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.

Vietnamese Rolled Pig's Head

Italian's famously serve wonderful arrays of antipasto platters involving intricate types of salumi, sausages, cured pork, and many, many variations of vegetables and accompaniments.  Porchetta di testa is a deboned pig's head that is marinated with garlic, rosemary, lemon, or various other combinations of aromatics then rolled, sealed, and poached for about 10-14 hours at 195 degrees until it is well adhered with natural gelatin.  The roll is chilled and thinly sliced and served!  

While tinkering with various items for a Vietnamese charcuterie board, I decided to change the marinade to tilt towards the flavors of Saigon.  I think it worked!  

Vietnamese Rolled Pig's Head

1 deboned pig head

2 pig ears (if they were removed during butchering)

1 pig tongue (optional)

to taste- fish sauce, garlic, Thai chili, lemongrass (chopped and mixed)

1) Rub all the pig parts with the marinade, then wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

2) Lay the head skin side down.  Place the ears and tongue inside, and gently roll into a nice round cylinder.  If the ears are intact, fold them into the head through the eye sockets. 

3) Using butcher twine, tie it nice and tight with all of the pieces fitting inside.  The head should be very secure. 

4) If you have a vacuum packer, seal the head in a bag.  If not, roll tightly with several layers of plastic wrap then place in a ziploc bag and squeeze the air out of it.  

5) Using a large pot (with a thermometer) or an electric roaster (even a crock pot), heat the water to about 195 degrees and place in the pig head.  Cook for about 10-14 hours (pending size) at 195 degrees, then remove and chill immediately. 

6) Slice thinly and serve.   

Here is a picture of the rolled pig's head and gio thu. Add a crock of chicken liver pate, some fresh herbs and crostini, and you have a wonderful platter for friends and family.

Vietnamese Style Meatloaf

"Wanna eat pho?" Common question, don't you think?  Sure, I enjoy steaming, hot, brothy soups, but it is not my first choice when enjoying a quick meal.  Blasphemy you say?  Ha, I disagree!  

The grilled pork chop and rice platter remains my standard in any Vietnamese restaurant.  For an extra charge, one can add a fried egg and/or a Vietnamese style meatloaf/quiche, also known as Cha Trung.  Do not skip out on the additions as the cost is still low for the amount of food.  Once eating this amazing treat, I set out to learn how to cook the Vietnamese style meatloaf/quiche.  

Basically, it is a combination of a meatloaf with eggs poured on top, giving it a nice layer of fluffy goodness and a beautiful look.  It is much lighter than an American meatloaf and can be simply eaten with rice or vermicelli.  Add some nuoc mam, and you will have a great lunch!

Cha Trung- Meatloaf

1lb. ground pork

1 bundle vermicelli, soaked in warm water 8-10 minutes

1/2 cup dry fungus, soaked in warm water 20 minutes

4 large eggs

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp fish sauce

In a large mixing bowl, combine pork, vermicelli, fungus, 2 of the eggs, salt, and fish sauce.  Mix well and pour into a pie pan or loaf pan.  Beat the reserved eggs and pour on top of the meat mixture. 

If you do not have a bamboo steamer, place a grate inside of a pot and add some water to create a stovetop steamer.  Steam for about 30-40 minutes.  Alternatively, bake in a water bath at 375 for about 45 minutes.  Let it cool, then remove and slice.  

In the pictures below, I show one with the pie pan, then the finished product was in a loaf pan.  Both work very well.    

 

Ginger Caramel Chicken/ Five Pepper Chicken

Today's culinary ideas and recipes seem to be filled with complicated equipment, hard to find ingredients, restaurant type techniques, etc. etc.  It does not need to be this way.  A basic pantry and any protein can make up a very good meal.  The goal of keeping it simple does not mean keeping it flavorless.  Simplicity can mean using clean, fresh flavors and a basic technique to come up with something wonderful.  Keep the pantry stocked with some solid items, and you can create a myriad of dishes.
   
We were looking for something easy and familiar for dinner.  I cut up a chicken and tossed it in the marinade, let it sit for about an hour.  Soon after, dinner was served.  Nothing complex or sophisticated about this dish.  Just cook up some rice and serve. 

I did a variation with more pepper.  Chinese-American buffets usually have a dish called black pepper chicken, so I wanted to fool around with a Vietnamese style pepper chicken.  I altered the marinade and added a few things to the sauce changing the name to "Five Pepper Chicken." I like the spicy version, so you can choose between two types of chicken.

