Bitter Melon soup with Pork (Sngo Mareash)

Bitter Melon soup with Pork (Sgno Mareash)

Many Khmer grandparents like Sgno Mareash because it tastes bitter and this soup is not for young kid.  Dried shrimp and dried turnip is salty you have to becareful with salt. You can  use Tralach instead of bitter melon for the children. 

3 small bitter melons cut to small size then take all the seeds out by making hole to stuff the meat inside
1/2 lb ground pork
1 small bunch bean thread soaked wash cut to tiny pieces
3 cloves of garlic pound to paste in mortar
2 T of dried shrimp soaked set aside
2 T of dried turnip wash set aside
1 T of soy sauce
1 chicken bouillon cube
½ t salt
2 green onions chopped for garnish
4 ½ cups water

In a mortar pound ½ t of salt, garlic to paste then add dried shrimp and turnip mix it well
Now add the ground pork to it do not pound it too hard just mix it or else your meat will be mashed, add 1 T of soy sauce and chicken bouillon cube to it then add soaked bean thread mix it again until well combine, take 1/3 cup of meat mixture out set aside for later

Take each bitter melon and stuff it with the meat mixture one by one until all done

In a medium pot put 4 ½ cups of water and bring to a boil, now add the stuff bitter melon cook it for 15 minutes or until tender then add ¼ of meat mixture to it bit by bit (tiny pieces) so the meat will cook the same time as bitter melon. It will take about 25 minutes for the bitter melon to get soft enough to eat.

Taste your soup adjust the flavor when the melon is done turn the heat off and garnish with chopped green onions.

Serve hot with cooked rice

Enjoy!

Coconut Pumpkin Taro Dessert (Bor Bor Pa’Am Lapouv)

Coconut Pumpkin Taro Dessert (Bor Bor Pa’Am Lapouv)

2 ½ cups of Japanese Pumpkin cut to bite size (you need pumpkin that is sticky to make this dessert)
2 ½ cups of Taro roots cut to bite size (wash) if you don’t have taro use potato
1 can of coconut cream or coconut milk
2 cup of water
1/4 t of salt
1 t of Vanilla extract
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar


In a medium pot boil coconut milk and water with salt
When the water is boiling add taro and pumpkin, cook until the pumpkin and taro is tender
Then add sugar, and vanilla extract
Cook until all the pumpkin and taro is done turn the heat off
Serve warm or cool.
Sometime I save a bit of coconut cream to add on top before serving if you do that you have to serve it warm not cold.

Enjoy!

Vietnamese Beef Pho Noodle Soup

Vietnamese Beef Pho Noodle Soup

Pho noodle soup is very popular in the US; the Vietnamese make their Pho with Spices and serve with fresh noodle and herbs. There are different kind of Pho, American like beef and chicken Pho the most. This recipes make a lot if you don’t have many people to feed cut in half or you can freeze it for later use that what I do all the time.  It take 2 hours or longer to make this soup broth so make it ahead of time.

To make Pho broth you need

2 ½ lbs of beef knuckle bone (wash)
2 lbs of beef chuck bone (wash)
1 white onion cut in half and grills until brown in color
1 big fresh ginger cut in half and grills
1 cinnamon stick
5 Star Aniseeds
10 cloves
20 cups of water
1/2 cup of fish sauce
1/3 cup of sugar or one big piece of Rock sugar
2 T of salt

To garnish the bowl
Thinly sliced good beef set aside
Meat balls cut in half cook in soup broth set aside
hoisin sauce
chili sauce
black pepper
For Veggie you need
Bean sprouts
Cilantro
Thai basil
Green onion
Jalapeno pepper
Lime wedges

In a deep big pot start to boil enough water to parboil the bone for 5 minutes then drain the bone and wash it set aside (if you parboil the bone first it will make your broth clear)

In the same pot boil 20 cups of water. When the water is boiling add the bone back in and cook for 30 minutes scrap off anything that come to the top so the broth is clear.

