Banh Canh- Vietnamese Noodle Soup

I am starting a new series in the blog, and considering the sign of the times, it might take me a little longer.  My research coincides with cooking dates with my mother in law.  As you can expect, the recipes will be rough, and I have to keep up and guess some measurements as these are the science of tradition and taste as opposed to exactness.

Our first recipe has many types and variations, so the version we cooked is her family's recipe.  I had to guess and write quickly because time was of the essence.  Not really, but it seemed like we were in a rush.  However, the aromas made time stand still.

Soup and Dumplings

2 pounds pork bones (cleaned)

2 T ginger, crushed

2 pounds shrimp

2 1/2 cup onion, small dice

1 egg

salt, pepper, fish sauce

1 1/2 cups oil

2 t cayenne

2 T shrimp paste

cilantro, chopped

green onions, chopped

yellow onions, julienned

Noodles

1/2 pound rice flour

1/2 tapioca starch

2 T glutinous rice flour

warm water

Make pork stock by adding about one gallon of cold water, pork bones, and ginger and simmer for at least 2 hours.  While that is cooking, in a food processor, puree one pound shrimp, 1/2 cup onion, one egg, salt, pepper, fish sauce to taste.  This should make a beautiful shrimp paste.  Remove and place in a bowl and keep it cold.  Also, this is when you can make the noodles, see below.  In a separate pot, heat the oil, and when it is almost smoking, fry two cups onion until light brown then add the cayenne.  This should infuse the oil to a nice red hue.

 

How to make noodles-  In a mixing bowl, add half the dry ingredients.  Slowly add warm water and mix until it forms a firm ball.  Knead the dough for a few minutes until it is a very smooth ball.  Let it rest.  Repeat with the rest of the dry ingredients.  You should have two perfectly smooth spheres.

Cut a ball in half and put a small amount of flour on a cutting board.  Roll out the ball to about a quarter inch thickness and slice into noodles.  Repeat until all the dough is cut into noodles.  Do not roll it too thin as the noodles will break.  This is a thick noodle soup.

Add about two or three cups of pork stock to the onion chili oil (pending your size of pot).  There should be enough liquid to poach the dumplings.  When the stock comes up to a boil, begin adding the dumplings.  Using two spoons, dip them in water and scoop enough filling to form a quenelle (or a football) and spoon it into the stock.  Use all the filling.  While the dumplings cook, mix the shrimp paste with a little water turning it into a slurry.  Strain the slurry and add the liquid to the stock.  Toss the remnants in the strainer.  Add the rest of the stock to the pot with the dumplings and let it simmer.  Return it back to a boil and begin adding the noodles.  Once the noodles are cooked, add the rest of the shrimp.  When the shrimp cook, shut it off and eat!  Garnish the soup with the cilantro, green onion, and onion mixture.  If you want more spice, add chili paste or fresh chilis.

Garlic Beef with Ssamjang, Stir Fry Vegetables and Noodles

Welcome back!!  Well, we were forced indoors as the entire nation went into COVID-19 lockdown.  What better time to restart the blog.  I hope you missed it because I did.  Work, life, work, life keep getting in the way, but working on new dishes has kept me moving.

I wanted to start with something simple and outside.  The perfect weather makes the grill scream at me, and a quick marinade makes for a nice dinner.

With a quick move away from the usual Vietnamese fare, I ventured into a Korean type of beef.  Using some finger sized cuts of sirloin, I made an easy marinade and accompanied it with some stir fried vegetables and noodles.

Marinade
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup onion, minced
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 T mirin
2 T garlic, minced
1/2 T sesame oil
1 T black pepper
1 T korean chili powder (or red chili flakes)

Garnish- mint, sesame seeds, or anything you think might go well with grilled beef!  I made a Korean dipping sauce called ssamjang.  

Ssamjang
1/2 cup doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
3 T gochujang (Korean chili paste)
3 T sesame oil
1 T honey
1 T sesame seeds
1/4 cup onion, minced
1 t red chili flakes

Mix all ingredients very well

This amount is good for about a pound of beef.

