Bo Bia (Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Chinese Sausage, Dried Shrimp, Eggs, and Jicama) and Hoisin Dipping Sauce with Chili and Crushed Peanuts
Bo bia are the Vietnamese spring rolls version of popiah, a Hokkien-style spring roll popular in Singapore and Malaysia. (If you sound out bò bía with the proper Vietnamese accent marks, they both sound similar. This is not to be confused with bò (beef) and bia (beer) with no accent mark.) The fillings are slightly different and the Vietnamese version uses rice paper wrappers instead of wheat, but in both versions, the spring rolls are stuffed with shrimp and jicama. Hokkien cuisine hails from the Fujian province of China, and I can only assume that immigrants must have brought the recipe with them and then adapted it when they dispersed to Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam. I also remember eating a Thai version once long ago, and am assuming that's courtesy of the Fujianese again. Bo bia are a common street snack in Saigon, where many Fujianese immigrants settled. Noodlepie has pictures of a Saigon bo bia streetseller. I found a bo bia recipe from Playing with My Food. I did a little tweaking with the recipe and came up with this version. Read my previous discussion of banh trang (rice paper) -- how to wet it, roll it, and preserve it. This recipe also gave me an opportunity to use the very scraggly potted basil plants I have in my kitchen window. I saved the flowered tops and put them in a vinegar bottle to make basil-flavored vinegar.
Spring rolls should not be made more than one hour before you intend to eat them as the rice paper will revert back to its hardened state. You can also prepare all the ingredients and let your guests make their own bo bia spring rolls at the table.
Bo Bia (Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Chinese Sausage, Dried Shrimp, Eggs, and Jicama) with Hoisin Dipping Sauce with Chili and Crushed Peanuts Adapted from Playing with My Food To make roughly 8 bo bia spring rolls, you'll need: 2 Chinese sausage (I used the large fresh kind from Quang Tran, Inc., which gives me 4 slices per sausage. You may need more if the kind you use is smaller.) 1 small jicama, roughly 3 inches in diameter 2 tblsp dried shrimp 2 eggs 8 rice paper wrappers small bunch of fresh basil leaves hoisin sauce fish sauce crushed fresh chilies, or chili paste crushed peanuts
Take a small handful of dried shrimp and place in a bowl, filling with water until just covered. (The following steps don't necessarily have to be performed in this order but I try to dirty as few pans as possible when cooking for less cleanup afterward.) While the shrimp is soaking, finely shred or julienne jicama and set aside. You can also do this with carrots for additional flavor and color. I would have but I didn't have any in my fridge. Then beat 2 eggs with a dash of fish sauce and make a thin egg omelet. Slice into lengths and set aside. Slice Chinese sausage lengthwise and saute in pan until slightly crisp. Drain fat. Saute jicama (and carrots if any) until softened. Set aside and save any juices. Saute soaked dried shrimp, saving the soaking water. When shrimp is slightly softened and warm, set aside. I just left everything on my cutting board as shown below. If you're serving this to guests, just arrange everything on a large platter, or separate smaller plates.
Add the water from the soaked shrimp and the juices from the jicama into the pan. Add the hoisin sauce and chili sauce and stir until thoroughly mixed. If there's not enough liquid, add more water so that you achieve a dipping sauce consistency. Pour into bowls, swirl some more chili sauce in the center, topped with crushed peanuts.
Now as for wrapping, this is purely for my sense of aesthetics. Wet your rice paper, arrange small row of the shrimp, with the Chinese sausage and egg omelet (pretty yellow side facing out) on opposing sides as shown here.
Enjoy! My other Vietnamese spring rolls recipes: Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Salad/Spring/Summer Rolls) Nem Nuong and Nem Nuong Cuon (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Patty and Vietnamese Grilled Pork Patty Salad Rolls) Who else made bo bia? Miss.Adventure @Home has a similar version.
Read more: http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com
Monday, December 17, 2012
Be Thui (Beef with Roasted Rice Powder and Fermented Bean Curd)
A funny thing has happened since I've started this little ol' food blog. Among the emails I receive, there's always bound to be one naming some dish I've never heard of before. And it usually goes something like this: "Kirk, have you ever tried xxxxxx? I don't eat it myself, but my (fill in the blank - Father, Mother, Uncle, Grandfather) just loves the stuff." I guess it's just a sign of old age, I'm getting lumped in with what "Dad" eats. However, this one came from a good "FOY" (friend of yoso!!!), TammyC. The basic gist of the email was that her Dad loves what she called "almost raw baby cow meat dip" from Cho Ben Thanh Market in Westminster. Not quite the most appetizing of descriptions, but TammyC knows my "tastes" pretty well, and recommended I try it out. I understood that I was a bit out of my depth here, and perhaps needed a bit of help. This, of course, was a job for the man we simply call "Beach"! Of course he knew exactly what I was describing. Always generous with his time, Beach agreed to meet me, and in fact took me on a whirlwind little tour of some of Little Saigon's little shops and eateries. It was a wonderful 2 hours, and will be the subject of a future post.
Our fourth (yes fourth) stop on the tour was Cho Ben Thanh Market.....and a plastic vat of pinkish meat covered with a powdery substance..... Be Thui. Beach explained that this version is roasted veal, dusted with rice powder, and is eaten with a ginger based dipping sauce and basil. The market itself is fairly busy, and the shoppers (mostly women) are pretty aggressive.
You haven't lived until you've seen an anxious group of women with tongs (not thongs) attack a steaming vat of intestines. The gentleman manning the register seemed to grow 2 extra pairs of arms as he deftly handled all of the transactions coming at him. Beach made sure I got what I came for, the gentleman covered his hand with a plastic bag, grabbed a handful of the meat, folded the bag over, and that was it. I paid, and fearful of what damage ladies with tongs could do, beat a hasty retreat.
After I arrived home, I opened up my little package and checked out my Be Thui.
Slices of very pink meat along with fat and skin, coated in rice powder and sesame seeds. I tried some straight out of the bag, and the meat had a chewy texture almost like that of cured meat. Being veal, the flavor was very mild, and though the fragrance had a bit of a "metallic" edge to it, it was not reflected in the meat, as the rice powder had absorbed much of the moisture of the meat, and provided a bit of a nutty flavor to the whole thing. The pieces of skin were on the crunchy side.
The real star of the show was the dipping sauce, made with what Beach said was Tuong Cu Da, a fermented bean sauce. According to Wikipedia the sauce is made in a town in the Hà Tây Province, which as of 2008 is now a part of Hanoi. It was the ginger in the fairly salty sauce that really shown through. Though the Missus wouldn't touch the Be Thui, she kept tasting the sauce. The combination of the dipping sauce and the basil gave the dish a very clean and refreshing flavor.
As Beach pointed out, this would be pretty good with a "cold one". Should you want to brave the "women with tongs" you can get Be Thui, and a whole range of Offal at Cho Ben Thanh Market.
Cho Ben Thanh Market
9172 Bolsa Avenue
Westminster, CA 92683
I'd never had thought to try this without that wonderful email from TammyC, and Beach's(who should do food tours of Little Saigon) help. So thanks again to both of you!
Food Festival opens in HCM City
50 leading hotels and restaurants in 25 countries and territories are taking part in the 7th Food Festival in Ho Chi Minh City from December 12-16.
The highlight of the festival will be famous chef Martin Yan’s “Yan Can Cook” demonstration of food preparation and introduction of unique international gastronomy.
In addition, 100 watermelon lanterns will be created by professional cooks for Vietnamese Guinness recognition.
Other activities include making Vietnamese dishes from cooked rice paper, preparing Korean food and serving drinks with the participation of five-star hotel chefs.
Visitors to the festival can also enjoy art performances, folk games, fashion shows, traditional and rock music, dance sport, aerobic and Thai Muay.
The annual event, jointly held by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Tourism Association of the city, provides a good opportunity for the public to learn more about the cultural values of culinary arts from different nations, prestigious hotels in the world, restaurants and trustful addresses to serve foreign and local tourists in Vietnam.
