Vegan Martabak - Indonesian Savory Stuffed Pan Fried Bread

Baked martabak filled with spiced soy meat and scrambled tofu.  Served with spicy pickled cucumbers and mint chutney.

One of my blog readers asked me for this post after reading my blog of Vegan Martabak Manis - Indonesian Sweet Stuffed Pancake.  I finally have the time to post this veganized Indonesian snack.  This is another dish called Martabak but the savory kind.  Martabak, Murtabak or Mutabbaq is originally from Saudi Arabia but it has spread as street foods in Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. Originally, it is made of minced mutton, garlic, onions, green onions, and a lot of eggs but I veganized it to use ground tvp  or veggie burger bits or soy crumbles and scrambled tofu. The soy meat is spiced with chili, garlic, ginger, cumin, garam masala, and coriander (Arabic/Indian spices).    I used a lot of cilantro/parsley and green onions for the herbs.   I served it with spicy pickled fresh cucumber(called Acar in Indonesia) and mint chutney.

This is another popular Indonesian street food.  I ate this often in my growing up years.  We always bought it from a street vendor since it was cheap and it was hard to make at home.  We could have not made it the way the vendor made it.  It required a special flat and large griddle (such as the Mongolian BBQ's large and  flat griddle).  It also required a special skill to make the very thin dough.  You will see that it is very exciting to watch the martabak vendor making this savory dish.  This is one of the youtube videos showing the real street vendor making it: Martabak Telur (egg Martabak) which is the kind without the meat, eggs only.  The vendor kneaded the dough and made it very thin (as thin as phyllo dough) and threw it to a hot oil.  He then added the filling and folded the thin dough over and over (mutabbaq means fold).  As you can see that this dish is super greasy.  I can't believe I used to eat something like that.

This version below that  I made is vegan and much healthier. I don't think I can go back eating this dish from the street again.  It is so greasy and unhealthy.  I tried hard to make it healthier at home.   I have 2 options in making it healthier: 1) bake it (as pictured above) which is the healthiest and 2) pan fried it (as pictured below) which is less healthy but it is very delicious as anything fried with oil is usually delicious.  I used grape seed oil and my oil was clean and fresh.  I would not eat anything fried using dirty oil such as what the food vendor in the youtube used.

Pan fried with oil martabak. Served with spicy pickled cucumbers and mint chutney.

The first version, the baked one, I used Phyllo Pastry Dough for the wrap.  For the 2nd version, pan fried with oil, I used whole wheat tortilla or wrap.  I used Rudi's Organic Bakery 7-Grain Flax Wrap  If you prefer a gluten free one, I believe such products are available such as: Ivory Teff Wraps from La Tortilla Factory or Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas.

Vegan Martabak - Indonesian Savory Stuffed Pan Fried Bread
Makes 6-8 martabak pockets/packages
Note: see the variations for martabak filling at the end of the recipe.

Scrambled Tofu:
14 oz firm tofu, water packed, drained
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp salt
Oil to pan fry (grape seed oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil), 2-3 tsp

1. Make the scrambled tofu first by draining the firm tofu completely.  Crumble with your hands into a bowl.
2. Add all the spices and mix thoroughly into the crumbled tofu.
3. Drizzle about 2-3 tsp oil onto a hot flat frying pan.  Add spiced crumbled tofu.
4. Pan fry for 15 to 20 minutes until  all the water from the tofu evaporated and crumbled tofu is brown some and dry.  Set aside and let it cool.

Martabak Filling:
1 cup chopped leeks, the white part only
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 to 2 fresh green chili or red chili, minced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 small tomato, chopped
12 oz frozen Boca Crumbles
Note: Other kind of soy crumbles can be used such as Lightlife Smart Ground, Gimme Lean Beef Style, or reconstituted tvp
1/2 tsp salt, only if the soy crumbles are not salty
Note: if using reconstituted tvp, add several tablespoons of soy sauce or tamari
2-3 tsp oil

From top left, clockwise: chopped green onion, chopped parsley, scrambled tofu, chopped chili, and chopped leeks.

1. Heat oil in a shallow frying pan.  Add leeks, chilies, garlic, and ginger. Saute for a few minutes until soft. 
2. Add turmeric and combine.  Then, add cumin seeds, garam masala, and coriander.  Stir fry a few more minutes.
3. Add chopped tomato and saute until the juices from the tomato are evaporated.
4. Then, add the soy crumble/tvp.  Break the crumble with a spatula.  Combine all the ingredients thoroughly.  The filling has to be kind of dry.  Continue to pan fry until all the liquid and juices evaporated (15 minutes or so).
5. Add the parsley or cilantro and all the green onions.  Taste and add salt if necessary. Combine and take it off heat.
6. Set it aside and let it cool before assembling the martabak.

Wrapper:
1/2 pkg. Phyllo Pastry Dough (follow the instructions in the box to thaw and to save the rest)
OR
1/2 pkg.  Whole Wheat Tortilla or Wrap (about 9 or 10 inch diameter), make sure that it is pliable and not too thick. Use the kind that can be made into a burrito

Oil to brush on Phyllo or more oil to pan fry.

Baked Martabak (version 1):

1. Combine scrambled tofu and martabak filling above in a bowl.
2. Take 3 layers of phyllo dough onto a cutting board and cut into a 9 or 10 inch square (meanwhile make sure the rest of the phyllo dough is covered tightly or else it will dry up).   Take a brush and brush a thin layer of oil on 1st layer, top with the 2nd layer and brush a thin layer of oil, and then top with the 3rd layer.
3. Scoop some filling (about 3/4 cup) onto the layered phyllo dough and wrap it like a package.
4. Brush with oil and turn over the bundle and brush with more oil.
5. Continue with the rest of the phyllo pastry and the filling.
6. Preheat oven to 400F.  Bake martabak packages on an ungreased cookie pan for 30-45 minutes or until brown.  Serve warm.

Martabak, wrapped into a package and brushed with oil.

Turn it over and brush with more oil before it is baked.

