Gỏi Rau Muống Trộn Bò Tái Chanh (Ong Choy Salad with Beef Tartare)

Ingredients:
-1 1/2lb rau muống
-1/2 large onion
-1 tbs sugar
-1 tbs vinegar
-rau răm
-1lb tender beef
-2 tsp fish sauce
-juice from 2 limes + sugar
-fried shallots

What to Do:
Pick leaves off ong choy and cut stems into approx. 3 inch long pieces. Wash, drain and shred into thin strips (use a sharp knife or special tool for shredding this veggie…which you by at most Vietnamese grocery stores). Slice onion into thin slice and marinate in sugar and vinegar for 15 mins, then squeeze out excess juice. Chop rau răm and fried shallots. Fry beef in a pan over high heat until golden but still rare in the center (like a steak). Afterwards, slice beef into thin slices and marinate with fish sauce, and lime juice and sugar (all flavors should be even) for 15 mins. Mix together shredded ong choy, marinated onions, marinated beef, rau ram and fried shallots, serve immediately.

Chè Bắp (Corn and Rice Pudding with Coconut Milk)

Ingredients:
-200g sweet rice (aka glutinous rice)
-5 large ears of corn
-water
-1/2 tsp salt
-200g sugar
-1 can coconut milk/cream
-3/4 tsp tapioca starch
-4 fresh pandan leaves (optional)

What to Do:
In a large pot of water boil corn with pandan leaves and salt. Once corn is cooked remove and cool, retain water to make the pudding. Meanwhile, wash and soak rice in water. Once corn has cooled enough to handle, use a knife to remove the kernels. In a pot, add rice and enough corn water (reserved from boiling corn) to cover the surface of the rice by approx. 1 ½ -2 inches. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add sugar and immediately after the rice is tender. Simmer for about 15 mins or until mixture thickens but the rice grains are still whole and not broken into a mush (this is why sugar is added immediately after the rice is tender, sugar will help the rice hold its shape). In a different pot mix together tapioca starch and coconut milk, cook over medium heat until starch thickens. Serve pudding with a generous topping of coconut sauce.

Canh Khoai Mở (Fat Potato Soup)

Literally translated this root vegetable means Fat Potato or Fat Yam. There are 2 types, white and purple. Most stores here call it Chinese yam. The flesh is translucent white (or purple) in color and is very soft and slimy. To make the soup the “yam” must first be peeled. Afterwards, a spoon is used to scrape the flesh into a smooth paste. Sound like a lot of work? It’s actually not… the flesh is very soft and easy to scrape… only takes a few mins.

Ingredients:
-1 khoai mở about ½ lb
-1/4 lb each: shrimp prawns, ground pork
-ngò gai, ngò om, lá quế, green onion (sawtooth herb, rice patty herb, thai basil)
-1 green onion
-1 tsp oil
-1 tbs fish sauce
-1 tsp sugar
-salt and pepper to taste
-5-6 cups water

What to Do:
Peel and mince shrimp with pork. Wash and crush onions. Heat oil in a pot, fry onion until fragrant, add shrimp and meat. Add fish sauce and water and wait for the soup base to boil. Meanwhile, wash peel and scrape the khoai mở using a spoon. After most of the yam’s flesh has been scraped, cut whatever is left behind (to small to scrape) into small bite size pieces and add to soup base. Once the soup comes to a boil, skim the surface and stir in the scraped yam flesh. Bring the soup back to a boil, add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and green onions (mentioned above) before serving.

Note:
Due to the starch from the yam, this soup should have a smooth yet thick texture, somewhat like Chinese style soups or congee.

Hủ Tiếu Xào Bò (Xào Khô) (Beef Chow Fun-Dry Version)

Ingredients:
-1/2lb beef
-1/2lb fresh rice noodles (aka rice ribbon)
-approx. 1 ½ cups bean sprouts
-3 tbs dark soy sauce
-oyster sauce, salt, sugar, pepper
-3 tbs oil
-3 cloves garlic
-4 green onions
-2 tbs cooking wine (optional, to flambé)

What to Do:
Slice beef into thin slices and mix with 1 tsp oyster sauce, pinch of sugar and pepper. Unravel noodles and toss with 1 tbs oil. Wash and cut onions into 2 inch long pieces. Crush and mince garlic. Heat a wok without oil for a few mins, and then add oil and heat oil before adding the garlic. Fry garlic until fragrant, continue by adding beef and sprouts mix well and add the noodles. Sprinkle in the wine and light with a match. Toss over low heat until fire burns out; add soy sauce, onions, salt, sugar and pepper to taste.

Củ Cải Mặn Xào Thịt Ba Rội (Preserved Turnips with Pork)

Ingredients:
-1/2 lb unsalted bacon (pork belly)
-approx 1 cup preserved turnips
-3 cloves garlic
-sugar and salt to taste
-1/2 tsp oil

What to Do:
Soak turnips in water for about 15 mins, wash and drain. Meanwhile, slice pork into thin pieces and mince garlic. Fry garlic in oil until fragrant, add pork and mix well before adding turnips. Stir-fry over high heat until pork is cooked; add sugar to taste and salt if needed.

Note:
Preserve turnips are very salty, which is why soaking it in water is necessary before cooking. However, soaking does not remove all of the saltiness, thus sugar is needed to balance out the flavors. Only add a pinch or two of salt to season the meat.