(Source: VNA)
Friday, November 30, 2012
Banh Xeo (Sizzling Crepes)
Banh xeo recipe has been sitting in our queue for way too long. A while back, we had a small dinner party and made Banh xeo (Vietnamese sizzling crepes). We took advantage of the outdoors burner and were flipping banh xeo for our guests like street vendors in Vietnam. We were smokin I tell ya! Banh xeo is savory and delicate crepe made of rice flour, turmeric powder, and coconut milk and filled with various meats such as pork, shrimp and veggies such as bean sprouts or mung beans. Each region in Vietnam has it’s slight variation with the southern region larger and having more veggies and mung beans and the central region typically smaller, poured in a mode, and without the mung beans.
As in our report of Van Restaurant’s banh xeo, the distinction between a good versus a great banh xeo is the thinness and crispiness of the crepes. We have a few tricks up our sleeves to make ours crispy…the first is cook the bean sprouts ahead of time. Second is to use beer in the batter (totally unproven but we seem to think it does compared with water), and third, vary the heat and add a bit of oil during the cooking process as described below.
Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Sizzling Crepes) one bag makes about 10-12 crepes
Printable Recipe
Fillings
1 /2 lb pork butt, cut into thin slices
1/2 ts salt
1/2 ts sugar
1/2 ts fish sauce
black pepper
1/2 lb of shrimp (medium to large size, deveined and peeled)
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cups of bean sprouts (in small bowl wrapped in plastic wrap, steam small batches in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes, drain and set aside)
Batter
1 package of banh xeo mix (basically rice flour either with turmeric pre-mixed or separate–we used the package above, but many brands are available)
3 cups of water or beer
1 cup of coconut milk
1 cup of chopped scallions
1/2 ts salt
Accompaniments
Whole green lettuce leafs, mustard greens, mint, perilla, basil,
nuoc mam cham
pickled carrots and daikon
small bowl of cooking oil
In a mixing bowl, combine banh xeo mix, coconut milk, and beer and mix well. Let the ingredients meld together for about 20 minutes and add green onions. Marinate the pork with salt, pepper, sugar, and fish sauce and set aside. Season shrimp with touch of salt and pepper and set aside.
Before starting to pour your crepes, make sure you have have plenty of counter space and line up all your ingredients ready to go–largest nonstick pan you have, a ladle and flexible spatula, batter, pork, shrimp, onions, and small bowl of cooking oil.
On high heat, heat 1 teaspoon of cooking oil in a nonstick frying pan and sautee a few pieces of pork–when it’s about 1/3rd of of the way done, add onion slices and shrimps since they are quicker to cook. Distribute the shrimps and pork evenly prior to adding the batter. Don’t use too much filling–you don’t want to overload the crepes.
Stir batter with ladle and add about 3/4 quarter ladle full into the center of the pan and quickly swirl the pan to evenly distribute a thin layer batter to the very edges of the pan. Try to go for as thin a layer as possible. You may have to adjust how much batter you use depending on how big your pan is.
Place a lid over for about 1.5 minutes or so. When you check the crepe notice that the area of uncooked batter in the center will get smaller and smaller (see above). When the crepe is almost completely cooked, the edges of the crepe start to curl up a bit and turn golden brown. Now take another small amount of cooking oil in a spoon distribute oil around the edges so the crepe gets crispy, won’t burn, and will be easier to flip (see how the edges are lifting off the pan?–below)
Now add the pre-steamed beansprouts to one side of the crepe. Turn the heat down to medium heat and place the lid over for another 1 minute or until gold brown. Using the flexible spatula carefully flip over the other half. When golden and nicely browned, don’t try to lift the crepe out of the pan with a spatula….just tilt the pan and slide the crepe over to a plate and serve immediately. When pouring the next crepe, add more oil as needed.
Unfortunately, this is something that doesn’t hold well if made in advance–no matter how crispy you make it, after some time banh xeo will lose it’s crispiness. So don’t have guests wait–tell them to dig in right away!
Enjoy with plenty of lettuce, mustard greens, mints, basil, and perilla. You can either break off small pieces of banh xeo and form lettuce wraps or combine all the herbs and break off some banh xeo and eat in a bowl. Some Vietnamese even wrap the banh xeo spring roll style with rice paper. Dip or dress with nuoc mam cham dipping sauce along with pickled carrots and daikon.
So that’s our trick to get banh xeo crispy, thin, and without breaking. What are your tricks? But while we emphasize thin and crispy, even a noncrispy and broken banh xeo is still delicious!
Happy Holidays and a Delicious and Joyful New Years to
Banh Uot ("Wet" Rice Noodle Sheets)
Bánh ướt (literally "wet cakes"), is a Vietnamese thin pancake wrapper[1] consisting of rice noodle sheets, eaten with nước chấm, fried shallots, and a side of chả lụa (Vietnamese pork sausage). This entrée is served in all Vietnamese restaurants all around the Earth.
Vietnamese Rice Flour Rolls: Banh Uot and Banh Cuon
A couple years ago when I put together my guide of Vietnamese Banh (linked below), I was confused about the difference between Banh Uot (opaque rice flour rolls), and Banh Cuon (translucent rice flour rolls) especially because there is also Banh Uot Thanh Tri and Banh Cuon Thanh Tri (rice flour sheets). Carb Lover's post about the chain Banh Cuon Tay Ho got me wondering about the differences again.
Photos of these 3 banh are below. I think I’ve figured out the differences, but I may be wrong so anyone with more knowledge than me, please chime in.
Here’s my take:
To start with Banh Uot translates to Wet Banh. Banh Cuon translates to Rolled Banh. And Thanh Tri translates to something like Threads or Strings. All three are made of water and finely ground rice flour, and that’s where the similarities end. Here’s what I think are the differences:
First, the wrapper: The wrapper for Banh Uot is a thicker version of the wrapper for Banh Cuon, and they have different fillings, and Thanh Tri is basically just the non-rolled, non-filled wrappers.
I’m guessing the wrapper for Banh Uot is made by pouring the batter into an oiled pan, filling the pan bottom completely, whereas the wrapper for Banh Cuon is made by pouring the batter over a piece of cloth that is stretched tight across a steamer, so the end product is a translucent and ultra-thin. You can make banh cuon wrappers with a nonstick pan, but you have to pour the batter as thin as possible, and even then the texture won’t be 100% right. And if you pour it too thickly or if the wrapper doesn’t come out right, you gather the bad ones into a pile, and you have Banh Uot Thanh Tri or Banh Cuon Thanh Tri! Now I’m really guessing.
Then the filling: Banh Uot is usually filled with marinated grilled pork (thit nuong) and (sometimes) Chinese lapseung sausage, and green leaf lettuce. Banh Cuon is usually filled with ground pork and thinly sliced cloud ear fungus.
Then the dipping sauce: Dark brown peanut dipping sauce for Banh Uot, and fish-sauce-based nuoc cham for Banh Cuon. Then there are the accompaniments: none for banh uot, and many possibilities for banh cuon, including banh cong which is another banh I need to add to my banh guide.
Okay. I think that’s it. If this is correct, I can update my Banh Guide.
Banh Trang (Rice Paper)
Rice paper usually refers to paper made from parts of the rice plant, like rice straw or rice flour. The term is also used for paper made from or containing other plants, such as hemp, bamboo or mulberry. Rice paper (also known as Xuan paper) originated in ancient China and it has been used for centuries in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam for writing, artwork, and architecture.
Another kind of rice paper means edible paper made from starch and especially used for Chinese southern cuisine and Vietnamese cuisine.