Pan Fried Martabak (version 2):

1. Combine scrambled tofu and martabak filling above in a bowl.
2. For each whole wheat tortilla, scoop filling on to the tortilla and wrap into a package such as pictured above (the one with phyllo).  Do not brush with oil. Use water to glue the seams together and carefully lay each package flat with the seams on the bottom. 
3. Continue to make the packages with each whole wheat tortilla and all the filling.
4. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 inch of oil into a cast iron or heavy duty frying pan.  Heat oil into 350 F.
5. With the seams down, take each package and immerse carefully into the hot oil.  Flip to fry the other side.  Fry about 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until it is brown.
6. Drain on a paper towel to remove excess oil.  Serve warm.

Spicy Pickled Cucumber or Acar

Spicy Pickled Cucumbers or Acar (can be made ahead of time)
1 1/2 cup chopped English Cucumber
1 fresh red chili, chopped
3/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp white vinegar

1. Combine chopped cucumber with salt and sugar.  Add chopped fresh chili, combine.
2. Add white vinegar.  Set aside for 1 to 2 hours before using (keep in the fridge).

Mint chutney

Mint Chutney(can be made ahead of time)
2 cups cilantro or parsley, roughly chopped
2 cups fresh mint, roughly chopped
1 to 2 green chilies, roughly chopped
2-3 cloves shallot, peeled, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
juice of 1 fresh lemon

1. Combine parsley/cilantro, mint, green chilies, shallots, salt, and sugar in a food processor.
2. Process until all ingredients are finely chopped.
3. Take the processed ingredients into a bowl.
4. Add lemon juice and combine thoroughly.
5. Set aside for 1 to 2 hours before using (keep in the fridge).

Variations to the fillings of martabak:

• For more 'eggy' version, double the scrambled tofu so there are more scrambled tofu than the 'meat' filling. 

OR

• Use the scrambled tofu only (double the amount above) for the filling and use green onions, cilantro/parsley and the filling spices(without the extra turmeric, tomato and the soy crumbles).

Enjoy another Indonesian streed food, veganized!

Indonesian Vegan Street Food Tahu Ketupat - Tofu and Rice Cake with Noodles

I am introducing another Indonesian street food.  Lately, I've been missing Indonesian street food type of meals, the dishes I grew up eating.  Now, if I go back to Indonesia and consume any street food that is sold there, I'll probably end up in a hospital with diarrhea and all kind of bacteria that my body cannot take anymore.  Back then my body had all the natural anti bacteria and it was ok eating in a street food environment.  Now, living in a more sterile environment in the US, I don't have those protections anymore.  It was amazing that my family ate street food almost every day when I was growing up and we didn't get sick.  I am recreating this dish at home, in a more sterile environment, but I still have all the fond memories of eating all kinds of street food back then.

Lately, I watched this YouTube video:  Jakarta Street Food 239 Tahu Kupat Solo  (unfortunately there is no English subtitle).  This is a true street food, prepared on a street and was eaten on the side of a street.   The guy/seller used a push cart loaded with a propane gas stove, a wok, utensils, dishes, ingredients, and a  money box.  He would push this cart and rang his bell (hitting a plate with a utensil) to attract customers (see him in action at the end of the video).  Then, customers would call upon him, place an order, and sit or stand by the street eating.  This video brought a lot of fond memories of me eating and growing up in Indonesia.

The dish, Tahu Ketupat/Kupat (Tahu = tofu and Kupat/Ketupat = rice cake), is a garlicky dish consisted of fried tofu, rice cake, noodles, cabbage, beansprouts, peanuts, green chili, kecap manis, beansprout fritters, rice crackers, and fried onions.  I decided to recreate this delicious Indonesian vegan dish at home and to recreate my fond memory.

First, I would like to talk about the rice cake or  Kupat or Ketupat which is eaten in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore.   It is made of rice that is poured into a woven palm leaves casing, boiled, and then becomes a compressed rice cake.  I am going to talk about it in 2 parts:   the Traditional Way and the Modern Way of making the rice cake.

The Traditional Way of making Ketupat:

Kupat/Ketupat/Puso casing or pouch

The making of a traditional ketupat casing is a dying art and an interesting origami using palm leaves.   I used to be able to weave ketupat casing but I have long forgotten this skill.  I found 2 You Tube videos of ketupat casing weaving:  Ketupat Weaving Tutorial (5 min. 19 sec.) or  How to Make a Rice Pouch Filipino Style (2 min. 45 sec.)  Raw rice is inserted into the casing and boiled for hours.  As the rice cooks, they will expand and fill up the pouch into a compressed rice cake.   Using a knife, the casing is usually cut open in halves and the rice cake are cut into cubes.  This comical You Tube video from Calamity Chef (with Singaporean English accent):  Ketupat: the making of shows the traditional way of making the casing and the rice cake (3min. 45 sec).

The Modern Way of making Ketupat:

Now, you don't expect me to make ketupat the traditional way, do you?  I don't think so.When will I have the time to weave each casing and where will I find and buy suitable palm leaves to use?  I prefer the modern way which is faster.   That is boil-in-the-bag rice cakes.  It is available now in Asian markets.  This is the brand that I usually buy: Ketupat Nona   It is available on-line also.  It is very easy to make it by boiling the rice cake in the bag like any boil-in-the-bag rice method.  It usually takes about 60 minutes to boil the rice cake and more hot water has to be added while it is simmering and as the rice cake is expanding.  The rice cake needs to be cooled before the bag is cut open (watch the video How to make boil-in-the-bag ketupat below) and then it is ready to be cut into cubes.