Mix everything and whisk until sugar dissolves.  Pour over the beef and marinate for at least 2 hours up to about 8 hours.  Using a grill or a cast iron pan, cook the beef until it has a nice dark glaze on the outside.  Garnish with torn mint leaves.  This would go well with rice, but I had some vegetables to cook, so that recipe follows.

Stir Fried Vegetables and Noodles

Stir fry sauce- 

2.5 T brown sugar

1.5 T fish sauce

1 T soy sauce

Mix until sugar dissolves, set aside.

For one pound of various vegetables- I used red onions, mushrooms, squash, cabbage, broccoli, snow peas, asparagus, red bell pepper, but it is your choice!

One pound of cooked noodles, and I used spaghetti because that is what I had at the time.  This is a good way to move a small amount of various leftovers.

3-4 T vegetable or canola oil

2 T grated ginger

1 t red chili flakes

Heat wok or pan, add oil and stir fry vegetables until cooked through, add stir fry sauce, cook for another minute or two until glaze forms, add ginger and chili, and cook for another minute or so.  Add noodles, and working quickly, stir fry until hot.  If it seems a little dry, add a splash of water.   Remove from heat and splash with a few dashes of rice wine vinegar and a couple of twists of pepper.

Lately, my music of choice has been all over the place, so I needed something relaxing for the outdoor cooking session.  I went with Big Star.  If you are unfamiliar, check out the documentary.  The pioneering band of the early '70s laid a wonderful foundation for the '80s power pop phenom bands such as R.E.M., the Replacements, Afghan Whigs, and many, many others.

My recommendations as a quick introduction would be "The Ballad of El Good", "Thirteen", and "September Gurls".  A couple of other favorites are "Back of a Car" and "Feel".  The catalog is very small, and internal along with label issues led to a quick demise.  Check it out, as they deserve a look, and the documentary is very interesting.

Shaking Beef

An unusual name for this popular dish stems from the method of cooking rather than the finished product. As the steak option in many Vietnamese restaurants, shaking beef is a common choice among first time diners who might be unsure of what to order. The technique of shaking the beef in the wok or skillet gives this dish its name, and the simple marinade and sauce make it easy to duplicate at home.  

The beef is cut into cubes as many Vietnamese meat dishes will use cut up proteins rather than a larger cut.  Watercress provides a nice spicy kick and a good clean finish.  Use a little extra sauce to finish and pour over the greens.  

Thit Bo Luc Lac-Shaking Beef

1.5 pounds beef (ribeye, sirloin) ½ inch cubes
1 onion, thinly sliced

Marinade-

1 tsp salt

1tsp pepper

1tsp sugar

1 tbsp sesame oil

¼ cup mirin

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

Sauce-

¼ cup light soy

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp dark soy

1 tbsp garlic minced

1 tbsp chili paste

green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces, green only
watercress

Thoroughly combine all of the marinade ingredients and toss with the cubed beef.  Let it rest for about 1-2 hours. Then combine all the sauce ingredients. 

In a very hot skillet or wok, add a small amount of oil and sear the beef.  As it begins to brown, start shaking vigorously to cook the meat on all sides.  When it is well seared, remove the meat to a plate, and add the sliced onion.  Caramelize the onion, and add the meat back to the skillet.  Pour in the sauce and throughly coat.  Toss in the green onions and gently mix with the meat and sauce.  Place the watercress in a bowl or plate and pour the meat and juices on top.  Serve with a side of nuoc mam.

Grilled Ribeye

Most men enjoy giant pieces of meat!! Slabs of ribs, hanging links of sausage, hams, and huge steaks rile us up much more than a beautiful fruit basket or a nice, crisp broccoli floret. While I was walking through the grocery store, my eyes could not turn away from some beautiful steaks sitting in the case. I found some wonderful 1.75 pound ribeyes and decided to do a traditional Vietnamese marinade with a crisp green papaya salad on the side. I also dipped into my bag of goodies to make a Chinese black vinegar steak sauce which kind of tastes like A1.