Vietnamese 100 Foods to Try
1. Banh Bao (Steamed Bun)
2. Banh Beo (Rice Flour Discs with Dried Shrimp)
3. Banh Bot Loc/Banh Quai Vac (Dumplings with Pork and Shrimp or just Shrimp)
4. Banh Canh Cua (Udon-like Noodles with Crab)
5. Banh Chung/Banh Tet (Lunar New Year Sticky Rice Cakes)
6. Banh Cuon (Rice Noodle Rolls)
7. Banh Gio (Steamed Triangular Rice Dumplings)
8. Banh Hoi (Rice Vermicelli Sheets)
9. Banh It Tran (Round Rice Dumplings with Pork, Shrimp, and Mung Beans)
10. Banh It La Gai (Nettle Leaf Dumplings)
11. Banh Khot/Banh Cang (Mini Savory Pancakes)
12. Banh La/Banh Nam (Steamed Flat Rice Dumplings with Pork and Shrimp)
13. Banh Mi Hot Ga Op La (French Bread with Sunnyside-Up Eggs)
14. Banh Mi (Sandwiches)
15. Banh Pa Te So (Pate Chaud)
16. Banh Tieu (Fry Bread)
17. Banh Tom (Shrimp and Yam Fritters)
18. Banh Trang (Rice Paper) Bonus points for eating
Banh Tom (Shrimp and Yam Fritters)
A specialty of Hanoi, Bánh tôm or Bánh Tôm Hồ Tây (Shrimp fritters of West Lake), as they are known, are delicious deep fried shrimp and sweet potato fritters.
This recipe is from Hanoi-based Chef Didier Corlou, owner and chef behind La Verticale and the recently-opened Madame Hiên. Chef Corlou, born in Brittany and who first arrived in Vietnam in 1991, is a master of mixing combining French and Vietnamese ingredients and techniques.
Who doesn’t love anything that’s battered and fried? Banh tom is another Vietnamese dish originating from Hanoi and is made of deep fried battered sweet potato and shrimp. Along the Ho Tay (West lake) in Hanoi, you’ll find the original Banh Tom Ho Tay Restaurant as well as numerous other restaurants serving this delicacy. The orange color is from the natural flesh of sweet potato and a little bit of turmeric powder in the batter. Often served as an appetizer, banh tom is commonly wrapped with lettuce, herbs, and pickled vegetables and dipped in nuoc mam cham.
We actually made this appetizer to serve along with the mi quang (Vietnamese turmeric noodles) we made last month. It was a great combination and shows the versatility of turmeric. We also love a little beer in our batter–give that a try!
Sweet Potato Shrimp Fritters (Banh Tom) makes 12
Printable Recipe
2 large sweet potatoes (cut into french fry like slices)
12 large head and shell on shrimp, deveined (you can also use head and shell off as well, but we prefer everything intact for more crunch!)
1 package of tempura batter (several different brands are available in Asian groceries– just follow package instructions–but instead of water, we substitute half water/beer)
Pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon of tumeric powder
lettuce, herbs such as basil, mint, perilla, Vietnamese balm, pickled carrots and daikon
nuoc mam cham
Banh Tieu (Fry Bread)
Banh tieu translated in English means fried bread with sesame seeds. Banh tieu is a good Vietnamese pastry that I always purchase when I go to the Asian Market. The cost of this pastry is under a dollar. Nothing is inside just bread but the source link suggested to add ice cream inside the bread. I would like to try that.. it looks very good with vanilla. I will have to try that soon.
Here is one of my favorite snack! Banh Tieu is a Vietnamese snack. It should be round, slightly sweet and crunchy with a hollow center. I call this a hollow bread since I used bread flour to make this. And it does taste like fried bread...lol. I like mine sweeter so I added more sugar to my recipe. Sweeter does taste better...hehehe. I can eat this for a couple days. I usually just put the left over in the oven to heat up and it'll be crunchy again. Yum Yum...
Ingredients:
290 g bread flour (2 cups)
150 ml water
100 g sugar (about 1/2 cup, add another tbsp for sweeter)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp instant yeast
2 tsp baking powder
Sesame seeds
1. Take 50 ml water and microwave for 20 seconds or until the water is warm. Add in 1 tbsp sugar and the instant yeast. Let the yeast double or bubble up. Should just be a couple minutes.
2. Mix the left over sugar with 100 ml and stir until the sugar dissolve.
3. Mix the baking powder with the flour and salt. Then mix in the sugar water and then yeast water. Knead into a soft dough. If it's too dry then add in just a little bit more water.
4. Cover and let the dough rest for at least couple hours (3-4 hrs) or overnight until the dough double or triple in size. If you want it to prove faster, put it in the oven with the oven light on. Remember you must cover the dough.
5. Take the dough out and knead for one minute. Then divide the dough into 10 balls. The balls should be a little larger than a extra large egg. (Cover those that is not being used.)
6. Dip the ball in the sesame seeds on both sides. Then coat with some extra flour and roll the balls into flat circles. The flatness should be less than 1/2 inch. If your circles are thicker then you'll have a thicker filling. If it's too thin then you'll have nothing in the middle.
7. Heat a frying pan with enough oil to fry. Slide the flat dough into the oil and it will start to float. Gently try to push it with your chopstick and it should puff up. After it puff up then flip to fry the other side. Fry until golden. Frying should be quick so don't leave it alone or it'll be black!
Note: The longer you prove the dough the easier it will puff. Try to wiggle the flat dough when frying in hot oil. This will helps it puff.
Banh Pa Te So (Pate Chaud)
Bánh Pa Tê Sô (also spelled Pâté Chaud) are deliciously flaky pies with a savory filling.
I know what you’re thinking. Puff pastry isn’t exactly among the first things that comes to mind when you think of Vietnamese cuisine. But, like the baguette and coffee, we’ve taken these items initially introduced by the French and have given them a Vietnamese makeover.
Bánh Pa Tê Sô are usually cut into round shapes but if you want to minimalize the waste of excess pastry dough, you can shape them into squares, rectangles, or triangles. But for the record, when I shape them into rounds, I never throw away the excess dough. Instead, I take the leftover strips, twist them and sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar before baking them. That way, I get a little sweet treat, too. Yum.
The pork filling I use is essentially a riff off of my Chả Giò (eggrolls) filling with the slight adjustments of a few things—such as the addition of peas. I also make a curry-lemongrass pork filling that is really fantastic with the buttery puff pastry, too. But whatever you choose to fill your Bánh Pa Tê Sô with, just be sure to not over stuff them or it will not cook through and may bulge out of the seams.
You can also freeze the pre-baked Bánh Pa Tê Sô. Just wrap them up individually with plastic wrap and freeze. Before baking, thaw them out to room temperature and bada-bing, bada-boom. Freshly baked Bánh Pa Tê Sô, whenever your heart desires.
Of course if you’ve got some time and ambition on your hands, homemade puff pastry dough would be ideal. I just don’t have that kind of patience and think the store bought pastry dough works just fine for me.
And no, that’s not cheating–despite what my sister, P, would say
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Bánh Mì -Vietnamese Sandwiches
Hello! Welcome to our Banh Mi community & thank you for sharing the love of Vietnamese sandwiches! Contact & inquiries at editor(at)battleofthebanhmi(dot) com
Vietnamese baguette sandwiches, called Banh Mi, have attracted a loyal fan base like never before. Like a musical band with rock star status, these sandwiches have an almost cult-like following of epicurean devotees. The uniqueness of these sandwiches not only lies within the french influenced baguette, but it’s also the flavor packed, savory Viet fillings that what makes the marriage of the two main ingredients a true love affair.
It starts with a Viet style french baguette; usually made with a combination of rice and/or wheat flour, resulting in a very light, crackly crust and not overly dense bread. The majority of Viet bakeries strive & compete to achieve a golden, crackly crust with just a touch of center, where most of the baguette is more crust than center. A few other may be content on creating a Viet baguette that is a little more soft and chewy on the outside, and a little more “hoagie” like. So there is a bread for almost everyone.
Banh Mi (Sandwiches)
Bánh mì or bánh mỳ (/ˈbʌn ˌmiː/; Vietnamese pronunciation: [ɓǎɲ mî]) is a Vietnamese term for all kinds of bread. Bread, or more specifically the baguette, was introduced by the French during its colonial period. The bread most commonly found in Vietnam is a single serving baguette , therefore the term bánh mì is synonymous with this type of bread. The bánh mì is usually more airy than its western counterpart, so as a result, has a thinner crust.
