vietnamese ham. Ladle the broth over the noodles and garnish with the chopped spring onion, cilantro and sliced onion. Serve hot.

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