Variation- see bottom "Five Pepper Chicken"

Ga Kho Gung- Ginger Caramelized Chicken

Marinade- (reserve 1/2 of the marinade)

3/4 cup fish sauce

3/4 cup grated ginger

3/4 cup garlic, minced

2 Thai chili
1 cup palm sugar

2 tbsp canola oil

1 onion, diced

1/3 cup chicken stock

Heat the oil in a large skillet, and gently add the chicken removing it from the marinade.  Brown it on all sides then remove to a plate.  Add some sliced onions and caramelize.  Gently place the chicken back into the pan and continue to cook.  Pour in the reserved marinade and chicken stock.  Reduce until it forms a nice glaze.

Ginger chicken is served as Ice-T, Chuck D, Dr. Dre, and KRS-One joined my imaginary roundtable. Oh yeah, I am joining the "Original Gangster" for lunch, at least I am thinking about it!  My playlist included amazing classics such as "By the Time I Get to Arizona," "Straight Outta Compton," and many others by the seem-to-be-forgotten old skool rappers.  Where has all the rap gone?  These guys set a stage for what has become something I don't quite understand.  Well maybe I am not in their target audience, but once upon a time I was in the crowd! 

Alternate method-

Marinade- 1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tbsp black pepper

1/2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

1 tbsp green peppercorns

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp garlic, chopped

Mash all ingredients into a paste and rub into the chicken.  Let it soak for about an hour.

1 tbsp coconut oil

2 tbsp sugar

2 Thai chilies

1 tbsp red bean curd

1 tbsp red chili paste

1 cup chicken stock

In a heavy bottom skillet, heat coconut oil and sear the chicken skin side down.  Brown the skin nicely, then flip it over and cook for another 3-4 minutes shaking gently every now and then so it does not burn.  Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on med low heat until the sauce thickens, and the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

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.

Dumplings/Hue Fried Rice

Sitting around the dinner table with friends and family leads to great stories and wonderful times. During these evenings, I enjoy making various dumplings which allows everyone can sit back and share the meal and fun while snacking on a parcel of goodness.

These are more traditional Chinese dumplings, as the Vietnamese style dumplings are usually made with tapioca starch or rice flour. Frequently, they are wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.  I will be using gyoza wrappers and pan frying a batch, also.  Follow closely as we have two techniques and both are enjoyable!!  

I also included a very simple fried rice recipe which originates from the central Vietnamese region of Hue.  

Steamed/Fried Pork Dumplings
3 oz dried wood ear mushrooms

1.5 oz bean thread vermicelli

2 lbs. ground pork

3 shallots minced

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp light soy

2 tsp black pepper
1 pack gyoza wrappers
bowl of water

Dipping Sauce
Soy Sauce
Roasted Chili Paste

Red Oil Sauce
4 tbsp red chili oil
2-3 tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves garlic mashed
1 tbsp szechuan peppercorns
Mix all ingredients thoroughly

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Place 1 tbsp of filling in each wrapper, and rub the edge with water then pinch closed.  When all dumplings are filled, place them in a steamer and cook for about 10 minutes.   Mix soy and chili paste and dip dumplings.  ENJOY!!!

Alternative method- Fill wrappers with 1 tbsp of filling and fold in half.  Add 1/4 cup of canola oil in a skillet and place on medium heat.  When the oil is nice and hot, add a few dumplings and pan fry until golden brown.  Repeat until all dumplings are cooked.

Potstickers- Place a medium pan on med-high heat.  When it is hot, lightly coat with oil, add about 6-8 dumplings.  Let them brown for a minute, then add 1/2 cup of water and cover.  Steam for another 2-3 minutes.  Repeat until all dumplings are cooked.

Hue Fried Rice

3 cups cooked rice

Shrimp blend

3 tbsp dry shrimp (soak in water for about 30 minutes)

2 shallots, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Thai chili, minced

1 stalk lemongrass, minced

Pulse in a food processor or blend well in a mixing bowl to form a nice paste

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 onion, diced

2 tbsp water or stock

3 tbsp nuoc mam

fried shallots, herbs (basil, mint, Vietnamese coriander, cilantro)

In a hot wok or skillet, add oil and onions.  Stir fry until soft, add shrimp blend and stir fry until fragrant.  Add the rice and toss until the blend is well incorporated.  When the rice is coated with the shrimp mixture add water and nuoc mam.  Toss until it is thoroughly mixed and hot.  Serve topped with fried shallots and fresh Vietnamese herbs.

Lemongrass Rubbed Bone In Pork Chops

Football season has started, and my workday became longer, so I am looking for some quick dinner options. A staple in Vietnamese cooking is the grilled pork chop. This is a variation we used, but other ingredients can be added to the marinade including brown sugar (palm sugar), soy sauce (regular or dark), pickled chili peppers, or shallots.  

