So, what was I looking for in the ideal whipped cream topping? It should be billowy and ethereal in texture, with a delicate creamy, rich flavor. That is easy to achieve with cow whipping cream (heavy cream) but using plant-based whipping creams can be tricky. I've tried a few and they did not work or had an off taste. Recently, I came across a method in Miyoko Schinner's super-useful book, The Homemade Vegan Pantry, that used coconut oil and soy milk. She's the vegan dairy expert behind Miyoko's plant-based butter and other products!

I tried Miyoko's recipe and the whipped toping was wondrously light, albeit a bit unstable after whipping. So, I manipulated it for a sturdy frosting to decorate a vegan strawberry and cream cake. Developing the vegan whipped cream frosting taught me so much that I returned to Miyoko's original recipe to refine and tweak it so you get this vegan whipped topping recipe -- which is lighter than frosting but sturdy enough to keep in the fridge for days! My husband, who loves regular whipped cream, adores this vegan version. He deemed it just as good as the conventional one. I hope you concur!

A vegan whipped topping for everyone

Why this vegan whipped cream topping works

Many recipes called for aerating chilled coconut cream but it's too dense to get fluffy enough. Here, the key is combining coconut oil with soy milk and cashews! Emulsifying them allows you to make a thick enough vegan whipping cream that you can successfully aerate into a whipped cream topping. Soy milk has enough fat and protein to support the coconut oil. Similarly, raw cashews add body and creaminess.

• Use unsweetened soy milk made from soybeans and water. Keep it simple.
• Select a soy milk that has a decent amount of protein -- about 9 grams per cup. I tested with West Life and Trader Joe's soy milk. Edensoy should work well too.
• Select refined coconut oil because it is flavor neutral. When I made this with virgin, unrefined coconut oil, the whipped cream tasted like tanning lotion. GROSS.
• Miyoko's ratio is 1:2 coconut oil with soy milk in terms of volume. I weighed the coconut oil to be consistent. If you weigh the soymilk, it should be about 240g for 1 cup.
• To save money, use cashew halves and pieces.

Add-ins for vegan whipped cream topping

Aside from the coconut oil and soy milk, here's what the other ingredients do for this vegan whipped topping:

• Sugar lends body and adds sweetness to the whipping cream. Do not cut back on the sugar because the cream will not whip up and thicken well without a certain amount of sugar.
• Vanilla and salt add aroma and flavor. Salt amplifies the mildly sweet vegan whipped cream. I used vanilla extract. When I tried vanilla paste, the mixture barely whipped up.
• Instant vanilla pudding mix or Dr. Oetker's Whip It stabilize the whipped cream so it will sit well in the fridge for days. They contain powerful modified cornstarch and other ingredients to absorb moisture and set the liquid mixture. Dr. Oetker's will yield a firmer, more stable whipped topping than the pudding mix. The pudding mix adds a pale yellow cast to the whipped topping. Buy Dr. Oetker's Whip It online or at Cost Plus (like I did!).

Watch me make vegan whipped cream topping

It's a miracle that these everyday ingredients come together for form a fluffy, light vegan whipped cream topping.

One final note . . .

Regular cow's whipping cream increases in volume as you whip it and aerate it. Vegan whipped cream does not increase in volume much. It does thicken and get billowy. It's rather magical. I hope you enjoy this recipe. Share your insights if you tweak it and how you serve it!

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Vegan Whipped Cream Topping

One batch makes 2 cups. Use as much as you like per serving but for dipping or spooning, about ¼ cup (60ml) seems like a nice amount of richness. Weigh ingredients, whenever possible, for consistent results.

Servings 8

Ingredients

• ½ cup | 110g refined coconut oil
• 1 cup | 240ml unsweetened soy milk, at room temperature
• ¼ cup | 30g raw cashews (whole or pieces)
• 2 ½ oz | 75g granulated sugar (about ⅓ cup organic or 6 tablespoons white)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix or Dr. Oetker Whip It

Instructions

• Make vegan whipping cream: Measure the coconut oil into a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat in the microwave on high power until just clear and melted, 30 to 45 seconds. Let cool to when it feels warm (about 100F). Pour the coconut oil into a blender jar. Add the soy milk, cashews, sugar, and vanilla. Whirl on high speed until pureed and creamy white, 30 to 60 seconds.
• To ensure it is very cold and will whip up nicely, the cream should be 35 to 40F. Pour into a bowl, cover well, and at least 4 hours or better yet, overnight. (When in a hurry, transfer to a metal bowl and partially freeze for 2 hours, stirring 1 or 2 times.)
• Whip it well: Use an electric mixer on medium-low speed to whip the vegan whipping cream. After a few minutes, when it starts to thicken (the beater tracks are a little deeper), sprinkle in the pudding mix (or Whip It). Continue beating, increasing the speed to medium or medium high. Beat until until soft peaks form, 5 to 8 minutes total. (If the cream doesn't start thickening during this time period, it's not cold enough! Freeze it for an hour or so then resume whipping.) Use immediately or refrigerate until serving time. Briefly rewhip if the cream seems a bit flat.

The post Vegan Whipped Cream Topping That Actually Holds: Creamy, Light and Dreamy appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

Nampla prik literally means fish sauce with chilies spiked with lime juice. I'd had it before at restaurants where it was lackluster, but Pim adds thinly sliced shallot and the sauce dazzles with complex flavor. You can have it as you like - with or without chilies - as much as you like, sometimes with garlic. Add extra lime juice to boost the tanginess for your taste.

How does Thai nampla prik compare to Vietnamese nuoc cham?

Nampla prik is more intensely tart, salty, spicy and pungent. There's no sugar and no water involved like what's in my master nuoc cham recipes in my newsletter and on this website. Also, nampla prik is enjoyed in relatively small, yet potent, quantities. You stir together it together and serve with a small spoon like you see in these photos from Cooking Thai. The above is of the bougie pad gaprao only and below are two fried rices. No, there is no shallot in this version for the rice. Yes, you can have nampla prik your way.

Nampla prik isn't super multipurpose like nuoc cham. In the book, we present it as a Thai "serving sauce" to accompany dishes like the holy basil stir-fries, salted egg yolk-shrimp fried rice and northern curry and mushroom fried rice. But ubiquitous holy basil stir fries (pad gaprao) can be made with practically any kind of meat or tofu so you're apt to see the same sauce on many tables.

