Avocado Shakes

No.24 of my fav 100 things in Cabra

Avocado shakes are probably my MOST favourite fruit shake flavour. I’m still so surprised that with all the hype about fruit frappes, crushies and gym junkie smoothies that no commercial entity has cottoned on to the most unprocessed, super avocado drink!

I have to admit, one of my cheap thrills is watching newb visitors take their first sip of  avocado shake. hehehe…I could make a montage…..yes I could…

First cautious sip

uh oh…..not what he expected

..??…

Awkward.

Going in for another taste….

what the hell ‘thumbs up’!!

Err…not the reaction I was expecting. Despite my uncooperative, yet brutally honest friend here, remember: Have an avocado shake next time you visit!

I’ll be honest, I’m not normally a fan of avocados (as I veer more towards stronger flavours), however the combination of ingredients just amplifies the natural flavour of the avocado tenfold! Nothing.comes.close.

So what’s in it?

One whole avocado (in a small and 1 1/2 used in a large), ice, fresh whole milk and syrup – strictly no water (you don’t want to dilute that super thick ice blended creaminess!) This is the Laos/Thai version.

I’ve also seen it made with condensed milk instead of fresh milk and syrup. I do admit that the condensed milk version is extra yum. This is the Vietnamese version.

It’s very filling, so have this as a meal or share it with others (yeah right!)

Creamy and thick

How much? $4.50 for regular and $5 for large.

Where? Almost anywhere……

• Fruit shake stores and cafes

– eg Yummi Sweets, By far the most popular fruit shake chain stores in Cabra. So far, there are 4 scattered about in a 400metre radius! (Laos version),

– Most well known fruit shake store Kaysone Sweets (Laos version) Shop 4/59-61 Park Road (Freedom Plaza).

– Giai Khat (Vietnamese version) juice bar, Shop 18/101-103 John St (Hong Kong Shopping Plaza).

• Most restaurants ( though I’d resist having it with a meal as it takes up too much stomach space!).

Can’t miss the hot pink signage

Thai Lao Pumpkin Custard

No. 17 of 100 fav things in Cabra

I have waited 6 months for this to come back into season!!! Finally! Autumn = pumpkins! Yipee!

The steamed Thai/Lao pumpkin custard can be difficult to find amongst all the glistening brightly coloured cakes however just look on top of the glass cabinet on the right hand side. You’ll see pre-cut-n-packed trays of pumpkin custards – all price labelled with black texta.

derrr $3!

Many of the thai/lao desserts are quite sweet, this one included. A word of warning to those who are not fond of the asian “eggy” custard taste. This is definitely “eggy”! This custard also contains coconut milk for creaminess.

All the cakes you see there are hand made daily and limited in quantity. I’ve noticed that by 12pm Thai/Lao Pumpkin custard are usually sold out.They do have many more colourful and exotic desserts made from coconut milk, sticky rice and pandan if you’re up for trying something different.

This $3 portion can be split into 4 small servings (or two large) servings. This dessert is best served cold.

Where? Pok Sweets (Specialising in Thai Sweets & Desserts). Bkk International Food Court, B9/53 Park Rd (cnr Dutton Lane). Ph: 9755 9906.

A small serving. Eat the skin and all!

Very soft and moist, excellent chilled.

How Far Can A Mango?

No. 14 of my favourite things about Cabramatta

Post & photos by Oanh

Summertime and holidays always remind me of mangoes. Growing up we always had a box of mangoes in the house. Mum always bought them by the box.

Buying mangoes is a very selective process.  I often follow Mum around looking for the best mangoes in Cabra. She checks each one in the box by smelling them and giving them a gentle squeeze before she takes the box. An ingenious way of wrapping sticky tape to the box to form a handle makes carrying the load easier.

Ingenious!

Boxes can range from $15 to $30 per box depending on the breed of mango. This season my Mum, sister and I have been alternating buying a box each week and then splitting them between three households.  My favourites so far is the KP mango, medium in size, juicy and sweet. I’m seeing a lot of calypso’s out there at the moment though so they are next on the list to try.

Cabramatta is buzzing with mango sales and you can find the best sort out here. If you come at the right time (430pm on a Sunday) you can even see the mango wars take place, where shopkeepers yell out their prices and drop them by the minute in attempt to outdo each other. There are just too many mangoes this season.

The most popular mangos grown in Australia are KP (Kensington Pride) mangoes. They take up about 80% of our market. Their colour is deep orange with a red blush and they are soft and juicy. KP’s take a while to ripen but once mature, they ripen fast – within a week. Most people will buy them before they ripen.

In Cabramatta the T.P.P mango is very popular. It is a sweet Australian mango with a distinct shape, very popular in the Asian community. It has a very short season so needs to be eaten quickly once bought. This mango is often eaten crunchy with a cold beer.

And then we have the green mango that you see used in Thai salads. This sort is eaten very hard or ‘raw’ not ripe. Growing up I remember this being served with a dipping sauce of concentrated fish sauce and sugar, a very thick paste like dip. Sounds strange but very addictive.  This is also often shared at the drinking table with beer.

If you haven’t taken part in the mango craze yet then you’re not too late. Due to a bumper season, mangoes may be around a month longer than usual this season.

Enjoy them while they last – they go hand-in-hand with summertime in Sydney.

Giving you a taste of his product. He doesn't look impressed but he joked with me after I took this photo. Wanted to charge me $5 for it 🙂

She is probably looking for the firmest one

Cabra's favourite tpp mangos

Popular KP mangoes are distinct in colour and fragrance