Category: recipes

Cà tím tàu hủ (Eggplant Tofu)

Thịt ba chỉ (bacon or pork chop) bite size.
Marinate and do a quick stir-fry with some cooking oil – depending on how much fat you already have in the meat.)
I do it straight in my pressure cooker, minced garlic optional.

Add the sliced eggplant (whatever size you like, long or round) and pre deep-fried tofu.
Sprinkle in some salt. Add some turmeric powder.
Add oyster sauce if you like.
Cook it to the tenderness of your choice.
Add as much tía tô as you like, maybe 5 minutes before serving.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiso

Toward the end, taste it, and add more oyster sauce if needed.
I usually add a little shrimp paste (which can make a big difference in the taste.)
Add more turmeric powder if needed.
You would need to make the dish a few times before you know how much of each type of seasoning and herbs to use.
Some people like it with tomato and betel leaves. (And without meat).

I only use about a third of the water, and don’t find the need to blanch the eggplant since the cooker can do the job with less water.

Like so:
https://youtu.be/9ucCLEw_phU

 

Gà hầm sả ớt

My latest venture is a type of small chicken.
It’s small like a cornish hen and it takes a while to cook if using a regular pot.
It’s not all soft like the regular chicken you buy at the supermarket.
It’s firm but tender at the same time.
It’s called stewing chicken or stewing hen.
Thịt nó chắc tương đương gà tre của VN mình á.

http://wholenaturallife.com/how-to-cook-stewing-hens/

All you need is lemon grass and dried chili pepper (the dried chili pepper can be found at the dollar store or 99 cent store).
Smash one or two stalks of lemongrass and throw them into the slow cooker (I use the leaves also).
Add a little salt with some water (however much up to you).
I like to eat the hen with vermicelli so I use more water – just like when I cook “bún thang”.
When the meat is tender to your liking, adjust the seasoning.
I add some chicken powder and fish sauce.

The hen is small; it will fit into the pot and you don’t even need to season it beforehand.
If you like mushrooms, use nấm hương (Shiitake mushroom) or nấm mèo (wood ear mushroom).
Bamboo shoots will do, too.
As do carrots, celery… just try whatever you like.

 

Chả giò

Vật liệu:
– 2 lbs thịt heo bằm
– 3T+1t sugar
– 1T+2t salt
– 1t tiêu
– 1/2lbs tôm to, bóc vỏ, bằm nhuyễn
– 1oz dried black fungus ( nấm mèo) ngâm nước cho mềm xắt sợi.
– 1 củ hành tây vừa xắt lát mỏng.
– 1 củ cà rốt vừa bào nhỏ.
– 1 củ khoai môn bằng nắm tay bào nhỏ
– 7 tép ( clove) tỏi băm nhuyễn
– 4 củ hành tím ( to bằng ngón chân cái) băm nhuyễn
– 2 trứng
– 50 bánh tráng cuốn

Cách làm:
Mix sugar, salt, tiêu, tỏi, hành tím;
add thịt heo, tôm trộn đều;
add hành tây, nấm mèo, cà rốt, khoai môn, 1 trứng + 1 lòng trắng trứng
lòng đỏ dùng để dán bánh tráng khi cuốn

Cá Kho Tô

Ingredients:

  • 1 Catfish
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion
  • Caramel – nuoc mau
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Coco Rico (optional) – alternatives are carbonated water or just water
  • Non-stick pan, clay pot, or any pot/pan you have

Marinating Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

  1. Cut catfish in half (around its belly button(?))
  2. Take the tail end and slice into 3/4″ slices
  3. Chop onion and layer at bottom of the pan
  4. Drizzle caramel (nuoc mau) over the fish a couple of rounds
  5. Sprinkle salt & sugar over fish and marinate for 30 minutes
  6. If using a non-stick pan, cook on medium high. If using a clay pot, start on low and slowly increase the heat to avoid cracking the clay pot.
  7. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes.
  8. Every 2-3 minutes, check & add about 2 tablespoons of liquid (coco rico/soda/water) around the fish. Use chopsticks to carefully adjust the edges of the fish so it doesn’t stick to the pan. When one side seems done, you can flip to the other side.
  9. Serve with rice and, if desired, veggies (sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, pickled mustard greens, etc)

nước mắm

Using coconut juice

  • 12oz nước dừa ( hiệu Coco Rico)
  • 4oz+ 1t đường trắng
  • 4oz+ 2T nước mắm ( hiệu Việt Hương 3 con cua)
  • 2oz+ 1T nước cốt chanh ( lime)
  • 1 củ tỏi băm nhuyễn.

Combine all ingredients

Using water

  • Smash 2 cloves of garlic,
  • squeeze the juice of one lemon or lime,
  • heat a bowl of water,
  • brown sugar
  • fish sauce

Add a lot of brown sugar to the warm water and stir until all dissolved, add the garlic and lemon/lime juice, then add just enough fish sauce to your liking.

