Cha Ca Hanoi

Hanoi style fish. I had this on my first trip to Vietnam in 2002 - I could not stop eating it!

I really love flavors that the dill and scallions bring out in this dish. Usually served with bun, nuoc mam, veggies, and peanuts.

1 inch piece ginger or galanga
1 1/4 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp rice or coconut vinegar
3/4 tsp shrimp paste
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb catfish (I used sole)
Rice vermicelli
Greens (for serving): I used cucumbers and cilantro. Mint, basil, lettuce would also be good
2 inch pieces of scallions
1 2/3 cup dill (I used dried dill)
1/3 cup peanuts
Vegetable oil
Nuoc mam dipping sauce

What I love about nuoc mam is that there is not right or wrong way to make it. Just dilute the fish sauce with 2x as much water. Add lime and sugar to your liking. Add freshly chopped garlic or ginger and thai peppers.

Place chopped ginger in a mortar and extract as much juice as you can. Add turmeric, sugar, vinegar, shrimp paste, and salt in a medium bowl. Toss in fish and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Cook fish. Toss in scallions and dill.

Mini upside down cakes

I had a 2 overly ripe pluots. Not quite enough for a full upside down cake recipe. I halved the ingredients from Butter + Cream, making 12 upside down cakes. In the future, I might use more batter, to avoid scrapping the bowl for every last bit!



Topping (for 12 mini-cakes, would use even less)
1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 plouts
9 cherries
1/2 banana

Cake
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup rice milk, at room temperature


Prepare topping: Melt butter in saucepan, add brown sugar until incorporated. Line cupcake tin with liners, and spoon in sugar mixture. Add fruit: 2 slices pluot; 3 slices of banana; 3-4 cherry halves.


Prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350C. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg until incorporated. Add milk.

Spoon mixture into cake liners. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool on racks.

Strawberry cream cake

Quite possibly the prettiest thing I've made.

Layered angel food cake with strawberries + vanilla pudding with fresh whipped cream + whipped cream.


Finished with a light layer of whipped cream.