Malaysian/Singaporean inspired noodle soup

I got sick over the holidays and I suffered from dehydration.  After being discharged from the hospital, all I wanted was soup.  Noodle soup.  I was still too weak to cook but my mind wanted the taste of the warm broth to re-hydrate me.  The previous weeks, I would stumble up many photos of the Malaysian red broth poured over a pile of noodles.  I wanted some but I was not in any condition to trek to the store to gather the ingredients needed.  I rummage through the fridge and saw there was a lot to work with.

Soup:
1 lb ground pork or chicken
32oz box of chicken broth (strongly recommend if you use ground chicken)
4 cup water
1 golf ball size piece of yellow rock sugar
fish sauce to taste
Annato oil

Vietnamese Sate Sauce
4-5 cloves garlic
2-3 stalks or 2 Tbsp pre-chopped lemongrass
1/2 tsp chopped ginger
1 large shallot
1 Thai chili, finely chopped
Peanut oil

1 pkg rice sticks

Finishing:
Chopped green onions
Cilantro
Chiffonard Shiso leaves
Blanched mung bean sprouts
Fried garlic

In a medium pot, start the water and broth to bring it to a boil.  Drop in the ground meat mixture and reduce heat so that it is a simmer.  While the soup is cooking, let's make the sate sauce to to add flavor to the soup. In a small pan heat up some oil.  Add all the ingredients in except for the pepper and fry until you get a dark paste.  Add more oil if need to make sure that it isn't a dry lump.  When the ingredients are one color add the pepper and continue to fry the sate until it is dry paste consistency.  Check on the soup stock and make sure to scoop out any impurities/scum.  Add the sate mixture to the soup and allow for the soup and sate to slowly cook together.   Add the fish sauce and rock sugar to your liking.  The total cooking time for the soup should be about 20-25 minutes.  Finish with the annato oil for the bright red color.

Serve the soup over rice noodles and top with the great finishing.

Gà Kho Xốt Đậu Đen - Chicken with fermented chili black bean sauce

Difficulty: Easy

When I was in college, I was introduced to dim sum.  One of my favorite little dim sum dish was the steamed ribs with black bean.  The salty fermented taste of the black beans was very pleasant to my palate and I wanted to replicated it but had no idea where to start.  I stumbled on a prepared jar of black beans and came up with this dish.  Kho is better know in the western world as braising, a French cooking technique.  You would cook/sear the meat at a high heat and then you simmer in a liquid.  This dish is served over rice with a platter of sliced cucumbers, tomato, lettuce/leafy herbs.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp oyster sauce or XO sauce

1/4 tsp mushroom seasoning

2 cloves garlic minced finely

1 stalk green onions cut

1 tsp of fish sauce

1.5 tsp chili black bean sauce

2 tbsp of water or chicken broth

Lee Kum Kee Brand is the best of all that I have tried.

Prepare chicken by cutting it into bite size pieces and set aside.  In a pan, heat up enough oil to cover the bottom.  Make sure the chicken is close by before you brown the garlic.  When the garlic is a light golden color, add the chicken and saute with mushroom seasoning, salt and pepper.  When you chicken is browned, add the water or broth and cover. Cook on a medium heat until the chicken has tighten up, usually about 7-10 minutes.  Remember to stir occasionally.  Cover and simmer for 15-20 additional minutes or until it is tender to your liking.  Add the oyster sauce, chili black bean sauce (picture of the jar below), and fish sauce.  Taste and adjust to your liking.  You can add 1/4 tsp of sugar if you find it too salty or one dimensional.  Finish the dish with the green onion.

Gỏi Đu Đủ Lào - Lao style Papaya salad

When I was in college, I had several Lao girls as roommates.  Almost everyday, we would eat "tom ma hoong" or "tom ma tha-et" (papaya or cucumber salad).  I had adapted the recipe and adjusted it for a more Vietnamese palate.

Diffculty: Medium

Papaya salad

2-3 cups shredded papaya
4-6 cherry tomatoes/ 10-15 grape tomatoes/ 1 regular tomato
Thai bird chilis
1-2 cloves garlic
2-3 tsp organic sugar/ 1-2 disk of palm sugar or brown sugar
1 tsp thick anchovy sauce
1/2 tsp finely ground shrimp paste
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp of salted crab sauce (optional)


Prepare the papaya.  You can use a sharp knife, box grater, or a specialty peeler.  The knife version should only be used if you have SUPERIOR knife handling skills.  I think this method offers the best texture and makes the salad taste better.

Please do not use this method if your knife skill isn't great.

The specialty tool is the easiest and the method I strongly recommend for everyone.  You can get this tool at most Asian markets.  There are two brands that I use and they both come come Thailand.  

Goi Du Du Lao

The orange handle tool, KOM KOM, has multiple function and is made for decorating.

This tool only shreds.

In a mortar and pedestal, add the sugar.  If you are using the palm sugar disk, break up the clump or shave it with a knife.  Add the garlic and chilis and pound it into a paste.  Add the lime, thick anchovy sauce, shrimp paste, fish sauce, and cut the tomatoes into the paste.  If you can find salted crab sauce, add it.  Press on the tomato lightly and taste the sauce.  Adjust the sugar to your liking.  You want to achieve a balance of , spicy, salty and sweet. Once you get it to your liking add the papaya and stir to even coat the papaya. This dish goes very well with grilled or fried anything.

Try it with lemongrass wings.