After 30 minutes add white grill onion and ginger, cinnamon stick, star aniseeds, and cloves cook on medium heat for 30 more minutes,

Now add fish sauce, sugar, and salt to it turn the heat down to low and let the soup broth simmer for 1 hour.

Taste your soup broth and adjust the flavor to your taste.

For the noodle you need
You can use dried noodle or fresh it is best to find fresh noodle, if you use dried noodle soak in warm water for 20 minutes drain and set aside.

In a big pot boil enough water to cook the noodle. Take a handful of noodle and put in a colander and dip it in the hot boiling water for just few minutes until the noodle is soft ( fresh noodle will not take long if you cook it too long it will turn to mash)

When ready to serve turn the heat back on the soup broth then add the meat ball cook until it float to the top then turn the heat down to low.

Take the noodle out and put in a big Pho serving bowl, add meat ball and cooked sliced beef on top add enough broth to cover the noodle, garnish with bean sprouts, Thai basil, green onion, Jalapeno pepper, chili sauce, hoisin sauce and lime wedge. Serve hot on a cold day.

Enjoy!

Stir fry noodle ( khmer Mee Char)

Stir fry noodle ( khmer Mee Char)

This is khmer char mee, it is easy to make, instead of Pad Thai khmer Mee Char is a bit difference we serve with tuk trey (sweet fish sauce and garnish with crush peanut). I twist the recipe a bit so the noodle is softer and not so dry.

For the noodle you need

1 pg of dried noodle soak in warm water for at least 30 minutes then drain and set aside.
For meat you need sliced chicken, pork, beef, fried egg or shrimp is best.
2 T of minced garlic
3 to 4 T of oil for stir fry
2 cups of bean sprouts
1/2 cup of chives chopped
2 green onions chopped

Lime juice
Chili sauce
Crush peanut for garnish
Sweet fish sauce to add to the noodle later if needed.

Stir fry sauce

In a small bowl mix everything together and set aside
3 T of fish sauce
3 T of soy sauce
2 T of brown sugar or palm sugar
2 T of thick soy sauce
1 T of tamarind concentrate

In a none stick fry pan heat oil until hot add minced garlic stir fry until brown then add meat cook until the meat is done
Now add the noodle stir fry until tender add sauce to the noodle you might need to add a bit of water if the noodle is not soft enough.
When the noodle is almost done add bean sprouts, green onions, and chives stir fry until everything is hot then turn the heat off.

When ready to serve garnish with lime juice, chili sauce, crush peanut and if needed you can add sweet fish sauce to it.

for the sweet fish sauce you need
3 T of fish sauce
2 T of sugar
2 T of lime juice or vinegar
3 T of water
1 clove of minced garlic
This sauce you can adjust the flavor to your taste. 

Note: this recipe is good to eat by itself but if you want to add sweet fish sauce you need to reduce 1 T of fish sauce, 1 T of soy sauce and 1 T of brown sugar because sweet fish sauce has the sweetness and salty on its own.

Fried Tilapia with Ginger and Salty Soy Bean (Trey Chean Jurn)

Fried Tilapia with Ginger and Salty Soy Beans
(Trey Chean Jurn)

1 cleaned tilapia make sure you slice the fish on each side so it fry faster (no head or tail but if you like do so) in the picture I used only white part, but it is best to do whole fish.

1/2 cup of julienne ginger
1/2 cup of julienne white onion
Half red bell pepper julienne
1 julienne Jalapeno pepper seeded if you don’t like spicy
2 T of minced garlic
Chopped green onion or cilantro for garnish (optional)
Oil to fry the fish


For the sauce

2 T of Salty Soy Beans (this soy beans paste is salty)
2 T of lime juice
1 T of soy sauce or fish sauce (make sure you taste the sauce in case it is salty)
2 T of Thai sweet and Chili sauce from the bottle
1 T of water

Mix the sauce together in a bowl and set aside (you taste the sauce and adjust what you need for salty, sweet and sour flavor.)

In a none stick fry pan add enough vegetable oil to fry the tilapia until golden brown on medium heat.
Take the fish out and set it on a serving plate, set aside.

