Banh Xeo - Vietnamese Pancakes

Vietnamese style pancakes yesterday for dinner. Ban Xeo mix and stir-fry scallions, pork, shrimp, mung beans, and bean sprouts.

Fried Shrimp Wontons in Hot & Sour Sauce

Yes, I made these, and no you may not have the recipe. It's my mom's special recipe. But you're welcome to come over for a tasting.

Water Spinach - Rau Muong

Water Spinach is locally grown in Southeast Asia. Commonly referred to as the "poor people's food" because it is grown in such abundance. It can also be thought of as comfort food to many. I love water spinach b/c it is quick and easy, and tastes best stir-fried as a side dish with rice or poultry. I find it is expensive here in the US and is hard find.

Korean Pancakes w/ Shrimp - Pajeon

I had a Korean Pancake obsession over the long holiday and made Korean Pancakes. I can't really give out the recipe because I cheated and used the pre-made Korean Pancake mix. Hey, it tastes just as good, so why not. It was mmmmm, so good.

I mixed it with shrimp, chives, and peppers. The key is to fry it sizzling hot, so that it's a little burnt on the edges.

Spicy Hoisin Chicken Wings

Package of chicken wings
1/2 cup Hoisin Sauce
5 T Soy Sauce
2 T Garlic Powder
1 T Sesame Oil
1 T Rice Vinegar
3/4 cup Korean Pepper Powder (Adjust according to spicy factor)

1. Mix all ingredients together depending on your tasting and how spicy you like your wings. On average, I'd say 1/2 cup of Korean Pepper Powder is fine.
   
2. I use a lot of the heavy ingredients, since I like my food flavorful. You might want to double-up on the ingredients if you like it very flavorful.
   
3. Marinate overnight or at least 3 hours before baking
   
4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
5. Spray a light layering of cooking spray on to the baking tray
6. Stack wings side-by-side on baking tray
   
7. Bake at 390 degrees for about 40 minutes, depending on your oven temperature
8. Make sure to turn the wings once in the middle of the cooking time
   

Thai Shrimp in a Blanket - Tom Cuon Cha Gio

European Cruise w/ Royal Carribean International

Get fat on Royal Caribbean cruises! The best food of all.

Pineapple Fruit Basket Burst

For a small party I went to I made pineapples, strawberries, kiwis, and longans!

Bo 7 Mon - Seven Courses of Beef in Vietnamese

Bo 7 Mon, literally means "Seven Courses of Beef" in Vietnamese. It's considered a "higher-end" dish. Think of it as a kind of Beef Buffet, but Vietnamese style. I've heard of this, since I was a little girl, but have never tried it until California. Considering, I'm not much of a meat-lover I thought it was ok. Nothing about it really wowed me, or made me want to go back for more.

The beef is cooked in front of you, then wrapped with rice paper, a variety of fresh herbs, lettuce, carrots, and cucumbers, and then dipped in "mam nem", which is a heavy fish sauce.

Nem Nuong Cuon - Grilled Shrimp Paste Rolls

Another one of my favorites was the Nem Nuong Cuon in Westminister, California. Oh my goodness, it was too DIE for. Never have I tasted anything that compares to this recipe. I think what really kicked off the flavor was the secret sauce it came with. I'd tell you the name of the restaurant, but I don't remember!!! However, ask the locals in Westminister and they should know. It's a really famous place.

Eggs in a Basket

This dish was inspired by my friend SushiMonkee. Ok, so it's not an original recipe, but it's famous, and if you're not into cooking fancy breakfeast foods I still highly recommend trying this dish. It's quick, delicious, and tastefully presented.

The recipe is so easy I think even the husbands will be able to make you breakfast in bed. I made the hubby this the other day and being the healthy person he said it was too heart-clogging for his taste buds. Oh well, what does he know? I live for buttery and fattening food!

1. Butter the frying pan, or you can use olive oil
2. Cut the bread in the middle with a cookie cutter. You can make fancy shapes and try hearts as well!
   
