I've always had weakness for the Vietnamese cuisine. There's something about the combination of sweet, savoury and spicy flavours but with that, still light and refreshing, that has an addictive quality. These three recipes are definite staples in any Vietnamese restaurant and turned out ridiculously tasty at home too!
Bun Bo! ( Beef and Vermicelli Bowl )
Ingredients
Vermicelli noodles
Beef ( any way you like it, I chose cubed tenderloin pieces )
1/4 cup minced lemongrass
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp ground pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 shallots, minced
3 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
To dress bowl:
Thai Basil, cilantro, cucumbers, beansprouts, peanuts, scallions, carrots, nuoc mam cham
Directions
Place vermicelli in boiling water for about 6-8 min, stirring regularly so it won’t stick to the bottom of the pot. The noodles should be still slightly firm but easily break apart. Drain and flush with cold water to stop cooking process. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl with beef to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour. Pan fry beef with excess sauce until cooked to your liking. In a large bowl, combine vermicelli with grilled beef, fresh thai basil, cilantro, cucumbers, beansprouts, crushed roasted peanuts, fried scallions, carrots and dress with nuoc mam cham.
Nuoc Mam Cham ( Dipping Sauce )
Ingredients
1/2 cup of warm water
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 tbsp sugar
1 hot thai chile
3 cloves of garlic
1/8 cup fish sauce
Directions
Mix warm water and sugar together until sugar is dissolved. Add lime juice, vinegar, minced garlic and chilies. Finally, add the fish sauce and stir. For a deeper red color, add some chile garlic sauce. You can also add pickled carrots and daikon into the nuoc mam cham for a more authentic taste.
Cha Gio ( Spring Rolls )
Ingredients
1 lb ground pork
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup wood ear mushroom, soaked
1 cup bean thread noodle, soaked and cut
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 package rice paper
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup wood ear mushroom, soaked
1 cup bean thread noodle, soaked and cut
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 package rice paper
Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Any type of ground meat can be substituted or combined such as chicken or turkey or pork and shrimp.
Place about 2 tbsp of filling onto the edge of your wrapper and roll up the sides. Fry in small batches at 350 degrees until golden brown. Place on a plate with paper towel to get rid of excess oil.
Note: Rice paper will never brown as nice as wheat based paper. If using rice paper, fry only a few at a time, do not let rolls touch each other or they will stick together.