In the same pan take some oil out; you only need 2 T to fry the spice ingredients
Heat the pan back up until hot then add garlic fry until brown then add ginger, white onion, jalapeno pepper, stir fry until tender you can smell the ginger and garlic.

Now add the sauce mixture in let it come to a boil then turn the heat off. Let the sauce cool a bit before add to the fish plate.

When serve add the ginger garlic sauce over the fish and garnish with chopped green onion or cilantro.

Enjoy!

Banana Caramel Cake

Banana Caramel Cake

I found this recipe on line from someone and it is really good, it tastes like spice cake with the flavor of banana in it. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

To make the cake you need

2 cups flour
1 t cinnamon
½ t nutmeg
¼ t cloves
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
3 large eggs
11/4 cups canola or vegetable oil
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 T vanilla extract
3 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
3 ripe bananas, mashed
Round cake pan

For the Caramel sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 T of milk
4 T of butter
Melt everything on low heat and cooked for 5 minutes turn the heat off and set aside. (Make this sauce the last 10 minutes before the cake done baking.)

In a bowl mix all the dried ingredients together (except the sugar, chocolate chips and banana) set aside

In a cake mixer, mix all the wet ingredients
First the eggs, canola oil, sugar, vanilla, until well combined, and then add the dry ingredients 1 cup at a time until all incorporated.

Stop the machine , then fold in the chocolate chip and banana to the mixture.

Spray round cake pan with baking spray then pour the cake mixture in it

Bake at 350 degree oven for 60 minute or until the cake is done

Take the cake out and let it cool for 15 minutes

Now poke tiny hole in the cake make sure you make lot of holes so the caramel can absorb inside the cake, pour all the caramel sauce bit by bit until it all done on the cake. The cake will look really soft, but it will be harder when it is cool down.



Enjoy!

Grilled Lemongrass Beef Skewers ( Sach Ko Ang Jakak)

Grilled Lemongrass Beef Skewers ( Sach Ko Ang Jakak)


2 lbs of good beef thinly sliced
3 T of water
2 T of palm sugar or brown sugar
3 T of oyster sauce
2 T of fish sauce or soy sauce
1/2 cup of minced lemongrass
1 T of galangal
4 cloves of garlic
2 to 3 kaffir lime leaves shredded
3 T of vegetable oil (help the meat softer)
1 T of crush red chili pepper (optional)
1/4 cup of crush peanuts (optional some people like it)
1 T of lemon juice
1/4 t of turmeric
1/4 t of paprika (optional good color)
Skewers soak for 30 minutes before thread the meat to grill
Yoshida sauce if needed at the end to brush on beef skewers for color (optional)

In mortar pound lemongrass, garlic, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and turmeric to paste.
Marinate the beef with lemongrass paste and the rest of ingredients overnight or at least 4 hours. Thread meat in skewers. Grill beef on medium heat and when ready brush with some of Yoshida sauce for color.

For Jruk Lahong (papaya salad)

Sorry I didn’t measuring this part, but I have the ingredients for you

Shredded green papaya
Shredded carrot
Thinly sliced fresh ginger
Minced garlic
Fish sauce
Salt
Sugar
Vinegar
Fresh jalapeño pepper thinly sliced if you don’t like spicy take seeds out
Make this salad the night before or it won’t taste good

Serve sach ko ang with jruk lahong

Enjoy!

Khmer, Thai, Lao grill lemongrass Chicken

Khmer, Thai, Lao grill lemongrass Chicken

 Sorry for the picture the chicken have fat on it, my grill look a bit kind of dirty but the chicken taste really good:)

2 1/2 lbs of chicken, breast, leg, thigh, wing whatever you like
1/4 cup of water
11/2 T of brown sugar
2 T of oyster sauce
2 T of soy sauce
1 T of fish sauce
1 T of lime juice
1/2 cup of lemongrass
1 T of galangal
5 cloves of garlic
3 kaffir lime leaves shredded
1 T of crush red pepper or ¼ t of black pepper (optional for spicy)
1/4 cup roasted crush peanuts (optional some people like it)

In a mortar pound lemongrass, galangal, garlic, kaffir lime leaves to paste
In a big bowl marinate the chicken with lemongrass paste and the rest of the ingredients with ¼ cup of water to it. It is best to marinate the chicken over night.