How to make Pim's nampla prik

Nampla prik brightens and enlivens anything it touches. Use a small spoon to sprinkle the sauce onto your food at the table.

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Nampla Prik

One batch of this fish sauce and chilies serving sauce yields about ¼ cup to serve 4. Recipe source: Cooking Thai by Pim Techamuanvivit with Andrea Nguyen (2026, Ten Speed Press)

Course basics

Cuisine Thai

Keyword nampla prik, Thai basic sauce

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce or Thai thin soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Thai chilies
• 1 tablespoon very thinly sliced shallot

Instructions

• In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, fish sauce (or Thai thin soy sauce), and Thai chilies. If using, stir in the shallot too. Let sit for a few minutes before serving with stir-fries, fried rice and fried foods. Dispense it with a small spoon because a little goes a long way.

Enjoy nampla prik your way

I always pack my tablespoon with the shallot because it tastes really good after sitting in the lime juice and fish sauce. For a primer on Thai fish sauce and soy sauce, check page 22 of Cooking Thai or visit the VWK guide to salty, spicy Thai condiments and seasonings.

Once you've experienced nampla prik on Thai food, you may be putting it on other things. For instance, I liked it for the Pad Kee Mao (drunken rice noodles stir-fry) in the book. And do note in the photo below that I left the chilies out of that bowl. My Viet taste buds can't handle as much chili heat as Thai taste buds can. I'd put a decent amount in the stir-fried noodles!

The post Nampla Prik, a 1-Minute Thai Wonder Sauce to Brighten Many Foods appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

While developing recipes and writing Cooking Thai with chef Pim, I got to have all my Thai cooking questions answered. Additionally, I was able to stress test the recipes when made with non-Thai ingredients. Together, Pim and I put together a comprehensive guide to Thai ingredients for the book (preview it, if you have not).

This blog post features an excerpt from our book, Cooking Thai. It's accompanied by the photo shot by Ed Anderson. The photo in the book (scroll on down) includes numbers so you can identify exactly what the label looks like. I have slightly tweaked things for internet layout and visibility. Bookmark and return to this page whenever you wonder about condiments and salty or umami seasonings for cooking up Thai food. Of course, this content was written for readers of the Cooking Thai cookbook. If you don't yet have a copy, consider getting the book. It's a keeper.

Savory, spicy, and salty Thai condiments

When a recipe ingredient is labeled "Thai," such as Thai thin soy sauce, use a brand from Thailand. It makes a huge difference in how the recipe comes out. Stock your pantry with these condiments to craft great Thai food.

[1] Fish sauce น้ำำ˝ˇปลา is a liquid made from fermented fish and salt and is widely sold. The two brands I use the most are Thai- produced Trachang (scale logo) and Megachef. Two other commonly available Thai brands, Squid and Tiparos, are OK too. Those four Thai brands contain between 1,500 and 1,700 mg of sodium per tablespoon. If your brand differs from mine significantly, adjust as needed.

[2] Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce ซอสภููเขา ฝาเขีียว has a distinctly savory, slightly sweet flavor that's akin to lighter Maggi Seasoning sauce. It harmonizes well with Thai ingredients, whereas Maggi easily overwhelms. If unavailable, substitute Thai thin soy sauce. 

[3] Sea salt เกลืือทะเล , particularly fine sea salt that clocks in at about 550 mg per ¼ teaspoon, is what I often use in recipes. Check the nutrition label on your sea salt and adjust the amounts called for in recipes if needed.

[4] Thai black soy sauce ซีีอิ๊๊วดำำ˝ˇ is sweet, salty, and slightly syrupy- like diluted Indonesian kecap manis; this condiment is sometimes labeled sweet black soy sauce. I like the sauces by Megachef and Dragonfly, which is made by the Kwong Hung Seng company in Thailand. 

[5] Thai oyster sauce น้ำำ˝ˇมัันหอย tastes salty-sweet with a hint of brininess to evoke the piscine origin of the original condiment long ago. I prefer a Thai brand with relatively low sodium. Maekrua brand is mild and fine, but harder- to-find Megachef brand is punchier and better (check online, including Weee!). If you use non- Thai oyster sauce, use about 25 percent less. For vegan oyster sauce, we use Lee Kum Kee brand. 

[6] Thai sriracha ศรีีราชา is a chili-based hot, slightly garlicky, and mildly sweet condiment that originated in the 1930s in Si Racha, a town on the Gulf of Thailand. Generally available in two heat strengths, medium and strong, Thai-style sriracha works best for my dishes, like the Kin Khao Wings on page 78. I favor Sriraja Panich and Shark brands.

[7] Thai thin soy sauce ซีีอิ๊๊วขาว is not as dark as Chinese, Japanese, or Korean soy sauce, but it has a strong salinity and deep umami flavor so it pairs well with and can stand in for fish sauce in Thai vegetarian recipes. Healthy Boy thin soy sauce and Megachef gluten-free soy sauce work well. 

Umami from land and sea for Thai dishes

Along with sauces and salt, these umami-laden seasonings help build exciting Thai dishes.

[8] Dried shrimp กุ้้˝ˇงแห้้ง are used whole or chopped to add savory depth. Check the cold case of a Chinese or Southeast Asian market for small or medium ones and keep them frozen to preserve flavor and freshness. When possible, buy dried shrimp without food coloring; those may not be the brightest orange, but they'll be better for you. 

[9] Gapi กะปิิ (Thai shrimp paste) is the grounding umami in many Thai dishes. The dark mauve paste is typically sold in plastic jars, shelved in the fermented condiment or Thai section of Southeast Asian and Chinese markets. It is also sold online. Gapi is made from fermented shrimp (krill to be exact) and salt, plus maybe some MSG and sugar. Buy true, pure gapi made from just shrimp and salt, if you can. Brands such as Prateepthong (shrimp logo) and Trachang (scale logo) are good. Store it in the fridge, where it will last forever. Artisanal gapi is hard to find, so use my good gapi hack 0 (see page 118) to mimic excellent gapi produced in Thailand. Perplexingly, some Thai products labeled "shrimp paste" are not gapi. If the list of product ingredients includes oil and other spices, that's not gapi!

