6. Place the ramekins in the refrigerator. Keep chilled until the last minute before serving. Turn out the flan onto plates before serving.
FRIED BANANAS WITH COCONUT SAUCE
Chui Chiên
The combination of sweet rice flour and cornstarch gives these fried bananas the perfect golden-brown crisp. Vietnamese desserts don’t have too much sugar, so if you have a bit of a sweet tooth, add more sugar to the flour batter, or just serve additional spoonfuls of the creamy coconut dipping sauce. Plantains, when available, are even better than bananas for frying because they’re sweeter and meatier. Look for yellow-skinned plantains, not the green ones.
2 ripe bananas, but not too mushy
½ cup sweet rice flour
½ cup cornstarch
¼ cup sugar
cup flaked or shredded
coconut
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable or olive oil for
deep-frying
1½ cups coconut milk
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
cup sweetened condensed milk
1. In a medium bowl, blend together the rice flour, cornstarch, sugar, ¼ cup of the flaked coconut, and the salt. Transfer the flour mixture to a shallow dish.
2. Pour the oil into a wok or a deep skillet. Heat over high heat until the oil is 350 degrees. You can test the oil by placing a pinch of the rice flour mixture in it; the oil should start frying and sizzling around the flour.
3. Pour ½ cup of the coconut milk into a small bowl.
4. Peel bananas and slice into 2½-inch pieces. Set aside.
5. With your hands, dip banana pieces, one at a time, into the coconut milk just enough to give it a light coating. Shake off any excess liquid to prevent the flour from clumping. Lightly roll the banana piece into the flour mixture and completely coat. Place the banana immediately in the hot oil. Repeat with each of the banana pieces.
6. If the oil is 350 degrees, it should take about 3 minutes for each banana piece to fry to a golden brown on each side. Flip them over just once in the hot oil. Remove from the skillet and drain over a rack or set aside on paper towels to soak up excess oil.
7. For coconut sauce, stir together in a small bowl the remaining cup of coconut milk, vanilla extract, and condensed milk. Pour it into small individual dishes for dipping.
8. Serve the fried bananas hot. garnished with the remaining flaked coconut and individual coconut sauce dipping dishes.
FRESH PINEAPPLE AND POMELO WITH CHILI POWDER AND SALT
Trái Thm Bi Vi t Màu Mui
Pomelo is the Vietnamese grapefruit that looks like a grapefruit on steroids. When it’s ripe, it can be very sweet, a perfect complement for sweet pineapple. The Vietnamese like to salt (and sometimes add chili to) their sweet tropical fruits. Pineapple and pomelo are no different. A little bit of heat from the chili powder and the right amount of salt make for a popular and refreshing snack.
1 large pomelo, peeled
2 cups sliced or diced fresh
pineapple
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1. Using a sharp knife, cut between the membranes of the pomelo to release the segments.
2. If using canned pineapple, make sure it is properly drained.
3. Arrange the pineapple pieces and pomelo segments over a large platter. Sprinkle the chili powder and salt evenly over the fruit. Serve immediately or keep in refrigerator until ready.
Don’t miss taking an excursion to the tofu “factories” in the area, such as Dong Phuong Tofu. Not quite warehouses, these are special soy sellers that make brick-shape tofu right before your eyes. Not only can you buy fresh tofu, but you’ll also find a number of other fresh soy products—like soybean milk, tempeh, or soy nuts—before they are sent out to stores all over Los Angeles and Orange Counties. My favorite thing to buy is a soft, warm tofu dessert (dau hu gung). The consistency is like a custard, served with a hot, sweet ginger sauce.
FRESH AVOCADO SHAKE
Sinh Tô Avocado
Some may shy away from an avocado shake because they cannot imagine avocado served in a fruit drink. I encourage you to take the leap into enjoying the wonder of avocado the way the Vietnamese see and appreciate it. An avocado sinh to (fruit shake) is served in most bakeries and coffeehouses in Little Saigon. It is rich, creamy, sweet, and filling. Condensed sweetened milk is the ingredient of choice, but you can substitute coconut milk and sugar for a different taste.