If you use chicken legs don’t take out the skin is the best part of lemongrass grill chicken
Grill the chicken on medium heat until it is done. Serve lemongrass chicken with pickle cucumber or Thai sweet and chili sauce and cooked rice.

Enjoy!

Khmer, Thai, Lao Jerky ( Sach Ko Ngeat pralack)

Khmer, Thai, Lao Jerky ( Sach Ko Ngeat pralack)

This is Southeast Asia style jerky I twisted a little so the flavor tastes better. We call it sundried jerky, but in Seattle there is no sun I have meat dryer to dry my jerky. You can buy pre- sliced beef is easy or you can slice it yourself. I don’t have exact measurement; adjust to your taste.

2 lbs of beef thinly sliced
1/4 cup of oyster sauce
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of yoshida sauce from Costco or teriyaki sauce
1 t salt if needed more salty flavor
6 cloves garlic pound in mortar to paste
1 big rice spoon of sliced ginger
2 T (not rice spoon measuring spoon) of sugar more or less up to you
1 t black pepper or crush chili
2 T of roasted sesame seeds (optional)
Msg optional

Mix and marinate the meat with the entire ingredients and let it marinate overnight
The next day take it out and sundry or dry in a food dryer.

When ready to serve you can pop in microwave for 1 minute if the meat is thin enough to cook in the microwave or grill it, but the best way to cook Asian jerky is deep fry.
Serve dried jerky with lime juice dressing and sticky rice or Thai Som Tam or Khmer Bok Lahong.

Note: I fry my meat before I put it away to marinate so I know the meat will taste good when it dry.
Do add and adjust the flavor to your taste. Yoshida and teriyaki sauce bring a better taste to any jerky.

Enjoy!

Trey Khor (Caramelized trout)

Trey Khor (Caramelized trout)
You can use any kind of fish even salmon.

3 small trout clean and cut to about 11/2 inch long
2 cloves garlic
2 T thick soy sauce
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
2 T brown sugar or palm sugar
2 T water
1 T thinly sliced ginger
1 cup water

In mortar pound garlic, salt, and pepper together to paste set aside
In a medium sauce pan put sugar, 2 T water, thick soy sauce, and turn the heat on until it is bubble and the sugar turn dark brown in color.
Add the garlic paste and ginger to it stir well then gently add cut fish to the sugar mixture, with 1 cup of water. Handle the fish carefully so the meat won’t break. Let the fish cook in sugar sauce about 10 minutes or until the fish is done and meat is soft.
Turn the heat off.

Serve Trey Khor with bor bor sab with sliced lime juice, chili and thinly sliced cucumber on top.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-cream

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-cream

This recipe is easy to make all you need just the few ingredients plus a 9x13 baking dish to freeze the ice cream

2 (14oz) can sweetened condense milk
4 T water
1/2 t peppermint extract
8 drops green food coloring
4 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chip (optional) or white chocolate chip.

In a large bowl mix condense milk, mint extract, food coloring, and water until the color combine then
Fold in the whipped cream and chocolate chip.
Pour into 9x13 baking dish then freeze it overnight.

When ready to serve cut the ice-cream to square blog the way you like it.

Enjoy!

Teriyaki Chicken Yoshida Sauce with Grill Pineapple

Teriyaki Chicken Yoshida Sauce with Grill Pineapple

This recipe is easy all you have to do is use any kind of chicken thigh or chicken breast cut to bite site or sliced thin whatever you like, you can do as much as you like

1 1/2 lb of chicken cube
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup Yoshida sauce
1 green onion chopped
1 t roasted sesame seeds
Skewers soak in water ahead of time before grilling

Pineapple cut it long enough that you can put it on the skewer

Mix and marinate the chicken at least 4 hours or overnight, Make sure you mix extra sauce for basting
Thread the chicken into skewers (when I marinate meat I make sure to have enough sauce to cover the meat)
Grill the chicken on medium heat until the meat turn brown then start  basting the chicken on both sides with the teriyaki and Yoshida sauce mix.