Boil-in-the-bag ketupat

Or, the most economical way is to make your own boil-in-the-bag rice cake.  Seriously?  Yes! This lady bought boil-in-the-bag rice that is available in any market, cut the bag open, mixed the rice with Thai Jasmine rice, refilled the bag half way, and then sealed the bag with a candle.  Smart!  Watch this video:  How to make boil-in-the-bag ketupat


Tahu Ketupat (Indonesian Vegan Street Food: Tofu and Rice Cake with Noodles)
Serve 4

Ingredients:
4 cups (about 1 lb) fresh yellow noodle(no eggs) or  1 pkg dry Chuka Soba, boiled
4-5 cups fresh beansprouts, steamed for 3-5 minutes
4-5 cups cabbage, sliced thin, steamed for 3-5 minutes
1 bag boil-in-the-bag ketupat (such as Ketupat Nona), prepared and cooled


Boiled-in-the bag ketupat, prepared, cooled, and cubed.

3-4 cups fried tofu cubes

Fried tofu cubes I bought at an Asian market.  
A lot of times, I also use super firm tofu cubes and oven fried them.

Toppings/Condiment:
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup coarsely ground roasted peanuts
1/4 cup kecap manis
1/4 cup chopped or sliced green chili (such as Serrano chili or Thai chili), optional
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Toppings: celery, peanuts, kecap manis, green chili, green onions.

Fried Shallots, optional
Indonesian Rice Crackers with no shrimps (poppadoms), optional

Indonesian rice crackers or Indian poppadoms are a great crunchy topping

Sauce/Broth:
4 cups vegetable broth ( I prefer using Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base)
2 Tbsp. fresh minced garlic
2 Tbsp. kecap manis
Salt to taste (if the vegetable broth is salty, omit salt)

Making the sauce/broth:

1. Combine the sauce/broth ingredients above and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Keep it warm.

Beansprouts and Carrots Fritters:
It is optional to include the deep fried beansprouts fritters. However, it is delicious with it.  My husband loves these deep fried fritters and just can have them as snacks by themselves.  It is similar to pakoras or bird nest Japanese tempura.

3/4 cups all purpose flour or unbleached white flour (can be substituted to chickpea flour)
2 Tbsp. chickpea flour or besan flour
2 Tbsp. rice flour
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup fresh beansprouts
2 cups carrots, julienned or coarsely shredded
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
Vegetable oil or grape seed oil for deep frying

Making the fritters:

1. Combine all the fritters ingredients above in a bowl.  When adding the water, add 1/4 cup first, then add a little at a time while mixing until it becomes a thick batter that can be scooped with a spoon.  This is like making pakora or a bird nest tempura.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan to350F.  Using a spoon, scoop fritter batter into the oil and deep fry until brown.  Do not overcrowd them
3. Drain them onto a paper towel to remove excess oil.  Cut into pieces before serving.

Frying beansprouts fritters

Assembling the Tahu Ketupat, for each bowl or serving:

It is easy to assemble or serving this dish after all the ingredients above are ready.  They all can be made ahead of time and then be reheated or they can be kept warm until serving time.  I think this is the reason that this dish is sold on the street because the seller can easily have everything ready and reheat the dish at the last minute when the customers put in the orders.  I usually prepare everything and store the ingredients in plastic containers.  Then, I assemble for each serving by warm them up with a microwave or steamer just before serving time.  The sauce/broth can be reheated in a pot just before serving.

On a serving bowl or soup plate, layer rice cake cubes (1/4 of a bag of rice cake) on the bottom.  Then, add warm 1 cup noodle,  1 cup each of steamed cabbage and bean sprouts. 

Cut 2-3 beansprouts fritters into 2 pieces and add them on top.  Slice 1 cup of fried tofu and add them on top), too. Then, add the toppings: chopped celery, ground peanuts, green onions, and green chili.  



Finally, pour about 1 cup of hot broth/sauce over the dish.  It should not be soupy but it should have enough broth to wet all the ingredients in the bowl.   Add fried shallots, Indonesian rice crackers, and  kecap manis.

It is best to mix everything up when eating this dish(as was seen in the you tube video) and add more of each topping or condiment as needed.  Perhaps add more chili, kecap manis, or ground peanuts? 

Vegan Martabak Manis - Indonesian Sweet Stuffed Pancake

I seldom blog desserts but today I am blogging about veganizing Martabak Manis which is a popular Indonesian street food sweet snack/dessert.  I can translate it to English as Indonesian Sweet Stuffed Pancake.  In Indonesia it is called Martabak Manis, Martabak Bangka, or Kue Terang Bulan.  Terang Bulan is translated to English as full moon and kue means cake.    It is going to be a Super Full Moon  2012 or perigee moon of 2012 tonight (check out the bright full moon tonight) which means that the moon will be 14% larger and 30% brighter than any other full moons in 2012.  This is the reason why I veganized this snack today.

I called it pancake but it is a snack or dessert instead of a breakfast food.  Indonesians do not eat pancake in the morning, we eat it for snacks and buy it on the side of the road like how it is served as street food in this youtube video: The Making of Sweet Martabak   The video comes with the background noise of cars, motorcycles, horns honking, customers talking, etc.  It's hilarious and so real!   In the video the pancake is a large round like a full moon.  Then, fillings are added, pancake folded into half moon and cut into pieces.  It has been years since I buy street food snacks like this.  This video really brought a lot of childhood memories.

In the youtube video there are a large amount of fat (butter or margarine) that was added on top of the pancake.  This dish is not for those who are on a diet to lose weight.  It is full of fat, sugar, and eggs.   I cut down the fat by not using THAT much fat and veganized it with no eggs.  The pancake I made is also thinner because eggs were not used.  The thinner pancake does not absorb too much fat.  I also replace some of the white flour with whole wheat pastry flour.  I haven't tried it with all whole wheat pastry flour yet but I don't see any reason why it should fail.  You can see that I am trying really hard to make this snack healthier without sacrificing the flavor. 

In the youtube video, processed cheese was also added as a filling as a savory pancake.  It is unhealthy to eat processed cheese, in my opinion.   I decided not to do that nor to try to find a substitution for it.  Maybe someday I'll blog about a savory martabak, a different kind of Indonesian street food.

Every martabak manis recipe I found in the Internet uses eggs.  I replaced the eggs with EnerG Egg Replacer.  This is also a yeast pancake batter.  After the yeast is added, the batter needs to be proofed such as in proofing yeast bread.  All you need in proofing  is about 1 hour of warm temperature area in your kitchen (oven with the light on should do it) to let the yeast works its magic.

