Co Mai's Vietnamese Yogurt

Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 8 hours (3 days)
Makes 10 servings

YOU WILL NEED:

• Electric yogurt maker (warmer) - Alternative: oven and glass oven dish
• Stove
• Pot
• Strainer
• Fine strainer or cheesecloth
• Large mixing bowl

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 liter milk (whole or 2%)

STEPS:

1. Pour 1 liter of milk and condensed milk (1/2 can) into a large pot
   
2. Warm on medium heat on the stove until the condensed milk is melted and the mixture is lukewarm (NOT boiling)
3. Take off the heat and let it cool to room temperature
4. Mix in 1 cup of plain yogurt to the cooled mixture (if warm, it will kill the yeast)
5. Using the large strainer, strain the mixture into a large bowl. Repeat a second time with the fine strainer (or a cheesecloth in the large strainer).
   
6. Pour into containers and place into the yogurt maker for 8 hours. If you do not have an electric yogurt maker, you can place them into a glass oven dish filled with warm water into the oven.
   
   
7. After 8 hours, place the yogurt into the fridge for 2 days.

Co Mai's Apple Roses

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• 2 small bowls
• Rolling Pin
• Knife
• Oven

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lemon
• Nutmeg
• Cinnamon
• 2 apples
• Phyllo dough / puff pastry (flaky, not frozen)
• Fruit preserve (we used apricot)

STEPS:

1. Half and core apples. Slice thinly and add to cold water and lemon bath. This prevents the apples from browning. These are the "rose petals".
2. Mix three tablespoons apricot preserve and 2 tbsp water in a small bowl. Add a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon.
   
3. Flour a hard  work surface to roll the phyllo dough out on. Cut into thirds and layer the apple slices over each other along one end. Fold other end back over to seal it and roll it up. Add to muffin tins or ramekins with parchment paper.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place tins in oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Sheila's Eggplant Bhurtha

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Makes enough for 2-3 people.

YOU WILL NEED:

• Oven
• Sauce pan
• Tongs
• Metal bowl
• Foil

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 large eggplant
• 5 medium tomatoes or 6 roma tomatoes
• Two bunches green onions
• 2 tbsp of oil
• Salt
• Tumeric
• Jalapeno and coriander/cilantro (ground)
• Coriander/cilantro seeds and cumin seeds mixed and ground

STEPS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Clean three small or two medium eggplants and pierce with fork. Wrap in foil. Roast for one hour or more, until soft to the touch.
2. Wash and thinly slice 5 medium tomatoes or 6 Roma tomatoes. Set aside in bowl. These will simmer down into the sauce.
   
   
3. Wash and chop green onions (one bunch per one medium eggplant). Cut off tips and roots.
4. Once eggplants are done, take off foil and plop into a heat-safe bowl. Take off skin and tops. Use tongs, it will help. Water will come out. Leave the eggplant in its own water. Run the tongs/knife thru them to start pulling apart the eggplant.
5. Large saucepan. Medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add 2 tbls of oil. Fry green onions until slightly browned. Add one tomatoes. Add 1/2 tsp of ground coriander cumin mix. (Make this with seeds of each and process in coffee grinder.). Add ground jalapeño and coriander. Stir till reduced a little.
6. Add all tomatoes. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric. Add 1/2 tsp of salt. Let Simmer and cook down. Add eggplant when tomatoes cook/boil and stir and mush.
7. Reduce heat and cover. Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick to pan. Cook for 10-15 mins stirring every 2-3 mins. Salt to taste - if can taste individual ingredients need more salt. About 1.5 teaspoons. Serve with toasted naan or roti or over lentil rice.

Co Mui’s White Chocolate Pots de Crème

Topped with Strawberry Coulis

Makes 6 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 18-20 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• Stand mixer with balloon whisk or handheld mixer
• Double boiler or metal mixing bowl with large pot
• Oven
• Tray
• Ramekins or small bowls

INGREDIENTS:

For the white chocolate pots de crème

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 4 oz white chocolate, melted (can also use dark or semi-sweet chocolate)
• 3 egg yolks

For the strawberry coulis

• 1 lb strawberries (fresh or frozen sweetened)
• 1 cup sugar (if using fresh strawberries)
• 1 tsp cognac, optional

STEPS:

For the white chocolate pots de crème

1. Put the heavy cream and sugar into a double boiler. Use a metal mixing bowl on top of a pot if you do not have a double boiler. Be sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. 
2. Simmer the cream and sugar mixture until the sugar dissolves completely, about 2 minutes.
3. Microwave or use the double boiler to melt the white chocolate. Pour melted chocolate into the cream and sugar mixture.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer on speed 2, whip the egg yolks for about 3 minutes. Slowly pour yolks into the white chocolate cream mixer.
6. Whisk everything until well mixed.
7. Pour mixture into ramekins or small bowls and place in tray.
8. Pour hot water into the tray up to ½ the height of the ramekins, creating a hot water bath.
9. Preheat the oven to 325° F and place the whole tray in for 18-20 minutes.
10. Remove and cool in fridge for two hours.