Do the same with the pineapple and when it is almost done brush the sauce on it grill until the pineapple caramelized.

Serve with Rice or Asian vegetable salad.

Banana, Pineapple and Mango smoothies

Banana, Pineapple and Mango smoothies

2 ripe bananas
One mango
1 cup of Pineapple
1 cup of milk or half and half for thicker smoothie
1 pg of banana or strawberry smoothie mix
Crush ice

Mix all the ingredients together until smooth in a smoothie machine mixer.
You can make frozen fruit popsicle from this recipe for your kid
Decorate serving glass with any fruit you like

Enjoy!

Thai Lab or Khmer Plear Trey (fish salad)

Thai Lab or Khmer Plear Trey (fish salad)

2 lbs of good fish like Salmon, Cat fish, Tilapia ect…The best fish for this recipe is grill Cat fish.
Grill or bake fish and take out the skin and bone cut to bite site or shredded
2 shallots thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup of saw leaves thinly sliced
1/2 cup of cilantro chopped to small pieces
1/2 cup of mints chopped to small pieces
1 stalk of lemongrass thinly sliced
4 kaffir lime leaves thinly sliced
3 to 4 Thai chilies thinly sliced
1 to 2 T of sugar (up to you)
3 to 4 T of lemon juice
3 to 4 T of fish sauce
1 t of knorr chicken powder
3 T of roasted rice powder (if you make khmer plear trey don’t need to put roasted rice)
1 cup of bean sprouts
1 Thai round eggplant thinly sliced
2 long beans cut so 1 inches long
Half red bell pepper thinly sliced

you can add any crunchy vegetables to it


In a bowl mix shallot, garlic, fish sauce, lemongrass, chili, kaffir lime leaves, sugar, lemon juice, chicken powder, mix well and set aside.

Add fish to the bowl with roasted rice if you makeThai Lab and the rest of ingredients adjust the flavor to your taste. This dish it should be sour, salty, and spicy.

Note: fish salad you need to make it right away or need to keep cool in the fridge when serve.

Thai or khmer Namprik (Tuk Kapi)

Thai or khmer Namprik (Tuk Kapi)

This recipe is almost similar in Thai or Cambodia you can add what you have to the recipe, but make sure have good dried fish from Cambodia or else it won’t taste good. Serve with all kind of vegetables and trey Pla Tou chean.

You need
2 T of good shrimp paste
4 cloves of garlic
2 to 3 Thai chilies
2 to 3 T lime juice
2 to 3 T fish sauce
1/4 cup of dried fish or dried shrimps
Small egg plants (add as you like)
2 T of palm sugar (more or less up to you)
Crush peanut optional
water

Roast or fry small egg plants first before you add to the recipe, save few pieces to garnish on the top
In a mortar pestle pound the garlic, dried fish,  chilies, kapi and small egg plants to paste
Take it out and put in a bowl then add the rest of ingredients and water to your taste adjust the flavor hot, spicy, or sour.

Enjoy!

Green Papaya Salad (Khmer Bok Lahong or Thai Som Tam)

Green Papaya Salad (Khmer Bok Lahong. or Thai Som Tam)

This is Thai and Khmer favorite salad, adjust the flavor to your taste

1 lb Shredded green papaya
 5 Salty baby crabs from the Asian store break apart
2 T of lime juice
2  Thai chilies
1 to 2 T Tuk prahok or cooked prahok (more or less up to you)
2 T dried shrimps
1 liced tomato or cherries tomatoes
2 long beans cut to 1 inch long
1 T fish sauce more or less up to you
3 garlic cloves
1 T of palm sugar ( this is optional) put it last if you need it
1 to 2 T of crust roasted peanut for garnish

In a deep mortar Pestle pound the garlic, chilies, to paste
Now add shredded green papaya, lime juice dried shrimps, and long bean, pound it until it is soft
Then add the rest of the ingredients taste for salty, sour and spicy according to your taste. Garnish with crush peanut.