Add sliced jalapeno and shredded carrots at the end

Fast & Easy

  • Tam’s version
  • 3 table spoons hot water
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • mix the two, then add a whole lemon
  • add 3 tbsp nuoc mam
  • stop. This is where you tast to your liking.
  • I think I ended up with 4 tbsp nuoc mam
  • chop (it matters, apparently) some garlic and chili and put them in. Chopping the garlic makes the sauce not cloudy (I made this mistake), and putting it with the chili at the end helps them float (mixing the sauce would cause them to sink)

Cream Puffs

Ingredients – puffs

  • 1 stick of butter (1/2C)
  • 1C of water
  • pinch of salt (1/8 tsp)
  • 1C of flour
  • 4 eggs

Instructions

  • Let all ingredients come to room temperature
  • In a pot, add butter, water, salt. Bring to a boil, wait until butter melted, then add flour
  • Use a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until flour absorbs all the liquid
  • Continue stirring until the flour stops sticking to the pot
  • Remove pot from burner and continue to stir until it cools off to the point where there is no steam
  • Pour batter into a stand mixer and let the machine runs twice around the bowl, on low, to let the steam escapes
  • Add eggs, one at a time, while machine is running, until you see the batter has an even consistency
  • Use a spatula to scrape edges of bowl and let machine runs until batter has an even consistency
  • With a piping bag, fold edges over the cup, and fill bag 2/3 full and twist the top
  • Preheat oven to 375º
  • Butter the baking sheets (or use silicon mats)
  • When piping batter, squeeze straight down until cream puff is the desired size and swirl it off to finish the puff.
  • Space cream puffs 1.5″ apart
  • Brush egg wash on top (1 egg yolk + 1/2 tbs of milk or water), and wipe excess wash around the puffs
  • Bake trays one at a time for 35 mins
  • When done, poke each puff with a skewer
  • Turn oven off and let oven cool (leave door ajar) for 5-10 mins
  • Let cool on rack
  • * Do not open oven until completely done

Ingredients – Custard cream filling

  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1/4 C of cornstarch
  • 1C heavy cream (or combination w/ milk for 1C)
  • 1/2C granulated sugar
  • 1/2tsp of vanilla extract
  • orange zest (optional)

Instructions

  • In a medium sized bowl, separate egg yolks
  • Add cornstarch
  • Wisk them together until there are no clumps of cornstarch left
  • Set aside
  • In a medium sized pot, combine heavy cream and sugar, heat on medium (level 5) just before boiling
  • Use a ladle and scoop half of heavy cream mixture into egg mixture
  • Mix together until even & pour egg/heavy cream mixture back into the pot w/ the other half of heavy cream mixture
  • Lower heat (level 3/4), and simmer until bubbles form
  • Stir frequently
  • Turn off heat and let sit ofr 1-2 mins & keep stirring
  • Add 1/2tsp of vanilla extract and orange zest (optional)
  • Remove from heat
  • Strain (optional) if there are clumps of cornstarch
  • Transfer creeam mixture into separate container
  • Thinly slice 1/2 Tbs of butter on top of cream mixture
  • Let cool for 5-10 mins
  • Place a plastic saran wrap on top of container & press wrap to the cream to prevent condensation forming on top
  • Set aside for at least 30 mins or until completely cool before refrigeration
  • Fill puffs with custard

Salted Eggs

1. Soak eggs in 1 cup water & 1/3 cup strong vinegar for 30 minutes (in glass jar/bowl)

2. Wash the eggshells with the vinegar solution (to wash calcium off eggshells & make them smooth)

3. Take out and coat eggs with salt

4. Let salt-coated eggs sit in a covered glass jar for 7-10 days (at room temp)

5. After 7-10 days, when ready to eat, boil eggs for about 10 minutes

6. Eat with chao or make in fried rice

Faster No Knead Bread

On Sunday (03/22/2020), Bà Ngoại/Nội will be making bread, adapting from this recipe on Jenny Can Cook YouTube channel.

You can join Ba Ngoai/Noi online using Zoom.

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups (390 gms) all-purpose or bread flour (aerate flour before measuring)
  • 1/4 teaspoon yeast, active dry or instant (1 gm)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (6 gms)
  • 1 1/2 cups hot water, not boiling (354 mL) – I use hot tap water – about 125-130° F
  • (about 2 Tablespoons extra flour for shaping)

Instructions:

  1. Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Stir in water until it’s well combined.
  2. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 3 hours.
  3. After 3 hours dough will become puffy and dotted with bubbles. Transfer it to a well-floured surface and sprinkle dough with a little flour. Using a scraper fold dough over 10-12 times & shape into a rough ball.
  4. Place in a parchment paper-lined bowl (not wax paper) and cover with a towel. Let stand on counter top for about 35 minutes.
  5. Meantime place Dutch oven with lid in a cold oven and preheat to 450° F. My oven takes 35 minutes to reach 450°.
  6. When oven reaches 450° carefully, using oven gloves, lift the parchment paper and dough from the bowl and place gently into the hot pot. (parchment paper goes in the pot too) Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
  7. After 30 minutes, remove lid and parchment paper. Return, uncovered, to oven and bake 10 – 15 more minutes. Let it cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Congee with Ground Pork/Chicken

Ingredients:

  1. Ground pork/chicken
  2. green onions
  3. salt, pepper & red pepper flakes
  4. rice

Instructions:

  1. Ground Pork/Chicken, use any cut as lean/fatty as desired.
  2. Season with chopped white sections of green onions, salt, pepper, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
  3. Add one or two teaspoons of olive oil if using lean meat.
  4. Taste the seasonings by cooking a coin-size piece in the microwave for about 10 seconds, then adjust the seasonings.
  5. Boil some water, add meat, bring back to boiling point, then scoop out the meat foam.
  6. Add rice – one part of rinsed UNCOOKED rice to 6 parts of water, or 2 parts of COOKED rice to 6 parts of water. This measurement includes water already in pot used to cook the meat.
  7. When rice reached the desired softness, adjust the thickness of the soup.
  8. When adjusting the seasonings at the end, add fish sauce or chicken bouillon/fish sauce, or both
  9. Scoop into bowl and sprinkle with chopped green onions and cilantro. (If you don’t like the taste of raw onions, add them to pot, stir, and remove pot from heat.)

congee.jpg