2 medium Haas avocados, skinned
and pitted
1½ cups crushed ice
cup sweetened condensed milk
(or 1 cup coconut milk and 2
tablespoons sugar)
In a blender, blend the avocados, ice, condensed milk. and sugar. The consistency should be thick, like that of a milk shake. Serve immediately before the avocados turn brown.
[SERVES 2]
FRESH STRAWBERRY SHAKE
Sinh Tô Dâu
The Vietnamese sinh to, or fruit shake, made with coconut milk and condensed milk, is capable of really highlighting the subtle fragrance of the popular strawberry. Though this recipe calls for strawberries, you can easily substitute any fresh fruit—pineapple, bananas, apples. or whatever you like.
2 cups fresh whole strawberries,
stems removed, washed and
dried
1 cup crushed ice
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
½ cup coconut milk
Put all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.
SALTY LIME SODA
Soda Mui Chanh
This is a subtle and refreshing version of a popular Vietnamese drink known as salty lemonade. In Vietnam it’s made with kaffir limes, which are abundant there. But in this country, an ordinary lime will have to suffice. If this beverage is not made with seltzer, it’s just limeade.
4 medium limes
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
8 cups seltzer
Ice
1. In a small bowl or with a juicer, squeeze the limes to extract the juice along with some pulp. Remove the seeds.
2. In a large pitcher, dissolve the sugar and salt in the seltzer. Add the lime juice and ice and serve.
[MAKES 8 CUPS]
Che desserts are sweet desserts sold all over southern Vietnam, but rarely in the North. They normally consist of various combinations of tapioca, dried beans, sweetened coconut milk, fresh fruit, and sugar. Che is served after a meal, but also as a snack or breakfast. Many tourists come to Little Saigon in search of good che. Che Cali is a popular che chain with a number of stores around Little Saigon, and I don’t think I have ever seen one without at least a dozen people in line at any given time. Che is quite often sold by street vendors or at larger markets such as ice cream shops. Che is not difficult to make, but finding the balance among the coconut milk, salt, and sugar, and mastering the viscosity and texture of the ingredients are nuances that many appreciate and look for. At a che shop in Little Saigon, you can find many variations, including lotus seeds, tapioca, and even seaweed.
ICED ESPRESSO WITH CONDENSED MILK
Café Sa Dá
Coffee beans first came to Vietnam during the French occupation of the country. Cafe sua da (pronounced cafe soo da) is another example of the Vietnamese taking a foreign food and making it their own. Sweetened condensed milk—the Vietnamese favorite ingredient for sweetening drinks and desserts—is combined here with intensely strong coffee to make a delicious drink. You can get a plastic cup of it in any establishment that sells food—restaurants, delis, bakeries, you name it. You’ll see everyone ordering and drinking the beverage throughout the day. At a price of $1.00, this certainly is better priced than any Starbucks blend.
3 tablespoons sweetened condensed
milk
½ cup crushed ice
cup strong hot espresso,
preferably from slow espresso
drip
Fill the bottom of a large cup or tall glass with the condensed milk. Add the crushed ice to the glass. Pour the hot espresso over the ice. Stir until everything is blended. Leave the spoon in the glass because as the ice melts, you will need to keep stirring to mix the ingredients together.
[SERVES 1]
GINGER AND JASMINE TEA
Trà Gùng
Ginger tea is a must if you are from Hue or the central region of Vietnam. It’s a custom of the region and so easy to make. Boiling the water with the ginger makes the tea more flavorful and aromatic. Try adding fresh ginger slices to other Asian teas like chrysanthemum and green as well.
