Home Cooking with Thuy: 2014

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Apple Tart

For the Dough
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
11 Tbs. cold, unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk
3 Tbs. whole milk

For the Filling
4 cups peeled, thinly sliced apples
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 Tbs. all-purpose flour

Sugar to taste
Pinch table salt

For crust:
1 large egg, beaten
2 Tbs. turbinado sugar

For the dough, add all ingredients and mix in a mixer with a paddle attachment or pulse in a food processor until combined. Or you can work the butter in with two forks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Filling: Add the apples to a bowl and add all ingredients minus the flour. Mix well and taste. You want the apples to be sweet to your liking. Once you get the filling to your level of sweetness, add the flour and combine well.

Assembling: Roll the dough into a ball and roll the dough out into a circle. It doesn't have to be perfect. You want to make sure that you don't work the dough too much so that the butter doesn't melt. Pour the filling in the center and fold up the edges. you want to roughly pleat the edges so the tart looks like a pie. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle crust with the turbinado sugar.

Bake the tart at 350-degrees for 40-55 minutes. You want the crust to be nicely browned. Allow for the tart to cool before serving.

Adapted from:
http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/rustic-apple-cinnamon-tart.aspx

Monday, April 7, 2014

Mắm Chưng Trứng - Steamed Egg Pork Loaf

Mam chung in Vietnam is made with the snakehead fish. Snakehead fish is illegal and are very invasive to the natural species in local American freshwater ecosystems. I substitute the snakehead fish in this recipe. I am not big on the fermented smell of this dish so my adaptation only give a hint of fish.

2 lb ground pork
1-3 Tbsp anchovy paste
4 whole large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 bundle mung bean thread, reconstituted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup reconstituted wood ear mushroom, chopped finely
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp mushroom seasoning
1 inch knob ginger, minced
4 stalk green onion, cut into 2 inch long
1 tsp sugar

Heat up your steamer. In a large bowl, combine the fish sauce with the anchovy paste. Blend well to distribute the anchovies. Add remaining ingredients but the egg yolks. Don't over mix. Place the meat mixture into any container of your liking that is steam safe. Cooking the mixture until you can poke the center and the liquid is clear, which should be about 15-20 minutes. Beat the two yolks and spread on top of the loaf. Steam until the yolk is set, about another 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool.

Serve with a fresh herb platter of perilla leaves, mint, soft leaf lettuce, fish herb, Vietnamese coriander, and cold slices of cucumbers, over a hot steaming bowl of jasmine rice.

Monday, March 31, 2014

Starbucks Semi-Homemade Lemon Loaf

My grandfather was a big fan of baked goods with his morning coffee. For as long as I can remember, he would spend an hour or so, savoring the sweetness while nursing his coffee. The routine sometimes carries over into the afternoon with his tea. Grandpa always had a soft spot for any baked goods with a fruit flavor. Lemon loaves is one of his favorites.

Loaf:
1 box of lemon cake mix
1 box of lemon pudding
1/2 cup of oil
4 large eggs
1 tsp lemon extract
1 cup whole milk
1 Tbsp flour
Zest of lemon, optional

Icing:
2.5 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tsp of lemon juice or milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Set aside.

Combine all ingredients and mix well for about 4-5 minutes.

Pour into pan and bake for about 40 minutes or when the center is clean after poking with toothpick. Allow to cool completely before icing it. Keep the loaf in the pan.

Add the lemon juice or milk to the powder sugar slowly by adding a little at a time and stirring until you see a nice thick and gooey consistency. You are looking for a blob just runny enough to pour.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Nem Nướng - Grill Pork Patty

You can serve nem nuong with banh mi.

This recipe for nem nuong is one of the most versatile recipes of all time. There are so many different application for this that I don't know where to start. I love to use this with sandwiches and added to rice paper rolls.

2 lbs ground pork (or chicken)
10 cloves garlic, mashed and minced
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1-3 drops of red food coloring (optional)
1 Tbsp single acting baking soda or tapioca or cornstarch
1/4 cup warm water

In a bowl, place the ground meat with the garlic, sugar, fish sauce, and food color. Sprinkle the baking soda/tapioca/cornstarch as you combine the ingredients. Slowly add a teaspoon at a time of water into the meat mixture and combine well. You want the mixture to be moist but not dripping wet. Allow the mixture to set for about 30 minutes.

