Shrimp In Sugar-cane ( Tôm Bọc Mía )

Shrimp In Sugar-cane ( Tôm Bọc Mía )

Recipe source : Adapted from  VietnameseFood

My son described to me what he had eaten at a restaurant and wanted me to make it for him. Shrimp In Sugar-cane is a popular Vietnamese fare that can either be grilled or deep-fried. I opted to grilled them which is easier for me and comparatively less oily.

The shrimp paste was rather sticky. Make sure you have a small dish of vegetable oil to rub your hands first before wrapping the shrimp paste around the sugar cane. You will need more oil to firm up and shape the paste to encircle the sugar cane to make it look like a drumstick.

The taste was unique. When you have eaten the meaty parts of the grilled prawn paste, you get to gnaw on the piece of sugar cane which is sweet and refreshing. 

It is even better when you dip them in chilli sauce or make your own Vietnamese dipping fish sauce. 

Enjoy!

Ingredients

300g shrimps ( net weight )
2 sections sugar cane , cut into 12 pieces
3 tbsp tapioca flour
2 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk spring onions, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp pepper
a small dish of vegetable oil to lubricate your hands

  

Method

1.  Chopped the shrimps. Mix well with the minced shallots, garlic and spring onions.
2.  Add in tapioca flour, salt, soy sauce, vegetable oil, pepper, sugar and mix well to form a paste.
3.  Apply oil on both hands and scoop the shrimp paste to wrap around a piece of sugar cane. Press firmly.
4.  Repeat the process with the remaining shrimp paste and sugar cane. 
5.  Grill at 180 degree C in a pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes or until golden.
6.  Serve with chilli sauce.

Lotus Seed Soup (Súp Hạt Sen)

Lotus Seed Soup (Súp Hạt Sen)

Recipe source : Adapted from  VietnameseFood

I normally used lotus seeds for sweet dessert only even though I know it can be used for savoury dishes as well. I find this recipe very interesting as it uses lotus seed to make a savoury soup of shrimp balls, tofu and sliced shitake mushrooms. It's makes a nice change from my routine and today I've learnt another new dish. 

Ingredients 

 
100g lotus seeds
300g fresh shrimps, removed shells
4 shitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced into thin pieces
1 fresh tofu square, cut into cubes
1 egg white
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
2 shallots, sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Lotus seeds, mushrooms and tofu

Shrimp paste. Shape this paste into balls

Method

 
1.  Rinse lotus seeds. Add 800ml water and boil until soft. Set aside both the lotus seeds and the liquid.
2.  Use the back of a cleaver to pound the shrimps. Add a little salt and pepper to taste. Add a bit of cornflour to the shrimp paste and mix well. Set aside.
3.  In a large pot, add a little oil and brown the shallots. Add in sliced mushrooms.
4.  Add in the lotus seeds together with the liquid. Bring to a boil.
5.  Add in tofu cubes and shrimp balls.
6.  Add in cornflour solution and keep stirring. Add in the egg white. 
7. Season to taste. 

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  :  Indo China
Hosted by Kelly of Kelly Siew cooks

Steamed Rice Cakes With Shrimp And Pork Rinds ( Bánh Bèo )

Steamed Rice Cakes With Shrimp And Pork Rinds (Bánh Bèo)

Recipe source :  Vietnamesefood.com

I find it very interesting and highly exciting as I participated in the Asian Food Fest every month. Their theme for this month is Indochina. Once again I surfed the internet and read up books to widen my horizon and to learn more about the cuisines and food cultures of Indochina. As I surfed, Vietnamese food caught my attention and so I am going to try out Vietnamese food for this month. 

It is a delight and it gives me great satisfaction each time I am able to cook the food successfully as guided by the recipes. Sometimes I have to make adjustment to suit my individual preference and sometimes it is because of unavailability of the specified ingredients.

It brings me joy that I have unwittingly started on a fantastic journey into the culinary realm of foreign cultures. I shall continue my exploration to gain further insights and knowledge as I find it very rewarding. It enriches my culinary experience as I absorb and feed my basic senses to enjoy the good food and good taste of other cuisines.

Ingredients for rice cakes

200g rice flour
20g wheat flour
500ml water
a pinch of salt

 

Method

1.  Mix all the ingredients together and allow to stand for 3 to 4 hours.
2.  Add in salt just before steaming. Stir to mix well.
3.  Spoon batter into small bowls and steam over high heat for about 5 minutes until cooked.
4.  Use a thin knife to slide around the edges of the bowl and invert them onto a serving dish.

Ingredients for filling

150g minced meat
50g shrimps, chopped
a stalk of spring onion, chopped
1 tsp fish sauce
a dash of pepper

 Stir-fried chopped spring onion in hot oil

Minced pork

Shrimps - roughly chop this up

Method

1.  Place one tsp of oil into hot wok to stir-fry the chopped spring onion for few seconds. Dish up immediately.
2.  Add 1 tbsp oil to wok and stir-fry the minced meat and chopped shrimps.
3.  Season with fish sauce and pepper. Fry until cooked. Dish up and set aside.

To serve

1.  Place a piece of rice cake on a plate. Top with filling of minced pork and shrimps. Add some stir-fried spring onion.
2.  Spoon some Vietnamese dipping sauce over the rice cake. 

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  :  Indo China
Hosted by Kelly of Kelly Siew cooks

Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce (Nuoc Cham)

Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce (Nuoc Cham)

 Recipe source :Adapted from Vietnamesefood.com

This Vietnamese dipping fish sauce is fiery hot. Its red hue makes the sauce looks very attractive when presented alongside any dish. This sauce is very versatile. It goes very well with Vietnamese steam rice cake and a host of other Vietnamese and Asian delicacies such as deep-fried spring rolls, the Malaysian cucur udang and pie tee, just to name a few.

If you cannot tolerate fiery hot chillies, use a milder variety of chilli or reduce the amount of bird's eye chillies. Make extras to be stored in the refrigerator as it will come in very handy as a chilli dipping sauce. 

This chilli sauce is a hit with my family.

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
6 bird's eye chillies or chilli padi
4 cloves garlic
1 lime, juiced

Method

1.  Remove seeds of chilli padi. Chop chilli padi together with the garlic.
2.  Boil the water with sugar. When it comes to a boil add in fish sauce. Continue to boil for 5 minutes.
3.  Add in the chopped chillies and garlic. Stir gently to mix well.
4.  Remove from flame and allow to cool.
5.  Once cooled down, add in lime juice. 
6.  Extras can be stored in jars and kept in the refrigerator for later use. 

Fish sauce

Left : garlic. Middle : chilli padi. Right : lime

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  :  Indo China
Hosted by Kelly of Kelly Siew cooks