5 cups water
5 slices peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons jasmine tea leaves
Bring the water and ginger slices to a boil in a saucepan or teakettle. Put the jasmine leaves in a teapot. Pour the boiling water and ginger slices into the teapot. Let steep for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Appendix A:
INGREDIENTS IN VIETNAMESE CUISINE
The following herbs, vegetables, and fruits are common in Vietnamese dishes. If you are too far away from an Asian grocery store, many large American supermarkets sell a number of these items, and some grocers might even be willing to place an order for you. You can also order many items online through one of the ethnic grocers listed in the next appendix. But if you do have a chance to go to an Asian supermarket, by all means load up on fish sauce, chili paste, fermented shrimp paste, sesame seed oil, coconut milk, coconut soda, spices for pho, and as many varieties of dried noodles as you can find.
Anchovy paste (mm nêm): Made from fermented anchovies and salt. Add a few teaspoons (or heaping tablespoons!) to nuoc mam (fish sauce) to dilute the paste into pungent dipping sauce. Add a small amount to soup stocks for shellfish flavor.
Anise seeds: See star anise.
Annato seeds (ht điu màu): Generally used to give bright reddish orange color to curries and soups and spice rubs for meats. The seeds are usually bled in hot oil for color and then discarded.
Artichoke (ar-ti-chô): Edible thistle brought to Vietnam by the French during their occupation; now grown in Central Vietnam highlands. Most popular when steamed or brewed into a tea.
Asparagus (mång tây): Also introduced by the French. Spears are steamed, sauteed in stir-fries, or added to soups such as sup mang cua. Both white and green asparagus are grown and used.
Avocado (irái bo): Also introduced by the French in 1940; grows well in Vietnam’s tropical climate. Considered a fruit, so mixed into a shake or ice cream, or eaten raw with sugar. Not used in salads or made into guacamole as in Western cooking.
Baby corn (bp nh): Popular with more Chinese-style dishes, liked for its earthy taste and tiny size. Good in stir-fries, noodle dishes, and canh (consommés).
Bamboo shoots (mãng): Best eaten fresh for a sweet crunch. Sold fresh from plastic tubs, but generally soaked in brine immediately after being harvested. Canned bamboo is most appropriate for soups and stir-fries.
Banana (chui): Many types in Vietnam; vary in texture and sweetness. Eaten as a snack, but also used grilled, fried, and in various tapioca desserts.
Banana blossom (bp chui): Flower of the banana plant; it’s popular in salads, salad platters, and as a garnish for noodle soups. The outer layer is tough and needs to be discarded. Soak the white or yellow core in water with lime or lemon juice to avoid discoloration.
Banana leaves (láchui): Primarily used for steaming foods, especially fish, as well as wrapping many sticky Vietnamese treats (thus they’re called the aluminum foil of the tropics). Adds great aroma to any food. Also used as a garnish and to line plates.
Beans, Asian long (đu đa): Vietnamese translation: chopstick beans. Can grow up to 3 feet. Taste and look like green beans, but are young pods of dry black-eyed peas. Appreciated for their crunch. Blanched green beans are a substitute.
Bitter melon (kh hoa/da đng): Popular gourd melon in South Vietnam with tough and knobby skin and a bitter flavor that is an acquired taste. After being cored and its seeds removed, it’s served stuffed or cooked in saute or a canh (consomme). Quite often served for Tet.
Black pepper (): Abundant in all Vietnamese dishes; enjoyed for its heat as well as its biting, yet aromatic taste. Introduced to Vietnamese cuisine before the first century. The combination of black pepper, salt, and lime is an extremely popular condiment for fish, shellfish, soups, salads, and stir-fries.
Black tree mushroom (nâm mong): Among the more expensive of Asian mushroom varieties; often served in stir-fries and sautés for its earthy and robust fragrance. Generally purchased in dried form and reconstituted; add liquid from reconstituting to dish you are cooking.
Bok choy (cái be tráng): Member of the cabbage family; very versatile. Most often stir-fried with some oil or oyster or hoisin sauce. The whole plant is edible, but the bottom third of stalks is often discarded.