For the strawberry coulis

1. Rinse the strawberries and remove the stems.
2. Put the strawberries in a pot and add the sugar (if using fresh strawberries).
3. Simmer on low heat until sugar dissolves and strawberries soften, about 15 minutes.
4. Use the back of a spoon to smash strawberries and simmer until reduced in half.
5. Optionally, add cognac and simmer for another 2 minutes so the alcohol burns out.
6. Cool and serve on top of white chocolate pots de crème.

Bac Thoa’s Filet Mignon

Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30-40 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• Barbecue or a grill

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5-2 lbs beef loin tenderloin / filet mignon
• 1/2 cup oyster sauce
• 1/2 tsp pineapple juice

STEPS:

1. Wash the filets in water and mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl just 15 minutes before cooking (aka once all your guests have arrived!)
2. Barbecue 2-inch thick slices for about 7 minutes each side. Use a fork to feel for a little bit of give to check for doneness.

Bac Thoa’s Asian-Style Baby Back Ribs

Makes 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• Barbecue or a grill

INGREDIENTS:

• 3.5-4 lbs pork loin backribs (baby back ribs)
• 1/3 cup oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup finely chopped lemongrass
• 1 tsp pineapple juice
• 1/4 tsp minced garlic

STEPS:

1. Cut the ribs into pieces of 1 or 2 ribs each. Wash them in water and put clean ribs into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the oyster sauce, lemongrass, pineapple juice, and garlic to the bowl. Mix all the ingredients together, ensuring each rib is coated with the marinade.
3. Let pork marinate for at least an hour before cooking. (Beef can marinate for only 15 minutes.)
4. Barbecue until all the sides are cooked and browned, with slight charring.

   

Co Mai’s Thit Nuong

Barbecue Pork

Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• Barbecue or a grill

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb pork shoulder butt (thit nac vai)
• 2 tsp nuoc mam (fish sauce)
• 1 tsp soy sauce (preferably Maggi)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 shallots
• 1/2 tsp black ground pepper

STEPS:

1. Wash the pork and cut into very thin slices (about ⅛ inch thick)
2. Cut the shallots into slices
3. Add all the ingredients together in a large bowl and let marinate (at least half an hour, overnight is best)
4. Barbecue or grill over low heat for about 10 minutes per side. While barbecuing, you can dip the meat back into the marinade for extra flavor.
5. If you are pressed for time, you can put the meat and marinade mixture in a toaster oven or an oven at 350° F for about ten minutes. This will decrease the grilling time.
6. Serve with rice for com thit nuong or with bun, nuoc mam (fish sauce), and rau thom (a fragrant Vietnamese vegetable mixture – see here) for bun thit nuong.

Bac Thoa’s Thit Rim (Thit Dua)

Coconut Pork

Makes 8 servings
Prep time: 50 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• A large, hard object to crack the coconut into pieces

INGREDIENTS:

• One coconut (should be a lightish brown color)
• 1-2 pounds of pork bellies (thit ba chi)
• Nuoc mau dua (coconut thin sauce), ~1 tsp, for color
• Nuoc mam (fish sauce), ~⅓ cup
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• Ginger, optional, to remove the pork smell, 1-2 tsp
• 1 cup water

STEPS:

1. Put the coconut on the flame (or stove) to roast the coconut to more easily crack it. All the sides of the coconut should turn brown or black, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Crack the coconut open into pieces and remove the meat from the hard shell. Cut off the soft skin of the coconut and slice the meat into thin slices.
3. Cut the pork into thin slices about 1-2 inches long and wash them.
4. Chop the ginger into small pieces and put the ginger, pork, and sliced coconut into a sauté pan.
5. Add the nuoc mau dua, nuoc mam, pepper, and water to the pan and stir-fry until all the liquid is gone (about 45 minutes). The pork should also be a nice caramel brown color with a little bit of burning on the edges.