I prepared some vegan fillings/toppings for the pancake (from top left clockwise):  vegan chocolate sauce, chopped salted nuts, chopped roasted hazelnuts, and vegan Dutch chocolate sprinkles (De Ruijter brand) and vegan dulce de leche (Bryanna Clark Grogan's recipe or video).

 

Vegan Martabak Manis (Indonesian Sweet Stuffed Pancake)
Makes 3 large pancakes


Batter ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
 Note:  you can use 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour and not use the whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups warm non-dairy milk (can be soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, or coconut milk)
1 tablespoon dry yeast (about 1 pkg dry yeast)
3 1/2 tablespoons vegan sugar, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1 drop of yellow food coloring (an optional)

Eggs replacement ingredients:
1 tablespoon EnerG Egg Replacer
4 tablespoons water

1/4 cup vegan butter or soy margarine, melted
cooking brush

Vegan Chocolate Sauce ingredients:
Any other kind of  vegan chocolate sauce can be used as a filling or make this one.  This can be made ahead of time.

1 can (15 oz) coconut milk
1 cup and 2 tablespoons vegan powdered sugar
3 tablespoons dutch processed cocoa powder

1.  Sift powdered sugar and cocoa powder together with a fine sifter.
2. Mix coconut milk and sifted sugar and cocoa powders in a medium sauce pan.  Stir well to combine.
3. Heat it up in a medium heat until mixture starts to boil.  Lower the heat to low and let it simmer in 25-30 minutes until it is thickened.  The mixture should resemble a condensed milk or gravy.  Let it cool.

Other fillings/toppings:
Any or all of the topping below are great.  I usually combine chocolate sauce above+chopped peanuts for 1 pancake and dulce de leche+chocolate sprinkles+chopped hazelnuts on another pancake.  Sesame seeds, pistachio nuts, almonds, walnuts are also great toppings.
 
1/4 cup chopped salted nuts
1/4 cup chopped roasted hazelnuts
1/4 cup dutch chocolate sprinkles
1/4 cup vegan dulce de leche (I followed Bryanna Clark Grogan's recipe)

Preparing the batter:

1. Warm milk to 120 degrees F.  Pour about 1/2 cup of the warm milk on top of 1 tablespoon dry yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar  in a large bowl.  Mix and let the yeast works itself into frothy mixture (waking up the yeast).  This takes about 5 minutes.
2. Mix the flours, the rest of the sugar (2 1/2 tablespoons), baking powder, salt.  Combine well with a whisk.
3. Pour the rest of the warm milk into the yeast, milk, and sugar mixture.  Then, add the flour mixture (step 2) and combine well.  Yeast should start to work and creates bubbles.  Cover and let this mixture sit in a warm temperature area about 1 hour.  See the picture below.
4. About 10 minutes near the end of proofing the batter process, combine the EnerG egg replacer with water(egg replacement ingredients) in a small bowl.  Using a hand blender with the top speed, mix and blend the water and egg replacer until it is frothy and soft peaks formed.  It usually takes at least 6 minutes.
5. Gently fold the foamy egg replacer into the pancake batter. At this time, I added 1 drop of yellow food coloring.  Mix well.
6.  The batter should be foamy and light.  The consistency should be similar to a pancake batter.

Making the pancake:
The best tool to make the pancake is an 8-inch or 9-inch cast iron frying pan with a lid.

1. Heat the cast iron pan on a medium high heat until really hot (wait about 2-3 minutes).  Use a cooking brush to brush a generous amount of melted vegan butter all over and around the frying pan.
2. Pour 1/3 of the batter  onto the frying pan.  It should sizzle (if it doesn't, that means that the frying pan is not hot enough).  Traditionally, martabak manis has a round crisp edges.  To do this, tilt the frying pan and let the batter runs around the frying pan to create the edges such as in this picture above.
3. Immediately, turn the heat to LOW.
4. Once the batter is bubbling and the top looks firm.  Cover with a lid and set a timer for 10 minutes. Note:  it is important to cover with a lid to let the pancake cooked and the bottom crispy.
5. After 10 minutes, the bottom of the pancake should be brown and crispy and the middle of the pancake is cooked.  If the bottom is burned that means the heat is too high or too strong.  If the pancake is not cooked, that means that the heat is too low.  The key in making the pancake correctly  is the amount of heat and everyone's stove is different unfortunately.
6. Lift the pancake with a spatula or a pancake turner onto a cutting board.  Brush some melted vegan butter on top (this is optional).  Pour some chocolate sauce and sprinkled with chopped nuts.  OR pour some dulce de leche, sprinkled with chocolate sprinkles and top with chopped hazelnuts.
7. Fold the pancake into half (look like a half moon).  Cut into 4 to 5 pieces.  Serve warm. Continue making the rest of the batter.  Use a different combination of toppings/fillings each time.

Enjoy the vegan martabak manis and super full moon 2012 or any full moon! 

 

Indian Kale-Cabbage Thoran & Balinese Soy Fish

Continuing my Indian cuisine blog, this one is a South Indian cuisine.  It is a common dish in Kerala (South Indian region).  Thoran is a dry vegetable dish cooked with grated coconut, black mustard seeds, cumin seeds,  turmeric, curry leaves, shallots, chillies, and salt (see my masala dabba).  A thoran dish can have any other combination of vegetables such as spinach, young jackfruit, collard, green beans, etc. cooked with the ingredients or spices I just mentioned.  This time I used the combination of cabbage, kale, and carrots.  I've been told to eat more kale, eat more kale, eat more kale.....so here it is.  This dish is so delicious and nutritious.  It is a good way to cook kale and collard or any other nutritious green vegetable and a good way to get green vegetables into my system.

