Green Beans, Taro and Tapioca Dessert

1 bag of green beans - wash well
1 pinch of salt
1/2 cup Tapioca - wash, then put in a separate pan, add water cook until tapioca turn clear color
1 Taro - cut in cubes, put in a bowl add a little water then cook in microwave for 5 minutes
1 box of rock sugar
5 pandan leaves
1 can coconut cream

1 bag vanilla

In a 8qt pan add green beans, salt and water (a bit over 1/2 pot), cook until green beans is soften, add cooked tapioca , pandan leaves tide together, taro cook a bit more until taro is soft to your like.  then rock sugar (to taste) then coconut cream, vanilla .

Xôi Vò

1 can coconut milk divided
2 lbs sweet rice
1 bag green bean
1 tsp salt to add to sweet rice
1 tsp salt to add to green bean

Soak 2 lbs sweet rice with 1/2 can of coconut milk, add water to cover the rice (over about 2") for a few hours.  Take out drain - add 1 tsp salt mix well -  leave air dry about 1/2 hour.

Wash green bean a few times so that the water is not yellow, add water and soak it for a few hours.  Wash then put in pot add 1 tsp salt,  coconut milk and water to cover just over the green bean mix well, cook until all water dry up, cover 1/2 hour then blend it with food processor.  Put in refrigerator until cold.

Mix green bean mixture with sweet rice then form into a ball - make about 7 to 8 balls.  put in the steamer (with a cloth underneath) - steam about 20 minutes then lift the cover, make sure to do it fast so that the water do not drop on the rice.  Use a chopstick poke a hole in the middle of each rice ball- spread it out a little bit, then cover and cook about 25 more minutes (total cook times is 45 minutes, you can open the lid a few times but do it fast so that the water from the lid do not drop down to the rice)

When done - use a spoon to lift a ball then put into a small basket, use a fork to separate the rice then pour into the large tray for the sweet  rice to cool.

List of Foods

This list is to remind me of what to cook when I am out of ideas to cook daily food


Suon Ram
Dua leo/ salad
Canh suon he and tofu


Tom kho tau
Dua leo/salad

Thit kho trung/dau hu/mang
gia' chua

Ga` Teriyaky
Bap cai xao

Ga` kho gung
Ga` xao` xa ot
Bap cai luoc

Canh suon rau cai
Canh suon/tom muop & mong toi

goi ga
goi xoai

Thit ba roi xao mam ruoc

Thit ba roi ram

Thit than ram

Bun rieu
Banh canh

Prime Ribs - Jessica's Birthday/Chrismas party

This year, we celebrate Jessica's Birthday and Christmas a bit early to fit everyone's schedule. 

Prime Ribs - I bought marinated rib eye from costco and cooked it as instructed
                      500F  for 25 minutes
                      then lower to 200F about 25 minutes for each pounds -      
                      temperature of meat should be 140F
                      (a bit pink, very tender and juicy, we should buy over 10lbs for our
                       family)

                       *** Costco marinate probably just dry montreal steak rub with
                       cloves of garlic press inside the meat

                      1 pack of button murshroom  (costco)
                      1 box of Hors d'oeuvres  (costco)
                      1 package of marsh potatoes (costco)
                      1 box of salad (costco - not a good idea)
                      2 cans corn
                      1 box of gravy (Trader's Joe)
                      1 package of rib eyes for steak ( nextime just prime rib would be   
                       ok)

                       Cracker and seafood spread or spanish dip would be ok


Next year, we should do the same, since everyone loved it!!!!

Caramelized Spare Ribs / Suon Ram

3 lbs baby back ribs cut into pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup water
Green onion cut in pieces
Black pepper

In a frying pan add oil fry both sides of ribs until brown
Wash the ribs so that it is clear of blood pieces
In a pot - put some oil then add ribs stir fry a few minutes than add the sugar, keep  on stirring until sugar a little bit golden, don't burn it ...

Then add fish sauce - keep on stirring about 5 to 10 minutes until the meat absorb the sugar and fish sauce.  Add water and stir again for a few minutes then cover the pot - lower the heat and let it cook until thicken

From time to time open the pot and stir the meat, do not let it burn.

Meat  is done when sauce golden and almost thicken

Add green onion and black pepper

Thit nuong

Gia vi gom^` co'

Xa, toi, hanh` huong bam nhuyen (blender)
Ngu vi huong
mau` dieu^`
mat^. ong
soy sauce
chicken powder
a bit of salt
duong*`

Ga` Roti/ Vietnamese Roasted Chicken

4 chicken legs (poke knife into legs to have good marination)
1 can Coco Rico
1 tsp thick soy sauce
Soy sauce and sugar
Marinate chicken with a bit of 5 spices, salt, black pepper

Heat 2 Tbsp oil, add chiken fry until golden (take out oil if you want) then add garlic then coco water and a bit of thick soy sauce - cook until chicken is cooked and water almost dry up, add soy sauce and sugar as needed .