Also, try slicing them up for use in banh mi or in a vermicelli bowl. I made a simple tomato and cucumber salad and a side of white rice. We served some nuoc mam on the side and had a wonderful meal. I will be doing some quick dinner style recipes over the next couple of posts, so look for more great family ideas. 

Thit Heo Nuong Xa- Lemongrass Rubbed Bone In Pork Chops

4 bone in pork chops

marinade

3 cloves garlic

1 piece lemongrass

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 thai chili

½ tsp black pepper

Marinate the chops for about 2-4 hours, and on a grill or in a very hot cast iron pan, sear them until nice and crusty on the outside, then flip and finish on the other side. I cook them to medium which leaves the inside nice and pink and juicy.

Custom Plates by Gerald Haessig

Who can forget ZZ Top and the Eliminator girls? They were a staple on the MTV rotation during the 80s with their 1930s-era Ford Coupe, and every underdog who caught a glimpse of that racing-striped bad girl knew that some sexy ladies would emerge from it bringing love, luck, and good fortune to their otherwise quiet and humble existence. With Gretna Fest fast approaching, we've been peppering our music queue with the blues-based Texas rock trio. There's nothing quite like the opening guitar riff of "Sharp Dressed Man" to get you lookin' in that wardrobe wishing you had a silk suit and black tie for your next club-hopping engagement.  Enjoy the evening by going further back in time to "La Grange" and "Tush", and now pop open an icy cold beer to accompany my juicy pork chops and remembering those sexy "Legs."

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

Pate Chaud

Baguettes, shallots, asparagus, croissants and many, many other food items now popular in Vietnam can be attributed to the French.  For slightly over 150 years, Vietnam was colonized by the French (outside of a brief period of Japanese occupation during World War II), and the influence on the local cuisine is unmistakable.  

The wonderful desserts and breads directly reflect French influence, and one of my favorite French/Vietnamese snacks is the Banh Pate So, which is from the long ago used French term of Pate Chaud meaning hot pie or hot pastry.  Pate in French now refers to meat, so this term could be misunderstood, but the Vietnamese term refers to so and chaud being pronounced identically, and banh and pate both mean pastry.  So it is an interesting backstory on the terminology of the dish.  Enough on the linguistics lesson, let's eat!

Banh Pate So- Pate Chaud- Hot Pie

 3 oz dried wood ear mushrooms

1.5 oz bean thread vermicelli

2 lbs. ground pork

3 shallots minced

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp light soy

2 tsp black pepper

puff pastry

2 eggs beaten

1 cup beer

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Soak the wood ear mushroom and vermicelli in separate bowls of water for about 20 minutes until soft.  If the wood ear is in larger pieces, then thinly slice.  Cut the vermicelli into pieces about 1 inch long.  Thoroughly mix the pork, wood ear, vermicelli, shallots, fish sauce, soy and pepper.  If you overwork the meat then you will get a tougher filling, so be gentle.  Using a large biscuit cutter (about 4 inches in diameter), punch out large circles of puff pastry.  Form meatballs with the filling and place in the center of the pastry.  Brush the edges with some beer and place another piece of pastry on top.  Gently press down and use a fork to seal the edges.  Repeat until the pastry is gone.  If you have extra filling, you can use it in Vietnamese egg rolls (which will be a blog for another day!)  Brush the pastry tops with egg and bake until golden brown.

Custom plates by Gerald Haessig

In honor of arguably my favorite Vietnamese food item, I rocked to some Guns 'N Roses and Appetite for Destruction!  Possibly the best album of the 80s and maybe the best debut album of all time, in my opinion, the band was never able to reach this zenith again.  Songs like "Mr. Brownstone", "Think About You", and "Rocket Queen" stand the test of time and could blend in with today's top rock acts.  "Sweet Child 'O Mine" might be the best monster ballad in the history of MONSTER BALLADS!  An  disagrees that this song is a monster ballad...what say you?  Seriously, who doesn't immediately know Slash's guitar riff?  Too bad Axl had to break it all down, but give this album a listen and come back and discuss this with me!

My beverage of choice was a wonderful Ca Phe Sua Da.  The Vietnamese version of iced coffee is sweet and filled with a wonderful kick!  I make my own slow drip cold coffee with either French Market, CDM, Trung Nguyen, or Cafe de Paris.  Pour some condensed milk in the bottom of a glass, and top it with coffee and stir well.  Add ice and enjoy!  

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!