I found a great way to cook thoran without water at this blog.  I increased and changed the amount of spices since I like them stronger.  It is so EASY and QUICK to make.  The hard work is in cutting up the vegetables.  The kale, cabbage, and carrots need to be cut up thinly (as pictured below).  The hard ingredients to find for most people are the grated fresh coconut and curry leaves.  Unfortunately, they are pertinent to the dish.  Dry unsweetened grated coconut can be used.  I have also seen dry curry leaves being used.   I found the ingredients and spices at a small South Indian market near me.  The small market always has fresh curry leaves (lucky me).  I found the grated coconut in their frozen section.


Thoran ingredients (clockwise from top left):  kale, cabbage, shallots, grated coconut, carrots, red chili, green chili, curry leaves.



Kale and Cabbage Thoran

Serve 4-6

Adapted from Salt and Pepper Cabbage Thoran

Note: try it with any other kind of vegetables

Printable Recipe

Vegetables and spices:

1 bunch kale, about 13-15 stalks, remove the ribs and cut thinly, 1/4 inch thick

     Note: about 4-5 cups cut kale, lightly packed

1/2 medium cabbage, shred or cut thinly, 1/4 inch thick

     Note: about 4-5 cups shredded cabbage, lightly packed

1 cup shredded carrots

1 green chili, slice thinly (or more to add spicyness)

1 red chili, slice thinly

1 cup grated fresh coconut (can use dry unsweetened grated coconut)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp salt

Saute ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped shallots or onions

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric

15 curry leaves

1 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil

More salt to taste

A large vessel such as a pot or pan with a tight lid.

1. Take out the masala dabba.  Combine the ingredients under Vegetable and spices section above in a very large bowl (such as a large salad bowl).  I use my clean hands to mix them well and distribute the spices and grated coconut among the vegetables.
2. In a very large pot or pan, add oil onto the pan on a medium high heat flame.  When the oil is hot add the black mustard seeds.  Wait until they start to pop and splutter.
   Note: this method in cooking South Indian is important.  It is important to temper the spices in hot oil to bring out the aroma of the spices.
3. Add the shallots or onions, saute for 3 minutes until they are brown.
4. Add curry leaves, saute for 1 minute.
5. Add turmeric powder, mix with the shallots/onions and curry leaves.
6. Add the vegetable and spices mixture (from no.1).  Mix well with the sauted spices.
7. Set a timer for 2 minutes, put on the lid tightly.
8. When the timer goes off, stir the vegetables, set the timer for another 2 minutes, put on the lid tightly again.
9. When the timer goes off again, do no.8  one more time.  Taste for more salt.
10. When the timer goes off again, check if vegetables is done.  Usually it is.   I think 6 minutes are good enough. I don't usually wait until they are completely done because, the vegetables still continue being cooked when they are still hot.  However, if you like them very done, you can add another 2 minutes with another tight lid cooking.  Serve with steamed basmati or brown brown rice.

Now, I also found that Thoran is a great accompanion of a soy fish dish and steamed rice.  Therefore, I present my Balinese Soy Fish recipe below.  The combination of thoran, soy fish dish, and steamed rice is hhmm...hhmm...hhmm....good.

I can get Vegan Fish Steak from my local health food store in the frozen section.  There are a few on-line Asian soy meat suppliers such as VegeKing,  MayWah Veggie World, or Veggie World who sell vegan soy fish steaks.  The vegan fish steak usually looks like the picture below, comes in a box in frozen section:

Balinese Soy Fish is not an Indian dish.  It is an Indonesian dish from the island of Bali.  However, Hindusm is a huge influence in this island.  I suspect that there is an influence of Indian cooking in this island.  Being surrounded by ocean, Balinese eats a lot of fish.  I veganized this dish by using soy fish steaks.

What's good about this dish is that it is sweet, spicy hot, and lemony.  It has the addition of galangal or blue ginger (or lengkuas or laos) which is a spice root like ginger.  This root makes this dish tastes really unique.  I can find fresh galangal at a nearby Asian market.  I usually buy a whole 4-5 inches long and slice them thinly and freeze them, sliced.  When I am ready to use  them I just picked a few slices and defrost them.  It works well this way.  Galangal permiates strong flavor.  A few slices go a long way. 

I understand that it will be hard to find galangal in western hemisphere.  Even if it is omitted, this dish is still delicious.

Kecap manis is also used in this dish.   It is Indonesian sweet soy sauce can be found in Asian market.  We use a lot of kecap manis in our cooking.  For a substitution, combine soy sauce and brown sugar/pam sugar, 1 to 1 ratio.  However, a few spices were added in making kecap manis so it is unique.

Balinese Soy Fish
Serve 4-6
Printable Recipe

6-10 slices vegan soy fish steak (see the above picture), cut into halves
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 medium onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped
1-2 teaspoons Chili Garlic Sauce or Sambal Oelek
         Note: use less for less spicy
2 tablespoons Kecap Manis
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1/2 large lemon)
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon rind (from 1 large lemon)
2-3 slices galangal
water or vegetable broth(1/2 -1 cup)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
canola oil spray

1. Turn oven to 400 F. Spray soy fish with canola oil and layer onto a foiled baking pan.  Bake for 10 minutes, turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes.  This is to brown them with less oil.  Deep frying them in hot oil is also another good way to make them crispy and brown.  However, I prefer the bake method.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a hot wok or frying pan on a medium high heat.  Add garlic and ginger, stir fry for 1-2 minutes until brown and fragrant.
3. Add onions and shallots, stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek, kecap manis, lemon juice, grated lemon rind, and galangal, stir fry and combine for 1 minute.
5. Add baked soy fish slices and 1/2 cup water/broth or just enough to cover the entire fish slices.  Lower the heat to simmer.
6. Let it simmer and combine for 15-20 minutes until the water/broth evaporates.  This dish should have a lot of liquid but enough spices and sambal coats the soy fish slices.  Serve with steamed rice.

Enjoy!

