Steve Wertz wrote:

It's taken me years (decades even) to figure out what these things
were called. I used to get them at vietnamese delis in San Jose.

In vietnamese the spelling is: Bánh Cóng Tôm
In French: Gâteau Frire Farine Crevette Congele
In English: Deep Fried Tapioca Cakes Topped with Shrimp

Anybody know how to make these critters? Come to think of it...
they're basically fritters.

It's some sort of tapioca batter, mixed with whole mung beans,
sprouts, and daikon or turnip cubes ('white carrot' - whatever that
is) in the batter, formed in muffin pans and then they're topped with
two small shell-on shrimp and then deep fried. The ones I'm used to
seem to be covered with some sort of very hard, but light tempura
before frying. I assuem they're baked somehow first as the inside
seems to be airy, and not dense. I wouldn't expect it to get that way
from just deep-frying alone. Or would I? Yes - they're pretty
greasy.

There's another version where the batter is spread over a 1" slice of
french bread, topped with the shrimp (baked?), and then fried. This
is really the version I'm after rather then the muffin shapes.

So does that batter sound familair to anyone? Would that be a tapioca
starch, or tapioca flour (is there a differece?). I'vce never ised
tapioca anything.

Any help appreciated. This is, as are most of my requests here, a
pretty obscure item/request ;-) I have of course scoured all my books
and the net.

-sw

I seem to recall watching some Thai women cook a savory tapioca cake
(with scallions in it) in a pan that looked like it was for making
really big abelskivvers. The cakes were not turned, only cooked on one
side. They were firm enough one could have dipped and fried them. This
was a temple fundraiser.
I fear the only other thing I can tell you to check out the boxes of
tapioca flour in the markets, or, and this was my signature behavior
before being tethered by the bonds of having a toddler, hang out and
watch it being cooked, going to the bathroom repeatedly to peer in the
kitchen if necessary, and even dumpster diving to see what brands of
staples they use.
blacksalt

Steve Wertz wrote:


I even once made a plea in ba.food, offering money to let me observe a
vietnamese restaurant kitchen in action, but no takers.

-sw

Court a Vietnamese woman. Short of that, get a Vietnamese co-worker or
neighbor. Best of luck. If you find a restaurant with a kindly owner...a
place you frequent, spend money at, bring friends to, you might get
somewhere. We have a local Thai place with a good owner who picks **my**
brain for dipping sauces and tofu methods. She is generous with me. We
also have a Vietnamese place with definite French influences (no tapioca
cakes) whose half owner will come out and ask you how things can be
improved and tell how she did something. It is a bit of a drive for me
now (read:toddler hates to sit still in car) but I'll try to remember to
ask her next time.

blacksalt

There are a couple recipies on the Internet but all of them are basically
the same:

Bingka Ubi Kayu ( Tapioca Cake )


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Ingredients
600 gm grated tapioca, with the juice squeezed out

4 eggs

1 cup castor sugar or brown sugar

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

5 cups coconut milk, from 1 1/2 grated coconut and 4 cups warm water

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------

1. Drain the grated tapioca.

2. Beat the eggs with the sugar and flour till the sugar is dissolved.

3. Add the coconut milk and tapioca.

4. Pour into a greased mould and bake in the oven at 175 deg C for about 40
minutes till the cake is set.

---------------------------------------------------------
"Steve Wertz" wrote in message
...
It's taken me years (decades even) to figure out what these things
were called. I used to get them at vietnamese delis in San Jose.

In vietnamese the spelling is: Bánh Cóng Tôm
In French: Gâteau Frire Farine Crevette Congele
In English: Deep Fried Tapioca Cakes Topped with Shrimp

Anybody know how to make these critters? Come to think of it...
they're basically fritters.

It's some sort of tapioca batter, mixed with whole mung beans,
sprouts, and daikon or turnip cubes ('white carrot' - whatever that
is) in the batter, formed in muffin pans and then they're topped with
two small shell-on shrimp and then deep fried. The ones I'm used to
seem to be covered with some sort of very hard, but light tempura
before frying. I assuem they're baked somehow first as the inside
seems to be airy, and not dense. I wouldn't expect it to get that way
from just deep-frying alone. Or would I? Yes - they're pretty
greasy.

There's another version where the batter is spread over a 1" slice of
french bread, topped with the shrimp (baked?), and then fried. This
is really the version I'm after rather then the muffin shapes.

So does that batter sound familair to anyone? Would that be a tapioca
starch, or tapioca flour (is there a differece?). I'vce never ised
tapioca anything.

Any help appreciated. This is, as are most of my requests here, a
pretty obscure item/request ;-) I have of course scoured all my books
and the net.

-sw

they are indeed deep fried and eaten along with [vietnamese] crepes [ba'nh
xe`o , that's what the crepes are called. sorry don't have proper font to
type it] which pretty much have the same filling [plus mince pork and
crunchy shredded mushrooms], dipped in a fish sauce with lots of garlic,
chilis ect. if i remember it correctly there were also shedded carrots and
daikon. mouth-watering summer food eaten with your fingers, and it's a
crime to leave out the truck load of vietnamese herbs and greens.

i think i have seen it in my vietnamese cook book but never got around
getting it translated. and i did once see the flour package with recipe on
the back at the asian shop in my area [southern netherlands]. never crossed
my mind to get it as i don't have the muffin shaped ladle to fry banh cong
tom in.
btw, do they eat this stuff in the north? i'm going there in combination
with my cambodia trip next year.

Steve Wertz wrote:

It's some sort of tapioca batter, mixed with whole mung beans,
sprouts, and daikon or turnip cubes ('white carrot' - whatever that
is) in the batter, formed in muffin pans and then they're topped with
two small shell-on shrimp and then deep fried.

Not what you're looking for, but in Northern Chinese cuisine there is
a snack called a "white turnip fritter", which has a batter made with
rice flour, shredded turnip, and perhaps chopped chinese sausage and
black mushrooms. A special ladle, like a single muffin tin with a long
handle, is used; pour the batter into the ladle and put it into hot
oil to deep fry.

There is also a Filipino version that has shell-on shrimps and veggies
in batter, it comes out pancake shaped.