Shape the patties to whatever size you like. In the picture above, I made an oval shape that I will add to a submarine or hoagie roll. You shape these into little meatballs and serve it over rice noodles. You can cook this on a grill pan or regular pan. Cooking time will very depending on the thickness of your shape.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Chả Giò - Vietnamese Style Eggrolls Version 2.0

This version of egg-roll is what everyone is familiar with. It is a flour based wrapper used to make popiah. It was readily available in America during the early years and has replaced the rice paper as the wrapper.

Filling:
1 lb ground pork/chicken
4-5 shiitake mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup shredded cabbage
1/3 cup shredded carrots
1 small bundle mung bean thread

1 pkg egg roll/Spring roll wrapper
Oil

Note on the wrapper brands:
The wrapper choice is a personal one. I recommend the Spring Home brand. I know many who like Wei-Chuan but it burns too easily for me. I don't know if it is the filling that contributes to how it cooks, but I have never had any success with Wei-Chuan.

Combine all the ingredients under filling and set aside. Use about 2 Tbsp of filling.

Below came from my version 1.0 post. It is a similar concept , but it is shaped like a square. Just turn it sideways to a diamond/rhombus shape, with a corner pointing at you.

You want to make sure that your oil is hot. Fry it until is a golden brown color.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Bò Lúc Lắc - Shaken Beef Salad

Bò Lúc Lắc literally translate to shaken beef. Normally, the beef are cut into cubes pieces so when you cook it, it is still rare/medium rare in the middle. The method I prefer is to do thin slices so when I marinade it, the flavors will come through. You don't have to get a expensive cut of beef to make this dish. I suggest a London broil because usually it a single muscle. In order to achieve a very thin slice, you need a very sharp knife and the beef to be frozen enough where it is stiff yet pliable.

You can substitute the watercress with a lettuce.

1/2 lb beef, sliced thinly
3-5 cloves garlic, finely minced, divided
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 small or 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup white mushrooms, optional

1 large ripe tomato, vine ripen preferred
1/2 cucumber sliced in rounds or half rounds
1 pkg watercress or head lettuce of your choice (not romaine) or 1 prepackage bag of salad mix

3 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp neutral oil, like canola
pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 tsp of sugar
1-2 tsp lime juice

Marinade the thinly sliced beef with oyster sauce and half the minced garlic. Set aside for about 15 minutes. Heat up a pan with enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Drop in the garlic, onions, and mushroom. Sautee until the mushroom takes on color. Add the beef and cook as long enough to your liking.

Prepare the salad and arrange on the plate. Mix the vinaigrette and drizzle over the salad. Toss the warm beef mixture on top.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Chả Giò - Vietnamese Style Eggrolls Version 1.0

I know many of you are looking at this picture and thinking that I am crazy. When you ordered your egg rolls at restaurants, it doesn't look like this! I thought the very same thing 20+ years ago. My mother told me that the flour sheets that we all are familiar with isn't what is used in Vietnam. When I asked her why she doesn't make it like how it is made in Vietnam, she told me that the rice paper that is used, at that time, was too salty and the flour sheets are easy to fry and doesn't pose any danger when making them.

When I went away to college, I decided to give the rice paper a try. My mother's words were right. It is also difficult to make because the rice paper that is available in America is dry and there is an extra step of wetting them. When I went to fry them, they bubbled up and will explode hot oil at you.

Now that I am older and more experienced with my techniques, I tried making it again with rice paper. Now the rice paper that is available now isn't as salty before. I buy the 16 cm rounds, so that I can wet two at a time, making process faster. I allow the rolls to dry up a little before I start frying them. I use a sauce pan to fry them in, instead of a frying pan. The higher sides blocks a lot of the splattering oil. I also cook in smaller batches, giving me the chance to control the "bubble" and avoid being hit by hot oil.