The sandwiches made from it include meat and soy fillings such as steamed, pan-roasted or oven-roasted seasoned pork belly, Vietnamese sausage, grilled pork, grilled pork patties, spreadable pork liver pâté, pork floss, grilled chicken, chicken floss, canned sardines in tomato sauce, soft pork meatballs in tomato sauce, head cheese, fried eggs, and tofu. Accompanying vegetables include fresh cucumber slices, cilantro (leaves of the coriander plant) and pickled carrots and daikon in shredded form. Common condiments include spicy chili sauce, sliced chilis, mayonnaise, and cheese.
Although the term bánh mì only means bread without any fillings, the term is used to refer to a type of meat-filled sandwich found in Vietnamese bakeries abroad, especially in US, Canadian, Australian, and French communities with substantial Vietnamese immigrant communities. In the Vietnamese language, the term bánh mì is not enough to describe the type of meat-filled sandwich. Therefore, additional words are added to describe the kind of fillings. For example, bánh mì pâté thịt means a sandwich with pâté and meat, usually pork bellies, since it is the most common kind of meat. Bánh mì pâté chả thịt means a sandwich with pâté, Vietnamese sausage and meat. However, even in Vietnam, "a bánh mì for breakfast" implies a meat-filled sandwich for breakfast, not just bread.
Banh mi was added to the Oxford English Dictionary on March 24, 2011. This sandwich is considered one of the world's best street foods
Banh Mi Hot Ga Op La (French Bread with Sunnyside-Up Eggs)
Since I was buying Vietnamese French bread for my Banh Mi Thit Heo Nuong (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Sandwich), it was also the perfect opportunity to share one of my favorite Vietnamese breakfasts - banh mi hot ga op la (Vietnamese French bread with sunnyside-up eggs), frequently referred to as simply op la for short.
So simple really. Two eggs, sunny-side up, with a splash of Maggi Seasoning Sauce, or soy sauce if you don't have it, and a loaf of bread.
In Vietnam on the street, this breakfast might set you back a whopping 25 cents. Plated and in a restaurant, it might cost as much as 50 cents. *Gasp.* I know! How extravagant!
I never thought this common Vietnamese breakfast was all that unusual until college when I introduced a Japanese-Chinese American friend to the wonders of soy sauce on eggs. She became an instant fan.
Maggi seasoning sauce is really essential. It's similar to soy sauce, without the soy. Think of it as a liquid version of beef bouillon. So beloved is this sauce that Guilty Carnivore and Dylan of Eat, Drink, & Be Merry each devoted a whole post to Maggi. If you can't find it, substitute with soy sauce, although it just won't be quite the same.
Banh Mi Hot Ga Op La (Vietnamese French Bread with Sunny Side Up Eggs)
Banh Nam (Vietnamese Steamed Flat Rice Dumplings with Pork and Shrimp)
I learned to cook by wiping banana leaves in the kitchen of my ba noi (Vietnamese paternal grandmother). Actually, I think every grandchild (all 20 of us), had at one time or another been given that task. Her specialty was banh nam (Vietnamese steamed flat rice dumplings with pork and shrimp). Sometimes I would help her put the meat on the dough and wrap the banana leaves to make these flat rice dumplings. While I helped, I never did learn her recipe.
Ba noi passed away nearly six years ago. I still can't eat banh nam without crying so I often avoid it at family gatherings. Also, my aunts don't make it quite the same. The dough isn't as tender. The dumpling sometimes a bit too thick. It just wasn't the way grandma made it.
Then recently, youngest auntie stopped by with a few banh nam that she had made. There, in the comfort of my kitchen, without anyone to see, I slowly savored each dumpling. Youngest auntie's version tasted as close to grandma's as my memories could conjure up. I cried the whole time, of course. I later told her to call me the next time she makes some. This time, I vowed to learn.
Banh nam is a central region specialty. It's #12 on my list of 100 Vietnamese foods to try. Banh la is the clear tapioca flour version. Noodlepie has a picture of banh la on his blog. Disregard the title, it's incorrect, this is banh nam. Anyway, both banh nam and banh la are flat. Both have a mixture of pork and shrimp filling on top of rice or tapioca dough. Sometimes grandma added chives or ground black pepper. They're wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.
Youngest auntie also made a version with more black pepper, for those who preferred it, just like grandma. For some reason, probably because that's how my ba noi liked to eat it, I eat banh nam doused in soy sauce instead of Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese Fish Sauce).
My salute to my grandma seemed only fitting on this historic evening. I don't know which way my grandma would have voted. I remember helping her study for her citizenship exam, coaching her on how to pronounce George Washington correctly. I was so proud when she passed her exam and became an American citizen.
While I'm ecstatic with Barack Obama's election as America's 44th president, I'm also saddened that his grandma didn't live one more day to see it.
What memories do you have of your grandma?
Bánh Khọt (Miniature Fried Pancakes)
Bánh Khọt (Miniature Fried Pancakes) is very similar to the popular banh xeo, but much smaller. As a matter of fact, it's spherical in size. They both use the same batter which consist of rice flour, turmeric and coconut milk, although my version of bánh xèo doesn't contain coconut milk. The beauty - or silver lining of these dishes - is that both bánh xèo and Bánh Khọt are served with lots of herbs and lettuce or mustard greens (cai xanh). It gives you a chance to catch up on your green leafy vegetables. Nonetheless, it's the herbs and lettuce along with the savory fish sauce served with carrot and daikon pickle that define its flavor.
A perfect savory Bánh Khọt has a crispy slightly golden crust, a moist center bursting with turmeric flavor, shrimp, starchy mung bean and roasting earthy herbal flavors. Though I am not fond of mung bean in banh khot, adding it would give it a richer texture and more protein.
Bánh Khọt (Miniature Fried Pancakes)
Recipe: Bánh Khọt
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Ingredients:
For Batter
1 bag of banh khot flour
1 can coconut milk
350 ml Water
1 teaspoon Tumeric (Nghệ)
1 teaspoon Salt
For Toppings
2 stalk of Green Onion, chopped (use green part)
1 bag (1 1/2 pounds) Shrimps, size 61/70, peeled and devein
1/2 cup Mung Bean, soaked for a few hours or overnight, optional
For Powder Shrimps Topping, optional
1/2 cup dried shrimps (soaked in warm water for at least 20 minutes)
1/2 teaspoon Annato Oil (dau hot dieu), to enhance the color of powder shrimps
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
For Fish Sauce Dip
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Fish Sauce
1/2 Lime, juiced
2 cloves Garlic, choppep
2 red Chillies, chopped
1 small ripe tomato, cut into half, removed seeds, optional
Accompaniments
Lettuce leafs or Mustard Greens, Mint, Fishwort (rau vap ca), Perilla (rau tia to)
Pickle Carrot (click here)
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Bánh Khọt Tools
A chopstick with Cotton wrapped around one end.
Bánh Khọt Pan, available at most of the Asian supermarkets. Or
Mini Pancake Pan/Ebelskiver Pancake Pan, available at most of the Kitchenware stores. Or
Takoyaki Pan, available at Japanese stores.
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Mixing Batter
In a bowl combine all the Batter ingredients together. Mix well.
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Making Shrimp Powder
Rinse, drain shrimps and grind them in a food processor until they're puffy.
Heat a nonstick pan and fry ground dried shrimps with fish sauce and annato oil until dry.
Stir constantly to prevent burn. Leave it to dry completely before storing.
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Making Fish Sauce Dip
In a pot, bring fish sauce, sugar, water and a tomato to boil. Smash tomato so it mixed well with fish sauce mixture.
Remove from heat. Add the remaining ingredients. Set aside.
If you opted out of the tomato, skip the boiling step. Just mix all the fish sauce ingredients together.
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Steaming Mung Bean
Wash mung bean. Add a pinch of salt in mung bean and steam until tender. Set aside.
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Cooking Shrimp
In a pan heat 2 tablespoons of oil and add in garlic until fragrant. Add shrimps.
When shrimps is half cooked, add in 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper.
Cook until done.
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Making Bánh Khọt
Heat the pan and brush with oil. Stir the batter and fill each mini cup to 3/4 high. Add in some mung bean, a shrimp and green onion .
