The Kitchen Chronicles: Happy Birthday, Mommy!

My mommy :)

Today is a very special day: 52 years ago, my beautiful, wonderful, talented mommy made her grand debut into the world, and I swear she must have been born with a spatula in one hand and a whisk in the other because she is one of the best cooks I know (okay, so maybe it was more like chopsticks in one hand and a mortar/pestle in the other, but you get the idea).  Am I biased?  Of course.  But that doesn't make me wrong (just ask my friends and extended family).  I was so lucky to grow up not really knowing what a bad or mediocre meal was unless I ventured out of the home, and I'm so grateful that my mom's love of cooking was passed on to me.  


I'm so sad to not be celebrating with my mommy today, and that this post isn't about a beautiful meal or cake I made her on her special day.  But in her honor, I thought I'd share with you some of the sweet treats that have special meaning to the two of us.  


Happy birthday, Mommy! <3




Che Chuoi (Banana Coconut Tapioca 'Soup')


"Che" is a category of Vietnamese desserts that typically consist of a coconut milk or flavored simple syrup base mixed with tapioca, fruit, gelatin, beans, seaweed, taro, and corn, just to name a few.  The concept seems odd to Western palates that typically associate liquids with savory soups rather than desserts, but these types of desserts are popular all across Asia, with many countries boasting their own versions.  This dish is quintessentially Vietnamese, so if you like these flavors and can set aside dessert prejudices to give this a try, I really think you'll be surprised how good this is.  I grew up eating all kinds of che my mom made, and normally she makes this che and a few others when I come home as a treat.  But as I'm living in Oz this year, I got sufficiently desperate a few weeks ago to attempt this on my own.  I'd like to think my mom would have been happy with the results, and I love the idea that, next time I'm home, I can now make this for her.

Banana Coconut Tapioca 'Soup' (aka: Vietnamese Che Chuoi)

Light yet satisfying and very versatile, Che Chuoi can be served hot, room temp, or chilled.

Ingredients:


1 cup water
1 cup coconut milk (I prefer full fat, but you can use light)
1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar (start with 1/4 and add more as desired; it should be sweet, but not cloying, so I don't recommend going over 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup tapioca pearls (the recipe pictured here consisted of 1/4 cup; if you like a LOT of tapioca, you can increase to 1/3 cup)
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 bananas, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
* toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)


Directions:


1.  Bring water and coconut milk to a boil in a large saucepan.
2.  Add tapioca, sugar, and salt and cook over medium-low heat until tapioca is cooked through and translucent, about 30 min.  Be sure to stir the pot occasionally to prevent the tapioca from clumping.
3.  Add bananas and cook for an additional 5-10 min.  
4.  Serve hot, room temp, or chilled.  Garnish with toasted sesame seeds if using.






Blueberry Muffins


Without question, the number one thing my mom always asks me to make her when I'm home is blueberry muffins.  Our love affair with this ubiquitous but often mediocre muffin started when I was in the second grade.  My mom had a coworker who made the most amazing blueberry muffins, and every Friday, my mom would buy a big bag from her to bring home as a treat.  I vividly recall coming come home from school and heading straight to the bag of muffins, from which I'd extract TWO, just for myself.  I'd split them in half, toast briefly in the toaster oven, and slather butter all over it (well, at the time, it was Country Crock spread, but I've since changed my ways).  The muffins were rich and buttery without being overly so or greasy, had just the right amount of sweetness, perfect crumb texture, and fantastic blueberry flavor.  To this day, neither my mom nor I have tasted a muffin that comes close, and I've long been on the search for the perfect blueberry muffin.  This recipe from America Test Kitchen was my most recent attempt, and I'm sad to say that my search continues: while these muffins were quite good, the texture was a bit too dense/stiff and the blueberry flavor just didn't bowl us over despite the extra step of making blueberry jam and swirling it in.  Perhaps I failed where others have succeeded?  If you've made this recipe to rave reviews, please let me know.  In the meantime, until I find a better recipe, these are the ones my mom gets when I'm home.  If anyone out there has a recipe that I MUST try, please post a link to it here!

Muffin, anyone??

Fresh from the oven

Blueberry goodness

(Adapted from America's Test Kitchen's "Best Blueberry Muffins" recipe; online members can find the recipe at http://www.americastestkitchen.com/)


Ingredients:

• 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 1/8 cups sugar plus 1 teaspoon 
• 2 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour 
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

• 1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place oven rack in upper-middle position.
  2.  Line muffin pan with liners or treat with nonstick cooking spray. 
  3.  Over medium heat, bring 1 cup blueberries and 1 teaspoon sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan.  Cook for 5-7 min, stirring and mashing berries frequently to help them break down and yield a thick mixture.  When the berries have properly reduced, you should have about 1/4 cup of 'jam.'  Pour jam into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature, about 10-15 min.
• 4.  Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl.  
  5.  Whisk eggs and remaining 1 1/8 cups sugar in a separate bowl until thick and combined, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined, then whisk in buttermilk and vanilla until combined.
  6.  Fold egg mixture and remaining cup blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened.  The batter should be very lumpy with some spots of dry flour, so be careful not to overmix.
• 7.  Fill muffin cups completely full and spoon 1 teaspoon of the berry 'jam' into the center of each muffin.  Using a chopstick or skewer, gently swirl the jam into the batter. 
• 8.  Bake for 17-19 min until muffins are golden and just firm. Cool muffins in pan for 5 min, then transfer to a wire rack and cool 5 min before serving.