Grilled Ribeye

1 Thai Chili

2 cloves garlic

1 piece ginger

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp canola oil

1 piece lemongrass

Salad- shred green papaya, carrots, green cabbage and mix with Vietnamese herbs such as basil, mint and coriander and nuoc mam

Steak Sauce
4 cloves garlic minced
1 Thai chili
1 piece ginger, 1 inch long minced
1 oz. palm sugar
3 tbsp Chinese rice wine
1/3 cup black vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water

Bring ingredients to a simmer and allow sugar to dissolve

Marinate the beef for 2-4 hours. Take the meat out of the refrigerator about 30-45 minutes prior to cooking. This will allow the cooking temperature to remain true as the beef will be room temperature when the cooking begins. In a very hot cast iron pan or grill, cook the beef to the desired degree. Since this is a very thick piece of steak, the outside can sear very easily and keep the inside medium rare. When the juices begin to run through the top of the steak, your internal temperature should be medium (140 degrees). Allow the meat to rest for about 5-10 minutes prior to cutting.

While browsing through music selections, I decided something big, loud, and very rock and roll would be needed to stand up to my meal.  Searching high and low, I found just the choice. Dial back the stations to the days of teased hair, loud guitars, and mayhem on the Sunset Stip. Motley Crue screeched through the airwaves, and my afternoon was a success. Beginning with "Shout at the Devil", I jumped back to yesteryear and found my hair had somehow defied gravity! The sounds of "Livewire," "Dr. Feelgood," "Kickstart My Heart," and "Primal Scream" get the blood flowing and are among the great gems of the Los Angeles rock era. As I settled down and reached for my glass of wine, I finished the day mellowing out to "Without You," and arguably the best power ballad of all time-
"Home Sweet Home." Yes, the era was a good one!

A nice big red wine is a beautiful choice with this ribeye. I chose a Spanish red rioja called Marques De Caceres.  It is widely available and a wonderfully priced wine. Fruity and earthy, this red blends various grapes but is predominantly tempranillo. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

Lemongrass and Chili Chicken

The other night I asked An for some suggestions regarding a few chicken dishes that I was considering.  We started talking about various ideas, and eventually she said that this type of recipe was frequently used in her home as a "go-to" dinner.  Simple, flavorful, slightly exotic, and a real crowd pleaser- all the characteristics I needed!  

Remember, this is a suggested recipe and variations can be just as wonderful.  Turmeric, coconut water (in place of chicken stock), or various peppers can all change the flavor accordingly.  My version is a sweet and spicy glaze that is enhanced by the use of a homemade roasted chili paste (similar to sambal oelek).

Note- Charles Phan's Vietnamese Home Cooking has a wonderful recipe for roasted chile paste which has become a staple in our home.  I used it in this recipe, and the link to an article featuring it is listed below.  The ingredients are easily available from your local Asian market, and I use miso for the bean paste.  I add some extra red chili flakes, and the heat is perfect.   Try different peppers or more garlic!  Just enjoy it! 

Ga Xao Xa Ot- Lemongrass and Chili Chicken

2 lbs. chicken thighs, boneless, cut into 1 inch cubes 

Marinade

3 tbsp fish sauce

1.5 tbsp sugar

½ piece of lemongrass, minced

1 Thai chili, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ piece of lemongrass, minced

1 jalapeno, sliced thinly on a bias

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp rice wine

2 tbsp roasted chile paste

1 cup chicken stock

cilantro, peanuts, rice

Marinate chicken for about 2-4 hours prior to cooking.  In a very hot pan or wok, add oil, sear chicken until lightly browned.  Add garlic and lemongrass, stir fry for a minute until toasted, then add jalapeno and onion.  Cook for another 2 minutes and deglaze with wine.  Reduce and stir in chile paste.  Coat the chicken very well and pour in the chicken stock.  Reduce until it is slightly thick.  Serve in rice bowls and sprinkle with cilantro leaves and roasted peanuts.