The recipe I am sharing here is a drier version of the eggrolls I normally make. It is usually a hybrid of the Chinese version, mixing cabbage into the filling to lighten it up. Cabbage has a higher water content and frying with the rice paper equates to a dangerous combination.

Filling:
1/2 lb ground pork/chicken
4-5 shiitake mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
1 carrot, chopped finely
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt

16 cm rounds of rice paper
Oil

Combine all the ingredients under filling and set aside.

For beginners, you need to do one rice paper at a time. Don't wet it like how you see people do it online or on tv by letting it sit in the water until it is limp. Just dip the rice paper into the water and wet the sheet completely and put it on your flat surface immediately. Take 1-2 tsp of the filling and add it to lower center portion of your paper. The paper should have soften enough to work with. Fold up the bottom portion, making sure that the filling is tucked in tightly. Fold the two sides in. Roll up to close. I made a diagram and I hope it is helpful. It's like rolling a burrito.

When you are frying, add one at a time and turn it continuously in the oil. Doing this will allow the eggroll to develop a "skin" of bubbles. When you see the skin of bubbles, add the next roll and do the same thing. Repeat this process. Don't overcrowd the pot or you will have one big eggroll. You will fry them until it has a gold brown color.

I love serving this with some pickled daikon and carrots with some soft leaf lettuce and Vietnamese dipping sauce.

Monday, February 3, 2014

Thuy's Wanton Soup - Sup Hoanh Thanh

Filling:
1/2 lb ground pork/chicken
2 stalks chopped green onion
2 Tbsp dried chopped onion (or 1 small onion diced and sauteed until translucent)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp sugar

Soup:
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp kosher salt, optional
2 tsp fish sauce
3 cups roughly chopped bok choy
1-2 drops of sesame seed oil

wonton wrappers
chopped green onions and cilantro

Mix all the filling ingredients and place 1/2 to 1 tsp of filling per wrapper. Seal edges with water and set aside.

In a soup pot, sautee the garlic until fragrant and add the broth. Throw in the wonton and bok choy. Cook until bok choy is wilted. Add in the remaining ingredients for the soup. Taste and adjust to your taste. Add the cilantro and green onions at the end.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Thịt Kho Tàu - 東坡肉 - Dongpo Pork - Vietnamese Style Braised Pork Belly

Where ever there are Chinese immigrants, there is a variation of thịt kho tàu. In Vietnamese, tàu means boat. The term came about because during the Japanese invasion into China, the Chinese seek refuge in Vietnam and they came by boat. A friend's grandmother recalled they came off boats in large numbers and in huge waves. Many of these boat people settled in southern Vietnam and Cambodia.

This recipe is more healthier version made without the fat and skin attached. I know a lot of Vietnamese people feel that you can't have this dish without the fat and skin attached. When making the "healthier" version, look for a well marbled cut of pork, with some fat integrated into the meat. Any shoulder or butt piece would do the job. I stay away from the loin cut because it is too lean and the dish will come out dry.

2 lbs Boston butt roast
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 coconuts with liquid or 2 cans of coconut juice
2 Tbsp thick soy sauce or caramel sauce
4-6 hard-boiled eggs
1 Tbsp sugar
6-10 points star anise
Water

Cut the pork into 1-inch squares. Rinse and clean the pork well. Add oil to the bottom of your pot and sautee the garlic, avoiding burning them. Place the cut pork in the pot. Sear the meat and pour in the coconut juice. It should come up to the top of the meat. If not, use water to get you the rest of the way. Allow for it to simmer with lid on, on medium heat. Scoop out any impurities that float to the top. About 20 minutes in, add the thick soy sauce. About 40 minutes in, add the eggs. Make sure that the eggs gets pushed below the water line. Add sugar. Cook on low heat until the pork is tender. It will take about an hour.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Thịt Heo Quay - Crispy Roast Pork REVISITED

I have been making crispy pork for some time now. One thing that I hate about making this dish was the skin part. It was tedious work to poke the skin and scoring the skin so that it was bubble up and be crispy. It occurred to me that I could boil the pork, skin side down only to soften the skin before scoring and poking it. That one extra step made it so much easier!!