[11] Hatcho miso is a dark, thick, strong- flavored paste made from pure soybeans with no other grains (unlike other types of miso), is the best substitute for dried fermented soybeans, or tua nao ถั่่่วเน่่่า, from Northern Thailand. To make a swap for tua nao, I dehydrate miso and my recipes offer fast- and slow- drying methods. Shop for quality brands of hatcho miso, like Hikari or Marukome, at Japanese markets. When unavailable, use a dark aka (red) miso. If you are lucky enough to find real Thai tua nao, use it.

More on Cooking Thai (the cookbook!)

Learn more about the contents of the cookbook in this Cooking Thai preview, which includes tips on how to use the book well plus a video of a virtual book talk that Pim and I did for the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

To try some Cooking Thai recipes, check out these Substack newsletter dispatches by Georgia Freedman (Savory Thai Citrus-Herb Salad) and Maggie Hoffman (Kin Khao Wings). Nigella spotlighted the book's Bougie Pad Gaprao (holy basil and beef stir-fry) on her website. Yes, that Nigella.

When you cook from the Cooking Thai, tag us on social media so we may amplify your enthusiasm! And, please review the book on Amazon or wherever you purchased your copy to help other people realize the book's value.

The post Basic Salty, Spicy Condiments and Seasonings for Cooking Thai Food appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

Get an inside look at Cooking Thai in this video

Chances are you won't be seeing us at book talk nearby. No problem! You can learn about the book at your leisure by watching this virtual book talk. It's a Zoom video playback of a virtual book talk Pim and I did for the International Association of Culinary Professionals. I've been a long-time member of the guild, which is for anyone interested in the food industry.

You'll understand how we structured the book so you can max out on its valuable contents.

Thai ingredients and explainers

As mentioned in the video, we've got your back regarding ingredient usage, dosage, and helping you get creative. Start looking for pointers at the beginning of the book!

How to handle chili heat? Many people are concerned about the chile heat in Thai cooking. We get it. It's like the Paul Simon song, "One Man's Ceiling Is Another Man's Floor". Chili heat is central to Thai cuisine but you won't incinerate while using this book. For instance, post-menopause me is a moderate-to-light heat seeker. There are tips in the book's 'frontmatter' (front section) to explain what you need. Additionally, we identify the chile types and how you can dial up or down the heat. Here's a page from the ingredient discussion that we mention in the video.

There are ten (10) recipe chapters total. As mentioned in the video, the recipe are written to help you master techniques and flavors. Be sure to peruse the "Anatomy of a recipe" for the Cooking Thai ground rules. You'll use the recipes better.

In the recipe chapters, pages like the one below are major explainers of key Thai culinary concepts. Here, the explainer is about what laab is and how it's enjoyed. We want you to understand the basic principles, use our recipes to craft great Thai flavors, then create your own with confidence.

Other 2-page spreads contain recipes. Here are the formulas for making som tum beyond the usual green papaya version. As Pim says in the video -- you can't always get green papaya!

100 recipes for cooking the best Thai food

Recipes in the book range from easy to complex projects. For a taste of a very easy, riffable recipe, check out the savory citrus-herb salad that Georgia Freedman shared in her recent newsletter dispatch My California Table. You can make the salad (below, left) with summertime fruits like nectarines and plums too.

Other recipes, like khao soi (above right), northern Thai chicken and coconut noodle soup is a tasty project. Pim's recipe is a signature of her restaurant, Kin Khao. You'll want to make it over and over. It freezes well too.

All 100 recipes in Cooking Thai were photographed by Ed Anderson (who was among the recipe testers), food styled by Alison Attenborough, and prop styled by Glenn Jenkins. Piim and I were both on set for the two-week shoot. That's why the photos are so gorgeous. To whet your appetite . . .

What are these dishes? From the top left: roasted sweet potato massaman curry; curry puffs done with chicken plus a veggie version; Kin Khao chicken wings (a favorite at Pim's restaurant); stir-fried crab rice noodles; grilled tofu, chicken and lamb; crab with black pepper; and seared scallop in spicy coconut sauce.

Here's a 2-page spread of one of my favorite meals from the book -- gai yang (Thai grilled chicken), carrot som tum salad, lettuce and herbs, sticky rice, and two sauces -- jaew and sweet chile sauce.

We hope you enjoy Cooking Thai as much as we do!

The post Cooking Thai: Cookbook First Look appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

This cold soba dish caught my eye because it's more substantial than the classic cold soba dish -- zaru soba. Whenever I eat zaru soba, I need to make other dishes as sides because the noodles and clear broth are not enough. Goma dare soba is loaded with veggies and seasoned with a protein-rich, salty-sweet broth. The broth is called "goma dare" and you may have had something similar with shabu shabu. Here it's plays a major role to define the flavor and texture of the noodle dish.

Cold sesame soba is easy to put together and delicious when you have homemade dashi in the fridge; make it vegan with shiitake dashi or use regular dashi. You can prep the broth, noodles and cucumber a couple days ahead, and then return them to room temperature and finish dish. Lunch or dinner is made. Below are some pointers for you to be extra successful with this comforting Japanese noodle dish.

Cold sesame soba broth done your way

Ono and Salat call for Japanese sesame paste which is not as readily available. Tahini is milder tasting and they permit it as sub. I used tahini and the flavor was very good. I opted for agave syrup for a rounder mouthfeel than sugar. When the vinegar and soy sauce hit the other broth ingredients, the broth curdles and separates a bit . That's the soy milk reacting to the acid and salt. Do not worry! Once the broth hits the soba, the starch in the noodles cancel out the separated soy milk and your noodles become wonderfully cloaked in silkiness. I used my homemade dashi for excellent flavor.

Noodle and veggie swaps

Aside from soba, Ono and Salat suggest featuring substituting ramen, somen, or udon. I imagine if you have capellini pasta, that would work too! The beauty of soba is that they are packaged as pre-portioned 3-ounce quantities. The Japanese are consistent!

Asparagus season is fleeting so when it's unavailable use green beans, snap peas, or carrots. I cut my green beans on a steep bias so they blend in with the noodles and be chopstickable. Blanch the veggie in the pot of water before cooking the soba. You'll save dishwashing time.