Below photo is simmering roasted chili paste

Lo Soi Braised Duck and Pork

Stocks over one hundred years old?  Lo Soi means "old water" or "master sauce."  Well there are rumors that these aged stocks are true, however, I do not think I will live long enough to celebrate the centennial with my stock, and I have a feeling that my descendants might throw it away.  So I will be utilizing it over my lifetime and enjoy the pleasures of a flavorful poaching liquid.   

The Chinese, especially the Cantonese cooks, have been storing and making master stocks for centuries.  The Vietnamese have taken this technique and now consider it a mainstay in daily cuisine.  While the broth can be used in soup, it is more traditional to use it while poaching meat or poultry.  Goi Ga (Vietnamese chicken salad) is enhanced when the chicken is cooked in this manner.  

I used the pork to make steamed buns (that recipe will be another blog down the road).  In addition to the pork, the steamed buns include cilantro and a carrot/daikon mix that was pickled in a little sugar with rice wine vinegar.  A shot of sriracha and hoisin sauce livens up the buns, also.  

We cut up the duck and ate it with some rice, herbs, and salad of carrots and cabbage.  

Lo Soi Braised Pork/Duck/Chicken 

2 pieces cinnamon

6 pieces star anise

10 cloves

2 cardamom pod

2 pieces ginger (about 1 inch long)

1 tbsp five spice

4 tbsp fish sauce

4 cups soy sauce

16 ounces palm sugar

1 ½ lb. pork shoulder or

1 whole duck or

1 whole chicken

In a dry pot, toast the spices until fragrant, then add the remaining ingredients and 7 quarts of water; bring to a boil for about 15-20 minutes allowing the flavors to infuse.  Add meat and bring to a boil.  30 minutes for the pork, and 35-40 minutes for the duck and chicken.  Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool down in the liquid for about 30 minutes.  Remove the meat and strain the liquid.  Chill the stock and put into the refrigerator.  To reuse- bring the stock up to a boil and skim.  Re-season with new spices and check salt and sugar content.    More water will need to be added also.  If you do not plan on using the stock within the following week or so, freeze it.  

Custom plates by Gerald Haessig

Since braising or poaching meat tends to be a more laid back type of cooking, my choices in music slightly changed.  I decided to grace my kitchen with the sounds of Pink Floyd.  Predictable you say?  Why yes it could be, but I went with a random selection including some Syd Barrett hits such as "Arnold Layne" and "See Emily Play."  Interspersed with some Waters/Gilmour tracks, I really started digging the bubbles coming up from the liquid and the mellow tunes of Animals and Wish You Were Here.  The mood was setting in, and I sipped a ca phe sua da only it was laced with some Grand Marnier.  What a great combination!  I turned the meat off, let it rest, kept the music going and took a nap.  When I awoke, it was ready to go!  Ahh, I love braising meat!

Salt and Pepper Squid

Eight arms, two tentacles, an ink sac and highly edible?  Sounds strange, but throughout the world squid are among the more popular seafoods.  From Japan to Italy to America, they adorn restaurant menus and street food stands everywhere.  Americans have adopted the Italian term calamari in reference to the cephalopod.  

In Vietnam, squid or muc are highly regarded and among the more popular street foods.  Sometimes stuffed with ground pork and bean thread vermicelli, we will explore one of my favorite versions.  Using five spice and some chili, we will do salt and pepper squid which can be an appetizer or entree served with steamed rice.

Muc Rang Muoi- Salt and Pepper Squid

2 lbs. squid bodies sliced across and tentacles, separate
Vegetable Oil

2 egg whites whipped until blended well

2 cups potato starch (or corn starch or rice flour)

1 cup green onion sliced

1 thai chili thinly sliced

1 medium onion thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves minced

salt and pepper blend- 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp five spice, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp ground ginger

nuoc mam

Toss the squid in the egg whites, then drain and mix with starch.  Heat oil in a deep fryer or wok, and in small batches fry squid until golden brown and remove to a plate lined with a paper towel.  Continue until all the squid is cooked.  Carefully, pour off all the oil into a heatproof container until you have about 3 tbsp remaining.  Place wok back on burner and add onion, chili and garlic.  Stir fry until very fragrant, and add cooked squid back to wok, turn off heat.  Toss gently, add salt and pepper blend and toss again.  Serve with nuoc mam.

