Flossy pork buns (Banh mi ngot cha bong)

Hello again everyone! Summer is almost over for most of us. My boys are actually back to school for two weeks now. It just seems too short of a summer for us all, but I'm also glad that they are back to school so we all can get back to our own routine again.  

That means I also have to get back to my baking routine to get breakfast ready for the boys every morning. Breads and buns are the staples for breakfast in our house second to the quick-and-easy cereals.  This flossy pork bun recipe is quite easy to make and very tasty as well. If you don't have floss pork on hand, you can substitute with ham or bacon and cheese. I am sure they will taste just as delicious. Give it a try for your loved ones at home.

Steamed Pork Bun (Banh Bao Thit)

 

The origin of steamed buns is rooted from China. With thousands of years of history, steamed bun has been a staple diet in many Chinese families. They usually come in a variety of sizes and stuffed with different types of filling such as pork, chicken, cabbages, mushrooms, tofu, spinach, etc. 

Steamed buns have migrated overtime to many different countries and took on different versions. In Vietnam, the most traditional version is stuffed with ground pork that is mixed with wood-ear mushrooms, hard-boiled eggs or quail eggs and Vietnamese sausage (lap xuong). While steamed buns can be eaten at any meals, they are commonly eaten as breakfast. One of the best feature about these buns is that they can be made in large batches and stored in freezer for later consumption. All you have to do is re-steam them and in a short few minutes, you can enjoy a scrumptious steamed bun just as good as the freshly made one.

Chinese Green Onion Pancakes

I can't believe summer will be here soon. My oldest son will be done with his first grade in exactly 1 week. Time really does fly while you are having fun. My little baby boy will soon  be a second grader! I'm so proud of him through out the year in many ways. He has grown and learned so much from the first day that I dropped him off at school.  My baby boy is now a little man with many achievements that make his mama proud. So to reward him for his hard work, I made for him his  favorite snack: the green onion pancakes.

There is a Szechuan Chinese restaurant near our place that we frequently visit on the days that my kitchen temporarily "closes" for service. And every single time we go there, I have to order this scrumptious appetizer for him. I don't blame him though, because as simple as it may look, it is quite addicting. The ingredients are so simple and readily available in most pantries. All you need are some flour, salt, water and green onions. That's it and an hour later you will have this delightful pancake to enjoy as snack.

Honey walnut shrimps

Anyone who are familiar with Chinese food would probably know how divine and addicting this dish tastes. On our recent trip to Northern Cal, we visited Chinatown in San Francisco and ordered this dish at a very authentic restaurant. The shrimps were absolutely succulent and fresh. The creamy, crunchy texture of the shrimps paired perfectly and harmoniously with the candied walnuts. It was utterly addicting and sinful. 

Now that we are back at home, I want to recreate the dish that I have forgotten for quite sometimes now. It must have been years since the last time I made this gourmet dish. I have also seen it being prepared with cashew nuts, either way it's equally delicious!

However, I must warn those who are or going to be on a diet, you probably have to refrain yourself from eating these regularly.  Obviously, because as exquisite as it tastes, it is loaded with calories and cholesterol. So indulge it once in a while, or save it for special occasion only. But after all, it's worth the sacrifice!