All posts filed under: meat

Bánh Xèo / Vietnamese Savory Rice Crepes

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Bánh Xèo literally means “sizzling cake” in Vietnamese. The sizzling sound occurs when the rice flour batter is poured into a steaming hot pan to make a crepe. This crepe is then filled with pork belly, shrimp and bean sprouts served with lettuce, mustard greens and a variety of herbs. It is both healthy and decadent and a very popular dish among my cousins. The only problem is making the crepes fast enough to feed a large family. Every family has a crepe recipe and the selection of accompaniments. My family likes the crepe very thin and light so we use beer and water in our batter. This recipe is rated easy and makes 8-10 crepes depending on the pan size. Ingredients 1/2 lb of large shrimps 1/4 lb of pork belly 1 package of pre-mix banh xeo flour (combination of rice flour and regular flour) 1 can of coconut cream 1 cup of light beer  3 cups of water 1-2 cups of bean sprouts 1 yellow onion 3 stalks of scallions a pinch of salt …

Spicy Beef Saté Noodle Soup

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Spicy beef saté noodle soup is a cross between phở and bún bò huế. It is not as well known as the two, but requires the same bone based broth. Spicy beef saté noodle soup uses pork neck bones and a surprising ingredient of chunky peanut butter. The spiciness comes from the chili oil where you can modify the heat according to your tolerance. This is a delightfully complex yet simple noodle soup that will have you sweating and enjoying the broth at the same time. This soup is especially good on a cold day. This recipe is rated medium and requires approximately 2 hours to make. This recipe serves approximately 6 bowls of noodle soups. Ingredients 2 lb. of pork neck bones 1.5 lb. of beef (eye round or top round) 1 package of pho of flat rice noodles (fresh if available) 3 tablespoons of fish sauce ¼ cup ground chili in soya bean oil (There are many different brands that have different level of heat.) ½ cup of dried shrimps 3 dried squids …

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 …

Herbal Black Chicken Soup / Gà Hầm Thuốc Bắc

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Herbal black chicken soup is the equivalent of a very healthy Vietnamese chicken soup. This particular soup is made with black chicken or a breed called silkie. Silkies have black skin, bones and grayish-black meat which are tougher than the typical chicken. Silkie’s meat creates a sweeter broth and is the basis of this soup. This is my mom’s quick version of the herbal soup and a great way to beat the winter blues. Ingredients 2 lb of black chicken 5 large slices of ginger 2 ½ tablespoons of diced onion ¼ teaspoon of Chicken Bouillon Powder (CBP) ¼ teaspoon of sesame oil 1 tablespoon of olive oil ½ cup of dried jujube or chinese red plums ½ cup of dried lotus seeds 1 teaspoon of soy sauce 1 can of 14.5 oz of unsalted chicken broth 3 cups of water ¼ teaspoon of sea salt ½ teaspoon of sugar ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper Directions Cut the chicken into smaller parts. Soak ½ cup of jujubes and ½ cup of lotus seeds with 1 cup of water …

Pumpkin and Ribs Soup

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With the holiday approaching and the winter chill setting in, soup becomes a favorite for the winter. In the US, we have an abundance of pumpkin around the autumn time and into the winter months. Naturally, we merged pumpkin and traditional ribs soup into our version of a light yet filling meal. This soup can be eaten by itself or with toasted bread or rice. This recipe is rated easy. Ingredients ½ a block of soft tofu ½ lb. of pork ribs 2 ½ cups of pumpkin cube 2 tablespoons of chopped onion ½ tablespoon fish sauce Chicken bouillon powder (½ teaspoon for marinade and ¼ teaspoon for soup) Salt Sugar Ground pepper 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (“EVOO”) 2 stalks of scallion and cilantro for garnish Directions Cut the short ribs strip into smaller pieces of approximately 2 inches. Marinate the meat with ¼ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of diced onions, ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper and ½ teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder. Cut the pumpkin into …

Shredded Lime Chicken with Vietnamese Coriander and Pickled Onions / Thịt Gà Bóp Với Rau Răm