Indian Tofu/Tempeh/Soy Curls Masala

It's time for me to blog about vegan Indian dishes.  I have done some experiments in the last year or two cooking strong-flavor Indian dishes.  I aimed to make them as good as authentic Indian cooking that Indian house wives make at home or Indian chefs cook at restaurants.  This means lots of spices added to the dish. This means 1-2 tablespoons and not just 1 to 2 teaspoons of spices or even less than a teaspoon.  No siree!  This recipe is for those who love spices like me.  I guess this kind of a warning to those who don't really like too much spices. This recipe may not be for you.

I learned cooking Indian dishes from cookbooks and TV shows.  After searching and trying recipes, I discover that I love Bal Arneson's recipes.  She has a TV cooking show called Spice Goddess in the Cooking Channel.   With a name such as Spice Goddess, she really does put a lot of spices in her cooking.  I like that!  Unfortunately, she doesn't cook all vegetarian or vegan meals so I decided to veganize her recipe.  The recipe below is originally for chicken, named Chicken Masala.  However, I substitute the chicken with tofu, tempeh, or soy curls.  I made it several times now and was never disappointed with the result.

I would also like to share about a cute spice dabba or masala dabba I bought.  It comes with a lid and a tiny spoon (1/4 teaspoon measurement).




My Indian Masala Dabba (from left hand corner, clockwise):  coriander, cumin seeds, chili powder, garam masala, amchur power, black mustard seeds, turmeric

   At first I bought it as a novelty but it turned out that I use it every time I cook Indian dishes.  It is so easy just to take the dabba out and spoon out the spices without searching for all my spice bottles.  It is very handy.

Indian cuisine is my husband's favorite cuisine.  I love Indian dishes too but I still prefer Thai or Vietnamese.  We also love Indian classical music and dance.  Last week was an Indian Culture week for us. Not only I cooked Indian vegan dishes, we also had tickets to attend Anoushka Shankar concert at UC Irvine, promoting her new CD, Traveller.  The first time we were introduced to Anoushka was when we watched Concert For George DVDs.  We were so mesmerized by her sitar skills.  When we learned that she will be playing nearby, we bought our tickets months in advance.  It was a FANTASTIC concert!

Indian Tofu/Tempeh/Soy Curls Masala
Serve 4-6
Veganized version of Bal Arneson's recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
1 green chili, finely chopped
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
   Note:  I don't like these seeds whole so I crushed them a bit with a rolling pin. 

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
    Note: fenugreek seeds are pretty strong, a little goes a long way.

1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 to 2.5 cups extra firm tofu or tempeh, cubed  OR 2 cups reconstituted Soy Curls
2 cups chopped  fresh tomatoes
2 cups chopped organic yukon gold potatoes, leave skins intact
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
enough non-salty vegetable broth to cover the entire ingredients (about 2 cups)

Directions

Put oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chile, and saute for 3 minutes, or until the onions are softened. Add the coriander seeds, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, and salt and toast for 10 seconds and then add the tomato paste. Stir well and then add the cubed tofu or tempeh or soy curls, combined with all the spices thoroughly.  Add the tomatoes, potatoes, cilantro, and vegetable broth and mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and let cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked but not mushy. Serve the curry with white or brown rice.  Note: the curry is even better taste the next day when all the spices are absorbed to all the ingredients.

Stay tune for more Indian recipes!

Thai Curry Paste for Vegans/Vegetarians

Prik Khing Tofu

Masaman Curry on top of steamed rice.

The most important aspect in making Thai curries is making the curry paste.  If the curry paste is good with all the right proportions of spices and herbs, the rest is very easy.  Making curry paste can be an elaborate procedure.  I have done it  from scratch, measuring coriander seeds, galanga, lemongrass, chilies, shallots etc. and then pounding them in a mortar and pestle or process them in a food processor.  It is great but I know most people will not do that.  I also know that most people will not have access to Southeast Asian fresh herbs and spices that are needed in making fresh curry paste from scratch like I do.  Therefore, I decided to blog about store-bought (or on-line bought) Thai curry paste.

I can say that I am picky when buying Thai curry paste.  I have tried several brands and I found that most of them are not that good nor fresh.  I also found that most of them are just TOO SPICY HOT for my taste.  If I put in a lot of the store-bought paste into the dish, we can't eat it because it is way too hot.  If I put in less, the flavor does not meet my standard of how the curry should taste.  I won't name all the products that I have tried and don't like but I will blog about the one that I like which is the MAESRI  brand. ( Note: I have not receive any endorsement from the company.  It is just that I tried all others and this one is my favorite.)

Here are my reasons for liking this brand:

1. Like I said, this curry paste is not too hot and spicy for our taste (only the Red Curry is a bit too hot but we still can take it).
2. Some of them are suitable for vegetarians/vegans (meaning there is no shrimp paste or fish sauce in it).  I listed those at the end of this blog.
3. It is sold in a small can (4 oz.).  Once I open a can, I use them all in one cooking episode.  (It is fresher this way.  With all the other products which are sold in a bottle or plastic container, I uses only 1 or 2 tablespoons after I opened them and then I put them in the fridge for a long time.  The paste was not as fresh for the second or third time when I used it again.  Not to mention  how many times I forgot I had the paste in the fridge and then to open them, found mold, and had to throw the whole thing away.)
4. The most important reason is, of course, the taste.  It is just taste as good as if I make it from scratch.

Below are several Thai dishes I am sharing.  It is so easy to make these 2 dishes with the store-bought curry paste.  I also include 2 youtube videos (they are not vegetarian dishes but easily can be replaced with tofu, seitan, or soycurls):    Prik Khing and Masaman Curry.   In my recipes below, I replaced the chicken with fried tofu (you can use extra firm fresh tofu if you don't want it fried).

Prik Khing Tofu
Serve 4-6
Prik Khing usually use green beans as the vegetable.  It also has some shredded kaffir lime leaves or Thai Basil leaves in it  If there is no fresh kaffir lime and/or Thai Basil  leaves  in your area, you can omit them.  The dish still tastes good without it.