Cover for a minute.
Check to see if it's cook.
When cake is crunchy on the outside, cooked the inside and it releases easily from the pan, remove cakes and sprinkle shrimp powder on top.
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Presentation
Take a leaf of lettuce or mustard green and add in a couple of herbs and pickles along with the banh khot itself. Roll it up and dip into the savory fish sauce dip.
Enjoy!
Bánh Ít Lá Gai, Gai Leaf Little Cake
"Muốn ăn bánh ít lá gai lấy chồng Bình Định cho dài đường đi”.
As a popular Binh Dinh saying goes "If you wish to eat banh it la gai, marry a Binh Dinh man to increase your life expectancy".
Binh Dinh is the land of Banh It La Gai, which is made from the five main ingredients: glutinous rice flour, gai leaf, sugar, mung bean and banana leaf. Banh It La Gai has the sweet taste of sugar, the aroma of sweet rice, the spice of ginger, the starch of mung bean, bitter taste of gai leaf and the grassy perfume of banana leaf. All of these ingredients bring out a refreshing flavor and a distinctive glossy deep black color that gives the cake its unique color.
The name Banh It La Gai indicates the two common features of the cake: “ít” means “little” referring to the size of a serving for it only takes a couple bites to finish off a cake, and “lá gai” refers to the pointy serration of the leaf commonly found abundantly in the tropics of Vietnam, but can easily be grown in the warmth of the California sun as well.
I've always been fascinated by how banh it la gai gets its black color as I had never seen it my entire life untiil recently. Sometimes in March this year, I was lucky enough to receive some Gai plants from my mother-in-law's friends. I was determined to make my first batch, but it would have to wait for three months until the first gai plants are ready for harvesting. The Gai leaves are green but after you ground in a mortar or blend it, its green colour will turn dark green. Once you steam the cake, the colour will turn black just like the color of Banh It La Gai that is shown above from my first batch. The process of making Banh It La Gai may not look appetizing but the finished product is quite pleasing to the palate.
Pleiku, where I grew up, is very close to the province of Binh Dinh. In the mornings, many people from Binh Dinh came to Pleiku to conduct their daily business. According to the people of Binh Dinh, the ingredients in Banh It La Gai not only taste good, but are also good for you; they can prevent abdominal pain, keep your stomach warm, and the ash from gai leaves can be used to cure gas pain.
Banh It La Gai also plays a large role in Vietnamese rituals. This cake is always offered to worship ancestors during the New Year festivals . In marriage rituals, a tray of Banh It La Gai is the gift of the bride’s family to that of the groom to show the skillfulness of the bride who has made it together with the help of other villagers. Any ladies ready to tie the knot soon?
How I Learned to Cook and My Ba Noi (Paternal Grandmother)'s Death Anniversary Dinner
I've mentioned my ba noi (paternal grandmother) before here and there, but I've never really talked about her. I've been asked several times recently how I learned to cook, and with these several months old photos of my ba noi's death anniversary dinner still unposted, I figured Mother's Day was an appropriate time as any. While I have many, many loving memories of ba noi, the food memories are the strongest.
As far back as I can remember, I and all 19 of her other grandchildren and even visiting friends, have memories of wiping banana leaves in the kitchen as she made banh nam (Vietnamese steamed flat rice flour with pork and shrimp wrapped in banana leaves) for the family. While I wiped, ba noi told stories about her childhood or my dad's childhood.
There she is concealed behind the purple cupflowers. The pictures are from her death anniversary dinner several months ago. In case you missed it, I explained about death anniversaries and ancestor worship.
Banh Hoi, Rice Vermicelli Sheets
Bánh hỏi is a Vietnamese dish consisting of rice vermicelli woven into intricate bundles and often topped with chopped scallions or garlic chives sauteed in oil, served with a complementary meat dish. The strings of noodles are usually only as thin as a toothpick; the texture is firm enough so the noodles do not fall apart, but is not at all sticky to keep the dish light and suitable for a breakfast treat.
Production:
Making bánh hỏi is a multistep process. First, good rice is soaked in water overnight, then washed with water again three or four times until the water comes out clear. Then the rice is either ground with water into a mixture, or ground without water, but mixed into water three or four times afterward to leaven it without using any additional agent. The flour mixture is then either steamed and kneaded, or cooked in a pan, stirred continuously until it starts to coagulate, but no flour gets stuck on the stirring tool. This step is crucial in making bánh hỏi soft, light, and not sticky, but the strings of noodles will still have a firm texture. When the experienced bánh hỏi maker feels the dough is done, it is ready for pressing.
Special copper or aluminum cylinders, with several small holes (the size of a needle eye), shape the cooked dough into noodle form. Pressing the dough requires great strength, as the dough is hard and the holes are small, so it is usually done with leverage. When one person presses the dough, another "catches" the noodles coming out on the other side, presses them together and cuts them off every 10 cm or so, creating a kind of mesh of noodle, which is then laid onto a flat surface, but not in layers. Finally, the sheets are steamed one last time for about five minutes
Banh Hoi Chay Recipe (Vietnamese Thin Rice Vermicelli Noodles):
Bánh hỏi is a Vietnamese specialty dish. It's composed of very thin rice vermicelli noodles, often steamed and seasoned with fried green onions. They’re usually served with barbecued beef or pork but for my husband who's a vegetarian, I accompanied them with a combination of sautéed tofu, bamboo, jicama, carrots and straw mushrooms. That's why I call this dish bánh hỏi chay (hint: chay means "vegetarian" in Vietnamese).
As a child, I remember having this dish at celebrations, though I don't really know why. I make it pretty regularly in our home because in my opinion, it's very simple to prepare and always enjoyable.
Ingredients
Yields: 6 servings
1 (12-ounce) package firm tofu
¾ cup green onions, chopped
1 (12-ounce) package bánh hỏi tươi (very fine rice vermicelli noodles), see tips
1 small jicama
1 (10-ounce) can straw mushrooms, drained
¾ cup canola oil (or any neutral oil), as needed
2 teaspoons mushroom seasoning salt (or regular salt)
1 carrot, peeled and shredded into about 5"-long thick strips
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 cup fresh young bamboo shoots, rinsed and cut into thin strips
1 large bottle gourd, peeled and cut into thin strips
1½ cups white cabbage, shredded
½ cup yellow onions (see tips), sliced and fried
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
1 tablespoon palm sugar, freshly grated
¼ cup Vietnamese mint, chopped
4 cups lettuce, shredded
¼ cup Thai basil, chopped
vegetarian dipping sauce
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Banh Gio (Steamed Triangular Rice Dumplings)
Banh Gio (Steamed Triangular Rice Dumplings): Banh gio (steamed minced pork rice dumpling) is a pyramidal shaped snack food of my childhood. Just like banh pate so, my mom would make dozens of these for my siblings and I to eat for breakfast and as after school snacks. Banh gio is a very simple and inexpensive dish, which is why she made this often and is made with rice flour, sauteed minced pork, onions and wood ear mushrooms. Mom worked hard and never rewarded herself with any fancy dining, clothing, or jewelry while we were growing up–in fact, we almost never ate in restaurants–but she always rewarded us with delicious simple and satisfying foods, and this starchy snack fits the bill.
Common as street food for breakfast in Vietnam, banh gio is a very portable snack and can be eaten on the go, although some do eat this with either fish sauce or maggi seasoning. If the dough and pork filling is properly seasoned, we enjoy the banh gio simply by itself.
Mom mixes her own flour, a combination of rice flour and corn starch or you can buy a packaged flour like above, found in most Asian groceries. The dough is first precooked and then wrapped with the pork filling in banana leaf and then finally steamed.
Vietnamese Pyramidal Rice Dumpling Recipe (Banh Gio)
From many delicious Vietnamese Food recipes, Vietnamese people created many types of dishes. One of them is Pyramidal Rice Dumplings. It is also my favorite for lunch time. Not also easy to eat but also contains enough energy for working or studying in afternoons. It is covered in banana leaves which will bring a different flavor for your dumplings. Moreover, you can not forget when eating from the first time.