Đậu Hủ Xào Tứ Xuyên (Schezuan Style Stir-fried Tofu)

Ingredients:
-1 piece tofu
-1 Chinese sausage
-1/4 ground pork
-3 cloves garlic
-1 tsp Schezuan peppercorns
-dried chilies (optional)
-1/2 tsp each: oyster sauce, sesame oil
-salt, sugar, and pepper to taste

What to Do:
Coarsely mince sausage. Cut tofu into small bite size cubes. Mince garlic and set a side. Add sausages into a hot pan and fry until fragrant and releases some oil. Remove sausages from pan and add Schezuan peppercorns. Fry the peppercorns until fragrant; before fishing them out of the oil and throwing them away. Add mine garlic and chilies to the oil, fry until fragrant; add pork, sausage, and tofu. Stir fry until pork is cooked. Add oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, sugar and pepper to taste.

Canh Rông Biển (Seaweed Soup)

Ingredients:
-1/4lb ground pork
-1 ½ pieces seaweed (kind used for making soup)
-6 cups water
-salt and sugar to taste
-1/2 tsp oil

What to Do:
In a pot stir fry pork in oil until fragrant, add water and bring to a boil. Skim surface and move the pot off the stove. “Grill” the seaweed sheets on the stove until fragrant and crackles. Bring the soup pot back onto the stove and add the seaweed. Wait until the soup comes back to a boil before serving, add salt and sugar to taste.

Sương Sa Lá Dứa Nước Dừa (Pandan and Coconut Jelly)

Recipe: http://pwmf.blogspot.com/2005/10/sng-sa-cn-bn-basic-agar-agar-jelly.html

To make the lotus design:

-Cut Jelly into thin strips after it sets.
-Cut the strips at an angle to get diamond shaped pieces.
-Arrange the diamond cut jelly to make a flower.

Đậu Hủ Chưng Tôm (Steamed Tofu with Prawns and Soy Sauce)

Ingredients:
-1 piece soft tofu (approx. 1lb)
-12 prawns
-1 green onion
-a few sprigs of cilantro
-1 tbs oil
-3 tbs soy sauce
-2 tbs water
-1 ½ tbs sugar

What to Do:
Peel, devein, and crush prawns. Cut tofu into 12 pieces and arrange on a heat safe dish. Place a prawn on each piece of tofu and lightly press into place. Steam on high heat for 5-8 mins. While tofu is steaming, wash and shred onion into thing strips, cut cilantro into short pieces. Mix together soy sauce, water and sugar and give the sauce a taste. The sweetness and saltiness should be even, adjust accordingly. Pour sauce over tofu after it’s done steaming. Heat oil until hot and carefully pour over tofu. Top the dish off with onions and cilantro.

Note:
The hot oil should sizzle when it comes in contact with the tofu and sauce. Scalding the sauce and tofu with oil helps bring out the unique flavors of the dish.

Khổ Qua Ngâm Nước Mắm (Bittermelon Pickled in Fish Sauce)

Ingredients:
-2 large bittermelons (approx. 1 ½lbs)
-1 recipe basic fish sauce

What to Do:
Wash bittermelons and cut in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and slice pitted melons at an angle into thin slices. Soak bittermelon slices in fish sauce for at least 24 hours before serving.

Canh Hẹ Nấu Đậu Hủ Non (Tofu and Chive Soup)

Ingredients:
-1/4lb ground pork
-1/2 tsp each: pepper, fish sauce
-1 green onion
-pinch of sugar
-salt to taste
-1 piece soft tofu (approx. 1lb)
-1 bunch Chinese chives (approx. ½-1lb)
-6 cups water

What to Do:
Mix pork with pepper, fish sauce, sliced onion, and sugar. Wash chives and cut into short pieces. Cut tofu into bite size pieces. Boil water and add pork ½ tsp at a time (to make meatballs), add tofu and bring soup back to a boil. Skim surface, add chives and salt to taste.

Bánh Thuẩn (Steamed Cup Cakes)

Ingredients:
-2 whole eggs + 1 yolk
-200g flour
-100g wheat starch
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-200g (ml) club soda
-250g sugar

What to Do:
Beat egg whites until stiff; add in yolks one at a time. Add sugar and baking soda and beat until thick and creamy (about 10-15mins). Add flour and club soda and mix to make a smooth batter. Steam on high for about 10 -15 mins.

Note:
This recipe is a modified version of hugbear’s recipe posted in Nurkochen. The recipe is modified to not use sponge stabilizer as it’s not available in the U.S.

Chè Sen Trần (Lotus Seed Tong Sui)

The goal when making this dessert is to end up with tender melt in you mouth lotus seeds that can still hold their shape…until it goes in one’s mouth...of course :p. The mali or pomelo flavor should enhance the flavor of the lotus not compete with it. The syrup should be slightly sweet and the sweetness should be infused in the lotus seeds.

Ingredients:
-300g dried lotus seeds
-1 ½ tsp lye water or 3 tbs baking soda
-water
-rock sugar
-1/2 -1 tsp mali or pomelo flower flavoring
-pinch of salt

What to Do:
Mix lotus seeds with lye water and then add enough water to cover the surface of the seeds by about 2 inches. Soak for a few hours to hydrate the seeds. Afterwards gently “scrub” the seeds between you palms and wash many times. Boil the seeds until tender (about 10 mins), add salt and sugar to taste. Simmer for another ½ hour. Add mali or pomelo flavoring just before serving. Serve hot or on ice.