Agar Agar Cherry Panna Cotta Recipe

Agar agar panna cotta is my way of making a light dessert suitable for a strict vegetarian diet. Agar agar powder is a good gelatin substitute for vegans and vegetarians. It's derived from seaweed and is cooked the same way you would gelatin. It's widely used in Asia, especially for making rau câu (Vietnamese jello cake).

This time around I decided to flavor the panna cotta with cherries. I incorporated fresh fruit, cherry extract and a little red food coloring to make the dessert more appealing. We have some very pretty verrines which I used as the molds. It’s a tasty summer dessert with definite visual appeal!

Loquat Apricot Chutney Recipe

Loquat and apricot may not make the most traditional chutney, but it is delicious. I’ve wanted to use the fresh loquats I got from my aunt to make a dish that really highlights the ingredient, and fruit chutney seemed like an obvious choice.

Since I made so much, I canned the chutney and stored it for future use. I let it rest for a week and opened our first jar today. The flavor was amazing. There were still some chunks of loquats in it, and the hint of spices from the red chili powder and mustard provided a mild, lingering heat that follows closely behind the sweetness of the fruit.

There are many ways to use the chutney, but I opted to pair it with roasted chicken breast wrapped in smoked turkey slices. A-ma-zing!

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream Recipe (Ca Rem Ca Phe)

Vietnamese coffee and ice cream are two of my family’s favorite foods, so it made sense to try and make some at home. Since one of the girls is allergic to eggs, I made the ice cream eggless. The ice cream base is made with half and half and sweetened with condensed milk. Usually Vietnamese-style coffee is made with boiling water, but the half and half produces a much richer mouth-feel. Coffee made with water could make a nice sorbet, but that’s a different recipe!

As I mentioned previously, making Vietnamese coffee (cà phê sữa  in Vietnamese) reminds me of mon papa (I usually call him Papounet). When I was a little girl growing up in Paris, I would make coffee and bring breakfast to my dad every morning. Making the coffee for the ice cream took me back in time. If you cook long enough, food will have that power over you too.

Spicy Peanut Mascarpone Chicken Curry Recipe

To make mascarpone chicken, I marinated chicken breast cubes that I tenderized overnight using buttermilk. For the thick gravy, I made a mixture of mascarpone and coarsely ground peanuts and turmeric.

Since the dish is a little heavy, I suggest serving it with leafy greens and steamed rice. It’s not the healthiest way to eat chicken, but it is quite delicious. Also, I’ve found that even finicky kids love it. That should be enough to get over any guilt you feel. It works for me!

Carrot Halwa Cheesecake Recipe

I just received a huge package of Walkers shortbread cookies (thanks so much Iza), and before my little munchkin goes through the entire package (she's already had 24 individual packets!), I wanted to prepare a sweet treat with them. I also had leftover carrot (gajar) halwa from a batch I made over Memorial Day weekend, so it made sense to combine the two items. After much deliberation, I decided to make an Indian-inspired cheesecake using the shortbread rounds. I mixed the halwa with cream cheese and cardamom syrup, then softened it with whipped cream and used the mixture as the filling. For the crust, I crushed several shortbread cookies and mixed them with butter.

The Indian flavors weren't overpowering at all. In fact they were actually quite subtle, and paired perfectly with the buttery flavor and mild sweetness of the shortbread crust. The dessert was a big hit,and has inspired me to try using both Indian sweets and shortbread in creative ways. Stay tuned!