From many delicious Vietnamese Food recipes, Vietnamese people created many types of dishes. One of them is Pyramidal Rice Dumplings. It is also my favorite for lunch time. Not also easy to eat but also contains enough energy for working or studying in afternoons. It is covered in banana leaves which will bring a different flavor for your dumplings. Moreover, you can not forget when eating from the first time.
From kids to the elderly in Vietnam fall in love with this Dumpling. So, are you ready to cook this amazing dish for your family and friends? You should follow these instructions carefully to create one of stunning Vietnamese Food recipes from our beautiful country.
Banh Cuon - Rice Noodle Rolls
Bánh cuốn is a rice noodle roll made from a thin, wide sheet of steamed fermented[2] rice batter filled with seasoned ground pork, minced wood ear mushroom, and minced shallots. Sides for this dish usually consist of chả lụa (Vietnamese pork sausage), sliced cucumber, and bean sprouts, with the dipping sauce called nước chấm. Sometimes, a drop of cà cuống, which is the essence of a giant water bug, Lethocerus indicus, is added to the nước chấm for extra flavor, although this ingredient is scarce and quite expensive.
The rice sheet in bánh cuốn is extremely thin and delicate. It is made by steaming a slightly fermented rice batter on a cloth which is stretched over a pot of boiling water. It is a light dish, and is generally eaten for breakfast everywhere in Vietnam. A different version of bánh cuốn, called bánh cuốn Thanh Trì and bánh cuốn làng Kênh, may be found in Thanh Trì, a southern district of Hanoi and Kênh village of Nam Định, an ancient village in the centre of Nam Định city.Bánh cuốn Thanh Trì or Bánh cuốn làng Kênh are not rolls, but just rice sheets eaten with chả lụa, fried shallots, or prawns
Banh cuon - rice noodle rolls filled with pork and mushrooms or vegetarian filling
I made banh cuon yesterday as part of a larger meal of Vietnamese dumplings and I just couldn't put the time or effort into making the banh cuon totally from scratch so I bought the rice noodle sheets in Chinatown after we got dim sum - find them on the corner of Grand and Bowery - there are usually two ladies on the corner selling both the rolled up rice noodles (banh uot in Vietnamese), plain or with bits of scallion and dried shrimp, and then large folded sheets that you can cut apart to fill with your filling of choice. Some Asian groceries also carry large rice noodle sheets frozen or in the refrigerated section.
I'll make the rice noodle sheets some other time and post the recipe but for now, here are the recipes for the pork and mushroom filling and the vegetarian filling.
Serve with fried shallots and onions, chopped mint, cilantro and basil, steamed bean sprouts (cook them in the microwave for a few minutes), julienned cucumbers, and plenty of nuoc cham or vegetarian nuoc cham chay. For the pork version, also serve with some gio lua, or Vietnamese bologna. You can find it in most Asian groceries that carry Vietnamese foods.
Banh Chung, Lunar New Year Sticky Rice Cakes
Bánh chưng is a traditional Vietnamese rice cake which is made from glutinous rice, mung bean, pork and other ingredients.[1] Its origin is told by the legend of Lang Liêu, a prince of the sixth Hùng Vương, who became Hùng Vương's successor thank to his creation of bánh chưng and bánh dày, which symbolized respectively the Earth and the Sky. Considered an essential element of the family altar on the occasion of Tết, the making and eating bánh chưng during this time is a well-preserved tradition of Vietnamese people. Beside the Tết holiday, bánh chưng is also tasted all year round as a delicacy of Vietnamese cuisine and one of the national dishes of Vietnam besides nem rán and phở.
"Banh Chung" – Lunar New Year Sticky Rice Cakes
"Banh Chung" (Chung cake) is a traditional and irreplaceable cake of Vietnamese people in the Tet Holidays and King Hung’s anniversary (10th March Lunar). For the Vietnamese, making "Banh Chung" is the ideal way to express gratitude to their ancestors and homeland.
Banh Chung is a traditional dish considered an essential element of the Tet – the Lunar New Year of Vietnam.
The origin of Banh Chung can be traced to Hong Bang Dynasty – when the 6th Hung Emperor ruled the land (before the Birth of Christ). Sadly thinking he was too old to lead the country, Hung Emperor wanted to find the one to inherit his position and sit on the throne. Therefore, he held a cooking contest for his 21 sons, and who could fully satisfy his taste would be the winner.
Most princes set out on their journey to find special, exotic and far-fetched food, except for Lang Lieu – the 18th son of Hung King, also the poorest and loneliest since he lost his mother at a young age. Not having enough money to afford such delicacies, Lieu just stayed around his house. Thanks to the help of a fairy in his dream, Lieu came up with 2 types of cake called ‘Banh Chung’ and ‘Banh Day’ and started baking exactly like what he had been told.
On a spring day on which all the princes’ labor had to be presented, Lang Lieu and his wife brought Banh Chung and Banh Day to the emperor while other princes presented such expensive and unusual dishes. Others sneered at Lieu’s cakes, but Hung Emperor was deeply impressed by the special flavor of these cakes. He asked Lieu about the meaning of these cakes. Lieu said that he had cooked the glutinous rice, then molded it into a round rice cake, and called it Banh Day as it symbolized the sky we live under; he also cooked a square rice cake, stuffed it with cooked bean paste and ground meat in the middle, and called it Banh Chung, which was symbolic of the earth we live on.
After that, Hung Emperor decided that Lieu was the winner and passed his throne to him. Since then, Banh Chung and Banh Day become traditional foods during the Tet.
In addition, Banh Chung can be fried to serve ‘Banh Chung Ran’ – a delicious for such cold February in Vietnam. In some other regions, especially the Southern part of Vietnam, Banh Chung can be wrap in a cylindral shape with same ingredients, called ’Banh Tet’. A similar one to Banh Tet is ‘Banh Tay’ or ‘Banh Chung Dai’ (Long Banh Chung), served solely in the North with mung bean and little or no pork, hence, can be preserved for a longer period. There are also many variations of Banh Chung according to regions, religions and likings such as Banh Chung Gu (Humped Banh Chung) of San Diu people, Banh Chung Chay (Vegetarian Banh Chung) for vegetarians and Buddhists, Banh Chung Ngot (Sweetened Banh Chung), etc.
In traditional context, the process of making Banh Chung is an occasion for Vietnamese family members to get together. Sitting around the warm fire, talking and telling each other past stories, they get ready for a New Year with lots of good wishes. Although nowadays, not many Vietnamese families keep this habit anymore, Banh Chung is still an irreplaceable dish of Vietnamese ancestor altar on the occasion of Tet. It is the evidence of the Vietnamese loyalty and great gratitude to their ancestors.
The importance of Banh Chung has already gone into poetry:
‘Thịt mỡ, dưa hành, câu đối đỏ
Cây nêu, tràng pháo bánh chưng xanh’
Translation:
‘Rich meats, Salty onions, red couplets
Nêu tree, firecracker, green banh chung’.
Banh Canh Cua, Udon-like Noodles with Crab
Banh canh noodles are like Vietnamese udon–except unlike udon, it’s typically made with rice or tapioca flour (or a mixture of both) instead of wheat flour. The thickness of the noodle is roughly similar. The texture of the banh canh noodle depends on whether you’re using the tapioca flour or rice flour or a mixture of both. The tapoica flour banh canh will be almost clear when cooked with with a chewy consistency. The rice flour version is much less chewy. There are also multiple versions of banh canh, but the two most popular are banh canh cua (crab) and banh canh gio heo (pork ham hock). So you might find both of these in the restaurants.
Typically the tapioca flour version pairs with the banh canh cua and because of the tapioca flour, imparts a much thicker consistency to the broth. It’s also not a super long noodle but short segments about 2 inches or so with tapered ends, easily eaten with just a soup spoon. The rice flour version pairs with the banh canh gio heo and does not have the thick consistency. These noodles are sold as dried noodles and precooked in the refrigerator section of your Asian grocer. If you can’t find them substitute with udon! :)
Our version of banh canh cua is from my dear Aunt Nine and uses almost the same ingredients as bun rieu so we made this after our bun rieu ran out. The key ingredient in this soup is the crab paste in soy bean oil below which is used to saute the crab and shrimp and provides flavor to the broth as well as color. Normally we would used precooked banh canh noodles, but we discovered some fresh banh canh noodles made from mixture of rice and tapioca flour at a local market in Little Saigon and tried it out. Again, we used our generic pork stock. If you’re short on time, substitute with chicken stock.
