Papaya Smoothie Recipe (Sinh To Du Du)

Sinh tố đu đủ literally translates in Vietnamese to papaya (đu đủ) vitamin (sinh tố). I've made sinh tố bơ in the past with creamy avocado, but I got my hands on a beautiful papaya, so I made this version instead. You can also make many variations of the Vietnamese drink such as jackfruit, durian or mango depending on what you have on hand. The usual sweetener is sweetened condensed milk. You can blend the fruit with either yogurt, soy milk, regular cow's milk, coconut milk or coconut water.

I love wandering through ethnic markets. They're a great place to find interesting ingredients to develop new recipes. This weekend, my husband Lulu and I went to Mi Pueblo supermarket in East Palo Alto after a trip to the nearby Home Depot. Along with the beautifully ripe papaya, which reminded us of our last trip to Cancun, I found nopales (cactus), exotic banana varieties and the best horchata I’ve had in a long time. On top of that, the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. I’m definitely going back for more great Mexican ingredients.

How to Make Ca Phe Sua Da (Vietnamese Iced Coffee)

The key to making cà phê sữa dá is freshly ground, dark, extra bold roast blend coffee. In addition to this, you’ll need a Vietnamese coffee filter and sweetened condensed milk. If you're ready for a day full of energy, or if caffeine doesn't seem to leave you sleepless at night, give this drink a try!

As I mentioned on Facebook this week, I recently learned an important lesson: never drink Vietnamese coffee in the evening if you're sensitive to caffeine. Last weekend, I drank an entire cup of iced coffee right before going to bed (silly, I know). Since I'm not a big coffee drinker, I spent une nuit blanche, which is a French idiom that translates to "a white night" (an "all-nighter" in English). I love Vietnamese iced coffee (cà phê sữa dá in Vietnamese) but my body doesn't seem to appreciate it!

How To Make Vietnamese Yogurt (Homemade Yogurt Recipe)

The weather is getting so much warmer in the Bay Area that I thought we all could use a cool treat. Of course, I pulled out the ice cream machine, but since we’ve been exercising lately, I decided a healthy alternative was in order. So that’s why I pulled out my yogurt jars and made our family's favorite: Vietnamese yogurt. In Vietnamese, it's called sữa chua, which literally translates to "sour milk". It's also often referred to as da ua, which is the pidgin French term for "yaourt" (Vietnamese language swallows the consonant sounds from the French term).

Making Vietnamese yogurt is very easy and doesn’t even require a yogurt maker. The main ingredient is of course milk (sữa bò); to this are added condensed milk (hộp sữa đặc), warm water (nước sôi) and a ready-made-made yogurt (starter) to start the fermentation. You can find this starter, called hủ da ua cái, in Asian stores for $1.50 to $2.00 a jar.

Vietnamese yogurt is soft and tastes sour, sweet and a little tart. Once you try it, you'll be just as addicted as my family is! 

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons (Rochers Coco Recipe)

Coconut macaroons (called "rochers coco" in French) are another dessert that I bake very often.  When I have extra egg whites from pudding, custard, crème caramel or crème brulée, I always whip up a batch. The macaroons I've tasted in America are generally more crumbly and denser than the ones from France. I make mine with a coating of condensed milk, which enhances the flavor and alters the texture.

I also covered the coconut cookies with dark chocolate for a fancier look. Check back tomorrow to see how I used the cookies in a decadent dessert that is perfect for Mother’s Day.

Avocado Shake (Sinh To Bo)

Sinh tố bơ is a Vietnamese-style avocado milk shake. In Vietnamese, avocado is called trái bơ, which literally translates to "butter fruit". The name is quite appropriate for this drink, which is sinfully rich. I take heart, no pun intended, in the fact that avocados are so nutritious and are loaded with the healthy kind of fat.