The Echo and the Bunnymen Spotify radio station fueled this post!  "Lips Like Sugar" and "The Killing Moon" set the bar for this 80s band who acquired their name from the drum machine originally used in the studio- its name was Echo!  Not only did the station play many Echo contemporaries, but it also added some newer bands and not so new bands.  Interpol, Blur, The Strokes, and Oasis were on the list.  I am just getting into Spotify so any tips would be appreciated, but so far I enjoy the selections.  

Combination Fried Rice

"Can I have an order of shrimp fried rice?"  Wow, real creative ordering!  Sit in any Asian restaurant across America and those words will be uttered.  Combinations of this dish exist all over the world from curry fried rice to Thai hot dog fried rice (yes, it exists) to Hawaiian fried rice (of course it includes spam). Arguably the most popular dish in Asian-American cuisine is fried rice, and sometimes it seems as though fried rice is more American than Asian, but have you ever tried to make it at home?

Sometimes nothing beats a nice warm bowl of fried rice, and the Vietnamese add Chinese sausage and fish sauce to theirs which gives it a wonderful sweet and salty flavor. 

Com Chien-Combination Fried Rice 

8 oz. Gulf shrimp peeled and deveined

8 oz. salt fish diced (see notes)

1 cup Chinese sausage sliced

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 carrot diced

1 medium onion diced

1 tbsp minced garlic

4 cups cooked Jasmine rice

½ tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp black pepper

3 eggs scrambled

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp fish sauce

1 cup chopped green onions

1 cup chopped cilantro

Notes- Salt fish can be purchased at an Asian market and must be rehydrated before using.  However, you can make your own solution by combining 1 quart of water with 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of salt.  Mix until dissolved, and pour the solution over clean fish filets and hold in a refrigerator for 4-5 hours or overnight if desired (depending on the salinity level you wish to incorporate).

Any number of vegetables can be added to fried rice including peas, celery, leafy greens such as chard or spinach, small cut green beans, etc.

In a hot wok or big skillet, add sesame oil and in small batches sear the shrimp.  When they are not quite cooked through, remove them to a plate and reserve for later.  Do the same thing to the fish.  Add the sausage and let the juices begin to release, then remove and hold.  In the same wok, add onions, carrots, and garlic and sweat while scraping any bits of the bottom of the pan.  

Once the vegetables are soft, add the eggs and lightly scramble, when they are still runny on top begin to fold in the rice and vigorously stir fry everything.  Add seasoning and both sauces and fold thoroughly.  Add shrimp, fish, and sausage and continue to stir fry until proteins are cooked and check for flavor.  If you need to add more sauce or pepper, feel free.  Fold in green onions and cilantro.

The rice should be free of clumps and thoroughly mixed with all ingredients.  Enjoy with a nice cold beer!!  

Musically, I was torn, so I chose Fugazi.  I put on Repeater which is arguably the greatest album of all time, and I feel if I were stranded on an island, this album could get me through.  From the opening song "Turnover", this album is filled with complex musical structures and lyrics.  It is hard to believe that it is 23 years old, and for all of you out there listening to bands such as the Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam, check this out.  Fugazi straight up kicks ass!  Although, they might not use this recipe since they are vegan.  At least the music is great!

Caramel Shark

Nothing was jumping out at the market.  I couldn't decide on anything that would make a good blog entry.  I didn't want a whole 20 pound grouper or some of the not so unusual cleaned fish.  Then my eyes wandered to the two lonely fish laying in a box of ice.  Hmm, shark?  Why not!!  I turned to the fish monger and said, "I'll take a shark."  His eyes widened, and he replied, "you want a shark?  OK!"  So shark in hand, I left to create something fun and exciting!

Traditionally this might be cooked with catfish, but I found a great little shark at the market.  Commonly known as dogfish or mud shark, this is a small fish that grows to about four feet.  The thick skin can easily be removed with a sharp knife resulting in two beautiful filets.  While not very common in the United States, this type of shark is frequently consumed in Europe including France and England.  I found the meat to be very fresh and mild.  The texture was dense and similar to cobia.  

