Spicy Food For A Spicy Personality!

Vietnamese Bun Cha Gio'...a light and flavorful dish for spring!

In college, one of my dearest friends and I, often scheduled lunch dates at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant. One day, we entered the restaurant and were intercepted by a young Vietnamese waiter who was still learning English. He led us to our table as we chatted and giggled away. The waiter, who seemed to show special interest in our dining experience, hovered over us, desperately trying to make conversation. We felt a little embarrassed at the extra attention! As he took our order, he asked me if I wanted my meal to be mild or spicy. I answered, "Spicy , please."  To which he smoothly answered, "Ah, spicy food for a spicy personality!" Yes, even with broken English, he had rehearsed pick-up lines. Some things cross all cultural boundaries! That was twelve or thirteen years ago, yet my friend and I never miss an opportunity to slip that unforgettable line to each other!

This week in "Confidence In The Kitchen" class, we focused on easy Asian dinners. I chose two of my favorite dishes for the girls, Thai fried rice and Vietnamese bun cha gio'. The town I grew up in has a significant Vietnamese population with incredible little restaurants and vast Asian markets. Exploring the Asian markets is a feast for the eyes--especially the produce department and meat counter!

Bun Cha is a traditional pork noodle salad, served in a bowl with fresh veggies and nuoc cham, an acidic dressing/dipping sauce. Nuoc Cham is normally made with sweetened lime juice and fish sauce, but I discovered that restaurants often make theirs with rice vinegar instead of lime. I find I actually prefer this method, as it cuts out a little of the "bite". The nuoc cham is the only source of HEAT in this dish--so add as much or as little as you want to the salad. You can also boost the heat by adding more chili-garlic sauce. Gio' is the Vietnamese word for fried spring rolls. Hot, chopped spring rolls are added to the top of the salad for crunch. In order to adapt this recipe to the cooking class...we did not make our spring rolls from scratch. Instead we simply bought good-quality frozen spring rolls, oiled them and baked them in the oven! It provides the extra flavor and texture without turning this meal into a 2 hour cooking affair!

This bold and healthy meal is perfect for eating out of the deck now that the weather is warming up!

You eat slowly, that is good for stomach; you plough deeply, that is good for fields. 

An ky no lau, cay sau tot lua -Vietnamese Proverb

Vietnamese Bun Cha Gio’

1 lb. boneless pork chops
1 ½ Tb. fresh grated ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup fish sauce
2 Tb. soy sauce
2 Tb. sugar

½ cup warm water
3 Tb. sugar
½ cup rice vinegar
1 Tb. fish sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. chili-garlic sauce
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 cup shredded carrots

1 package cooked vermicelli noodles
2 cups mung bean sprouts
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup sliced cucumbers
½ cup chopped cilantro or basil
½ cup chopped peanuts
½ cup chopped green onions

1 package frozen spring rolls

Freeze the pork for 30 minutes to firm it up. Then cut each chop in half length-wise and thinly slice (1 mm). If already frozen, thaw half way before slicing.

Mix the next five ingredients and toss with pork in a bowl. Allow the pork to marinate for 30 minutes.

Mix the warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar in dissolved. Then add the following six ingredients and set aside the nuoc cham.

Preheat the oven to the necessary temperature provided on the spring roll package. Drizzle a little oil on a cookie sheet and roll the frozen spring rolls in it. Cook the spring rolls according to the provided instructions. Heat a large wok or skillet to high heat. Drain the pork well. Add 1 Tb. of peanut or veggie oil to the wok. Stir fry the pork for 1-3 minutes. Chop the spring rolls into ½ inch pieces.

To plate: Place a large hand-full of noodles in the bottom of four bowls. Top each with sprouts, shredded carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, and green onions. Place the pork and spring rolls on top, and sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Serve with nuoc cham on the side, so each person can add as much as they desire!
Serves 4.

