MENU AND INGREDIENTS

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Vietnamese Fresh Springroll

“These spring rolls are a refreshing change from the usual fried variety, and have become a family favorite. They are great as a cool summertime appetizer, and are delicious dipped in one or both of the sauces.”

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ounces rice vermicelli
• 8 rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)
• 8 large cooked shrimp - peeled, deveined and cut in half
• 1 1/3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 leaves lettuce, chopped

• 4 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic chili sauce

• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Boil rice vermicelli 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, and drain.
2. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper into the hot water for 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the center, place 2 shrimp halves, a handful of vermicelli, basil, mint, cilantro and lettuce, leaving about 2 inches uncovered on each side. Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end with the lettuce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
3. In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, water, lime juice, garlic, sugar and chili sauce.
4. In another small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce and peanuts.
5. Serve rolled spring rolls with the fish sauce and hoisin sauce mixtures.

FOOTNOTE

The fish sauce, rice vermicelli, chili garlic sauce, hoisin sauce and rice wrappers can be found at Asian food markets.

From http://allrecipes.com

SUBMITTED BY: Paula PHOTO BY: duongvu

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Vietnamese Shrimp and Crab Crispy Spring Rolls

Crispy spring rolls, egg rolls or imperial rolls, whatever you call them, it’s cha gio in Vietnamese. My mom’s cha gio was one of my favorite things to eat growing up. Nothing compares to my mom’s crispy spring rolls. I know I say that about all of her cooking, but I really mean it. When I was younger and attended a lot of Viet gatherings and parties, I would always leave thinking my mom’s cooking was better.

Cha gio comes in many different sizes and can be made with spring roll wrappers or rice paper. Traditionally, rice paper is used in Vietnam, but my mom has been using spring roll wrappers for as long as I can remember, so I’m partial to them. I grew up on pork and shrimp cha gio, but a few years ago, my dad became a pescetarian. So last month when I visited my parents, my mom made shrimp and crab rolls.

I don’t eat cha gio very often because it’s deep fried. So it was a really special treat when my mom made the rolls. Of course, she doesn’t measure any ingredients and just cooks by taste and feel. She knew I wanted to document the process for SND and indulged me by measuring everything out. Isn’t she great?

The cha gio were fantastic. They contain a few of my favorite things — crab, shrimp, cabbage and shiitake mushrooms. Since they are deep fried, they are obviously nice and crispy. Wrapped up in a fresh piece of lettuce and dipped in nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce), they are absolutely delicious and take me back to my childhood.

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RECIPE

SND Note: Pork and shrimp cha gio can be made by using 1 pound ground pork and 1/2 pound shrimp. 1-1 1/2 ounces of thin cellophane noodles, chopped into 1/2″ pieces and soaked in water until soft, is a common ingredient and can also be added to the mixture.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, small dice
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 head small cabbage, thinly sliced
• 4-5 Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, diced
• 1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 pound crab meat
• 1 egg, white and yolk separated
• 1 package large (8 inch) spring roll wrappers

DIRECTIONS:

1. Blanch cabbage and place into ice bath. Drain and squeeze out excess water. In a large bowl, mix together garlic, carrots, green onions and cabbage.
2. Chop shrimp into small pieces. To the large bowl, add shrimp, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and black pepper and mix. Add crab meat and egg white to mixture and combine evenly.
3. Brush egg yolk on three corners of wrapper. Add 2 tablespoons of filling in center of wrapper, diagonally. Fold the two sides on the diagonal over the filling. Fold the non-egg yolk corner over and tuck snugly under filling and roll up. See the slideshow for pictures of the rolling process.
4. Deep fry the spring rolls in peanut oil at 350°F for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Work in batches. Flip half way through. Remove and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Eat wrapped in lettuce with nuoc cham.
5. Makes 25-30 rolls, which serves 4-6

From http://sundaynitedinner.com

By Chuck

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Vietnamese coffee in two steps

Few things beat the deep rich flavor of Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk, a byproduct of the French colonial period. But its benefits need not be limited to the times you’re at a restaurant.

Creating a cup of Vietnamese coffee at home doesn’t even require a small stainless steel press, as some advise. Those contraptions are slow and may fail to work properly. Rather, focus on getting the two ingredients right: the coffee (ca phe) and the condensed milk (sua dac). You need to brew an inky strong cup of coffee from darkroasted beans. Thin, weak coffee cannot stand up to the intensity of condensed milk. Pre-ground Café Du Monde from New Orleans contains chicory and produces smooth flavor results. You can find the 15-ounce orange cans at Vietnamese markets and Cost Plus World Markets. Medaglia D’oro espresso, sold at many supermarkets, also works well.

I follow the proportions printed on the cans and use a regular electric coffee maker. If you start from dark-roasted beans, grind them extra fine so the flavor extraction is maximized. Though Borden’s sweetened condensed milk works great, most Vietnamese buy their cans of “thick milk” — the literal translation of sua dac — at Vietnamese markets, where imported brands are about half the price of Borden’s. Friesland Coberco, a Dutch dairy company that’s one of the largest in the world, offers several brands: Longevity, Parrot and Black & White Cow. Longevity and Vinamilk, which is made in Vietnam, are best because they contain only milk and sugar. The others are cheaper but contain soybean oil as a filler.

Once you have your supercharged coffee and sua dac, it’s merely a matter of mixing the two together. Place about a tablespoon of condensed milk in a cup. Add about 3/4 cup (6 ounces) of your hot heady brew. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust according to your liking. If you prefer iced coffee, simply pour into an ice-filled glass.

– Andrea Nguyen

From http://www.vietworldkitchen.com

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TASTING FOOD & DRINKS - VIDEO

OPEN GALLERY - DONG HO PAINTINGS

Dong Ho Painting or Vietnamese woodblock prints (Vietnamese: Tranh Đông Hồ) refers to a Vietnamese folk art originating in Dong Ho Village, Song Ho Commune, Thuan Thanh district of Bac Ninh Province (north of Hanoi). It is one of the most popular Vietnamese folk arts.

The prints in Dong Ho are made with local wood and paper. The paint is also made from local organic materials and is applied to wood and pressed on paper. The process is repeated with different colors.

Subjects depicted in these paintings are usually scenes of ordinary life, landscapes in Vietnam, seasons of the year, prosperity symbols, etc.

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