How to thinly slice avocado

The avocado lends richness to these noodles. If you want it to look good and not be mushy or clumpy. Here are my tips:

• Make sure to use a firm-ripe avocado.
• Halve, seed, then peel the avocado.
• With the cut side facing down, quickly drag your knife through the avocado, spacing the cuts a good ⅛ inch (3mm) apart.
• Use your hand to gently press, tilt and fan out the avocado slices to one side.
• Transfer the slices to the bowls.
• Do the avocado slicing before serving to avoid browned avocado.

I've marked many other recipes to try in Japanese Comfort Cooking. Get yourself a copy and dive in!

Print

Cold Sesame Soba | Goma Dare Soba

This recipe for 胡麻だれ蕎麦 has been adapted from the original published in Japanese Comfort Cooking: An Opinionated Guide toModern, Homey, Classic Japanese Recipes by Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat (© 2026, Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House).

Course Main Course, noodles

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword cold noodles, soba, vegan

Servings 4

Ingredients

Sesame broth

• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoon | 210ml Dashi, regular or shiitake (see Notes)
• ¼ cup | 60ml Japanese sesame paste or tahini
• ¼ cup | 60ml unseasoned rice vinegar
• ¼ cup | 60ml mirin (see Notes)
• 1 cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup sugar or agave syrup
• 2 cups unsweetened soy milk

Soba and toppings

• 12 ounces | 360g dried soba noodles (4 portions)
• 2 Persian or 1 small English cucumber, cut into thin strips
• 4 ounces | 120g asparagus or green beans, blanched, cooled, and
• 1 firm-ripe avocado, sliced
• ½ small | 60g red onion, thinly sliced and soaked in cold water for 10 minutes
• 2 teaspoons wasabi
• 1 or 2 full sheets nori, snipped into narrow, short strips (see Note)

Instructions

• Make the sesame broth: In a large bowl, whisk together the dashi, sesame paste, rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and soy milk until smooth. (Depending on the package, you might need to knead the sesame paste a bit to get it all out.) Keep the broth in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.
• Cook the soba: To cook the soba, first prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl and set it in the sink. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the soba and cook for about 3 minutes, or until it is cooked through but still retains some bite. Drain and dunk the noodles in the ice water bath. When the noodles are cool, drain them and set aside.
• Assemble and serve: Divide the soba among four serving bowls. Pour ½ to 1 cup (120ml to 240ml) of the sesame broth over the noodles in each bowl. Top each bowl with equal portions of cucumber, asparagus, avocado, and drained red onion, arranging them in separate mounds. Add a small dab (about ½ teaspoon) of wasabi to each bowl. Sprinkle the nori over the top for garnish.
• Serve immediately, encouraging everyone to mix everything together before diving in. Refrigerate leftover broth for up to a week to use again.

Notes

• For the best flavor, make dashi yourself. Use my recipes for regular or shiitake dashi here. 
• No mirin? Use this recipe to make some ASAP!
• Instead of red onion, use a medium shallot. 
• Instead of Japanese nori, use Korean gim, toasted seaweed sheets. 

The post Cold Sesame Soba (Goma Dare Soba): A Creamy, Satisfying Japanese Noodle Meal appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

It's by Alana Kysar and published in her just released book, Aloha Veggies: Veg-Forward Recipes Celebrating the Flavors of Hawai'i. Alana has a good palate and her writing is solidly geared toward home cooks. Her doable recipes succeed in presenting the flavors and culture of her native Hawaii without dumbing things down. Scattered throughout the Aloha Veggies are stories about farmers and agricultural initiatives in Hawaii to preserve the local savors.

Let hardworking recipes work for you!

Healthy, handsome, and tasty, this easygoing Hawaiian-style kale salad uses two workhorses in Alana's cookbook: (1) crispy, chewy salty-sweet roasted mushroom and (2) a sesame soy dressing. The mushrooms are delicious out of the oven while they've got some edgy crispness. However, they'll hang out well in the fridge for days, begging to be added to more kale salads, tacos, banh mi, noodle bowls, or rice plates.

The shoyu sesame dressing relies on basic staples and the salad is pretty versatile. When making this salad, I used what I had in my garden and fridge. That's why my rendition had a mushroom medley, plus cucumber and cherry tomato. Alana features oyster mushroom and cucumber (above, left). Oyster mushroom become meaty when roasted and the cucumber provides a refreshing contrast to the kale. Like other Aloha Veggies recipes, this salad is pretty elastic so use what you have, so long as you have kale and mushrooms!

What makes this kale salad Hawaiian?

Hawaii is the most Asian state in the nation. Given that, the mushrooms and dressing have a wonderful savory tang, zestiness and pungency, due to Asian staples like soy sauce (shoyu), rice vinegar, ginger, mirin, and sesame (oil and seeds). This is no Kale Caesar, for sure! The salad's flavors are clean and bright, but deeply umami. Green onion adds pungency and and a slight sweetness. You could replace the green onion with shaved Maui sweet onion or red onion, if you like! And if you wonder, kale does grow in Hawaii.

Kale salad with shoyu mushrooms pointers

Before you dive in, here are some tips I gleaned while making this recipe.

Hands-on cooking: You'll need to do little knife work for this salad, which means you can make it with young cooks. They can tear up the mushrooms, grate the garlic and ginger (use a Microplane rasp), and make the dressing. Let the kids massage the kale too! Someone will have to use a knife or scissors cut the kale and other veggies. To minimize dishwashing, toss the salad in the same bowl you tossed the mushroom in with its seasonings!

Vary the 'shrooms: I made this salad the day after I returned home from vacationing in Hawaii. I didn't have oyster mushrooms but I did have a mixed medley of lingering shiitake, portobello and trumpet mushrooms in the fridge. They worked well for the roasted mushrooms and offered varied textures. So, use what you've got but remember to hand tear (or cut) them into large-ish bite size pieces. They will shrink to about one-fourth of their original volume!

Roast countertop: If you don't want to heat up the oven for the mushrooms, use a toaster oven or air-fryer. I used the Ninja Combi oven, one of my favorite small appliances; its baking tray is not perforated so it functions as a super hot, small convection oven. An air-fryer with a basket-like tray will not work.

You'll make three recipes for this salad but they are all extremely short and easy. Start by making the roasted shoyu mushrooms. While they cook, whisk together the dressing and ready the salad components. Then just assemble and serve. We enjoyed the salad with whole grain bread for a restorative, tasty lunch. I've bookmarked a bunch of other fun, promising recipes in Aloha Veggies. Get the book to enjoy more vegetables Hawaiian style!

