Sinh To Mit Recipe (Vietnamese Jackfruit Smoothie)

Sinh tố  trái cây are popular Vietnamese snack drinks. The phrase literally translates to "fruit vitamins", but you know them better as smoothies.

This particular smoothie is flavored with jackfruit (mít in Vietnamese). The secret ingredient though is the mung beans (đậu xanh), which provide a creamy and consistent texture. The fresh ripe fruit gives a natural sweetness to the smoothie, which is enhanced by the addition of condensed milk and ice cream.

Note: Glossary of relevant Vietnamese cooking terms.

Sinh tố = vitamins

Trái cây = fruit

Đậu xanh = green lentils

Mít = jackfruit

Green Jackfruit with Tofu

Mít & tàu hũ kho tương is a fairly common vegetarian dish in the Buddhist community. Mít ("jackfruit" in Vietnamese) is picked when it's still green. First, the young fruit is boiled to soften it. Then it's braised in soy sauce and used as a vegetable to accompany tofu. Like tofu, unseasoned green jackfruit is fairly bland but acts as a sponge and absorbs the flavors of the sauce.

The cooking procedure helps to give the jackfruit a soft texture that resembles the pork fat in thịt kho (braised meat), and the stringy texture of the jackfruit simulates the stringy texture of the meat. The result is quite pleasant and surprising. Next time you're in an Asian market, look for fresh young jackfruit; it's delicious!