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Durian Yogurt Cake


Have you had durian? No, not a durian smoothie or durian ice cream. Not previously-frozen-then-thawed-out-to-make-you-think-it’s-fresh durian from your local grocery store in the US either. I mean real durian — fresh as nature means it to be.

Anything but raw, fresh, never-been-frozen durian should never be considered a true representative of the king of fruits, if you ask me. I believe it’s the tasteless, mushy, previously-frozen durian that is largely responsible for turning off many who actually could have discovered how great this fruit really is. Even I, who love durian enough to make it my last meal on earth, can’t stand frozen durian half the time. But unless you live in Southeast Asia, good quality fresh durian just isn’t an option.

You just have to come to Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, here’s one way to make frozen durian more palatable. I personally do not like durian in any form except fresh, and when I use durian in desserts, I tend to go with the applications that allow you to retain as much as possible of the fruit’s original custard-like texture. Continue Reading →

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Thai Tea Fudge

thai tea
You know how when you’re really smitten with someone, you can’t hide it from your friends even though you want to, because they see right through how you stammer like a fool when talking about that person, right? Well, this, er, Thai tea fudge, is, um, like, good, like, really, really good — like the actual tea with condensed milk, except it isn’t, you know, liquid and it, well, doesn’t come with ice. What I’m, uh, trying to say, is, if you love Thai tea, you’ll love this. And, yeah, please make it. Continue Reading →

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Steamed Pumpkin Cake in the Style of Thai Khanom Tan (ขนมตาล)


In the midst of all the uncertainties in my childhood, there was one thing I was sure of: every Saturday at 10:00 am, on the dot, our doorbell would ring. And, unfailingly, the opened front gate would reveal a tiny old lady hawker, Pa (“Auntie”) On, who always had on her face a huge grin that unveiled betel-stained teeth speckled with gold fillings and on her shoulder a bamboo stick on which two baskets full of traditional Thai desserts hung.[1]

With its inhabitants always fully committed to buying enough of her various steamed treats in banana leaf packets to last them a week at a time, Pa On never had to wonder if she’d make a sale at this house. The moment she set her baskets down at the front gate, she knew someone would come out with a wallet and she would depart with her baskets weighing about half of what they did when she’d arrived.

This house was her Destination Unload Point. Continue Reading →

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