BACON!
Oh yes, this morning I was tempted. My friend David came over for breakfast. Somehow he has managed to avoid Facebook and other social media madness and therefore did not know that I was going vegan, and so, he brought bacon. I was busy virtuously making Banana Pancakes with Walnuts and Flaxseeds.
I felt it was unfair to deny him his pork products, so he cooked bacon whilst I flapped the jacks.
I didn't eat any. (I didn't even think it was possible for me to NOT consume bacon if bacon was in the vicinity.) I admit there was a moment when he began cooking when the smell was almost intoxicating and then... it just faded into the background. By the time we sat down to eat I didn't even want any.
The real test of my resolve was the fact that there were leftover pieces which I simply bagged and tagged and stashed in the fridge to give to my Mum for lunch tomorrow.
Speaking of lunch, mine was leftover veggie chili from the other night and an avocado. Delicious.
But the real delight of the day was dinner. I'm staying at my uncle's house near Philadelphia since I have to visit some school tomorrow, and we dined at a Vietnamese restaurant near his home. I had vegetarian spring rolls, and a Faux Chicken with Lemongrass (the chicken was seitan, a.k.a. "wheatmeat") and it was positively delightful. Still, the best part of the dinner was dessert.
There was a Thai restaurant near where I used to work in New Jersey that served bananas in coconut milk. It was served hot and was sweet and decadent while still feeling like comfort food. The Vietnamese restaurant listed a dish with bananas in coconut milk and I decided to try it.
Amazing. Possibly better than the Thai dessert. It too was served hot but also included small tapioca pearls. The serving was just enough to satisfy without overwhelming and perfectly sweetened to elicit the same result.
Che Chuoi is the name of the dish. I encourage you to try it if you see it on a menu, or attempt to make your own. A little research yielded the following recipe. I've yet to test it so I can't vouch for its authenticity or taste but the basic components are there and it appeared to be a fairly simple preparation.
Che Chuoi (Vietnamese Dessert Soup with Sweet Banana and Coconut Milk).
Ingredients:
• 1 cups Coconut Milk
• 1 cups Water
• 1/4 cups Tapioca, Pearl, Dry
• 1/2 cups Sugar*
• 1 servings Coarse Sea Salt
• 1.5 servings Banana -medium
• 1 servings Sesame Seeds, Toasted
Instructions:Bring the coconut milk and 1 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in the tapioca pearls, sugar, and salt, and cook until tapioca pearls are translucent, about 30 minutes. Add banana or fresh corn kernels and cook for 10 minutes more.Divide among 4 bowls, garnish each with a sprinkle or 2 of sesame seeds, and serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled.
Ingredients:
• 1 cups Coconut Milk
• 1 cups Water
• 1/4 cups Tapioca, Pearl, Dry
• 1/2 cups Sugar*
• 1 servings Coarse Sea Salt
• 1.5 servings Banana -medium
• 1 servings Sesame Seeds, Toasted
Instructions:Bring the coconut milk and 1 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in the tapioca pearls, sugar, and salt, and cook until tapioca pearls are translucent, about 30 minutes. Add banana or fresh corn kernels and cook for 10 minutes more.Divide among 4 bowls, garnish each with a sprinkle or 2 of sesame seeds, and serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled.
If I ever get stuck on my 365 Things blog I know where to turn. I am learning something new everyday from you. Wheatmeat and Che Chuoi. Good stuff. Today I learned about an additive in ice cream that is used to thicken it called Carrageenan. Although I didn't mention it on my blog, I read that it is a vegetarian and vegan alternative to gelatin.
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