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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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