All posts filed under: Fusion

Mom’s Superghetti / Easy Spaghetti with Sausage and Meat Sauce

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One of the first American dish that my mom made after emigrating to the US from Vietnam was spaghetti. Since we didn’t know English, spaghetti sounded like superghetti and that’s what we have called this Vietnamese fusion pasta since then. My mom’s version of spaghetti has a lot of depth with traditional Vietnamese flavors, which takes this simple Italian American dish up a notch. It’s slightly savory, slightly sweet and filled with umami that makes it hard to just eat one serving. Serving Size: 6 servings / Difficulty: Easy / Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: 4 sausages of your choice 1 to 1.5 pounds of ground beef 1 jar (28 oz) of marinara sauce 2 cups of low sodium chicken stock 1 package (16 oz) of thin spaghetti or pasta of your choice 4 stalks of celery for about 1 and 1/2 cup diced celery. Peel the outer layer. 1/4 teaspoon of salt 2 tablespoons of sugar 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper 1 tablespoon of fish sauce 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil Yellow onion 3 …

Vietnamese Grilled Chili Bread / Bánh Mì Nướng Muối Ớt

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Vietnamese street food has been gaining popularity over the past few years. The combination of influences from western foodie culture and flavors from its Asian neighbors created an interesting variety of new offerings. Vietnamese grilled chili bread or bánh mì nướng muối ớt is a fusion dish that is made for gatherings. This snack is highly customizable and elevates a few inexpensive ingredients to the next level. This is our version of this popular street snack. Ingredients: 2 loaves of bread such as Portuguese roll or similar type of bread that has a  nice crust with a light and soft inside. 1 tablespoon of chili paste such as Sambal Oelek Chili Paste 1 tablespoon of Sriracha (and more to garnish at the end) 1 tablespoon of regular mayonnaise or Kewpie mayonnaise 1 tablespoon of butter 2 stalks of scallion 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon of sugar 1 tablespoon of garlic (approximately 3 cloves) Handful of fried shallots Sprinkle of ground black pepper Meat Toppings: 1/4 pound of Chinese BBQ pork or any other meat toppings like …

Fish Taco with Tumeric and Dill

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Tacos are very popular in the states and the trend has been to mix the Mexican traditional taco with Asian ingredients. This combination have been a huge hit with a fusion of Korean bbq and Mexican food. This trend inspired  me to create a Vietnamese version of the fish taco based off of a traditional northern dish comprise of fish with turmeric and dill or  chả cá thì là. This recipe change the traditional sauce and the accompaniment to create a fusion fish taco. I tested this recipes on 4 teenagers and they could not get enough of it. This is a bonafide crowd pleaser for your next gathering. This recipe serves 6 and is rated medium in difficulty. This recipe takes approximately 30 minutes to prepare and require marinating the fish for at least 1 hour. Ingredients: 2 pounds of tilapia filet or any other firm white fish of your choice 2 large bunches of dill 3 stalks of spring onion 1 tablespoon of lemongrass 2 tablespoons of minced garlic ½ of diced yellow or …

Pandan and Coconut Waffle / Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa

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A popular street food among the locals, especially children, is pandan waffle or bánh kẹp lá dứa. This waffle is flavored with pandan and incorporates coconut milk in the batter. It is usually eaten plain since the waffle is already sweeten. This dish makes an excellent breakfast or snack. This recipe is rated easy and makes approximately three waffles (6 inches in diameter). Ingredients 3 eggs 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter melted 2 cups of flour 1 cup of coconut flake ½ cup of sugar ½ teaspoon of baking powder ⅛ teaspoon of salt ⅛ teaspoon of pandan syrup ⅛ teaspoon of vanilla extract ¾ cup of instant evaporated milk ½ cup of coconut milk Directions In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Heat the waffle maker. Pour the batter evenly and cook the waffle to the waffle maker’s directions. For our waffle maker, it takes 3 minutes per waffle, 1.5 minutes on each side. Sprinkle some powder sugar and serve warm. This recipe is also the basis for our chicken and waffle dish. Click here …

Fried Chicken Wings with Nouc Mam Glaze

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Everyone loves fried chicken wings. Coming from a Vietnamese household, we created our own version with nouc mam or fish sauce. The crispy wings are tossed with a salty and sweet glaze made from fish sauce and butter. The wings are addictive and guarantee to be a hit at your next football party. We paired these wings with pandan waffle to make a delectable Sunday brunch dish. The recipe is rated easy and takes approximately 30 minutes to prepare. Ingredients 2 lb of chicken wings 1 cup of cornstarch 1 egg 2 scallions (white end parts), chopped 8 cloves of galic, minced ¼ of a yellow onion, diced 1 ½ tablespoons of butter ¼ cup of sugar ¼ cup of nouc mam or fish sauce for the glaze and 1 teaspoon for the marinade sea salt cracked pepper vegetable oil for deep frying Directions Wash the chicken wings with 1 tablespoon of sea salt to clean the smell and any slime off the skin. Mix well and rinse with water. Cut a slit through each …

Traditional Fish Cake and the Burger

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It seems that every culture has a form of fried fish cake. My mom used to make a patty of fish paste and other ingredients while I was growing up. She would then fry it up and served it over vermicelli noodles and fresh herbs. In the Vietnamese culinary tradition, this simple fish cake appears in numerous recipes including bun cha ca (fried fish cake vermicelli soup), summer rolls or sandwiches. I decided to take this fish cake to a whole new level: the American burger. Placing a fried fish patty on a soft brioche bun and a variety of other herbs/condiments will result in a mouth watering treat. Traditional Fish Cake Ingredients: Approximately 1 lb fillet of a firm fish like snapper ½ teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of sugar 1 teaspoon of pepper ½ teaspoon of fish sauce 2 teaspoon of cornstarch ½ teaspoon of baking powder garlic 2 stalks of green onions (use only the bottom white portion) Directions: In a food processor, combine all the ingredients and blend until a paste …