3. Place the pieces of bread into the pan and crack the eggs in the hole (Make sure you toss in the round pieces of bread too)
4. Drop a tad bit of extra-virgin olive oil on top of the yolk, so when you flip it, the eggs don't stick to the pan
   
   
5. Serve with pepper and the extra left-over bread

Orange Glazed Scallops in Soy Sauce

Goi Cuon - Vietnamese Summer Roll with Peanut Sauce

This is a pretty mainstream Vietnamese appetizer. Not sure what the correct name for this would be, but many people call it "Vietnamese Summer Roll", so we'll go with that.

I think of it as a more healthy appetizer to it's more greasy sister, the eggroll (Cha Gio).

Ingredients Needed:

Package of Rice Paper (Banh Trang)

Shrimp, Boiled and Peeled

Pork Loin, boiled

Lettuce

Vietnamese Herbs (Any type)

Vermicelli Noodles

1) Boil shrimp for 10 minutes, or until slightly pink

2) Boil pork for about 30 minutes and then slice in thin pieces

3) Boil Vermicelli noodles for about 15 minutes, then drain in cold water until not soggy

4) Dip rice paper in water and make sure it's not too soggy

5) Place all the lettuce, vermicelli, shrimp, and pork and roll like you would normally an eggroll

I've seen this sauce made with other ingredients such as tamarind and mung beans. This is my mom's recipe I inherited, and it's the quickest and most authentic tasting, so I just stick with it. Just make sure it's not watery or it will kill the entire dish.

This is good for 6 portions/guests:

1 bottle Hoison Sauce
4 Tablespoons Peanut Butter
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Tapioca Starch (Bot Nang)

2/3 cup water

1) Heat up a sauce pan to medium heat and pour in Hoison Sauce and Peanut Butter
2) Stir vigorously until it melts and does not clump together, if you're using chunky peanut butter make sure to process in a blender, until smooth
3) Pour in the water, sugar, and taste, add more if you like it sweeter
4) Pour in Tapioca Starch and stir until mixure is slightly thick

*Serve at room temperature or slightly warm
** The sauce should be slightly thick, and not watery

Pate Chaud

A Vietnamese meat pastry, inherited from the French

½ pack ground pork
1 small onion
1 tablespooon garlic powder
2 boxes of Pepperide Farm square pastry shells
Salt, pepper, sugarRegular fork for decorating the edges of pastry shells


1) Mix pork with, chopped onions, and garlic powder
2) Flavor w/ pinch of salt/sugar/pepper and let marinate for 1 hour
3) Cut pastry shells into fourths
4) Spread meat mixture into spoon-sized pieces into pastry sheets
5) With the other cut square place on top, and close with the edges of a fork
6) Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes
7) The shells should start to puff out
8) Spread yellow egg yolk onto top layer of each shell about 5 minutes before done
9) Let sit in oven for another 5 minutes, so that the egg yolks can set
10) Can be served at room temperature or hot

Eggplant with Shrimp Paste (VN style) - Ca Tim Nhan Cha Tom

3 Japanese eggplants
½ pound shrimp for 3 eggplants
2 cloves minced garlic
Fish sauce, sugar, salt

1) Peel shrimp, add 2 cloves of garlic, ½ teaspoon fish sauce, pinch of sugar, into food processor until well blended

2) Marinate for 15 minutes or you may leave to marinate overnight

3) Wash an slice eggplants diagonally

4) Sprinkle lightly with salt, wash, and drain

5) Rinse the eggplant pieces and shake to dry. Spoon chunks of shrimp paste over the eggplant slices

6) Place in steamer tray and steam for about 15 minutes until the shrimp paste turns pink

7) Serve with soy sauce or sweet red chili sauce

*You either can bake them in the oven for an additional 20 minutes or pan-fry for 15 minutes.

**When the eggplant becomes slightly smushy and turns dark it’s ready!