Bánh canh:
Bánh canh (literally "soup cake") is a thick Vietnamese noodle that can be made from tapioca flour or a mixture of rice and tapioca flour.
Bánh canh cua - a rich, thick crab soup
Bánh canh bột lọc - a more translucent version of the noodle
Bánh canh chả cá - the dish includes fish sausage and is popular in the South
Central, Vietnam.
Bánh canh giò heo tôm thịt - includes pork knuckle and shrimp[3]
Bánh canh Trảng Bàng - bánh canh made in the southeastern Vietnamese town of Trang Bang, served with boiled pork, rice paper, and local herbs
Bánh canh tôm - a shrimp-flavoured broth that is also mixed with coconut milk
The Vietnamese word bánh refers to items such as noodles or cakes that are made from flour, and canh means "soup".
Commercial variants of bánh canh with soup: There are many variations of the bánh canh with soup. For example, in Tan Lac Vien Restaurant, Melbourne, Australia, its most popular dish is the Bánh canh cua, a thick crab soup is served with mud crab. At My Hanh Restaurant, South El Monte, Canada, it's specialty is the Bánh canh giò heo with a clear soup.
Banh Bot Loc/Banh Quai Vac (Dumplings with Pork and Shrimp or just Shrimp)
Vietnamese transparent dumplings or “bánh bột lọc” is a specialty of the central region of Vietnam, specifically Hue and Da Nang. Bánh bột lọc is a fun snack and can be eaten throughout the day. For more photos and recipes, please visit my blog at Danang Cuisine.
Preparation
1. Cut pork belly into small pieces. Cut each shrimp into 2-3 pieces. Marinate shrimp and pork separately with minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon chicken stock. Add 1 teaspoon paprika powder to the pork to enrich the color
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and fry some minced garlic till fragrant. Add in the pork, stir well Add 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar, simmer for 5 minutes Then add in the shrimps. Season with some 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and simmer for another 15 minutes
3. Put 150g (1 cup) tapioca starch in a small bowl and 250g (1.5 cups) in a big mixing bowl. Pour 250ml (1 cup) boiling water into the small bowl and leave for 5 minutes. Mix well and add to the mixing bowl. Knead until the dough is smooth and soft but elastic. Place the dough in a plastic bag.
4. Divide the dough into small balls. Flatten and shape each ball into a round piece of dough. Place the filling in the center and fold the dough over. Pinch the edges together to seal the dumpling. Repeat until all the dough and filling are used.
5. Put the dumplings into boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Stir them around gently. The dumplings is done when they float to the surface. Move them into a bowl of cold water and they will become transparent. Drain well and mix well with mo hanh.
Make Mo Hanh:
1. Cut spring onion into slices of about 0.5 to 1cm thick. In a hot pan, pour in 1 cup of cooking oil. When the oil is heated, add in spring onion slices, stir well and quickly take off the heat. For more photos and recipes, please visit my blog at Danang Cuisine.
Banh Beo - Rice Flour Discs with Dried Shrimp
A bánh bèo (literally "water fern cake") is a variety of small steamed rice cake or rice pancake in Vietnamese cuisine. It is white in color and typically features a dimple in the center, which is filled with savory ingredients including chopped dried or fresh shrimp, scallions, mung bean paste, crispy fried shallots, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and oil. It is considered most typical of the cuisine of Huế, the ancient royal capital located in the center of Vietnam.
Bánh bèo, Banh Beo, Bánh bèo
Banh Bao, Steamed Bun, Banh Bao - Steamed Bun
Bánh bao (literally "enveloping cake") is a ball-shaped dumpling containing pork or chicken meat, onions, eggs, mushrooms and vegetables, in Vietnamese cuisine. Additionally the steamed bun often has Chinese sausage and a portion of a hard-boiled egg inside.
The dish originated with the baozi from China but was adapted by the Vietnamese and is also available in most other countries with significant Vietnamese populations. Bánh bao are generally smaller than baozi, and are filled with savory fillings, the most popular of which is seasoned ground pork. As in China, pork is the most popular kind of meat in Vietnam. Vegetarian version of banh bao also exists.
Bánh bao is an old fashioned Cantonese dim sum called tai pao (大包, literally "big bun") brought to Vietnam by Cantonese immigrants. It was invented during the hardship days of old China to feed the ordinary people
Monday, November 26, 2012
Vietnamese Foods to Try
1. Banh Bao (Steamed Bun)
2. Banh Beo (Rice Flour Discs with Dried Shrimp)
3. Banh Bot Loc/Banh Quai Vac (Dumplings with Pork and Shrimp or just Shrimp)
4. Banh Canh Cua (Udon-like Noodles with Crab)
5. Banh Chung/Banh Tet (Lunar New Year Sticky Rice Cakes)
6. Banh Cuon (Rice Noodle Rolls)
7. Banh Gio (Steamed Triangular Rice Dumplings)
8. Banh Hoi (Rice Vermicelli Sheets)
9. Banh It La Gai (Nettle Leaf Dumplings)
10. Banh It Tran (Round Rice Dumplings with Pork, Shrimp, and Mung Beans)
11. Banh Khot/Banh Cang (Mini Savory Pancakes)
12. Banh La/Banh Nam (Steamed Flat Rice Dumplings with Pork and Shrimp)
13. Banh Mi Hot Ga Op La (French Bread with Sunnyside-Up Eggs)
14. Banh Mi (Sandwiches)
15. Banh Pa Te So (Pate Chaud)
16. Banh Tieu (Fry Bread)
17. Banh Tom (Shrimp and Yam Fritters)
18. Banh Trang (Rice Paper) Bonus points for eating soaked, no-soak, and toasted varieties.
19. Banh Uot ("Wet" Rice Noodle Sheets)
20. Banh Xeo (Sizzling Crepes) Bonus points if you've eaten both the palm-sized Central-style ones, and the wok-sized Southern-style ones with turmeric and coconut milk.
21. Be Thui (Beef with Roasted Rice Powder and Fermented Bean Curd)
22. Bo Bia (Spring Rolls with Chinese Sausage, Dried Shrimp, and Jicama)
23. Bo Kho (Beef Stew)
24. Bo Luc Lac (Shaking Beef)
25. Bo Ne ("Stand Back" Steak and Eggs)
26. Bo Nhung Dam (Beef Dipped in Vinegar)
27. Bo Nuong La Lot (Grilled Beef with Wild Betel Leaves)
28. Bo Tai Chanh (Beef Carpaccio with Lemon)
29. Bo Xao voi Khoai Tay Chien (Beef Stir-fry with French Fries)
30. Bo Xao Xa (Beef Sauteed with Lemongrass)
31. Bun Bo Hue (Hue-Style Beef Noodle Soup)
32. Bun Cha Hanoi (Hanoi-Style Rice Vermicelli with Grilled Pork Patties)
33. Bun Nuoc Leo Soc Trang (Soc Trang-Style Noodle Soup with Fish, Pork, and Shrimp) Bonus points for its more pungent cousin Bun Mam (Noodle Soup with Fermented Fish Broth)
34. Bun Rieu (Rice Vermicelli Noodle Soup with Crab Paste)
35. Bun Thit Heo Nuong (Rice Vermicelli with Grilled Pork)
36. Ca Bong Lau Nuong voi Mo Hanh (Roasted Catfish with Scallion Oil)
37. Ca Kho To (Braised Catfish in a Claypot)
38. Ca Phe Sua Da Phin (Iced Drip Coffee with Milk)
39. Canh Bi/Bau Nhoi Thit (Pork-Stuffed Winter Melon Soup)
40. Canh Chua Ca (Sour Fish Soup)
41. Ca Ri Ga (Chicken Curry)
42. Cao Lau (Noodle Soup with Pork from Hoi An)
43. Cha Ca Thang Long (Hanoi-Style Fish with Dill and Turmeric)
44. Cha Gio/Nem Ran (Spring/Egg Rolls) You only get points if you've eaten the Vietnamese egg rolls wrapped in rice paper, not the version with Chinese wheat egg roll wrappers. Bonus points if you've also eaten Central-style Cha Ram (Shrimp Egg Rolls) and Cha Gio Bap/Ram Bap (Corn Egg Rolls).