Not Always As They Seem

The lesson of fish sauce: 
Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden. Phaedras

As I was preparing dinner this evening, I opened my bottle of fish sauce and was slapped in the face with a pungent reminder that things are not always as they seem. You've heard the old saying, don't judge a book by it's cover. I 'd like to add to this train of thought, and share a profound new quote for all to ponder...Don't judge a sauce by it's smell. Deep, isn't it?

I know, I know...this goes against your better judgment! Conventional wisdom says milk, cheese, oil, and pretty much EVERYTHING else, should be thrown out if it smells bad.

Yet with fish sauce, I find the more putrid and filthy it smells, the better the fish sauce! And let me tell you, mine truly provides a heinous stench that fills the kitchen. BUT--don't let this deter you from using it! Fish sauce is a wonderfully flavorful ingredient, used all over Eastern Asia. It adds a distinct savory essence that can not be replicated with any other ingredient. The smell does diminish as you cook it, leaving a strong but appealing aroma.

Skeptical? The fact is, if you have ever eaten good quality Southeast Asian food, it's almost certain you've unknowingly eaten fish sauce. It is a widely popular condiment for adding depth of flavor, used is may countries--especially in Vietnamese and Thai cuisine.    

It's easy to get comfortable with what you know, and never allow your horizons to be broadened. One of my favorite parts of teaching "Confidence In the Kitchen", is hearing a person say they enjoyed a dish we've cooked--something they previously believed to be inedible. I have secretly made it my quest to "help" others expand their taste buds, to overcome their stigmas about food. My husband would tell you that I have "helped" him overcome his dislike of fish, fennel, citrus desserts and maple syrup...to name a few. Of course, I was "helping" him against his will, in most cases, but my attempts paid off!  No grudges held!

All I ask is that you try to be open-minded after opening a bottle of odorous fish sauce. Who knows what this new receptiveness might lead to!

Sommer


Asian Beef and Bok Choy Salad

1 ½ lbs. sirloin
2 Tb. thinly sliced scallions, mostly whites
Zest of 1 large lime, or 2 small limes
1 ½ Tb. grated ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup fish sauce
2 Tb. soy sauce
2 Tb. sugar

¼ cup peanut oil
2 Tb. thinly sliced scallions, greens
3 Tb. lime juice
½ tsp. chili-garlic sauce or sriracha
1 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. sugar

1 large head of bok choy
1 cup thinly sliced red onions
3 carrots, shaved into ribbons
½ cup thinly sliced basil leaves

Partially thaw the sirloin (or if it’s fresh, flash freeze it for 30 minutes) so that it is still firm, but a knife can cut through it. This helps to keep the meat from moving around while cutting it thin! Cut the sirloin in half, length-wise. Slice each half into very thin (1mm) pieces.

Mix 2 Tb. of scallion whites, lime zest, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, soy and sugar in a medium bowl. Toss in the raw sirloin and allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes—but up to 4 hours.

*To peel or not to peel the ginger...If the ginger's skin in tight and smooth like baby skin--don't bother with peeling it. But, if it's slightly wrinkled and dry like "winter hands", you can use a veggie peeler, or even a spoon to scrape it off.

 

 

 

 

 In a small bowl, mix together the peanut oil, lime juice, 2 Tb. scallions, chili sauce, salt, and sugar. Whisk the dressing well.

Cut the green leaves off of the bok choy. Hand-tear them into bite-size pieces. Then thinly slice the white stalks of the bok choy. Place both on a large serving bowl. Slice the red onions very thin. Using a veggie peeler, shave the 3 carrots to make carrot ribbons.

Roll the basil leaves tightly, then slice them into thin strips. Sprinkle all the veggies on top of the bok choy.

  

 Drain the marinade from the beef. Heat a wok or large skillet to high heat. Add 1 Tb. of oil and wait until it smokes. Then add half the beef to the wok—stirring continuously. Cook for 1-2 minutes until desired doneness is reached. Then repeat with the second half of the beef.

 

 Once the beef is cooked, toss the salad with the dressing and top it with the stir-fried beef. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

Asian-style tacos are really trendy in the culinary world right now. Try putting the salad and beef in a wheat tortillas!