Banh Xeo Chay Recipe

Papa, Maman and I went to China Town in the 13th arrondissement of Paris and bought a lot of Asian ingredients. When we got home, I whipped up Vietnamese crêpes called bánh xèo. I made them "chay" ("vegetarian" in Vietnamese), so my husband Lulu and all of us could share the same meal. The filling consisted of carrots, beans, tofu and fried jicama. 

Bánh xèo, served hot, are absolutely delicious. They're crispy on the outside and filled with lots of flavorful goodness.

Masoor Ki Daal Recipe

Among the Indian  lentil dishes I've learned from my husband's late grandmother, this "dry" daal dish, called "masoor ki daal", is by far the easiest and fastest to prepare for the family. No soaking is needed and it cooks in no time. The only trick to this dish is not to overcook the lentils because they will get mushy very quickly if you don't keep an eye on them.

The coral-colored, skinless lentils are sautéed with ginger garlic paste and chiles. Once masoor dal is cooked, the lentils turn a pretty yellow color. The last step is pairing the lentil dish with homemade roti (Indian flat bread) for a complete, nutritious meal.