Favourite restaurant vs favourite dish no.1

It does takes constant research to keep things on track here at 
the Spice Bazaar Cooking School.  
Luckily we're up for the task.  

So when we're asked to name our favourite restaurants/cafes to eat at, 
it's not a simple answer.    It depends....
It depends on whose turn it is to choose, what time of day, the weather, 
who's joining us,  and probably other uncited reasons.

But mostly we prefer certain restaurants for specific dishes.  
We call this one 'the green place' but it's real name is Dong Que VN 
and they have a lovely photo of Coxy's visit on their front window.

The most popular dishes are pictured on the walls, so if your Vietnamese pronunciation isn't good you can just point.

Inside it's a clean, tidy, "green" place, with an old style rice paddy painting

We tried their version of sugar cane prawns, and they were fresh and tasty, but....

 The absolute highlight  is the 

"Steamed rice paper with grilled pork and rice cracker".

The delicious grilled pork spring onion filling is encased in a thin, soft steamed rice paper layer, then an outer layer of crispy sesame rice cracker.  The accompanying sauce is an interesting colour purple, and I think it's some type of fermented prawn or crab flavour, 

but it doesn't overpower.

 It's a crisp and soft, taste sensation you just have to try.

The other 'must try' dish here is the "Authentic  Vietnamese spring rolls".  They are nothing like the small morsels served by most of the other local Vietnamese places.  Large, crunchy and delicious. 


Location :  Dong Que VN, 102 Hopkins Street, Footscray 3011 ph 9689 4392

FUSION FOOD FUN

Fusion fun    Who says 'fusion food' is not fun?  I'm stretching the friendships in the kitchen today.
Last nights Philippino pork dish has made it to today's South American lunch.

Well, there is a distinct Spanish influence on the cuisine of the Philippines, and there is a definite relationship between Spanish and South American food.

Masa Lista  
My current favourite ingredient is masa lista - a white ground corn powder that has been treated with lye.  The flavour is more emphatic than masa harina.

You don't need fancy presses or special equipment.
Just 2 pieces of baking paper and a heavy based pot.

Mix together 1 cup of masa lista with 1 cup of water.  
Wait 5 minutes, then knead to a smooth dough.  
Roll a ball of dough and place between 2 pieces of baking paper.  
Press with a heavy pan  Remove the disc carefully from the baking paper.  It tears very easily.

Fry in a little oil, until starting to colour, turn over and repeat.








Braised pork with black beans = Humba p. 103. It's a slow cooked dish, with complex flavours of soya sauce, coconut vinegar, palm sugar, star anise, bay leaves and fermented black beans. Cook it for long enough and you have that exciting fashionable concept  'pulled pork'.  
(All I need now is a po' boy!)  

The soya, vinegar and sugar mellow together and the pork is excellent with a little shredded lettuce, avocado-tomato salsa, sour cream 
and salsa verde.

So that was lunch!