Lemongrass-Coconut Pannacotta with a Refreshing Fruit Salsa

I didn't use to make a lot of desserts before...but now I've decided not to just buy something readymade in the store. Besides, this way I can make the perfect ending to my dinner parties with the same theme.

So, we have just finished eating a refreshing Vietnamese dinner of Phô, Bò lá lôt and rice paper rolls filled with pineapple and lots of different herbs. To stay with the theme I prepared lemongrass- coconut pannacotta with a refreshing fruit salsa of pineapple, passionfruit and mango. I also had a green sponge...but this was mainly me being experimental (I don't feel this added anything other than color to my dish). I was flipping through a few recipes and fell in love with the playful look of a really vibrant sponge cake...however I quickly realised I didn't have a siphon nor a microwave which was needed to make this cake super fluffy just like one of those wash sponges. I didn't give up and contacted a really good chef who I know makes great desserts. He told me to make a regular sponge but replace the wheat flour with gluten free flour (this will make it more airy). What did I have to loose...nothing. Next time however I will make sure to add some more flavour to it.

The Lemongrass-Coconut Pannacotta

2 gelatine sheets
2dl coconut milk
1 dl cream
2-3 stalks lemongrass
1 dl sugar (I will try to put a bit less sugar next time because it ended up being quite on the sweet side)

1) Soak the gelatine in cold water
2) Beat the lemongrass stalks to release more flavour
3) Heat up the cream, coconut milk, sugar and Lemongrass until the flavour of the lemongrass is strong and the sugar has dissolved
4) squeeze excess water from the gelatine sheets and mix into the hot liquid, mixing until even,
5) strain and cool down a bit, mixing once in a while
6) for into molds of your choice (I used silicone holds meant for making cake pops because I like the small size)
7) Put into the freezer to set (you can also put them into the fridge to set but I find it easier to take them out of the moods when frozen)

You can make the pannacotta days before which saves you the time on the day of your dinner party.

Green Sponge

2 eggs
1.5 dl (90g) powdered sugar (maybe you just call it icing sugar)
100g almond flour
2 egg whites
2 tbsp caster sugar
0.5dl glutenfree flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp melted butter

1) whisk the eggs, powdered sugar and almond powder until airy and light ( I left out the almond flour this time cause I didn't have any)
2) in another bowl whisk the sugar and egg whites to a foam
3) combine the two folding them to keep the air in.
4) strain in the gluten free flour
5) add also the melted butter and mix until even
6) mix in some food colouring of your choice. I put in a drop of green.
7) for the mixture into a cakemold about 3-4 cm high (I might try to bake it in a smaller told next time to make the cake thicker)
8) bake in the oven 200° C until it doesn't stick to a toothpick....if the cake is becoming too brown reduce the heat and bake longer. You don't to loose the vibrant colour.

Tropical Fruit Salsa


1 Slice of pineapple (approx 2cm thick)
1/2 mango
1 passion fruit
1/2 lime
1 stalk lemongrass
mint leaves
sugar if needed

1) Dice the fruits into small equal side cubes
2) add lime zest and juice
3) chop the lemongrass finely
4) slice the mint finely just to add a bit of colour and hint of flavour
5) add sugar if needed

I like the salsa to be refreshing and not too sweet to accompany the other sweet components.

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

This is one of the easiest and most fun meals you can serve at a dinner party. You can keep it as simple as you like or complicate it with loads of different dipping sauces and condiments.

You can buy the rice paper rolls in most Asian stores and even in some supermarkets. What you want to wrap into them, is all up to you and your friends.

What I had on my plate

Pre-cooked rice noodles
Pineapple
Loads of herbs ( ex. coriander, mint, thai basil, noo gai)
Scallions
Chili
Ginger
Lemongrass
Beansprouts
Cooked tiger prawns

You can use your own imagination. As I had this as a side dish, I didn't want to overcomplicate it. If this is the only thing you are serving you can add other proteins of your choice ( fish, chicken, beef).

Just set all the ingredients on the table. Have a bowl of water in the middle o the table to make the rice papers soft. You don't need to soak them. Just dip them in for a little while to make them easier to work with.

The rest is up to your friends. Let everyone dip their own rice paper in the water and add the ingredients they like.

You can eat them like so or dip them in a variety of sauces (ex. peanut satay sauce,  chili fishsauce, sweet child sauce etc.)

My favourite is just a simple sauce made of soy sauce, fishssauce (half and half), chili, lime zest and juice and sugar. You can make the sauce as spicy, salty or sweet as you like.

Fill, Roll, Dip, Bite =YUM

Also these are nice as a snack at a buffet or a picnic if you roll them in advance. Really easy to eat on the go :)

Bò Lá Lôt - Beef Wrapped in Betel Leaves

Bò Lá Lôt


Bò lá lôt is beef wrapped in leaves and served on a skewer. I had tasted these before in a really good Asian restaurant (Farang) in Helsinki but didn't know their origin then. I got really excited when I saw a man selling them from his bike in Hoi An and hoped they would be atleast a bit similar to the ones I had eaten... and they were :)
Normally the leaves are grilled, but can easily be made at home in the oven (you won't even need skewers).
They are really tasty and easy to make. I'm already looking forward to making these in the summer on the grill.

You will need

20 Lá Lôt leaves also known as Betel leaves. You can find these in Asian shops.
Pick the leaves leaving a bit of the stem (2cm). Wash the leaves and tap dry with a kitchen towel.

Filling:

250g minced meat (I used about 150g beef and 100g pork)
2-3 lemongrass stalks finely chopped
1/2 garlic clove
1 spring onion chopped
Mix together.
Add fish sauce and soy sauce enough to add the salt amount you like. Mix together with your hands and leave to rest.

Take one leaf at a time and put a small sausage like roll of minced meat inside and roll. Have the green side of the leaf towards the table so you end up having the nicer looking side upwards.
Roll into a small package. With a toothpick make a hole in the leaf so you can insert the end of the stem to keep the roll closed. This way you don't have to leave a toothpick (except for puncturing a hole)) to hold it in place.
Put onto a lined baking tray and brush with vegetable oil. Place in the oven 180 degrees for approximately 15-20 mins until they've gotten a bit of colour.

Chop some roasted peanuts and sprinkle on top.

Eat the rolls like so or dip (chili, fishsauce dip).


I'm sorry about the pics not being the most appealing but I couldn't have my guests wait too long  :D