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Vietnam variety

Here are a couple of interesting recipes you could try out this weekend

PHOTOS: T. SINGARAVELOU

TWIN TREAT Vietnamese steamed dumplings and (below) China grass pudding

This week, let's take a look at how Vietnamese dumplings and China grass pudding are made. A popular dish, the dumplings are served hot with coriander, lettuce and mint leaves. The combination of chicken, pepper and fish sauce is delicious. The mince can be made in advance and used on the day the dumplings are made.

China grass pudding is a blend of china grass, sugar and coconut milk and is easy to make.

Vietnamese dumplings - ban bao

Serves 6

Preparation time: 1 hour

Ingredients

For the filling:

Boneless chicken: 1 kg minced
Onions: 8 big, chopped finely
Pepper: 1 tbsp
Fish sauce: 2 tbsp
Eggs, hard-boiled: 6 (cut each into 4)
Fine vermicelli: 100 gm*
Black mushrooms: 100 gm*
Oil: 3 tbsp
* soak in water for 30 minutes, discard water and use

Method: In a deep frying pan, heat oil and sauté onions. Add chicken mince and sauté. Now add black mushroom mince, vermicelli mince and fish sauce. Cook till all the liquid is absorbed. Add pepper and keep it aside.

For the dumpling batter:

Maida: half kg

Live yeast: 1 tsp
Luke warm milk: 2 tbsp
Sugar: 1 tsp
Salt: 1 tsp
Water: 1 cup
Oil: 2 tbsp
Mix maida with water, sugar and salt. Mix yeast in milk, let it froth and add it to the maida. Cover it and let it stand for two hours. It should rise four times in size. Make small balls of the maida. Roll each on your palm with some oil and flatten. Add a tablespoon of the filling, place a piece of hard-boiled egg in the middle and twist the corners to close the dumplings. Place the dumplings in an idly vessel and steam cook for 20 minutes. Serve hot or cold with coriander, lettuce and mint leaves and fish sauce.

China grass pudding

Serves 6

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

China grass: 1 pack

Sugar: 3 tbsp
Salt: 1 pinch
Water: 2 cups
Coconut: 1 grated to extract thick milk
Method: Soak china grass in water for an hour, cook with sugar and salt. Remove from flame, add coconut milk, pour in a container, refrigerate and serve.
Coconut milk
Grate one coconut and run it in a mixer with 100 ml of water. Extract the milk.

KETHARI SRIVANJIAM

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