AFF Indo China - Vietnamese Sizzling Crepes (Banh Xeo)

Ah, I have a list of what to cook for Asian Food Festival (AFF) this month, only to realize that I have been beaten by school holiday this whole month packed with activities with the kids - we were out on most days, 8 days holiday, and of course high pile of home works!

Okay, never mind.. Now, approaching the end of June, school holiday is almost over, I still can do one or two. So, here's my first Vietnamese dish I made this month. In fact, this is my very first Vietnamese dish ever! :)

 

 

When I ate this dish, I was like...SHIOK!!! - typical Singaporeans' reaction whenever doing something enjoyable LOL

This dish is so good! Do not ever eat without the dipping sauce, if you want to feel shiok too :)

Yummy and refreshing, it's so addictive, too. I ate this dish as my dinner yesterday, telling myself I would eat half, I ended up polishing the whole plate. Yes, it's that good! Hahaha...

 

 

 

Saw this dish the first time at Peng's Kitchen. She presented it so well with side salad. I didn't need salad. I didn't want salad. I just want to munch on the whole crepes LOL

 

At first I thought it's omelette. Just realized there is no egg used when I read the ingredients used. Interesting. More interesting to find out this is Vietnamese dish. All along my knowledge about Vietnamese food is only about beef pho, broken rice and pork chop baguette sandwich. Another new thing explored. So happy :)

 

What you need:

 

Crepes:

150g rice flour

1 tsp turmeric powder

3 stalks of spring onion, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup water

1/2 cup coconut milk

 

Filling:

200g chicken fillet, thinly sliced (I diced)

200g peeled prawns, sliced into 3 parts

1 medium onion, peeled, thinly sliced

300g beansprouts, trimmed

salt, pepper, cornflour

 

Dipping sauce:

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 red chilli, minced

1/4 cup fish sauce

2/3 cup water

2 tbsp lime juice

1/4 cup sugar

 

Method:

1. Marinade chicken with salt, pepper, cornflour. Set aside
2. Combine ingredients for the crepes, whisk til smooth. Rest for 30 mins
3. Mix all ingredients for the dipping sauce til sugar dissolved. Adjust taste if needed
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add in onion, sautee til fragrant, slightly softened. Remove from pan
5. Add in chicken slices, pan fry for 2 mins til color changed. Remove from pan
6. Add in prawns, sautee til pink. Remove from pan
7. Clean pan with kitchen towel. Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium high heat. Stir batter for crepes. Scoop 1/4 part of the batter onto the oiled pan, swirl to create a thin layer. When the sides of the crepes start sizzling, top with onion, chicken, prawn and lots of beansprouts on half sides of the crepes. Sprinkle over some pepper. Cook 1-2 mins covered and then continue to cook uncovered til crepe crispy and golden. Fold crepe in half, gently slide onto a serving plate
8. Serve hot immediately with the dipping sauce. It'll lose its crispiness when cooled

 

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest – IndoChina hosted by Kelly Siew Cooks

THB #37 Fresh Pineapple Cashew Nut - Upside Down Cake

I have been a lousy blogger lately. Missed out many bakes from many events. Never did any update for close to a month. School holiday. Ridiculous hot humid weather. Plus over a week away from Singapore. All equal to l.a.z.y hahaha...

Anyway, I do not want to miss this one bake today. Why? Because I have chosen it! LOL
It's for the event The Home Bakers (THB), a baking event initiated by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours - which by the way I have missed quite a few *grin*
Well, actually, I have baked #32 and #33 a few weeks ago. I will post and link it in THB's site - if allowed :)

Back to this bake...
Original recipe used macadamia nut but it suggested cashew too, so I chose the latter
I love upside down cake - always. Cake and fruits together, soft, sweet and moist - what's not to like?
This cake is no exception. Every bite burst with the juice from the fresh pineapple cuts, so sweet, soft and moist cake thanks to the syrup. Yum!
It's a cake with fine texture - love it! The crunch from the nuts is a not to be missed added bonus
An addictive sweet treats!

I baked half recipe using a 8" round pan

What you need:
(full recipe)

Fruits layer:
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar - this explained my dark looking cake LOL)
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 ripe pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 6 to 8 slices 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup unsalted macadamia nuts or cashew nuts (I used cashew)

3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (I omitted)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup fresh milk

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 175degC
2. To make the fruit layer: In a heavy 9" ovenproof skillet (I used non stick pan and quickly transferred the caramel onto 8" round baking pan), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and corn syrup and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and the mixture is bubbly. Cut the pineapple slices crosswise into 3-inch pieces and immediately arrange the slices in the caramel in one layer. Place the nuts in the gaps between the pineapple slices
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and vanilla, and beat well. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Stir to blend. Beat the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk in 2 additions. Spread the batter evenly over the fruit layer
4. Bake for 35 to 40mins (mine was 25mins), or until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted and comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 2 minutes. Then turn upside-down onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges

This recipe from the book Coffee Cakes by Lou Seibert Pappas is another keeper. I reckon it will be nice with other kind of fruits, too

 

 

This bread is the 37th bake for The Home Bakers - hosted by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours, where we bake from the book Coffee Cakes by Lou Seibert Pappas

 

 

And since this cake used butter, I'll also submit this post to Little Thumbs Up organised by Bake For Happy Kids, and My Little Favourite DIY, hosted by Jozelyn from Spice Up My Kitchen at this post. You may post anything you make using butter as one of the ingredient! :)