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Shoyu Mushrooms

This recipe was slightly adapted from Alana Kysar's book, Aloha Veggies (2026, Ten Speed Press).

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Asian American

Keyword roasted mushroom

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons neutral oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce (shoyu), such as Kikkoman
• 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• ⅛- inch piece fresh ginger, finely grated
• 12 ounces fresh mushrooms (oyster, shiitake, trumpet or portobello), torn into large bite-size pieces

Instructions

• Ready the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Season and roast: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic, and ginger. Toss in the mushrooms and mix well to evenly coat. Pour onto the lined sheet pan and arrange in an even layer, aiming to have no mushrooms touch if possible.
• Roast until crispy and richly browned, stirring once or twice, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes.

Notes

In a Ninja Combi multicooker oven, air-fry the mushrooms in the middle rack position at 400F for about 20 minutes, turning and stirring two or three times. I didn't line the bake tray with parchment but you can. After using, soak the tray in warm water and gently scrub with a sponge to remove the residue.

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Shoyu Sesame Dressing

One batch makes about ½ cup. This dressing should keep well in the fridge for 2 weeks. The recipe was slightly adapted from Alana Kysar's Aloha Veggies (2026, Ten Speed Press).

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (shoyu), such as Kikkoman
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• ¾ teaspoon honey
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• ⅛- inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• ½ garlic clove finely grated
• ⅛ teaspoon white miso optional
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, ground or pounded
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Instructions

• In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sugar, ginger, garlic, and miso (if using) until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the sesame seeds. Stream in the neutral oil and sesame oil and whisk to emulsify.

Notes

Instead of the honey and sugar, you can use 2 teaspoons agave syrup.

Use a mortar and pestle to ground or pound the sesame seeds. I have a rotary grinder but it is painfully slow! 

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Kale and Shoyu Mushroom Salad

All the components can be prepped in advance and refrigerated until you're ready to assemble. Pack this salad for lunch or a picnic. This recipe was slightly adapted from Alana Kysar's book, Aloha Veggies (2026, Ten Speed Press).

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 batch Shoyu Mushrooms (recipe above)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Shoyu Sesame Dressing (recipe above)
• Two 8-ounce bunches lacinato dino kale, midribs removed and cut crosswise as narrow ribbons (10 ounces total)
• Unseasoned rice vinegar optional
• 2 Persian cucumbers thinly sliced on a bias, 2 or 3 handfuls cherry tomatoes, halved, or a combo
• 2 green onions whites and greens, thinly sliced

Instructions

• Ready the components: Make the shoyu mushrooms as directed. While the mushrooms are roasting, make the dressing.
• Assemble and serve: In a large mixing bowl, combine the kale with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Massage the leaves with the dressing for a minute. Taste and if needed, massage in 1 to 2 tablespoons of vinegar for bright flavor. Add the cucumbers (and/or tomato) and nearly all of green onions and toss with half the dressing. Add more dressing to taste. Transfer to a platter, top with the shoyu mushrooms. Garnish with the remaining green onion then serve immediately.

Notes

The mushroom, dressing and salad recipes are reprinted with permission from Aloha Veggies: Veg-Forward Recipes Celebrating the Flavors of Hawai'I by Alana Kysar. Copyright © 2026 by Alana Kysar. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

The post Hawaiian-Style Kale Salad with Shoyu Mushrooms appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

Dashi has water and two (2) main ingredients - dried kelp (kombu) and shaved bonito flakes (katsuobushi). Those are two Japanese pantry ingredients that all good cooks should maintain. Aside from those foodstuffs, you'll just need water, which is technically an ingredient but also not normally counted as one.

When making dashi, know that most of the cooking involved is passive. You don't have to do anything but let the kombu (dried kelp) soak in water. The actual active cooking takes about 10 minutes. What you'll do is heat the stock up and add the katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). The result is a nuanced, naturally umami-laden dashi that will make dishes taste excellent. Your miso soup, tempura, noodles, rice, and salads will benefit. Make a batch of this dashi to keep it in the fridge and it'll repay you many times over during the week. When you want to zhug up a dish, consider dashi!

Homemade dashi vs instant dashi powder and dashi granules

Many recipes online and elsewhere call for dashi no moto -- instant dashi powder and dashi granules. That's like asking you to use chicken stock powder instead of homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth. Sure, I've called for instant dashi in recipes like this grilled eggplant to get people to make it. But I know the dish tastes better with homemade dashi.

Instant dashi is unfortunately one dimensional tasting. It lacks the layered depth and body that soaking kombu imparts. Plus, bonito flakes's charming smokiness does not come through well in the instant powder or granules. Any time I use instant dashi powder or granules, I go back to making dashi from scratch. My food and my family thank me for it! So skip the granules. With kombu, bonito flakes, and water, you can make rich, umami-packed dashi that's surprisingly easy-and transforms soups, sauces, noodles, and more.

Kombu (dried kelp) and katsuobushi (bonito flakes) buying guide

Buy kombu and katsuobushi at Chinese, Japanese, and Korean markets or online. Here are my sourcing tips:

• Kombu (dried kelp) comes in different qualities but unless you are a connoisseur of Japanese ingredients, there is no need to hunt down the high-end stuff. I use dashi kombu, a well-priced all-purpose type of dried kelp. It is lower in naturally occurring glutamates than other varieties of kombu but it will impart good flavor. If there's a white powder on it, all the better. That's extra glutamates for bonus flavor!For affordable and good dashi kombu, I get WEL-PAC brand; it comes from Korea. Japanese kombu (below, from a Mitsuwa) is a little pricey and worth exploring.
  • How to store and use kombu: After opening the package, store it in a zip-top plastic bag in the cupboard. When measuring kombu for recipes, I use square inches. If the kombu looks small, it never hurts to use a little more.

• Dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi or katsuo-bushi) is a staple of Japanese kitchens. The thin shavings of dried bonito lend a signature smoky edge to dashi stock. They are also a go-to garnish for dishes like Japanese chilled tofu, fried tofu, and chilled spinach ohitasthi.  Put katsuobushi atop hot food and they'll wave to say "hello". Although you can spend a fortune for premium katsuobushistart out with the flakes available in small plastic envelopes sold four or six to a package. All you need for a batch of dashi is a five-gram packet (half a lightly packed cup). When you're ready, buy a bigger bag of it and store in an airtight container. Look for the flakes at Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and health food markets.
  • How to store and use katsuobushi: Store it the cupboard where it lasts for a long time! When using, measure by the package or use a scale. The flakes vary in size so individual packs are usually very compact.