45. Cha Lua (Steamed Pork Loaf)
46. Chanh Muoi (Salty Lemonade)
47. Chao Tom (Grilled Shrimp Paste Wrapped Around Sugarcane)
48. Che Bap (Corn and Tapioca Pudding with Coconut Milk) or any other coconut milk-based che such as Che Chuoi (Banana Tapioca Pudding) and Che Ba Mau (Three Color Pudding).
49. Che Sam Bo Luong (Dessert Soup with Dried Dates, Dried Longans, Lotus Seeds, and Seaweed)
50. Che Troi Nuoc (Dough Balls in Ginger Syrup)
51. Chuoi Chien (Fried Bananas)
52. Chuot Dong (Southern Field Rats)
53. Com Ga Hai Nam (Hainanese Chicken Rice) must be eaten with #82.
54. Com Hen (Clam Rice)
55. Com Lam (Sticky Rice Steamed in Bamboo)
56. Com Tam (Broken Rice)
57. Com Ruou (Fermented Rice Wine)
58. Cua Rang Muoi Tieu (Salt and Pepper Crab)
59. Dau Phong Luoc (Boiled Peanuts)
60. De (Goat)
61. Dia Rau Song (Raw Herb Platter)
62. Do Chua (Pickled Stuff ie. Carrots and Daikon)
63. Ga Nuong Xa (Grilled Chicken with Lemongrass)
64. Gio Thu (Head Cheese with Pig Ears and Tree Ear Fungus)
65. Goi Du Du Kho Bo (Papaya Salad with Beef Jerky)
66. Goi Cuon (Salad/Spring/Summer Rolls)
67. Goi Ga (Chicken Salad)
68. Goi Mit Ngo Sen (Young Jackfruit and Lotus Root Salad)
69. Hot Vit Lon (Fetal Duck Eggs)
70. Hu Tieu (Tapioca Noodles with Pork and Shrimp) Bonus points for both Saigon, with barbecued pork and shrimp, and Nam Vang (Phnom Penh) style with liver and ground pork.
71. Kem Flan
72. Lau (Hot Pot)
73. Mam Nem (Fermented Anchovy Sauce)
74. Mam Ruoc (Fermented Shrimp Paste)
75. Mi Hoanh Thanh (Wonton Noodle Soup)
76. Mi Quang (Turmeric Noodles with Pork and Shrimp)
77. Mi Vit Tiem (Egg Noodles with Duck and Chinese Herbs)
78. Mi Xao Don (Crispy Chow Mein)
79. Muop Tom Xao (Loofah and Shrimp Stir-fry)
80. Nem Chua (Pickled Pork Sausage with Shredded Pork Skin)
81. Nem Nuong (Grilled Pork Patties)
82. Nuoc Mam Gung (Ginger Fish Sauce)
83. Nuoc Mia (Sugarcane Juice)
84. Oc Buou (Apple Snails) or any other sea snails
85. Pho Ap Chao Bo (Pan-Fried Rice Noodles Sauteed with Beef)
86. Pho Bo (Beef Noodle Soup) bonus points if you've eaten filet mignon pho and for Pho Ga (Chicken Noodle Soup)
87. Rau Ma (Pennywort Juice)
88. Rau Muong Xao (Water Spinach Stir-fried)
89. Soda Xi Muoi (Preserved Plum Drink)
90. Sinh To Bo (Avocado Shake)
91. Sinh To Ca Chua (Tomato Shake)
92. Sinh To Dam (Aloe Vera Shake)
93. Sup Mang Tay Cua (Asparagus and Crab Soup)
94. Tiet Canh (Blood Pudding)
95. Thit Heo Kho Voi Trung (Braised Pork with Eggs)
96. Tom Tau Hu Ky (Shrimp Paste Wrapped in Bean Curd Skin)
97. Tra Atiso (Artichoke Tea)
98. Tuong Ot (Chili Sauce) bonus points for Vietnamese American Huy Fong Sriracha Chili Sauce and extra bonus points if you use it to make Sriracha Buffalo Wings
99. Xiu Mai (Meatballs)
100. Xoi (Sticky Rice)
Vietnamese food, Vietnamese cuisine
Vietnamese cuisine encompasses the foods and beverages of Vietnam. Regular ingredients include fish sauce, shrimp paste, soy sauce, rice, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables. Vietnamese recipes utilize lemongrass, mint, Vietnamese mint, long coriander and Thai basil leaves. Traditional Vietnamese cooking is greatly admired for its fresh ingredients, minimal use of oil, and reliance on herbs and vegetables. Vietnamese food is often ranked as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. The most common meats used in Vietnamese cuisine are fish, chicken, pork, beef, and various kinds of seafood. The Vietnamese also have a strong vegetarian tradition influenced by Buddhist values.
Regional variations: The mainstream culinary traditions in all three regions of Vietnam share some fundamental features:
- Freshness of food: Most meats are only briefly cooked to preserve their original textures and colors. Vegetables are eaten fresh; if they are cooked, they are boiled or only briefly stir-fried.
- Presence of herbs and vegetables: Herbs and vegetables are essential to many Vietnamese dishes and are often abundantly used.
- Broths or soup-based dishes are common in all three regions
- Presentation: The condiments that accompany Vietnamese meals are usually colorful and arranged in eye-pleasing manners.
While sharing some key features, Vietnamese culinary tradition differs from region to region.
In northern Vietnam, a colder climate limits the production and availability of spices. As a result, the foods here are often less spicy than those in other regions. Black pepper is used in place of chiles as the most popular ingredient to produce spicy flavors. In general, Northern Vietnamese cuisine is not bold in any particular flavor—sweet, salty, spicy, bitter, or sour. Most northern Vietnamese foods feature light and balanced flavors that result from subtle combinations of many different flavoring ingredients. The use of meats such as pork, beef, and chicken were relatively limited in the past. Freshwater fish, crustaceans, and mollusks—such as prawns, squids, shrimps, crabs, clams, mussels—are widely used. Many notable dishes of northern Vietnam are crab-centered (e.g., bún riêu). Fish sauce, soy sauce, prawn sauce, and limes are among the main flavoring ingredients. Being the cradle of Vietnamese civilization, northern Vietnam produces many signature dishes of Vietnam, such as phở, bún riêu, and bánh cuốn, which were carried to central and southern Vietnam through the road of Vietnamese migration.
The abundance of spices produced by central Vietnam’s mountainous terrain makes this region’s cuisine notable for its spicy food, which sets it apart from the two other regions of Vietnam where foods are mostly non-spicy. Once the capital of the last dynasty of Vietnam, Hue’s culinary tradition features highly decorative and colorful food, reflecting the influence of ancient Vietnamese royal cuisine. The region’s cuisine is also notable for its sophisticated meals constituted by many complex dishes served in small portions. Chili peppers and shrimp sauces are among the frequently used ingredients. Some Vietnamese signature dishes produced in central Vietnam are bún bò Huế and bánh xèo.
The warm weather and fertile soil of southern Vietnam create an ideal condition for growing a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and livestock. As a result, foods in southern Vietnam are often vibrant and flavorful with liberal uses of garlic, shallots, and fresh herbs. Sugar is added to food more than in the other regions. The preference for sweetness in southern Vietnam can also be seen through the widespread use of coconut milk in southern Vietnamese cuisine. Vast shorelines make seafood a natural staple for people in this region. Southern Vietnam has also been the region where influences from foreign cuisines (Chinese, Indian, French, Thai, etc.) are most prominent.
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