Banh Xeo Recipe

The exact translation of bánh xèo is a "sizzling cake that is deflating". The crêpe-shaped dish is made out rice flour, coconut milk and other herbs and spices. It's a lot thicker than the French version but equally delicious.

Bánh xèo is a specialty from Saigon, the region where my "Papa" comes from. When I was young back in France, I remember we would have family gathering every weekend with all my dad's family at Ông nội's (my paternal grandfather's home). Uncle Philippe (Chú mười) would be in charge of the cooking and he would make the most delicious bánh xèos, just like the ones available in the streets of Saigon. And now it's become one of our family's favorites. I try to make them when we have time on weekends and it's always a hit. As usual, I made one veggie version, as well as one filled with grilled meat and shrimp. These are great options, but the filling is really up to you!

Yardlong Beans in Coconut Milk

Yardlong beans are also known as Chinese long beans, long-podded cowpeas, asparagus beans or even snake beans. They are more tender (with a hint of sweetness) than regular green beans and are 4 times longer. 

I've come up with a coconut milk yardlong bean recipe inspired by an Indian bean dish Baji (Lulu's grandmother) taught me, called  gawar ki phalli. Instead of the traditional cluster beans, I cut long beans into small pieces and cooked them in coconut sauce (instead of sesame sauce) until tender. I think the coconut milk makes the dish a lot more decadent. It's become a favorite in my house; the girls especially love this dish.

Mashed Plantains (Banana Plantain Puree Recipe)

Unlike regular bananas, plantains require cooking and cannot be eaten raw. They're cooked in the same manner as you would potatoes. Their texture is denser, firmer and starchier than bananas but they still have a mild sweetness. As you let the plantain ripen the skin turns almost black, and it becomes slightly sweeter.

For the plantain purée, I used ripe yellow plantains. I boiled and then pan-fried them to caramelize them and enhance the natural sweetness. Finally, I mashed them and added caramelized onions and various herbs, completing this flavorful savory side dish.

Garlic chives from the garden.

Coconut Milk Ice Cream Recipe with Chestnut Swirl

This recipe proves that vegan doesn't always mean healthy. Coconut cream, coconut milk, sugar, pure vanilla extract, chestnut purée and stabilizers combine to make a vegan ice cream recipe that tips the scales at about 3000 calories per quart (that's 375 calories per serving). But there aren’t any eggs or dairy products!

I recently received a request for a vegan ice cream recipe from Leslie. It was the first time I tried making a vegan dessert. I made use of the same combination of stabilizers I use in other egg-free recipes, namely soy lecithin and xanthan gum. I increased the quantity to improve mouth-feel though. Xanthan gum in particular inhibits the formation of ice crystals, which create a more pleasing texture.

After tasting the final product, everyone in the house agreed that the ice cream strongly resembled chè, a very popular Vietnamese dessert. I hadn't anticipated that at all. Since I swirled the ice cream with chestnut purée, I thought it would have a more French flavor to it, but that was not the case. That's one of the things I love about cooking. I really enjoy experimenting, and the results of these culinary adventures can add completely new recipes to my repertoire.

My husband Lulu has decided to leave the ice cream maker on the kitchen counter until the end of summer to encourage us to make ice cream more often this year. I’ll post our concoctions on here all summer, so at least some good can come out of my impending weight gain. Stay tuned!

Vietnamese Deep Fried Banana Fritters with Ginger Coconut Mascarpone Sauce

Banana fritters, or chuối chiên in Vietnamese, can be found on street corners throughout Saigon. Aunt Elise, who is visiting us from Vietnam, has been teaching me many Vietnamese recipes, and today she showed me how to make these tasty treats. It's been a lot of fun learning about my culture and of course, the food, from someone who spent her whole life in Saigon.

The batter that the bananas are coated in is very similar to tempura batter. To make it a touch sweeter, we added some banana and banana extract. The fritters are usually eaten as is, but I wanted to make them a little fancier. I prepared a decadent mascarpone dip flavored with ginger, Vietnamese mint and coconut. The dip, though non-traditional, provides a nice contrast to the texture of the fritters. It's a taste of Vietnam that you won't be able to resist.