Vietnamese Coconut Pandan Waffles (Banh Kep La Dua) is a tasty popular street food that’s not only for breakfast. You can have this all times of day, and I used to travel far to get my hands on one of these babies. Now you can simply make these at home! There are many versions of pandan waffles. This version utilizes a pancake premix so it’s easy, quick and delicious.
Read MoreCendol is a Southeast Asian dessert/drink of worm-like pandan jellies, mixed with palm-sugar syrup and topped with sweetened coconut milk. In Vietnam, cendol is a popular street food known as Che Banh Lot.
Read MoreYou will often find Vietnamese desserts topped with a rich and sweet coconut sauce called Nuoc Cot Dua. I like to call this sauce the Asian whipped cream. It is made by simmering coconut milk and sugar, and thickened with a bit of tapioca starch. Pandan leaves (the vanilla extract of Southeast Asia) is then added to steep and flavor the sauce.
Read MoreSilken Tofu in Ginger Syrup (Tau Hu Nuoc Duong) is a light and delicate Vietnamese/Chinese dessert. You may have seen this dessert as one of the many offerings at Dim Sum. In Vietnam, this dessert is commonly sold as street food.
Read MoreIt's officially summer! What better way to enjoy the summer heat than a refreshing cold beverage in hand. Matcha iced latte, anyone?
Read MoreI once told my husband, "If you cut me open, I'll bleed milk tea." He asked, "Why are you so morbid?" I don't know. At the time, it was the only way to accurately express my love for milk tea. What can I say? The love is real and strong.
Lately, I have a thing for grass jelly in my milk tea. Milk tea and grass jelly with a cream top and a sprinkle of sea salt? Oh God. Yes, please!
Read MoreMy favorite breakfast item during my stay in Vietnam was Xoi La Cam, a sweet version of glutinous rice. Xoi La Cam is made from naturally dying the rice grains purple/magenta from boiling Magenta leaves. It is then steamed with coconut milk and sugar, then topped with a mixture of freshly grated coconuts, toasted sesame seeds, roasted peanuts, sugar and salt.
Read MoreIn Vietnam, we use avocados in desserts. Sinh Tố Bơ is a ice-blended drink of ripe avocados, sugar, milk and sweetened condensed milk. It's refreshing, semi-healthy summer time drink.
Read MoreMy favorite Vietnamese dessert (chè) is the simplest of them all: Chè Hoa Cau. It is named after the flowers of an Areca Nut Palm Tree because of the resemblance of the cooked mung beans to the flower petals. The main ingredients are mung bean and coconut milk. It's simple, sweet and delicious.
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