Choose water wisely

Just like for making soy milk and tofu, use good water for the best, most delicate results. Soak the kombu in water you like to drink or use for making ice cubes! I have a reverse osmosis filter system and use that. Dashi is mostly water so make sure you start with tasty water!

What to use homemade dashi for?

Aside from miso soup, many things benefit from dashi. Here are a few ideas from this website and my newsletter. They are either Japanese, Japanese inspired or just plain good cooking! If I use instant dashi in a recipe, know you can simply replace the instant dashi and water with an equal amount of dashi stock.

• Dashi soaked eggplant
• Dashi carnitas
• Japanese chestnut rice (Kuri Gohan; frozen peeled chestnuts are sold at many Chinese markets so make this easy, special tasting rice year-round)
• Japanese crispy tofu in dashi sauce (Agedashi Tofu) -- done air-fried or deep-fried
• Creamy tofu seafood chowder

How to repurpose kombu from making dashi

Don't throw away that kelp when you finish making dashi stock. Follow the lead of frugal Japanese cooks and stockpile the kelp in the refrigerator or freezer, where you can keep it for several days or months, respectively. Add some to a pot of beans to mitigate flatulence, create a thick bean liquor, and add umami.

Vegan dashi variation

Soak the kombu with ½ to 1 ounce (15 to 30g) of dried shiitake mushroom in 5 cups (1.2L) of water. Do an overnight soak to ensure good flavor. Bring to boil and remove the kombu. Let cool for 15 to 30 minutes before straining. Save the rehydrated mushrooms and kombu for other dishes. If you like, add 1 cup (240ml) of coarsely chopped woody asparagus ends, carrot peels, daikon peels, or sad leaves of napa cabbage to the pot as it heats up; you'll infuse the vegan dashi with extra flavor.

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Dashi Stock

One batch yields about about 4 cups. Check the main post for ingredient sourcing and to repurpose the leftover kombu!

Course stock

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword dashi, stock

Servings 4

Ingredients

• About 20 sq inches | 30 sq cm kombu (dried kelp)
• 4 ½ cups | good 1L water filtered or spring water preferred
• ½ cup lightly packed 5 grams katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)

Instructions

• Soak the kombu: If there is a chalky film on the kelp, resist wiping or washing it off as it contains natural glutamates. Put the kombu and water in a saucepan and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes to extract flavor from the seaweed. For greater depth, soak for a few hours or cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Make the dashi: Heat over medium heat until small bubbles break at the surface and have formed at the sides of the saucepan; some white foam floating on the surface is okay. Remove the saucepan from the heat and scatter in the katsuo-bushi. The flakes will float at the top and then start sinking to the bottom of the saucepan. After waiting 3 to 4 minutes (it is okay if the bonito flakes are still floating on top; don't wait too long or the stock can become overly fishy), remove the kelp and reserve for other purposes. Line a mesh strainer with a coffee filter, paper towel, or muslin, then strain the stock.
• The stock is ready to use, or you can refrigerate if in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Sediment gathering at the bottom of the storage container is not a sign of spoilage.

The post How to Make Dashi: Easy Homemade Japanese Stock with 2 Ingredients appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

Abroad in places like America, the reverse is the case. Most people buy mayonnaise! I've been tinkering with making mayo since I was a teenager. I spent about a month developing mayonnaise recipes for The Banh Mi Handbook.

Given that cultish Kewpie is globally popular nowadays, including in Vietnam where it's a leading brand of the sauce, I decided to make an easy Kewpie-style dupe of it to (1) save money and (2)  enable you to easily play with mayonnaise.

Kewpie versus Q.P. mayo?

I call this Q.P. Mayo because it stands for Quick Prep. It delivers the creamy richness and savory, slightly sweet tang of Japanese Kewpie-style mayonnaise, but it comes together in about two minutes using pantry ingredients. Among the ingredients is monosodium glutamate (MSG), part of the signature Kewpie flavor. Moreover, the method is failsafe and foolproof because I use an immersion (stick) blender. In Vietnamese, sốt bơ trứng is also known by its hybrid name, sốt mayonnaise. However you call it, this mayonnaise recipe is super delicious and a surefire way to boost your banh mi mastery. This mayonnaise not just for Viet sandwiches. Use it on literally everything else! A few recipe suggestions are below!

Why an immersion blender works for perfect mayonnaise?

Put all the ingredients in a container and the oil floats to the top. Slide the immersion blender in to touch bottom and as it works, you create a vortex. The oil gets worked into the other ingredients in a systematic way - like as when you stream it into a blender or processor while the machine runs. But you don't have to be so precise because the stick blender is doing the work for you and the oil is already in the container! Broken up by the immersion blender, the oil melds with the other ingredients at the bottom to create a perfect emulsion. Other questions you may have:

• Did I (Andrea) invent this method? I'm not that brilliant. Using an immersion blender for mayonnaise is a method I found in a Cuisinart stick blender user manual!
• What if you do not have an immersion blender? The recipe below has instructions for using a blender and processor. It works well but you just have to be patient with streaming in the oil.

Watch me make this Kewpie-style mayonnaise

Because this method may seem strange, here's a video showing how the mayonnaise gets made!

Ways to play with Q.P. mayo

You may not have all the ingredients and/or want to tinker with this recipe. Some ideas for your mayonnaise fun:

• Instead of MSG or Asian mushroom seasoning granules, use 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, Marmite, or finely ground nutritional yeast. The flavor will not be equal as with the flavor enhancers, but you'll have an umami boost. 
• Make Banh Mi Shop Mayonnaise: Add 2 pinches turmeric with the salt to mimic the cheery version at banh mi shops. Blend or process as usual.
• Make Umami Sriracha Mayonnaise: Omit the mustard and sweetener, use the vinegar instead of lemon juice, and add 2 tablespoon sriracha. Blend or process as usual.
• Make a dupe of Duke's mayonnaise: Check out Step's comment below. She's a Duke's fan and tweaked my recipe to make her's Duke-ish!