3-4 cups fried tofu cubes (fresh extra firm tofu) or spongy tofu (see instructions how to make spongy tofu)
Note:  tofu can be baked in the oven instead of fried, see instructions how to do that in this blog.
3-4 cups cut green beans
1-2 cups red bell pepper, julienne cut
1 cup sliced mushrooms , optional
6-8 kaffir lime leaves (shredded), optional
1 cup Thai Basil, optional
2-3 Tbsp. palm sugar or brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable broth  ( add more if you like the dish more saucy)
1 can 4 oz.  Maesri brand Prik Khing Curry Paste 
1 Tbsp.vegetable oil 
1-2 Tbsp. light soy sauce, optional
 

1. Saute Prik Khing curry paste(the whole small can) in vegetable oil for 3-5 minutes in a wok on  medium heat.
2. Add tofu and mixed with the curry paste, saute for another 3-5 minutes.
3. Add green beans, red bell pepper, mushrooms. Add palm or brown sugar.  Mix well.
4. Add vegetable broth.  Cover the wok with a lid and let it cooked for about 7-10 minutes until the green beans is cooked but still firm.  Taste for saltiness.  Add 1-2 tablespoon of light soy sauce if necessary.
5. Serve with steamed brown rice, white rice, or sticky rice.

Masaman Curry with Tofu, Kabocha Squash, Potatoes, Carrots, and Peanuts
Serve 4-6

2 cups fried tofu cubes (or fresh extra firm tofu) or spongy tofu (see instructions how to make spongy tofu)
Note:  tofu can be baked in the oven instead of fried, see instructions how to do that in this blog.
2 cups yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups carrots, peeled and cubed
2 cups kabocha squash, peeled and cubed
1 cup raw peanuts, optional
   Note: Although in the video, she used raw peanuts.  I boiled the peanuts for 40 minutes before it becomes soft.   
              Otherwise, the peanuts stayed crunchy.
1 can 14 oz coconut milk or light coconut milk
water or vegetable broth
1 small can 4 oz.  Maesri Brand Masaman Curry Paste
2-3 Tbsp. palm or brown sugar
1-2 Tbsp. light soy sauce, optional

1. In a soup pot, on a medium heat, pour 1/2 can of coconut milk.  Add the whole small can of Masaman curry paste.    Mix well.  Wait until the mixture started to bubble.
2. Then, add the tofu, potatoes, peanuts, and carrots.  Coat these ingredients with curry mixture.  Add the palm or brown sugar. 
3. Add the rest of the coconut milk and another can of water or vegetable broth (the non-salty kind since the curry paste is already salty).  Make sure all the ingredients are covered with the liquid.
4. Put a lid on and simmer for 15 minutes in low heat.  Add the Kabocha squash and let it simmer for another 7-10 minutes.  Potatoes, carrots, and squash should be soft but firm
5. Taste for saltiness and 1-2 tablespoons of light soy sauce as necessary.
6. Serve on top of steamed brown rice, white rice, or sticky rice.

These 4 oz. cans of curry pastes can be bought at Amazon.com or Tastepadthai.com  or your neighborhood Asian markets.  I believe only the Masaman Curry Paste, Yellow Curry Paste, Prik Khing Curry Paste, Kaeng Kua Curry Paste, and Red Curry Paste  are vegetarian (meaning no shrimp paste or fish sauce in it).  However, the Red Curry Paste is the hottest (spicy hot) one.  Have fun making Thai dishes!

Vegan Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Crêpe Lettuce Wrap)

Warning:  This is a looong blog and recipe.  This is  because I provided several options (including a gluten-free option) so  readers can pick and choose what to use and which to follow.  Don't be afraid!  The recipe is actually pretty simple.  If you watch the video and try it, with a bit of practice making the crêpe, it is actually not that hard.  I make this dish all the time and it is delicious!

Bánh Xèo, pronounced 'bun say-o', translated to 'sizzling cake', is a unique southern-style Vietnamese Crêpe dish.   I call it Vietnamese Crêpe Lettuce Wrap (say that a few times as a tongue twister).   It is a lettuce wrap because of the way it is eaten, wrapped in lettuce with fresh herbs and vegetables and then dunked into a sauce.  It is so DELICIOUS and SAVORY that you want it again and again.  I decided to veganize it based on conversations I had recently with my out-of-state vegetarian friend, Yongkie, whom just ordered this dish for the first time in a Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant and was excited to learn to make it at home.

Yongkie and I both agreed that this is a dish that is so MESSY to eat.  Just like eating tacos, you will need to learn how to eat it without getting your hands all sticky and nasty with food juices.  It is a dish that we all feel more comfortable to eat at home in front of your family members.   Definitely, I would not recommend  this dish if you are on a date in a restaurant. :-)

Although I have made this dish at home several times, I learned that it is hard to describe how to make it to a person who lives out-of-state.  I searched for several youtube videos and sent them to describe the process of making bánh xèo, traditionally.  The recipes in the videos are not vegetarian nor vegan but what is important is to learn the techniques in preparing the batter, cooking the filling,  timing and cooking the crêpe, and eating it (wrapping in a lettuce and dunking it into the sauce).  Therefore, if you replace the filling and the fish sauce ingredients with what I suggested in my recipe, you will be able to prepare a vegan bánh xèo at home.

This youtube video by yummies4dummies is the one I really like.  Tina Pham is also so funny and energetic (the slo-mo near the end cracks me up).  Check out this Bánh Xèo video from yummies4dummies.  Her recipe and techniques are right on.  Yongkie told me that he watched it twice before he made it.  After replacing the filling and sauce ingredients with vegetarian ingredients,  the technique worked for him.  He said that it will be easier to make it next time after his first attempt.  My only critique of the video is that I thought Tina poured too much batter into her frying pan.  I think  less batter is better for a thinner crêpe which then becomes crispier.  The video plays about 9 minutes but you have to see it till the end when she showed us how to eat bánh xèo and you'll know what I mean by MESSY.