1 to 1.5lb of pork belly
1/8 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
3 tsp Kosher salt divided 2 to 1
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1.5 tsp of sugar
2 cloves garlic minced finely
.5 tsp baking soda

Wash and clean the pork belly. Take a pan and add some water. Boil the pork belly, skin side down. You just need enough water to cover the skin portion of the cut. Remove when the skin looks "puffy" or soft to the touch. Score diamond cuts into the meaty side of the meat and take a toothpick or skewer and poke holes into the skin, being careful not to poke too far into the fat layer. Mix together the Chinese 5-spice, 1 tsp of salt, sugar, minced garlic, and black pepper and rub into the meaty sides, making sure that you don't touch the skin side.

Rub the baking soda on the skin and wipe off any excess. Let the pork belly rest in the fridge for a couple of hours so the meat can marinade. Heat up the oven to 350-degrees. Before putting it in the oven, rub the remaining 2 tsp of salt on the skin and place it on a raised baking rack. Cook with the skin side down for about 35-40 mins. Take the meat out of the oven and flip the pork belly over and wipe off any excess fat. You can use skewers and stab any extra holes so that the skin can bubble up and become crispy. Place the meat back on the highest rack, closest to the broiler element and allow it to cook and dry up. This step, you want to watch with the oven door open so to make sure it doesn't burn. If there is a lot of fat, use paper towel to blot off the excess to ensure maximum crispiness.

Once done, let the pork belly rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Cutting tip: You want to cut through the meaty side first and stop at the skin. Once at the skin, use the other hand to whack down on the knife or otherwise the crispy skin will come off as one piece.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Cháo Thịt Bằm - Rice Porridge

Difficulty: Easy to Medium

Some days when I am feeling under the weather or I am looking for some good comfort food, I make a pot of chao. Chao is an important part of Vietnamese culture. It feeds babies, sick, and elderly. It may appear to be easy to make but it took me many tries to get it to the way I like. But I have made it easy by actually measuring the water to rice ratio.

1 cup jasmine rice
5 cups water
1/4 lb ground pork/chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks green onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp onion, chopped
2 tsp fish sauce/ soy sauce
2 tsp ginger powder or 1 inch knob, sliced thinly into sheets
Black pepper

Start off by rinsing the rice. Add the water and ginger powder and allow for it to boil at a medium heat. It will thicken around 30 mins. Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom. The rice will bloom to a butterfly shape. I normally add more water to loosen it at this point but it is up to your desired consistency.

In a pan, heat up some oil. Add the garlic and onions. Brown until fragrant but not burned. Add and brown the ground meat. When it is done, add the fish sauce. If you don't want your house to smell like fish sauce, add it into the porridge instead. Dump the mixture into the porridge with the green onion and cilantro and combine well. Top off with the black pepper if you have a cough. Take it off the heat and allow to cool a little before eating.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Gà Kho Gừng - Ginger Chicken

Difficulty: Medium

Ginger has medicinal properties known to calm a upset stomach and settle cancer patients' stomach after a round of chemotherapy. It also helps with blood circulation and believed to have anticancer agents. Ginger has been part of Asian cooking for over 4000 years.

I can remember eating this dish as a child and hating it because of the pungent and spicy components of the dish. In college, a Laos guy from Sanford, FL made their version of this dish and I was in tears. It was so spicy and bitter. I can remember him sitting there making 2 or more cups of julienne slices to add to a half pound of chicken. When I look back on the dish, it was very delicious. So I made my own version of the recipe.

1 lb chicken thighs, skinless and boneless, cut into bit size pieces
3 to 4 pieces of 1 inch nubs of ginger, cut into little match stick pieces
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion, cut into wedges
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
Water

Start off by heating up a pan and adding enough oil to cover the bottom. Add your minced garlic and ginger matchsticks. Saute until fragrant. Add the bite size chicken pieces. Brown the chicken for about 5 minutes. Add the water, salt, pepper, sugar, and fish sauce. Stir it well then cover. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until when the ginger is soft but still have a crunch. Taste the sauce and adjust the flavors.

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