I have a major sweet tooth. HUGE.  It’s why I insisted when I started this blog a year ago that I do at least one dessert from every region. I mean, by limiting myself to the familiar (sticky toffee pudding, chocolate cake), I would have missed out on the gloriousness that was the Cape Brandy Pudding, Meskouta and Sri Lankan Rich Cake.  That would have been a travesty indeed.

I’m not sure if it’s ever been proven, but I will wager that a propensity towards sweets is genetic.  While Mama Buddha’s vice of choice tends towards the rich and chocolatey, Big Buddha’s tastes were more simple:  vanilla ice cream. Egg custard. And tea. Always tea.

I mentioned when introducing the tea leaf salad that tea is a big deal in Burma, and it definitely was in my house as well.  Big Buddha had tea every afternoon, almost like he was English, but not.  He drank what I learned in Nepal to be called “milk tea,”- a strong black tea based with milk and sugar.  I remember as a kid making him his tea, and how particular he was about the color-not too milky, not too dark. Something like a deep caramel color.  Like this:

I also remember going back to the kitchen more than once for a redo, and how I had to keep making it until I got it just right.  Big Buddha’s other trick: evaporated milk. Not cream, not half and half, not milk.  As weird as it sounds, it was delicious. So, if you ever find yourself in pinch and need to use evaporated milk for your coffee, just be warned that you may never switch back.

Today’s dessert, Shwe Gyi Mont, is a classic Burmese cake, and it’s a bit different than the traditional tea cakes that I’m used to eating in two main respects.  First, like the Sri Lankan Rich Cake, it is made with semolina rather than all-purpose flour. Second, it’s partially made on the stovetop before being finished in the oven.

Don’t worry- it’s much easier than it may sound.

The result was a surprise. Tomato commented on the texture with reason- it’s kinda squishy. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; it would be a perfect accompaniment to afternoon tea, and simple enough that I know Big Buddha would have devoured it.  It’s also vegan-adaptable, so if you’re of that persuasion, this cake’s for you.

Pre-thickened and sticky

 Cheers!

I wanted to make Burmese Mohinga.  So…I bought this…

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As I mentioned previously, Thai food is a subtle combination of the sweet and spicy, perfectly melded to make one delicious dish.

While I’m not typically one to order the cream sauces in any occasion, when it comes to Thai food, I’m helpless to any kind of coconut curry.  Red or green. Apple Crisp feels the same way. It’s yet another reason why we’re soul sisters.

I learned how to make it a while ago and don’t nearly make it enough.    All the work is done by using a commercially available red chili paste.

This is what I use, found at my trusty Asian grocer. However, I realize that the name of this game is authenticity, so I’m passing on the red chili paste recipe in mom’s Asian cookbook. When I run out of the canned stuff, I’ll give this a whirl and report my findings. Until then, you’re on your own.  If you happen to try it before I do, give a shout and let me know how it went.

Red Vegetable Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 package extra firm tofu, cut into chunks

1 TB oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1-2 TB red curry paste (adjust depending on heat tolerance)

1 ½ cups coconut milk (light is fine)

1 cup water

2 medium potatoes, chopped

¼ cup basil leaves, finely chopped

1 cup grean beans

½ red pepper, cut into strips

10 fresh baby corn spears

2 TB fish sauce

1 TB lime juice

2 tsp brown sugar

Rice, for serving

*You know those frozen stir-fry mixes? You can totally use one of those. I’ve done that before and it makes this dish even easier**

Directions

1.   Heat the oil in a large wok or saucepan. Cook the onion for about 4 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

2.  In a separate bowl, combine the coconut milk, water, lime juice, fish sauce and brown sugar.

3.  Add the tofu to the onions and add the liquids.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Add the potato, and simmer for 7 minutes.

5.  Add the green beans, red pepper, corn and cook for another 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender.  Stir in the basil to finish.

Red Curry Paste

Recipe from The Essential Asian Cookbook

Ingredients

1 TB coriander seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 tsp shrimp paste

1 tsp ground nutmeg

12 dried or fresh chilies, roughly chopped

20 red Asian shallots, chopped

2 TB oil

4 stems lemon grass (white part only), finely chopped

12 small garlic cloves, chopped

2 TB cilantro roots, chopped

6 kaffir lime leaves, chopped

2 tsp grated lime rind

2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp paprika

Directions

1.  Place cumin and coriander in a dry frying pan and roast for 2-3 minutes, shaking pan constantly.

2.  Place roasted spices and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle and pound until finely ground.

3.  Wrap the shrimp paste in a small piece of foil and cook under a hot grill for 3 minutes, turning the package twice.

4.  Place the ground spices, shrimp paste, nutmeg and chilis in a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients and process for 20 seconds at a time, until a smooth paste is formed.