Recipes to use Q.P. mayonnaise Vietnamese style

With the mayonnaise on hand, nothing stops you from making extra-tasty dishes like banh mi. Use my master banh mi blueprint recipe to make the Viet sandwiches of your dreams. In summer, I like to make hot dog banh mi extra special with this mayonnaise. For a fun and easy spread or sandwiches, create a special umami tofu "egg" salad to wow omnivores. Plop some on shucked oysters and briefly broil to barely cook the oysters then eat with a little wasabi as a Hanoi-style beer snack!

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Umami Q.P. Mayonnaise | Sốt Bơ Trứng

Check the main blog post for tips and variations. This recipe was originally published in my cookbook, Ever-Green Vietnamese (Ten Speed Press, 2023). Makes 1 generous cup | 270ml

Course sandwich, sauce

Cuisine Asian American

Keyword kewpie, mayonnaise, umami mayonnaise

Ingredients

• 1 large egg, near or at room temperature
• 1 big pinch garlic powder, or 1 small garlic clove, minced and mashed or put through a garlic press
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon MSG, or ½ teaspoon Asian mushroom seasoning, pounded to a powder
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ teaspoon agave syrup or mild honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or vinegar, distilled white or unfiltered apple cider
• 1 cup | 240ml neutral oil, such as canola or peanut

Instructions

• To make with an immersion blender: Put the egg, garlic, salt, MSG, mustard, agave syrup, lemon juice, and oil in a 2-cup container (such as a measuring cup or glass jar) that's wide enough for the blender to fit into. Insert the blender to the bottom. Blend on high speed to create a creamy, thick emulsion, pulling up the blender as ingredients become incorporated to ensure things are well blended.
• To make with a regular blender or food processor: Put the egg, garlic, salt, MSG, mustard, agave syrup, and lemon juice in the blender jar or food processor's work bowl. Put the lid on and replace the cap with a funnel to minimize splattering; if using a processor simply remove the pusher. Start the machine, and after a creamy yellow mixture forms, 5 to 10 seconds, start pouring the oil through the funnel (or feed tube) in a slow, steady stream as thin as angel hair pasta. Midway through, after things thicken, pour a thicker stream, as wide as spaghetti. After 1 to 2 minutes, all the oil should be incorporated and the mayo should be creamy and spreadable.
• Taste and tweak: Taste and, if needed, adjust with extra salt (for savoriness), lemon juice (for tang), or water by the teaspoon (for softer texture). Blend or pulse to incorporate. Transfer the mayonnaise to an airtight container, making sure there are no visible air bubbles on the side. Wait 30 minutes before using to allow the umami depth to develop. Keeps well in the refrigerator for at least a week. (I've kept mine for a month!)

The post Kewpie Mayonnaise Dupe (Q.P. Mayo): Ready in 2 Minutes appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

Boiling an egg is tricky. It's a hit-and-miss thing for me and issues I've considered over the years include:

• Should the egg be at room temperature or cold?
• How to ensure the egg is easy to peel? Should you boil only aged eggs?
• How much water to use and in what size pot? And, what about the pressure cooker? What about sous vide?
• How do you keep the yolk centered?
• How long do you boil it and when do you start counting the time?
• To arrest the cooking, how long should you keep the egg in the ice bath?

The complexity of boiling the perfect egg is probably why most recipes calling for a boiled egg simply says, "X number of hard-boiled eggs". To explain how to boil an egg can take substantial time and space on the page. Many recipe developers and writers - myself included - take the wimpy way out and simply write an ingredient line that says, "X number of hard-boiled egg(s)." Good luck to the cook!

Why steaming is great for perfect boiled eggs

Well, here's a solution to perfectly boiled eggs: STEAM heat. No matter how cooked you want your eggs, steaming them is the sure-fire way to ensure boiled egg perfection. I didn't believe it until I tracked down a mention of the method by Alton Brown long ago. It's easy and there are many advantages to steaming eggs over boiling them.

• Temperature and timing: Take the egg straight from the fridge, put it in to steam, and start your timer from there. You control consistent temperature that way. No more worrying about how long to let the egg sit at room temperature or how much water to get boiling.
• Doneness: Because you're starting with consistent egg and cooking temperatures, you can more easily achieve your target doneness. You know how long to steam the eggs to get the doneness you want. No more worrying about the grey ring around the yolk.
• Good looks: A steamed egg is consistently easy-to-peel. No more pock-marked egg white to spoil your deviled eggs. You don't have to wonder if the eggs are fresh or aged enough to boil and peel with ease.
• Yolk placement: It remains centered. There's no need to stir the egg around in the boiling pot of water to set the yolk in the center.
• Ice bath: A 15-minute ice bath stops the cooking process.

3 steps to perfect steamed eggs plus timing tips

Steamed and boiled eggs FAQ

Because like me, you may wonder:

• What kind of steamer to use? Select one that lets you maintain moderate level of steam heat for the cooking time for your eggs. A collapsible metal steamer insert set in a pot or deep skillet works great. My favorite insert stands taller than the rest for plenty of water in the pot. A metal Chinese steamer works well too. So does a pasta insert in a deep pot.
• What if you have medium, extra-large or jumbo eggs? I'd step down the timing for medium eggs by 1 minute, increase cooking time by 1 minute for extra-large egg, and increase steaming time by 1 ½ minutes for jumbo eggs.
• What if you steam for less than 8 minutes? The egg will have a much softer yolk and more tender white, like the one pictured below. For a soft boiled egg, steam for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Does the color of egg make a difference? Nope! Farmers have told me that. The best tasting eggs come from well tended chickens with happy, healthy lives. If you raise egg laying hens (or know someone who does), you know the difference.

What to make with steamed hard-boiled Eggs

Boiled eggs add extra protein, buttery yolk richness as well as a gentle springiness from the whites. The nutrition, flavor and textural bonuses of a perfect boiled egg can make a dish taste special or be the main feature.