Broccoli, Chinese (cai làng): Different from Western broccoli because it has flowers and round stem leaves attached to the head. More like Italian rapini than the familiar Western broccoli florets. Western broccoli can be substituted if needed.
Cardamom (bch đu khn, trúe sa): Relative of the ginger plant. The seeds are reddish brown with a warm and aromatic flavor. Very popular in Asian curries. Certain varieties yield a smoky or peppery flavor Black cardamom is frequently grown in the mountains of Vietnam.
Cellophane noodles (): See noodles, cellophane.
Cherimoya/custard apple (mãng râu): Green, thin, inedible skin opens into a delicious, milky fruit with a sweet-and-sour taste and wonderful fragrance.
Chili paste (): Fine mash of hot red chiles with garlic, salt, and oil. It’s a necessary condiment at the Vietnamese table, especially with noodle soups. Not to be confused with chili powder.
Chili powder (t màu): Not often used in Vietnamese cuisine because chili paste, Sriracha chili sauce, and fresh Thai bird chiles are preferred. But the color and heat of powder are necessary for bun bo hue noodle soup. The powder is a blend of chili peppers, cumin seeds, garlic, and salt, but Vietnamese like it to include paprika. Try Richin or Sing Kung brands.
Chinese cabbage (ci xanh): Many versions of this. Long outer leaves are light green with white midrib. Napa cabbage is a common version. Great in stir-fries and soups. Do not substitute purple or red cabbage, which tend to bleed when cooked. See also mustard greens.
Chinese chives (hoa h): Stiffer and more onion-flavored than the Western variety. Whole stems are enjoyed raw or often used in spring rolls.
Chinese cinnamon/cassia (qu thanh, qu đn): Derived from the bark of the cassia tree. Much more pungent than ordinary cinnamon and less aromatic and lively. Considered slightly bitter. An essential ingredient in five-spice powder and popular in strong broths such as pho, as well as in braising.
Chinese sausage (lp xng): Dried, sweet sausage usually made of pork. Round, reddish, and popular in stir-fries.
Cilantro (ngò, mùi): Also known as Chinese parsley. Those who enjoy its tangy, citrusy taste add it to broths, wrap it around food, or use it as garnish. See also long coriander and Vietnamese coriander
Coconut (dùa): Fruit of the tropical palm tree. Coconut meat is essential to many Vietnamese desserts; it’s often dried and sprinkled on top (see coconut, dried). Coconut water, the liquid in fresh coconut, is sweet and clear and often used as natural sweetener in tapioca desserts (che) as well as in braising meats, seafood, and poultry. When coconut water is unavailable, a sweet, carbonated coconut soda (Coco Rico) or even 7Up or Sprite can be substituted. See also coconut milk.
Coconut, dried (dìía khô): Also known as shredded or flaked coconut. Made from drying out shreds of coconut meat taken from the shell. Most store brands are sweetened and treated with sulfites to keep the flakes white. Natural dried coconut flakes are brown and unsweetened. For desserts, use the sweetened variety. Dried coconut is often dyed and served like candy during holidays. As
ian markets sell bags of large, dried coconut flakes.
Coconut milk (nuc dùa sa): Has a creamy milk texture perfect for curries, che, and some batter mixtures. Made by boiling equal amounts of water and shredded, mature coconut flesh until foamy, then straining. Commonly purchased, not homemade. Chaokoh and Mae Ploy brands are recommended; the first is lighter with a hint of sweetness, while Mae Ploy is nice and thick.
Coriander seeds (ht mùi, ngò): Seeds of the cilantro plant with a nutty fragrance that’s a combination of lemon or lime and sage. They’re a key ingredient in many soups and curries. Sold as seeds (preferred by cooks) or ground. To enhance flavoring, lightly dry-roast the seeds in a skillet before crushing with a mortar and pestle.
The Little Saigon Cookbook: Vietnamese Cuisine and Culture in Southern California's Little Saigon Page 18