The batter Tina and Yongkie used was made from a pre-mixed flour you can buy at a Vietnamese market.  It is called Bánh Xèo flour.  This is one example:

It usually has the picture of the crêpe in front of it so it is not that hard to find.  I suggested to Yongkie to make it with a pre-mixed flour because it is the easiest for the first timer.  However, the pre-mixed flour usually contains 'all white' flour.  Like all food that is made using white flour only, it raises your blood sugar high and then drop it quickly.  One becomes hungry again too quickly.  The ingredients listed on the bag is rice flour, cornstarch, turmeric, and tapioca.  Another brand I found in the market has some wheat flour in it  (not whole wheat).  If you are trying to avoid gluten, you'll have to read the ingredients carefully.

If you are trying to avoid WHITE flour, I suggest another option, a healthier option:  Bryanna Clark Grogan's Sizzling Saigon Crepe batter from her latest cookbook World Vegan Feast published by Vegan Heritage Press on August 8, 2011.  

You can buy this wonderful cookbook from Amazon.com  I own one and use it often.  In fact, I was her Vegan Feast subscriber and tried so many of her vegan recipes including this one.  The good news for gluten-free vegan folks, Bryanna's batter is GLUTEN-FREE.  Bryanna let me blog her batter recipe which contains soaked split mung beans and brown rice flour.  There are extra steps to do but by using this batter, you'll feel that there is an extra 'uumph' after you eat it because it is more filling and nutritious.  

The dipping sauce traditionally is made with fish sauce. I veganized it by using Vegetarian 'Fish' sauce or Soy Sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos which both fermented naturally and salty.    I also listed 3 different dipping sauce recipes and you can choose what you would like to use.  I prefer a dipping sauce that has a lot of fresh lime juice, a bit sweet, and spicy (hot).  Yongkie likes it on the sweet taste with a small amount of lime juice or vinegar and not spicy at all.  Bryanna's sauce is also great and not as  spicy.

Vegan Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Crêpe Lettuce Wrap)
Serve 4-6 (or 4-6 crêpes)   Choose Batter No. 1 or 2 and Dipping Sauce no. 1, 2, or 3.

Vegetable oil
Natural oil spray in a can
8-inches or 10-inches non-stick frying pan

Batter No. 1(adapted from Tina Pham, using pre-mixed flour):
12 oz Bánh Xèo flour  (1 package)
 Note: if there is no salt and sugar in the ingredients list, add 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. sugar for extra flavors
1/2 tsp. Tumeric
1 tsp. Vietnamese curry powder, optional
 Note: Vietnamese curry powder can be bought in a Vietnamese market, it looks like this:

14 oz. Coconut milk or light coconut milk
3 cups water
1/2 cup chopped green onions

OR

Batter No.2(adapted from Bryanna Clark Grogan's Sizzling Saigon Crepe), gluten-free:
3/4 cup moong dal (split and skinned mung beans)

1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
2 cups coconut milk or light coconut milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. Vietnamese curry powder, optional  (see description and picture in batter no. 1)
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Filling:
2 cups vegan smoked ham or vegan shrimp or  baked tofu or regular firm tofu, sliced
Note:  my favorite is the vegan smoked ham because of it's smoky flavor
2 cups onions, sliced
2 cups cremini mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms or brown enoki mushrooms, sliced
2 cups red bell pepper, sliced
2 cups bean sprouts
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
salt and black pepper

Dipping Sauce No. 1, on the mild and sweet side, Yongkie's recipe:
1/2 cup vegetarian soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/3 cup shredded carrots

Dipping Sauce No. 2, sweet and sour, Bryanna's recipe:
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp (or more to taste) Vietnamese chili sauce
1/4 cup vegetarian soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 small carrot, finely-grated

Dipping sauce no.3, sweet, sour, and spicy, my recipe:
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (from 3-4 limes)
1/3 cup vegetarian soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 fresh serrano chili or Thai chili, minced
Note: for less hot, use 1/2 of a chili

Fresh Vegetables:
1 head red leaf or green leaf lettuce
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 bunch fresh mint
1 English cucumber, french cut slices
1 1/2 cup carrots, peeled and shredded  mixed with 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and 2 tsp. salt
Note: You can make the pickled carrots 1 hour ahead a day ahead, set it in a room temperature, then drained before serving.

Step 1, making the batter
To make the batter with pre-mix bag of flour (batter no. 1), just mix them all together in a bowl (like in the video).
To make batter no. 2:  Cover the moong dal with water to cover and soak for 30 minutes.  Drain them and place in the blender with the remaining batter ingredients.  Blend until VERY smooth.  Set aside (in the blender container) in the refrigerator until time to cook.

Step 2, making the sauce:
Choose  dipping sauce no. 1, 2, or 3 recipe.  Combine all ingredients together in a bowl, stir to mix well.

Step 3, preparing the vegetables:
Arrange the vegetables in a large platter like this:

Step 4, making the crêpes(see video for the demo), for each crêpe:

Sauteing the filling

Adding bean sprouts

1. Heat non-stick frying pan in a medium heat, put 2 tsp. vegetable oil.
2. Grab about 2-3 tbsp. sliced onions and 1/2 tsp minced garlic.  Throw them into the heated pan, saute.
3. Add 2 tbsp each sliced mushrooms, red bell pepper slices, and the protein slices (whether it is veggie ham, tofu, or veggie shrimp).
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and continue pan frying until a bit brown.  Spread the filling in a single layer in the frying pan.
5. Pour 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup batter and swirl around the pan until the batter is spread thinly covering the filling ingredients.
6. Immediately cover with a lid tightly and set timer to 4-5 minutes.
7. Remove lid,  add 1/4 bean sprouts in half of the crêpe.  Cover tightly again and set timer for 2 minutes.
8. Flip crêpe, the half without the bean sprouts, over the bean sprouts.  Slide it out to a serving plate and serve immediately.  The crêpe  should be eaten immediately.
   Note: Since there are only 2 of us at home, I usually store the batter in the fridge for the next meal.  It works well and is better than eating the leftover crêpe the next day.

Think about the possibility of a Bánh Xèo party with your friends.  With portable butane gas stoves and non-stick frying pans, each guest can take turn making his or her own crêpe and learn something new.