Tag: Vietnamese
Pandan Waffles with Coconut Jam Syrup
Pandan Waffles with Coconut Jam Syrup
Waffles are my go to over pancakes any day. But sometimes I need something more than just a plain waffle with maple syrup. And here it is…pandan waffles. Not panda. Pandan. Pandan is a green leaf that is found in numerous East and Southeast Asian countries used in sweets. The flavor has similarities to vanilla, but is still a little different. I’ve never been able to find them fresh or frozen, but you can buy the extract at just about every Asian market. The texture of this type of waffle is a lot different then what most people are used to. The flours used in the waffles are dominated by tapioca starch, which will give it a chewy texture. The rice flour makes it crispy, while the all purpose flour adds density. Once the extract is mixed into the batter, it gives the waffles a green tinge of color.The coconut jam syrup is not used when eating these waffles in Vietnam. They are eaten plain. I wanted to add something a little extra to the waffles to make the “extravagant.” Coconut jam is the coconut equivalent to nutella. A couple tablespoons are whisked into some coconut milk and reduced down to a thick syrup. I like to drizzle this over the waffles.
Equipment
- waffle iron
Ingredients
- 2 cups tapioca starch
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 2/3 cup coconut cream
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp pandan extract
Coconut Jam Syrup
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 2 tbsp coconut jam
Instructions
- Milx together the flours, baking powder, and salt in one bowl. Mix the eggs, sugar, salt, oil, and coconut cream in another.
- Mix the dry into the wet ingredients.
- Stir in the pandan extract.
- Preheat your waffle iron. Pour in 1 cup of the batter.
- Close the iron and let set for 3-4 minutes. Flip the iron over and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Your waffles should be nice and crispy.
Coconut Jam Syrup
- Whisk together the coconut jam and milk in a small pot over medium heat.
- Reduce down to half the volume, stirring consistently. This will take about 5 minutes.
Stuffed Sweet Peppers
Stuffed Sweet Peppers
I really like mini sweet peppers. They are even better stuffed with pork. This Vietnamese appetizer only takes 15 minutes of prep work and 15 minutes baking time. The dipping sauce is very basic, but has the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy, plus the umami from the fish sauce.
Ingredients
- mini sweet peppers cut in half
Pork Filling
- 1 lb ground pork
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Nuac Cham Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/8 up fish sauce
- 5 garlic cloves chopped
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 2 birds eye chilies finely diced; or 1 tbsp crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Mix all of the pork stuffing ingredients together.
- Take a little bit of the pork and stuffed it in the halved sweet pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle a little olive oil on a baking sheet. Place all of the stuffed peppers on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Let rest before serving.
- While the stuffed peppers are resting, dissolve the sugar into the water in a small pot. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Let cool.
Papaya and Beef Jerky Salad
Papaya and Beef Jerky Salad
Papaya and beef jerky salad is a popular street food in Vietnam. It’s usually served in a plastic bag with a pair of chopsticks. The jerky used in this salad is fruit flavored, so it will be sweeter than jerky that you are used to. You can find this type of jerky at any Asian market, along with already shredded fresh papaya.
Ingredients
- 1 lb papaya shredded
- 1 cup Thai basil
- 4 oz fruit flavored Asian beef jerky thinly julienned cut
- 1 cup roasted peanuts chopped
Dressing
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 thai chilies finely chopped
Instructions
- Mix the dressing ingredients together. Set aside.
- Add the papaya, basil, jerky, and chopped peanuts to a bowl.
- Pour in the dressing. Toss with the salad.
