Banh Tam - Vietnamese Steamed Tapioca

In case you haven't noticed I am a junk-food addict. Banh Tam is basically steamed Tapioca/Cassava layered with shredded coconut, and dipped with sugar and peanuts. For years, I've been making this from the pre-shredded cassava bags, but my mom has been making them from scratch. I have to say they are much better made from the fresh cassavas. So, since this isn't my own personal recipe I'll only be posting the pictures.

It's a fun snack. Tastes kind of soft and chewy. I know they look like colored worms in the picture, but they are good and great for kids!

Food from Royal Caribbean Cruise

I was planning to brag about every single meal I had from my Bahamas cruise last week, andddd guess what? My beloved camera dropped and broke on the second day of the cruise. So, this is all the pictures I have to post after gaining 5 pounds last weekend.

Apple & Cucumber Shrimp Salad - Goi Tom Tao

Apple & Cucumber Shrimp Salad

Happy Velvety Birthday to Me!

My birthday came up, and no I'm not going to tell you how old I am. The husband ordered me this delicioussssssssss red velvet and chocolate cupcakes. Oh, how I wish I was talented enough to create something this beautiful, but I'm not, so I had to order from a lady that is.

Regardless it was moist, creamy, not too sweet, and the highlight of my birthday celebration!

Drink Obsession of the Month - Kai Lychee Vodka

So you like Lychee huh? For those who don't know it's an exotic fruit that comes from Asia.

Have you tried Lychee Vodka? It is to die for! Normally, I don't like vodka, but this is an exception. This spirit tastes exactly like what it's described as........Lychee with Vodka!

My friends have recently found this tropical liquor and we've been hoooked. Oh, it's not easy to get though. For you lucky ones who live in Hawaii or California it is probably sitting in your neighborhood supermarket. For the rest of us we have to order it online, or go to the original source in Vietnam. That's right. This is made in Vietnam!

Fried Red Onions - Hanh Phi

You might not recognize what this could be, but it's my homemade dried red onions. They either come preserved in a can like pictured above, or you can make them fresh like me. Fried red onions, are normally used as a topping on many Vietnamese dishes. You can use it on just about anything from soups to stir-fried dishes. It makes a crunchy and tasteful topping.

Crab/Fish Cake Congee

Any dish that has crabs I cannot pass up. Have you ever thought of what crab congee would taste like? Well, this is my own little creation one winter day when I wanted congee, but I had nothing else in the fridge to work with. Crab congee!

OK, maybe not real crabs, but the imitation crabs, or otherwise called "fish cake" crabs. This Osaki brand is the only brand of fake crabs I would ever use in a dish. I think this brand tastes the best and the most real-to-life crabs you can get in your grocery section. I normally find these at the Asian/Korean supermarkets around my area. It's a little pricier than the other brands, but hence the taste is extraordinary during those cold, cold winter days.






Congee:

Fresh or canned Chicken Broth
1 cup of rice
Dried Red Onions

Broiled Salmon

Broiled Salmon topped with Scallions, Olive Oil, and crushed Peanuts. Recipe is courtesy of my fellow blogger Joy of Food. Nutritious and delicious!

Vietnamese Style Chicken Currry - Ca Ri Ga

Vietnamese curry is not as thick as your typical Indian curry. I think it has a little more coconut taste to it. We normally dip it with French Bread. Again another one of my favorite dishes.

1 pound Chicken Legs/Wings
1 Onion
2 Garlic cloves
1 Lemongrass stalk
3 Potatoes, sliced
2 Carrots large, sliced
½ can Coconut Milk
½ can of condensed milk or regular milk
1 large can of Chicken broth
Madras Curry Powder
Curry Paste

1) Marinate the chicken with a dash of salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons curry powder
2) Leave overnight to marinate, or let stand in fridge for 2 hours before cooking
3) Peel and cut carrot and potatoes into chunks
4) In a large pot, add oil, garlic, sliced onions, sliced lemongrass and sauté chicken pieces for about 10 minutes, to allow the skin to firm up
5) Add potatoes and carrots in, being careful not to over-stir or you will break up the pieces
6) Add water into pot, just enough to fill the chicken pieces
7) Add 1 tablespoon curry powder
8) Add 3 tablespoons curry paste and stir
9) Pour in 1 can of large chicken broth
10) Spoon about ½ can of condensed milk, or you can substitute with regular milk
11) Let mixture cook for about 30 minutes until chicken is done
12) Pour in ½ can of coconut milk towards the end and stir well
13) Stir on low heat to allow the coconut milk to absorb
Serve with French bread or side of rice

Waldorf Salad