midweek gems #11
sticky rice dressing video tips + 5 persimmon power recipes + 3 Brussels sprouts ideas
Hey there, everyone!
I hope your holiday planning is going well as we’re about to slide right into Thanksgiving, for those of us in the United States. I have plenty to be thankful for. This past week, I received my official cookbook award certificate and medal from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). It’s a guild of food professionals from all over the globe and this year, Ever-Green Vietnamese won the photography award.
I have been fortunate to be in the final running many times but I’ll be honest, winning is extra nice. Usually, it’s just me and my editor who are named, but this award recognized a whole team of people. Not included is Glenn Jenkins who basically brought two truckloads of props for the EGV photo shoot. If you’ve not gotten a copy of the book, the price at Amazon is very good right now.
Thank you to all who’ve cooked from the book, written reviews for it, and expressed interest in showcasing lots of plants in your cooking. If you need a signed bookplate or two, just email or DM me with a note, including your mailing address.
💎 Sticky Rice Dressing Recipe Video
Before sending out last weekend’s Sunday Special, I didn’t have time to finish a preview video of the sticky rice dressing. I completed it this afternoon and added it to the original dispatch.
I’m also including it here so you can check it out, then hop over to the recipe for the details. Thew new very easy method to cook sticky rice and assemble my family’s Viet-French-American holiday dressing is a godsend in my kitchen. The holidays can be less stressful, and more jolly.
When you’re reviewing the sticky rice recipe, don’t skip the comments. Evvy asked a great question about Melissa’s packaged chestnuts so check the recipe comments for clarification, if you need it. Vivienne asked about applying the method to Taiwanese youfan so I’m going to look into it. Other than Vivienne, have you made that rice dish? Do tell . . .
💎 Season: Persimmon
Fall’s favorite color — orange, isn’t just about pumpkins. For me, it’s about persimmons. Viet people swoon over them and my neighbors let me pick from their trees. They don’t like persimmon for its fruit, but planted the trees for the foliage. Not a problem for me and my friends and family!
We’re mostly fuyu fans (top, left) but I like longer hachiyas (bottom, right) too! Don’t know the difference or what to do to prep or use them in dishes? I put together a Persimmon Power page on my website that includes all this info in one place:
How to peel persimmons (video tip) — because you really should do this!
Chile-lime persimmon lettuce wraps — my Viet-ish salad for the holidays
Persimmon spice cookies — tastes like autumn
Korean spicy persimmon and apple salad — bring on the tangy heat
Persimmon and spinach white tofu salad — our friend shira-ae!
Easy persimmon sorbet — involves 1 ingredient
For those of you who are crafty, try Elizabeth Andoh’s tip. I got it from her Taste of Culture website and newsletter, which you should subscribe to if you’re into Japanese food knowledge.
💎 Holidays: Brussels sprouts
Mitchell asked about doing something interesting with Brussels sprouts (BS) for the holidays. My family recoiled at the idea of eating BS because our first introduction to them was at the refugee resettlement camps in 1975. We were served gassy canned ones. 🤢 BUT, I’ve converted my family to BS eaters with two recipes from Vietnamese Food Any Day: Charred BS with coconut (page 170) and spicy shaved BS (page 172).
This year, I’m also adding a BSB (Brussels Sprout Beet) shirae-ae salad. Interested? Just use a 1-to-1 ratio of sprouts to beets. Both are steamed, cooled to room temp and tossed with the shira-ae creamy tofu dressing.
You can prep the BSB in the fridge days in advance, keep them separate, and assemble the salad right before serving. And because you may have fried shallot or onion on hand for holiday cooking, shower BSB shira-ae with it for a crunchy, rich finish. Easy, tasty, and healthy.
Coming on Sunday, two coffee recipes that the kids (and adults) like in Vietnam.
My 7 year old and I are persimmon obsessives. I never ate them as a kid, despite growing up in California. I just have no memory of them until I was living in Belgium one winter. My parents are in Portugal now, where they are cheap and plentiful. The first year, we had to explain that we needed at least 2 a day, so my mum staggers her purchases so they’ll always have perfectly ripe persimmons waiting for us at Christmas.
The chile lime persimmon salad sounds divine! I would most likely add pomegranate for even more color and texture. I understand that the lime juice would prevent the green apple from browning. Do persimmons brown after cutting/slicing? If I were to take this to Thanksgiving dinner, I would most likely have chilies on the side that people could add (my MIL is more sensitive to heat than anybody I’ve ever known). Also, I will have to revisit VFAD for BS ideas.