Cá Lóc Nướng Trui, Tôm Càng Nướng – An Explosion of South Vietnamese Flavors

This dish is considered the trademark of southern Vietnamese cuisine. It has deep roots extend into the Mekong delta regions where Cá Lóc (sometimes referred to in English as Snake/Mud Fish) and Tôm Càng (Freshwater Prawns) are plentiful. Simple local ingredients are combined with traditional cooking methods to give birth the perfect balance of flavor and texture. All you need are fresh herbs, bean sprouts, cucumber, bánh hỏi (or noodles) and fish sauce for dipping. As for the main course…fresh mud fish or prawns, and charcoal or rice hay.

The fish or prawns are grilled over charcoal or more authentically, rice hay. Everything is rolled up in a lettuce leaf and enjoyed with fish sauce as a dip. The sweetness from the fresh fish or prawns combined with the slightly smokey flavor from grilling, are embraced by the many delicate flavors of the fresh herbs, the crunchiness from the cucumber and the bean sprouts. The fish sauce contributes saltiness and spiciness which ties everything together causes an explosion of flavors and textures in one’s mouth.

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Class of 2007........7 days away!

Greetings! First off, I apologize for not posting lately. If you're a frequent visitor to my blog you probably know that I'm a UW student that's on the verge of graduating. The past few months have been hectic and I just couldn't find the time to bake and cook as much as I would like....so no posts. Forgive me....

As I reflect on the last few years...I would like to thank all of you for your support. As you may already know, I entered UW planning to major in education. But by my 2nd year I started to realize my passion for cooking and was pondering whether or not to switch over to a culinary school. After much though I decided to stay at UW to finish my B.A. majoring in Drama with an emphisis in costume and fashion design. Here I am today, I'm graduating this Saturday, June 9th at husky stadium.

What does the future hold? How should I know? After graduating I'll be traveling to Asia for a while so.....I probably won't be post much. Then I'll take the summer off and then it's off to culinary school to become a pastry chef. That's the plan for now. Oh yeah! I'm porbably going to be looking or a job...anyone want to hire me? lol

Anyways, just though I should post something to let everyone know what I've been up to and....so that no one will think that I'm dead for not posting in such a long time.

Cheers and play with your food!!!

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Gỏi Đu Đủ Khô Bò Chay (Vegetarian Beef Jerkey and Papaya Salad)

This is the vegetarian version of papaya and beef jerkey salad. The recipe is pretty much the same, except:

-Use gluten in place of beef
-Use pressed tofu instead of liver (pressed tofu = firm tofu, weighed down by an heavy object for a few hours or overnight to remove as much water as possible)

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Bún Măng Vịt (Rice Vermicelli with Bamboo Shoots and Duck Salad)

To some this dish may seem weird in the way it's served. This is one dish not two. What do I mean by that? It means you eat both the noodles and the salad at the same time, much like how you would eat rice with another food item. Think of the noodles are your "rice" and the salad is your "food item". In order to fully experience the unique flavors of this dish you must eat both the noodles and the salad at the same time.

For the Noodle Soup:
-Rice Vermicelli
-1 duckling about 4-5lbs
-rau răm (laksa leaves)
-cilantro
-dried bamboo
-fish sauce, pepper, sugar

*Cook vermicelli according to package instructions. Chop laksa leaves and cilantro. Boil duck add salt and sugar to taste. Soak bamboo overnight to hydrate. Boil bamboo for 5 mins; drain wash and reboil until tender. Once tender, shred bamboo into small pieces and stir-fry with fish sauce, pepper and sugar to taste. In a bowl, add vermicelli and stir-fried bamboo, ladle in duck broth and garnish with chopped laksa leaves and cilantro.

For the Salad:
-1/2 small cabbage
-duck meat (from making broth for noodles)
-ginger fish sauce
-fried shallots, chopped laksa leaves
-1 large onion + 1 tbs sugar + 1 tbs vinegar

*Shred cabbage, slice onions and marinate with sugar and vinegar. On a plate arrange cabbage, marinated onions, and sliced duck meat. Garnish with fried shallots and laksa leaves. Serve salad with noodles and ginger fish sauce.

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Tôm Hùm Tiềm với Bông Bống Cá và Nấm Đông Cô (Braised Fish Maw and Shitake Mushroom with Lobster)

Ingredients:
-1 lobster about 2lbs
-5 shitake mushrooms
-3 pieces fish maw (about 150g)
-sliced ginger
-2 green onions
-chicken broth or water
-salt, sugar, oyster sauce
-bok choy

What to Do:
Steam lobster and remove the flesh. Reserve the shells to braise with the mushrooms. Soak mushrooms in water for a few hours or until hydrated. In a pot, simmer together mushrooms, ginger, onions, and lobster shells with broth or water for at least 1/2 hour. After 1/2 hour add in lobster meat and fish maw (washed and soaked for about 15 mins.), continue to simmer for about 10 more mins.

To Serve:
Blanch bok choy and arrange on a serving plate. Remove lobster, mushrooms and fish maw from braising liquid. Give them a quick stir fry, with salt, oyster sauce and sugar to taste before serving.

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Chè Bách Niên Hảo Hợp (Chinese Style Redbean Tong Sui)

This dessert is usually served as weddings as the name translates to "100 years match".

Ingredients:
-100g dried lotus seeds
-200g red beans
-50g dried lily bulb
-dried tangerine peel
-rock sugar
-water
-3 tsp corn starch + 3 tsp sugar
-1 1/2 tsp lye water

What to Do:
Mix together lotus seeds and red beans with lye water and enough water to cover the beans and lotus seeds by a few inches; soak overnight or until the beans and seeds are "plump". Wash the beans and seeds and boil them in a pot with tangerine peel and lily bulb until tender, add sugar to taste. Add slurry to thicken before serving.

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Gỏi Bưởi Ngó Sen (Pomelo and Lotus Stem Salad)

Ingredients:
-1 large pomelo
-12oz lotus stems
-1 carrot
-1 small cucumber
-rau răm (laksa leaves)
-4 tbs sugar
-3 tbs vinegar
-1/2 tsp salt
-fish sauce, limes
-fried shallots, roasted peanuts
-choice of: prawns, chicken, beef or tofu

What to Do:
A: Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and remove the seeds; slice into thin slices. Julienne carrot, and lotus stems. Mix together sliced cucumber, carrots lotus stems and sugar, rest for 15 mins. before adding vinegar; marinate for at least 1/2 hour.

B: Meanwhile, peel the pomelo and remove the flesh. Chop laksa leaves.

C: Squeeze out excess juices from A. Mix A with B, you choice of meat, and laksa leaves. Add fish sauce and lime to taste, all flavors should be balanced. Garnish with fried shallots and crushed roasted peanuts.

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