Serve with fresh cabbage, Saw leaves and lettuce of any kind

Enjoy!

Thai BBQ Pork

Thai BBQ Pork

4 T soy sauce
3 T oyster sauce
1 ½ lbs of pork loin cut to bite size
3 T chopped cilantro
1 T chopped mints
3 T minced garlic
2 T sugar
3 T olive oil
2 T lime juice
1 t sesame oil
1 t Thai crushes pepper flake or black pepper
Bamboo Skewers soak in water to prevent burning while grilling

Mix all ingredients in a bowl mix well and add to cubed pork
Marinate at least 4 hours
Thread the meat in the skewers
Grill meat to medium rare
Serve Thai BBQ pork with coconut Roasted corn or Thai vegetable salad in my blog

Enjoy!

Sweet Glutinous Rice Dumplings

Sweet Glutinous Rice Dumplings
This is very easy Khmer dessert, you can make as much as you like.
2 cups of Glutinous Rice
1 cup of water
2/3 cup of palm sugar (it is best to find sticky one, but if you have one in the block shave it)
Shredded young coconut or store bought coconut flake (it is best to use fresh young coconut)
Toasted Sesame seeds

Start by shaving the palm sugar and roll it to a small ball set aside, finish the remainder.

In large bowl combine flour with water little by little until it form into white dough
Take out one small piece roll and flat it in the palm of your hand
Now take out one piece of palm sugar and put it in the middle of the white dough
Roll it to a small ball set aside, finish the remainder.

In a big pot boil enough water so the dumplings can float to the top
Put few pieces of dumplings at the time and boil them until they float to the top
Take it out then put them in a bowl of cold water for 2 minute so the palm sugar inside the dumpling will cool down and won’t burn your mouth.
Take them out and drain the water from the dumplings.
Put the dumplings on a dessert plate and garnish with young coconut and sesame seeds
In the picture I don’t have young coconut so I use coconut flakes.

Enjoy!

Coconut Meringue Cookies

 Coconut Meringue Cookies

2 2/3 cups of coconut flakes
2/3 cups of sugar
4 T of all purpose flour
1/4 t of salt
4 eggs white
1 t of vanilla
1 T of toasted Sesame seeds

In a large bowl mix coconut flakes, sugar, flour and salt.
Now add eggs white, and vanilla mix well (I mix with hand)
Using ice cream scoop, scoop the mixture in to the baking sheet
Sprinkle sesame seeds on each cookie before bake
I use none stick baking sheet lay with foil and spray with cooking spray
Bake at 325 degree for 20 minutes
Let it cool completely before take it out of the try to prevent form breaking

Serve at Tea time

Enjoy!

Num Lot

Num Lot
Num Lot is Khmer dessert, but the Vietnamese also have the same kind for drink. Use potato ricer to press Nom lot into ice cold water.  I have 2 recipes for you.  Fresh Pandan is best for flavoring Nom Lot.
 
First recipe
 1/2 cup of monk bean  starch or water chestnut starch
2 T of sugar
1 2/3 cup of water
1/4 t of pandan extract
green food coloring if needed.
bowl of ice to press the paste into ice cold water

In a pot mix all the ingredients together until dissolve (not on the stove yet)
Put pot on the stove on medium heat keep  stirring until it is bubble and the batter turn to paste like glue.
when it is thick like glue take it out and whisk vigorously till the batter is translucent paste.
Spoon the batter into Potato Ricer and press into bucket of ice cold water so the paste will cool down quickly then drain in a basket and set it aside until you ready to serve with the coconut  syrup.


Recipe 2
1pkg of Bot Banh Gio, it is steamed Pork cakes flour.
2 T of Tapioca starch (use rice spoon not measuring spoon)
9 cups of water
2 T of Pandan flavoring essence or fresh Pandan leave is the best (you need 2 T of juice from Pandan leave).
Food coloring, power or drop if needed to make it green.

Do the same here cook stir and press into ice cold water

For the sugar syrup
2 ½ cup of sugar
1 1/2 cup of water
1 can of coconut cream
1 T of Pandan flavoring



Enjoy!