Banana Choc Puff Pastry

I made them this afternoon after we cleaned our unit. Having done the housework for the week is always a relief for us. As a reward, I sometimes prepare little snacks or fruits for us to be recharged.

The idea of banana choc puff pastry came from Master Chef Challenge competition we had in Arlene's bridal shower yesterday. It is very addictive and that's why I made more today!

Ingredients:

• 1 puff pastry sheet
• 1 banana
• 70% cocoa lindt chocolate
• a handful of ceres meises
• a handful of almond flakes
• a pinch of white sugar

Preparations:

Cut puff pastry into 8 cm wide strips.

Slice banana into small pieces. Add banana and lindt choc pieces onto half side of the puff pastry strip.

Fold the puff pastry strip and press along the edges well. Transfer the strip to a plate with ceres meises and slightly press.

Add some almond flakes to each strip and sprinkle with white sugar.

Put in the oven at 160 deg for 15-20 mins or until they turn golden brown.

Bubur Kacang Ijo (Indonesian Mung Bean Porridge)

There were spare mung beans in the cupboard. What should I do with them?!? I thought it would be nice to have a warm bubur kacang ijo. It's perfect for winter... although people in Indonesia tend to serve them with shaved ice and it is called es kacang ijo (mung bean ice). Either way it still tastes good!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs white sugar
• 100 gr gula jawa
• 5 pieces pandan leaves
• 250 gr mung beans (soaked in water overnight)
• 1 small can of coconut milk
• a pinch of salt

Preparations:
Wash soaked mung beans and transfer them into a pressure cooker. Add 2 pieces of pandan leaves and water until it is about 2 cm above the mung bean surface. Cook mung bean in the right setting (depending on the pressure cooker you use).

Slice gula jawa thinly and add 1 cup of boiling water. Keep stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Heat coconut milk. Add a pinch of salt and a piece of pandan leave. Keep stirring until it boils.

Once the mung bean is cooked. Open the pressure cooker carefully. Add 2 tbs white sugar and 2 tbs of gula jawa. Mix well.

Here is my bubur kacang ijo station! Add mung bean, coconut milk and gula jawa to a dessert bowl. Decorate with pandan leave for an extra aroma.

Green Star Apple

Green Star Apple (vú sữa)

We found this interesting fruit in Marrickville last weekend. This suburb is our favourite place to do Vietnamese groceries. They have complete Vietnamese herbs and spices selection at low prices. The butcheries also provide fresh meats.

Although we have been to Marrickville many times before, we saw this fruit for the first time. Thu said that it is rare and we should try it. He remembers that it's nice and sweet. We bought one and it was $3 (quite pricey I thought). Just found an information from Google: green star apple tree bears fruit year around after it reaches about seven years of age. It's truly a rare fruit!

Anyway, I couldn't wait any longer to eat this fruit when we reached home. I have never tried it before. I cut in half and it was very pretty.

I asked Thu how to eat it?!? He said it's like eating kiwi but leave a bit more flesh near the skin as it will be a bit bitter. And... I loved it! Not much fragrance but the texture was unique. Here is the picture when I enjoyed my half of Vietnamese Green Star Apple.