Heo quay (pork belly)

Ingredients

For a 2 lbs pork butt, 1 tsp five spices, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 t brown sugar (white), 1 Tsp soy sauce, 1 Tbs honey, and garlic (to taste). I know we all like garlic but trust me you don’t want a lot here.

Instructions

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Wash & dry meat thoroughly. On a plate, marinade meat overnight in the refrigerator. If you want to color skin, use red food coloring (optional). Salt/Vinegar mix and brush on skin to make it crispier.

Tip 2: on a sauce pan, add enough water to cover skin, boil until soft (around 3-5 mins) to soften the skin.

35 mins in the air fryer at between 325 and 350, unattended.

The trick is you have to stab the skin with a lot of holes. Some people go as far as mixing flour with water and brush it on top, thats just too involved for me. and the meat has to be super dry when it goes into the oven. also, like tram said, prepare for splashes. and oh, you need to collect a lot of fat and juice on the bottom ha. made a mess first time around, and second time was clean as a whistle.

Last, put on broil to make the skin extra skin

Xôi vò

Vật liệu:
– 3C + 1/8C nếp
– 1t + 1/2 t muối
– 2T + 2t đường
– 6.5oz coconut milk
– 6.5oz đậu xanh
– 4T dầu ăn

Cách làm:
– Ngâm nếp + 1/2t muối qua đêm, đổ ra để ráo. 
– Đậu xanh nấu tán nhuyễn.
– Trộn đều nếp, đậu xanh, 1t muối, 2t đường, 4T dầu
– hấp 40 phút.
– Cho coconut milk, 2T đường vào trộn đều
– hấp thêm 15 phút.

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