• To add extra protein or interesting texture and flavor to chicken pho, add half a boiled egg to each bowl as you're assembling them. Then just ladle in the boiling hot broth and the egg will warm up nicely. This works best with eggs that you've steamed for 10 to 13 minutes. Make chicken pho with my recipes for Instant Pot chicken pho recipe, old school chicken pho recipe, or fast chicken pho.
• How about steaming eggs for northern Indian egg curry (anda masala)? It makes a wonderful light meal with a salad and naan, chapati, or rice. Add a raita like this seared ginger raita to make the curry extra special. Get the Anda Masala recipe here.
• Or venture east from India for a summery Burmese egg and okra curry. It has a nice lick of chile heat and the okra offers a wonderful color contrast. No worries about the slime factor in the okra. It melds into the curry to thicken the sauce, I venture. The recipe is easy and delicious.
• For side dish of Vietnamese cabbage and egg, steam the egg to your liking, then steam the cabbage, cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) wedges, until tender. Serve the cabbage hot, warm, or room temperature. Call it Bắp Cải Hấp ("bắp cải" means cabbage and "hấp" means to steam) instead of the conventional name, Bắp Cải Luộc ("luộc" means to steam). You don't need a formal recipe from me. You just got it!

The post The Best Way to Cook Hard-Boiled Eggs: Steam Them Instead appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

Simeon is very community oriented so Ohana Style ("Ohana" means family and community) conveys his sensibilities through heartfelt homey fare, family stories, and spotlights on the people who have impacted his life. It's a sweet, very Hawaiian vibe that carries throughout the book. The recipes reflect a blending of cultures that's unique to the islands. Flavors and ideas bend toward Asia, but they don't look backwards. Simeon is Filipino American so his palate and flavors are much broader. He's a good chef with three successful restaurants and his flavor combinations are clever twists on classic notions.

If you enjoy fudgy American brownies and Vietnamese coffee, these brownies are for you. The light and dark batters seem fussy but you'll bake up a delectable brownie with the savors of Vietnamese coffee. The cream cheese in the swirl batter lends a cheesecake like quality these Vietnamese Coffee Swirl Brownies.

The secret to these chocolatey, fudgy brownies

Chef recipes are partly technique but also much about selecting ingredients. For these Vietnamese coffee swirl brownies, Simeon advises using a dark Dutch-process cocoa powder and instant espresso powder. They have concentrated flavor that's bold like Vietnamese coffee. Of course, there has to be sweetened condensed milk (Bordens, Old Man, or Target Good and Gather are good)! Adding vanilla pumps up the aroma and flavor of the milk. I've used that combo -- cocoa powder, instant coffee, condensed milk and vanilla, to make the delicious Vietnamese mocha cake recipe in my book, Ever-Green Vietnamese.

Vietnamese coffee swirl brownies pointers

The hardest part about this recipe is layering the batters and swirling. While you can't go wrong, do know this: the chocolate-coffee batter is lighter than the condensed milk batter. You'll layer most of the dark batter in first, then plop on the lighter one, finish with the dark one then strategically run a knife tip through the top. What I suggest is this:

• Simeon's recipe says to put three-quarters of the dark batter into the pan first. I say put about 80 percent of the dark batter into the pan. It's lighter and will float up during baking and will take over the light batter -- if you have too much. So, err on putting more of the dark one down first.
• Scrape up whatever leftover light batter that's in the mixing bowl and use it to add light flourishes at the end.

Tinker with this brownie recipe

After making and eating these brownies, my ideas for you to play with:

• For a coconut edge, instead of all butter, use a 1:1 combo of butter and virgin coconut oil.
• Use salted butter, such as Kerrygold for extra oomph and omit the salt addition.
• For a vegan brownies, use non-dairy cream cheese, such as Kite Hill or Tofutti, coconut condensed milk (Nature's Charm is my favorite), non-dairy butter (I like Miyako's), a favorite egg substitute, and organic cane sugar.

What to do with the extra condensed milk? How about making Vietnamese green or red seafood sauces? Or work it into Thai pork satay? You can also just freeze the condensed milk in a jar for future recipes!

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Vietnamese Coffee Swirl Brownies

Cut this decadent, bold flavored brownie into smallish 2-inch (5cm) square pieces if you're serving them at a party. You could cut those squares into triangles to book fancy. This recipe has been adapted from Sheldon Simeon's book, Ohana Style (Ten Speed Press, 2026).

Servings 12

Ingredients

• Cooking spray or neutral oil, for the pan

Condensed milk swirl

• ¼ cup | 60ml boiling water
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1 8 oz | 225g block cream cheese, at room temperature and very soft
• ¼ cup | 35g all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brownie batter

• ¼ cup | 60ml boiling water
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• ½ cup | 40g Dutch-process dark cocoa powder
• 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter
• ½ cup | 100g granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed | 100g light or dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ cup | 71g all-purpose flour

Instructions

• Ready the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle position Coat an 8 × 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray or oil. Line the bottom and two sides with parchment paper with some paper extended over the edge for easy brownie removal.
• Make the condensed milk swirl: In a small bowl, whisk together the boiling water and instant espresso until dissolved. Stir in the cream cheese, flour, condensed milk, and vanilla, and continue stirring until a smooth batter forms.
• In a mug or cup, whisk together the boiling water and espresso powder until dissolved. Add the cocoa powder incrementally, stirring, until a thick paste with no lumps forms. Set aside.
• Make the brownie batter: In a microwave-safe medium bowl, microwave the butter on low power until completely melted and warm, but not hot. Scrape in the cocoa-espresso paste and whisk until combined and let cool to room temperature.
• Once the butter mixture has cooled, add both sugars, the eggs, and salt. Whisk until frothy. Add the flour incrementally, stirring, until the flour is incorporated and no dry streaks remain.
• Assemble and bake: Scrape about three-quarters of the batter into the baking pan and spread into an even layer. Dollop the condensed milk mixture all over the brownie batter. Finally, dollop the remaining brownie batter over the top. Drag the tip of a knife across the top to swirl the layers together, just enough to form a cool pattern but not so much that they mix together.
• Bake until the center is set, 25 to 30 minutes. If you are using a heavy metal pan, glass, or ceramic baking dish, bake for longer, checking every 3 to 5 minutes (see Note). The brownies will pull away from the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the middle will come out slightly moist with just a few crumbs.
• Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting and serving.

Notes

I used a heavy metal pan and baked for 35 minutes and my brownie was slightly under down in the center. I could have gone for 38 to 40 minutes. Remember to test the bake and be flexible! 

The post Vietnamese Coffee Swirl Brownies appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.