One blog I like is Chicky Bus, written by an American lass named Lisa, who teaches ESL and travels in her holiday breaks, mostly in Central America but also she's been to the Middle East and a few other destinations. She hasn't made it to Asia yet, but she plans to soon.
Lisa wrote a great article about returning from a trip, missing a particular food you'd enjoyed so much and trying to replicate the taste once back home. For her it was the papaya milkshakes she had in the Dominican Republic. Here's her article on the subject.
I really identified with this, given my total addiction to Asian cuisine. On my last couple of trips I've even returned home with a few recipe books. I don't have a favourite dish, there's just too many to choose from, starting with Nonya cuisine, Vietnamese Bo Pho, Beef Rendang, Chicken laarb and green papaya salad just to name a few.
I regularly make a wonderful Assam Fish, a nonya dish where the curry is made from scratch, and I once spent an entire day making Beef Pho, which was unbelievably delicious but far too much effort to make on a regular basis. Trust me, the taste is all in the stock, a whole day spent boiling the bones to make it! Green Papaya Salad is pretty easy, but I'm yet to make a good Rendang.
But seeing as I haven't been to Central America, and I've currently got a papaya that's just ripened up to a gorgeous orange hue, I popped into the IGA for a can of evaporated milk (note Carnation) and slavishly followed the secret recipe on Lisa's blog.
Starting with the main ingredients...
Blended with a little brown sugar and ice.........
and VOILA:
Oh wow--this is so cool. First, thanks for crediting me on the recipe and for the kind words re: my blog. Sweet.
ReplyDeleteAnd second, I just love how you posted the photos! I have a feeling I know why your shake turned out so well. Yes, the recipe, but also and mostly because of that papaya. See, it looks very much like the one from the DR.
There's something about that particular size, I find, that makes the ultimate shake. A larger papaya is also excellent, but that smaller one is just perfect!
PS: The last photo says it all--the right color and the right consistency. I can see how you blended it, and that's how I take mine! :)
Thank YOU for the recipe! The papaya plant is a "bisexual" so fruits by itself. It's only the second fruit I've ever had on it but both have been small, round rather than long, and a really deep orange. And the taste is pretty special. Probably a variety that doesn't travel well so only available in home gardens rather than supermarkets.
ReplyDeleteThe consistency was a revelation: thick, smooth but light. I'm glad I only used the 2% fat version and skim milk, it sure is rich!!