Vietnamese caramel sauce is a staple of many kitchens.  It is used in clay pot cooking and most cooks will stew down catfish or another hearty fish for about an hour to create the perfect sweetness and color.  While it is cooked in the same manner as a basic caramel, this is a sauce and not nearly as thick or sweet.  The fish sauce adds saltiness, and the chili adds spice.  The balance of salt, spice, and sweet is the end result.

Ca Kho To-Caramel Fish (Shark)

1 ½ pounds shark meat cubed
2 tbsp sesame oil

3 cloves garlic minced

3 shallots minced

pinch black pepper
green onions
cilantro

Nuoc Mau-Vietnamese Caramel

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 chili minced

1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp red chili flakes

Clean the shark just as you would a basic fish filet.  You should have two nice large pieces of fish.  Cut them into nice 1/2 inch cubes.  

In a nonreactive pot, bring water and sugar up to a boil and turn down heat to medium high.  Stir frequently to rinse the sugar off the sides of the pot.  The sauce will begin to turn brown.  When it reaches a nice dark brown, add the fish sauce and chili.  This will cause it to seize up, but keep the flame low and stir and it will loosen up again.  Then remove the sauce from the burner.   

In a wok, heat the oil and stir fry the garlic and shallots.  Add the shark meat and brown nicely on all sides, sprinkle with black pepper.  Add enough caramel sauce to coat the fish and toss on medium heat. Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro

Since I was handling shark, something with a punch was needed to carry the mood.  I was reading Slicing Up Eyeballs, which is a super cool 80s music website, and I saw the Cult was coming to New Orleans.  Well, it was about 20 plus years ago that I saw them live, so I thought they would really enhance the cooking experience.  From the opening guitar licks of "Rain", Billy Duffy had me hooked.  What great memories!  The afternoon was spent cleaning shark and rocking to "Edie", "Sweet Soul Sister", "Nirvana", and many, many more including the 80s anthem "She Sells Sanctuary!" 

Lemongrass Mackerel

I love roasting whole fish.  Super fresh fish on the bone with a simple sauce brings out amazing aromas and satiating goodness!!  

Whole fish with lemongrass and Thai chilies requires very little work but brings out wonderful flavors.   Mackerel is my personal favorite, and for this recipe, I was able to find some beautiful Indian mackerel which are usually about 10 inches long, but these were about 7 inches.  Very popular in Southeast Asian cuisine, the Indian mackerel has a rich flavor resulting from their diet of shrimp and fish larvae.  

Ca Uop Xa- Lemongrass Fish

2 Whole Fish (about 1-1 ½ pound fish)
2 tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup water

Marinade
2 pieces lemongrass minced-*

3 cloves garlic minced

2 Thai chili peppers minced-*

¼ tsp black pepper

2 tbsp fish sauce-*

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp turmeric-*

cilantro

Vietnamese coriander

Make sure the fish are cleaned and gutted with the fins cut off and put three slits in each side.  Mix the marinade ingredients and rub on fish.  Let them sit in the refrigerator for about 3-4 hours.   

In a hot skillet, add the canola oil and gently lay the fish in and let the skin crisp and pull away from the pan.  Gently place a spatula under the fish and release while lightly shaking the skillet.  Carefully flip the fish and cook through on the other side.  When fully cooked, remove fish to a plate and pour water into the pan to deglaze the seasonings.  Scrape up all the bits and reduce to a nice thickened consistency and pour over the fish.  A nice Vietnamese cabbage salad is refreshing as a side dish.

Today's tunes were a mix of 80's New Wave artists on Pandora!  Easy listening to the sounds of yesteryear.  Memories of my youth were carried through the airwaves including Depeche Mode, Simple Minds, the Cure, the Psychedelic Furs and many others.  Funny how tastes change, but we seem to go back to our old habits.  I went through a major metal phase and still love punk rock, but I find my music to just chill out and enjoy is that English 80's sound.