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Another simple dish that elevates the boiled chicken into a refreshing and healthy entree is my mom’s shredded chicken mixed with lime juice, Vietnamese coriander and pickled onions.  It is deceptively simple, filling and healthy.  Vietnamese coriander is an herb that can usually be found in Asian markets or grown at home.  It has a bite and mild citrus scent.  This is the herb that really makes the dish.  If this herb is not available, you can substitute it with Thai basil. This dish is rated easy. Ingredients ½ a chicken ½ of an onion, thinly sliced ½ of an onion for the stock 4 cloves of minced garlic 1 lime ¼ cup of Vietnamese coriander or basil if the Vietnamese coriander is not available ½ teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder 1 tablespoon of rock sugar salt pepper 2 Thai chili Directions In a large pot, boil 7 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of rock sugar and ½ teaspoon of salt. Once the water comes to a boil, add the chicken and ½ an onion and boil …

Aunt Qua’s Famous Fried Dumplings

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My aunt Qua is known for her juicy fried dumplings so much so that there are lines of people upset because she no longer sells them.  Luckily for me and for our readers, she decided to teach us how to make this deceptively simple dish.  The fried dumplings are juicy and sweet while the deep frying gives them a nice crunch.  Covered in fried sweet onions and dipped in a unique soy vinaigrette, these dumplings will be gone in seconds.  These are the best fried dumplings I have ever tasted and I’m excited to share the recipe in today’s post. There are three cooking methods to cook the dumplings. You decide based on your preference. a.  Deep frying (the preferred method) b.  Pan frying.  We used this method for this demonstration as the hotel did not have all the equipment we needed. c.  Boiling This recipe is rated easy and makes approximately 50 dumplings. Ingredients: 1 lb of ground pork 1/4 teaspoon of salt 1/2 teaspoon of pepper 50 round wonton wrapper 1 1/2 teaspoon of chicken …

Braised Pork Belly with Eggs / Thịt Kho Trứng

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If you ask anyone about their favorite home cooked Vietnamese dish, braised pork belly with eggs or thịt kho trứng will be among the top of that list. There is something very satisfying about diving into a bowl of pork belly and pouring the sweet and salty sauce all over the rice. This recipe is a guaranteed home run for any meal and is very simple to make.  The tricky part is making sure the caramel turns the right dark color without burning.  Once you get the hang of it, it is as simple as waiting for the pork belly to fall apart before you dig in. Ingredients 1.5 lb of pork belly (approximately 3 pieces) 6 hard boil eggs 2 cloves of garlic minced 1 peeled whole shallot 4 large slices of ginger ¼ cup of sugar ½ tablespoon of rock sugar 1 teaspoon of sesame oil 3 cups of coconut water 1 tablespoon of soy sauce 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon powder ¼ of cup of fish sauce 2 tablespoons of vinegar salt …

Watercress and Beef Salad with Pan Juice Vinaigrette

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One of my favorite vegetable dishes that my mother whipped up in no time is sautéed beef over a bed of pickled onions, tomatoes and watercress.  She combines the pan juice with the pickling juice to create a refreshing vinaigrette that beckons to be poured over a steaming bowl of rice.  Over the weekend, I asked my mother to help me recreate this quick and easy dish for our readers.  With Fall in full swing, this is a refreshing dish to incorporate vegetables in your next meal. This recipe is rated easy and takes approximately 15-20 minutes to prepare. Ingredients 1 lb of beef such as sirloin that would be good for sautéing 1 bushel of watercress 2 ½ teaspoons of soy sauce Sugar Salt Pepper ½ teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder  ¼ cup of vinegar 1 large tomato ½ of a yellow onion thinly sliced ¼ of a yellow onion diced 1/4 of a red onion diced 2 cloves of garlic sliced 1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon of olive oil  1 stalk of scallion for garnish 1 …

Đậu Hũ Sốt Cà Chua / Stuffed Tofu Braised in Tomato Sauce

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Vietnamese cuisine usually consists of braising proteins or vegetables in a sauce.  Braising in a tomato sauce is a very easy and popular way to incorporate vegetables into a meal.  In today’s recipe, we will share a family recipe for tofu stuffed with minced pork, shrimp, and ear worm mushrooms braised in tomato sauce.  It is a simple and healthy dish.  The tomato sauce is great with chicken and fried salmon filet as well. This recipe is rated medium in difficulty and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Ingredients: 1 lb of ground of ground pork 1 lb of tiger shrimp or any type of meaty shrimp ⅓ cup of dried ear worm mushrooms (This is commonly found in an Asian supermarket.  If you are unable to find it, just exclude this ingredient.) 1 package of fried bean curd (tofu). (This is a pre-made fried tofu which has a denser consistency.) Approx. 2 tablespoons of fish sauce 1-2 stalks of scallion 1/2 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder 2 ripe tomatoes Approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons …