Hu Tieu - pork noodle soup (OCCOmestibles)

 

Recipe:

• Brown onions & ginger on Sauté mode.
• Add short ribs (parboiled), and water to 5.5 L.
Cook on Manual for 30 min.
• Fry garlic to golden, strain, and keep the oil.
• Strain broth to another pot and add a bit more water because the broth is very rich (fatty). Then add the meatballs.
• Add 3 tbsp seasoning mix, 2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder, 1-2 tbsp rock sugar, and 3-4 tbsp garlic oil. Season to taste.
• Assemble bowl with fat noodles, short ribs, meatballs, chopped cilantro & green onions, fried garlic, and garlic oil.
•Then ladle in the broth.
Enjoy!

Chao Tôm - Red Boat cookbook

Chef Cuong Pham's sister’s place has long been the spot where the entire Pham family would come together to catch up, especially during summers when the kids were out on vacation and the daylight stretched long into the evening. Cooking and eating, of course, were a huge part of these gatherings, and the grill stayed hot throughout it all, sizzling with skewers of these bundles of Chao Tôm, shrimp freshly ground into a savory paste and wrapped around sweet sugarcane stalks. If you are fortunate enough to have fresh sugarcane at your local farmers’ market, pick up a few stalks and make good use of them in this recipe. Otherwise, canned sugarcane is widely available at Asian grocers and will work just fine. The Chao Tôm are great snacks to nosh on, especially when dunked into Nuôc Châm. You can also slide the shrimp into moistened rice paper wrappers, or serve them as part of a rice noodle bowl. This recipe makes about 20 pieces.

Ingredients

For the Shrimp Paste

 1 ¼ lbs shrimp, peeled, deveined, and patted dry

 2 scallions, white ends only

 ¼ cup minced garlic

 2 tbsp toasted rice powder

 2 tbsp minced shallots

 2 tsp granulated sugar

 2 tsp Red Boat fish sauce

 ½ tbsp vegetable oil, plus a small bowl of oil for shaping

 ½ tsp ground white pepper

 1 (20-oz) can sugarcane, drained, quartered, and cut into 4-inch sticks, or 2 stalks cut into 4-inch sticks

For Serving

 1 head lettuce, such as Bibb or Red Oak

 1 bunch mint

 1 bunch Thai basil

 1 bunch cilantro

 rice noodles or rice paper wrappers (optional)

 Nuôc Châm (purchase it, or make it from the ingredients listed below)

If You're Making Nuôc Châm

 7 parts granulated sugar

 smashed garlic to taste

 chopped Thai chilies to taste

 12 parts hot water

 4 parts Red Boat fish sauce

 1 part distilled, white apple cider, Champagne vinegar, or lime juice

 Chopped peanuts (optional)

How to Make It

To Make Nuôc Châm: Combine sugar, smashed garlic, and chilies in a jar. Add hot water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Let this mixture steep 15 minutes to allow the garlic and chilies to release their oils. Add fish sauce and vinegar. (If using lime or other citrus juice, make sure the water has completely cooled before adding it to the pot; otherwise, the warm liquids may cause the juice to become bitter.) Stir to combine. Add the peanuts, if using. The Nuôc Châm can be used right away, but its flavor will improve the next day. Nuôc Châm made with vinegar will last at least 1 week, and sauce made with lime juice is best used within the week it's made.

To Make the Shrimp Paste: Add the shrimp, scallions, garlic, toasted rice powder, shallots, sugar, fish sauce, oil, and white pepper to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 15 –20 times, then test if the paste is ready. Take 2 Tbsp. shrimp paste and form it into a ball; if the paste holds the shape without flattening on the bottom, it’s ready. If not, pulse a few more times and re-test, being sure not to overprocess, or it will fall apart and become mealy. Cover the shrimp paste and place in the fridge to firm up for 1 hour.

If grilling, place your grill over low coals or preheat the grill to medium. If baking, preheat the oven to 350°F. If cooking on a stovetop, oil a cast-iron pan and set it aside.

To shape the shrimp paste, first dip your fingers in the bowl of oil and coat your hands to prevent the paste from sticking. Pinch off about 2 Tbsp. shrimp paste and flatten it onto your palm. Place a sugarcane in the middle of the paste and close your palm to wrap the paste around the sugarcane. The shrimp paste should cover most of the sugarcane, leaving about 1⁄2-inch on each end. Pinch the ends of the paste to seal it onto the sugarcane. Apply a coat of oil onto each sugarcane shrimp. Repeat for the remaining shrimp paste.

If grilling: Grill the shrimp 10–15 minutes, rotating the stalk every 3 minutes to ensure even cooking. If baking: Place the shrimp on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, rotating the shrimp and the pan after 5 minutes. If cooking on the stovetop: Place the well-oiled cast-iron skillet over medium heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, rotating the shrimp every 3 minutes.

To serve, place the shrimp on a serving platter and set on the table along with the lettuce, herbs, peanut-coconut Nuôc Châm for dipping, and, if using, rice noodles or rice wrappers.

Vietnamese Salt–Pickled Daikon and Carrots

Red Boat Salt adds a layer of complexity to this classic Vietnamese pickle of carrots and daikon. If you don’t happen to have any in your pantry, you can, of course, use kosher salt instead. Whichever salt you use, make a big batch. This is, after all, a universal pickle: It goes well with most everything. Covered and stored in the fridge, it will last up to 2 weeks.

Ingredients

 ⅓ cup granulated sugar

 ¼ cup plus 3 Tbsp. white vinegar

 2 ½ tsp Red Boat Salt or kosher salt

 ⅔ lb daikon, peeled and sliced into 4-inch-long ribbons

 ¼ lb carrots, peeled and sliced into 4-inch-long matchsticks

 ¼ lb onions, thinly sliced

How to Make It

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, 1/3 cup water, and salt. Bring the brine to a boil, then take the pot off the heat and let cool 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add the vegetables into the slightly cooled brine. The daikon and carrots will start to soften within 5 minutes; at that point, gently mix the vegetables.

Transfer the vegetables and their brine into a jar. The pickles are ready to eat in an hour, but the flavor will improve the longer they sit.

Blistered Vegetables with Scallion Oil

 Blistered vegetables were a hit at Diep Tran’s restaurant Good Girl Dinette, in part because grilling vegetables causes their natural sugars to caramelize. Dousing super-fresh produce in fish-sauce-infused scallion oil will make an appetizer that is crunchy, sweet, and salty all at the same time. You can use these techniques to blister pretty much any vegetable in your garden.

Ingredients

For the Vegetables

 4 ears corn, shucked and cut into 3-inch segments if desired

 ½ lb cauliflower

 ½ lb green beans

 ½ lb summer squash

 Red Boat Scallion Oil (see recipe at right)

For the Scallion Oil

 1 cup thinly sliced scallions, green and white parts

 1 tbsp Red Boat fish sauce

 ½ tsp granulated sugar

 ⅓ cup grapeseed, canola, vegetable, or other neutral oil

How to Make It

To Make the Scallion Oil: Place the scallions in a heatproof pint jar, then add fish sauce and sugar.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the oil to 180°F, which should take about 3 minutes.

Carefully pour the hot oil directly over the scallions. The scallions should sizzle once the oil is added.

Stir to combine all the ingredients. The scallion oil is now ready to use.

To Cook the Vegetables and Serve: Heat a grill to medium high.

Add the corn cobs, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Cook 5–7 minutes, just until the kernels start to blister and caramelize, then carefully transfer the corn onto a wire-rack-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining corn, cauliflower, green beans, and squash.

Transfer all the blistered vegetables to a platter and top with plenty of scallion oil to serve.

Sticky Rice with scallion oil

No matter the holiday or special occasion, sticky rice is always, always part of the feast. These days, of course, satchels of glutinous rice can be found at most markets, and a rice cooker with a sticky or sweet rice setting will cook the rice in no time. Here’s one of the Pham family’s favorite versions, where Chinese sausage, and fluffy-salty-sweet pork floss are gently folded into the sticky rice, which is then finished with a shower of fried shallots. We can eat this sticky rice any time of day, from breakfast to lunch to dinner, or as a snack in between.

Ingredients

 2 cups sweet rice, soaked 2 hours, then drained

 4 skin-on boneless chicken thighs

 2 tbsp olive oil, divided

 1 tsp Red Boat fish sauce or 1⁄4 tsp. Red Boat Salt or kosher salt

 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

 1/4 pound Chinese sausage

 1/4 cup minced shallot or 1/3 cup minced white onion

 1 tsp Maggi seasoning sauce

 2 tbsp Red Boat Scallion Oil, plus additional for serving

 2 cups fried shallots, store-bought or homemade

 1 cup thit chà bông (also known as ruoc, rousong, and pork floss), optional

How to Make It

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

If you are using a rice cooker: Place the rice in the bowl and rinse several times until the water runs clear. Add 1/3 cup water and cook the rice using the sweet rice setting. If you are using a steamer basket: Rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear. Line the bottom of a steamer basket with a clean cloth, like a bandanna, then spread the rice in one even layer on the cloth. Add 1/3 cup of water to a pot, top with the basket, and steam the rice, covered, stirring occasionally to fluff up the rice, for 1 hour.

Place chicken thighs in a roasting pan with 1 Tbsp. of oil. Coat the chicken with the oil, then season with fish sauce (or Red Boat Salt) and black pepper. Marinate the chicken for at least 15 minutes and up to

8 hours in the fridge.

Position the thighs skin-side up. Bake 30 minutes, then remove the roasting pan from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.

Line a large plate with paper towels. Slice the Chinese sausage thinly on a bias. In a medium pan over medium heat, pan-fry the sausage (the fat will render out, so there’s no need to add any oil to the pan). Stir the slices, just until they begin to curl slightly, about 5 minutes. Do not brown the sausages. Transfer onto the paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Use another paper towel to wipe the pan clean, then place the pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil, then the shallots or onions. Cook until lightly browned, about 8 minutes, then remove from the pan and set aside.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, transfer it to a bowl, leaving the drippings in the pan. Shred the thighs using a fork or your hands and set aside. Add the Maggi to the pan drippings.

When the rice finishes cooking, sprinkle the drippings onto the rice and mix it well to coat the grains. Add the shredded chicken, Chinese sausage, and sautéed shallots (or onions), and mix gently to incorporate the ingredients.

Transfer the sticky rice to a serving platter, drizzle with 2 Tbsp. scallion oil, then top with fried shallots and, if using, pork floss. Serve hot or at room temperature, along with extra scallion oil for guests to add as they wish.

*Blistered vegetables were a hit at Diep Tran’s restaurant Good Girl Dinette, in part because grilling vegetables causes their natural sugars to caramelize. Dousing super-fresh produce in fish-sauce-infused scallion oil will make an appetizer that is crunchy, sweet, and salty all at the same time. You can use these techniques to blister pretty much any vegetable in your garden.

Ingredients

For the Vegetables

 4 ears corn, shucked and cut into 3-inch segments if desired

 ½ lb cauliflower

 ½ lb green beans

 ½ lb summer squash

 Red Boat Scallion Oil (see recipe at right)

For the Scallion Oil

 1 cup thinly sliced scallions, green and white parts

 1 tbsp Red Boat fish sauce

 ½ tsp granulated sugar

 ⅓ cup grapeseed, canola, vegetable, or other neutral oil

How to Make It

To Make the Scallion Oil: Place the scallions in a heatproof pint jar, then add fish sauce and sugar.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the oil to 180°F, which should take about 3 minutes.

Carefully pour the hot oil directly over the scallions. The scallions should sizzle once the oil is added.

Stir to combine all the ingredients. The scallion oil is now ready to use.

To Cook the Vegetables and Serve: Heat a grill to medium high.

Add the corn cobs, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Cook 5–7 minutes, just until the kernels start to blister and caramelize, then carefully transfer the corn onto a wire-rack-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining corn, cauliflower, green beans, and squash.

Transfer all the blistered vegetables to a platter and top with plenty of scallion oil to serve.

Ragu Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Ragout)

https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2022/03/vietnamese-chicken-ragout-recipe-ragu-ga.html

A Franco-Viet dish, this easy stew gets better left to sit overnight in the fridge. It reheats beautifully. This recipe was adapted from The Red Boat Fish Sauce Cookbook (2022, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). Ann Pham's recipe in the book called for cut-through-the-bone chicken legs, plus olive oil and butter as the main fat. I use chicken thighs and render fat from the skin to cook the ragout. You have options because it's hard to go wrong with this delicious, straightforward recipe. See Note if you want to use bone in drumsticks like Ann.

6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (2 ¼ pounds total)

2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce

¾ to 1 teaspoon recently ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)

2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (optional)

3 tablespoons tomato paste

8 ounces Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, cut into 1-inch chunks

8 ounces carrots, peeled or unpeeled, cut into ¾-inch chunks

2 bay leaves

1 (14.5 oz) can low-sodium chicken broth, or 2 cups lightly salted chicken stock

12 ounces cremini and/or shiitake mushrooms, quartered or halved

Crusty bread, such as Viet banh mi or baguette, for serving

Pull the skin off the chicken thighs and set aside if you intend to render fat from it for this braise. Cut each bone-in thigh into two pieces. Transfer the cut thigh pieces to a bowl and season with 2 teaspoons of fish sauce and the black pepper. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

Set a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin and after things sizzle, cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often to render the fat from the skin. When you have 3 to 4 tablespoons of the fat rendered, use a slotted spoon to transfer the skin to a plate, leaving the golden fat behind. (If you do not want to use a skin, combine the olive oil and butter in the pan; use the same heat and heat until the butter starts to foam.)

In two batches, sear the marinated chicken in the pot for about 1 minute, stirring often, until the exterior no longer looks raw. Hold the seared chicken on a plate (or return it to the bowl) as you work.

After searing the chicken, add the onions to the pot. Cook, stirring for 8 to 10 minutes until there are many brown pieces. Add the garlic, if using, during the last 1 minute to aromatize. Make sure to stir the bottom of the pot to lift off any bits stuck there.

Add the tomato paste and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, to prevent scorching. Return the seared chicken to the pot, stir well to coat the chicken with the tomato onion mixture, and splash in a bit of water to prevent scorching and scrape the bottom and sides of the pan. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and let cook gently for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid, add the potatoes, carrots and bay leaf. Pour in the chicken broth and if needed, water to cover about 80 percent of the chicken and vegetables. Increase the heat to bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to gently simmer. Cover and cook until the potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a knife 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the mushrooms, stir, and keep simmering, uncovered, until the mushrooms are cooked and tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat, taste the broth, and add up to 2 tablespoons fish sauce to inject a salty umami flavor. Remove the bay leaf and serve the ragout in shallow bowls. Crumble on the crispy chicken skin, if you like! Sop it up with lots of bread or present with rice or noodles.

If you like the chew of chicken legs, use 3 pounds of chicken drumsticks, omit the carrots, and use only 8 ounces of mushroom (instead of 12 ounces). Use a heavy meat cleaver to cut through the bone (or buy the chicken from an Asian market where it is often pre-cut). Retain the skin. 

No tomato paste available? Use 1 cup canned crushed tomato or 1 ½ cups canned diced tomato, cooking them for 3 to 5 minutes until their flavors and textures have concentrated. 

For a slightly sweet tropical lilt, use coconut water instead of chicken broth or stock. 

Red Boat Holiday Turkey with Gravy

This is the turkey Chef Diep Tran originally developed for her restaurant, Good Girl Dinette, and she continues to make it every year. To achieve a juicy, richly flavored holiday bird, Diep takes the initial step of spatchcocking so it lays flat while roasting—and roasts faster and more evenly. (If you’d rather not do this step yourself, it’s worth asking your butcher to do it for you.) She then slathers the bird with a wet rub of ginger, toasted spices, and Red Boat fish sauce, and lets it sit in the fridge for up to 4 days. Finally, when it’s time to roast, Diep encases the turkey in generously buttered parchment paper to keep the bird juicy and tender. The inspiration for this technique, she says, came from a 1995 Saveur article about the Southern cook Anne Scott Coleman and her mother, LouElla Hill, who roasted turkey in a buttered paper bag. While the turkey roasts, Diep prepares a delicious gravy, using the backbone removed from spatchcocking the bird to build the stock. Do-ahead notes: The turkey is better the longer it marinates, so start prepping at least a day in advance. Simmering turkey stock in advance simplifies gravy prep on the day of the feast.

Ingredients

 1 (12-lb.) turkey

For the Marinade

 7 cloves

 2 Tbsp. ground coriander seeds, preferably freshly ground

 1⁄4 cup minced ginger

 2 sticks butter, divided

 7 cloves garlic

 1 medium white onion, diced

 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar

 1 bunch scallions, sliced into 2-inch pieces, green and white parts

 1⁄2 cup Red Boat fish sauce

 3 Tbsp. ground black pepper

For the Gravy

 1 turkey backbone

 1 turkey neck

 3/4 lb white or yellow onion, chopped

 2 stalks celery, chopped

 1⁄4 cup (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter

 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

 2 cups heavy cream

 3 Tbsp. Red Boat Fish Sauce

 1 tsp. ground black pepper

How to Make It

To Make the Marinade: Grind the cloves into a fine powder.

In a small pan over medium heat, fry cloves, coriander, and ginger in 1 stick of butter until the coriander begins to darken and the ginger starts to caramelize.

Add the garlic and onion and fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the mixture from the pan to the bowl of a food processor. Add sugar and scallions, then process until the ginger in the mixture is finely ground.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add fish sauce and black pepper. Stir to combine.

Take the baking sheet with the turkey out of the refrigerator. Rub the mixture on both the skin and underside of the turkey. Marinate for at least 1 day—ideally 4 days—in the refrigerator.

To Roast the Turkey: Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Remove the turkey from the refrigerator. Take a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the turkey and rub one side with an entire stick of butter. Place the parchment paper, butter-side down, over the turkey, tucking the paper under the rack so there’s no overhang.

Roast the turkey. After 1 hour, remove the parchment paper and rotate the turkey. Continue roasting, rotating the turkey every 20 minutes to ensure even browning. The turkey is done once its internal temperature reaches 165°F, or about 1 hour after you first rotate the bird.

Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, saving the drippings that have collected on the baking sheet for gravy.

To Make the Gravy Make a turkey stock: Place turkey backbone, turkey neck, onions, celery, and enough water to cover in a medium pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 2 1⁄2 hours. Strain and set aside.

Meanwhile, deglaze the baking sheet: Pour the turkey drippings from the baking sheet into a cup. Skim and discard the fat, leaving the remaining juices in the cup. Set the baking sheet over medium heat and pour in 1 cup water. Working quickly with a spatula, deglaze the sheet by scraping up the bits of caramelized juice sticking to the pan. Carefully pour the liquid into the cup with the drippings and set aside.

Make a roux: Place the butter and flour in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisking continuously, cook until the mixture turns a deep golden color, being sure to work out any lumps in the roux. A smooth roux will result in a smooth gravy.

Add the drippings and deglazing liquid to the pot and bring to a boil, then add 1 1⁄2 cups turkey stock. Bring to a boil, then add heavy cream and again bring to a boil. Continue boiling until the gravy has reduced and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.

Stir in 1 Tbsp. fish sauce. Taste and add up to 2 more Tbsp. if needed. If the sauce is too salty, add more turkey stock. Add the pepper.

Transfer the gravy to a serving bowl or gravy boat and serve with the turkey.

COM TÂM (SEARED PORK CHOPS WITH BROKEN RICE)

COM TÂM (SEARED PORK CHOPS WITH BROKEN RICE)

Com tâm is one of Viêt Nam's quintessential street foods. On the streets of almost every major city in the country, you can find com tâm vendors shrouded in plumes of smoke as they grill marinated chops on charcoal-fed braziers breathing blistering-hot fire. They are true masters of the grill, as the chops are so thin that it takes deft hands to control the heat. It also takes the sharpest of cooking instincts to know precisely when to pull the chops off the flame before they dry out. At home, you can ensure juicy chops every time by first brining the meat for a day or two and then giving them a quick sear in butter. If you want to use thick-cut chops instead, sear them on each side, then place them in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until the center reaches 145°F. For plating, we suggest serving the chops with broken rice and a warm slice of chà trứng hâp (steamed pork and wood ear meat loaf).

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 bone-in pork chops (about ⅓ inch thick)

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons finely minced lemongrass

1½ tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons Red Boat Fish Sauce

4 tablespoons butter, divided

FOR SERVING

4 to 6 cups cooked broken rice

All-Purpose Nuréc Châm or Diêp Pham's Nuéc Châm

Chà Trứng Hâp (Steamed Egg Meat Loaf) (optional)

Pickled Cabbage

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the pork chops, garlic, lemongrass, sugar, black pepper, and fish sauce in a large resealable bag. Squeeze as much air out as possible and seal the bag. Put the bag on a plate or tray and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.

2. Place a medium (ideally, 12-inch) heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Once the butter starts to bubble and brown, add two pork chops to the pan, making sure they're not too close to each other so they can sear properly (if they're too close, the chops will steam instead of sear). Sear the chops until browned, about 2 to 4 minutes, then flip and sear the other sides for another 2 to 4 minutes.

3. Transfer the chops to a platter. Add 2 tablespoons water to deglaze the pan, using a silicone spatula to scrape up any bits stuck to the pan. Pour the pan juices over the chops.

4. Wipe the pan clean with a towel and repeat with the remaining chops and remaining 2 tablespoons butter.

5. To serve, place each pork chop over broken rice on a large plate, along with a small of bowl of nuéc cham, a slice of cha trứng hâp, and some pickled cabbage.

Bánh Bò Nuong (Honeycomb Cake)

Coconut milk, palm sugar, and pandan are the foundation for this rich, fragrant cake that’s perfect with tea. There actually isn’t any honey in this recipe; rather, it’s often called a honeycomb cake because the unique striations of its crumb resemble a honeycomb. This cake is a classic, and you’ve probably seen it at Vietnamese bakeries and delis—it’s the wedge with a brown crust and, more often than not, a bright green interior. The cake is deceptively simple to make, but achieving that coveted honeycomb structure requires exact ingredients and an understanding of a few baking techniques.

First, unlike many of our other recipes, there is no substitute for palm sugar here. It is a must-have for this cake to shine. Second, the bright green color in many versions is accomplished by using pandan extract. We opted to sacrifice that color in order to use fresh (or frozen) pandan leaves, which have floral, almost vanilla-like notes and are available at your local Asian market. Third, because double-acting baking powder—the most common type of baking powder at supermarkets—has the potential to cause the cake to collapse, we do as my mother did and use single-acting baking powder. It can be slightly tricky to find, as many supermarket chains carry only the double-acting sort; your best bet is to seek it out at the Asian market, too. Popular brands, in telltale pink sachets, are Alsa and IHA. Fourth, when combining the ingredients, we pass the eggs through a sieve and discard the thick membrane (called chalaza) for a smooth batter free of the air bubbles that would hinder the development of the interior structure. Finally, we use a 12-cup Bundt pan for a well-risen, evenly baked cake. When selecting your Bundt pan, choose one with a simple design: This will make turning out the cake much easier than one with intricate details.

—Red Boat Fish Sauce

Ingredients 

1 cup Red Boat Palm Sugar

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

1/2 cup roughly chopped pandan leaves, defrosted if frozen

1/4 teaspoon Red Boat Salt or kosher salt

7 eggs, beaten

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup rice flour

1 1/2 cups tapioca starch

2 1/2 teaspoons single-acting baking powder

2 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature

Place a 12-cup Bundt pan in a cold oven, then heat the oven to 340°F.

In a medium pot, combine the palm sugar, coconut milk, pandan leaves, and salt. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a simmer.

Take the pot off the heat and stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Set the pot aside and let the pandan leaves steep in the coconut milk for 20 minutes.

Strain the coconut mixture into a large mixing bowl. Squeeze the pandan leaves to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard them.

Place a sieve over the coconut mixture. Pass the eggs through the sieve and into the bowl, pressing the eggs against the sides of the sieve until all the whites and yolks are strained, leaving only the sinewy chalaza behind. Use a spatula to scrape the eggs clinging to the underside of the sieve into the bowl. Discard the chalaza.

Add the vanilla extract to the bowl and stir to combine.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the rice flour, tapioca starch, and baking powder. Carefully sift the dry ingredients into the coconut milk mixture. Gently stir to incorporate the flours into the coconut milk, then press the mixture through a sieve to break up any clumps. Stir to incorporate into a smooth batter.

With oven mitts, carefully remove the Bundt pan from the oven. Working quickly and carefully, add the butter and coat just the bottom of the pan—avoid getting butter up the sides of the pan, or the cake will not rise properly. Pour the batter into the pan, then return the pan to the middle rack of the oven.

Bake for 30 minutes, then pierce a toothpick into the center of the cake. If there are bits of batter sticking to the toothpick, then the cake is still raw and needs more time. Bake for up to 10 more minutes, until the toothpick comes out clean.

Remove the pan from the oven and set it upside down over a wire rack to cool.

Once the cake is cool, use a thin butter knife to pry the edges away from the pan until the entire cake releases from the cake pan. Return the cake right side up, slice into wedges, and serve. Note that the cake will begin to dry out in an hour, so immediately store any leftovers in an airtight resealable bag or container. It’s best eaten within a day.

Holiday Thit Kho Trung (Extra-Special Caramelized Pork for the Lunar New Year)

When I think of my mother, I think of this dish, especially during Tết, the Lunar New Year. The celebration goes on for at least a week, with the first few days reserved for spending time with family without the distraction of work or even turning on the stove. With restaurants across the country closed for the holiday, it pays to have a big batch of something made in advance that you can reheat for a crowd. For us and so many other Vietnamese and Vietnamese Americans, Tết isn’t Tết without a bowl (or two, or three) of a beloved holiday kho with generous pieces of skin-on pork belly. For a leaner kho, you can replace half the belly with pork shoulder. —Red Boat Fish Sauce

Ingredients 

2 pounds skin-on pork belly, sliced into large pieces

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 to 1/2 cups Red Boat Fish Sauce

1 (12-ounce) can coconut soda, or 16 ounces coconut water plus 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, to taste

6 hard-boiled eggs

Steamed rice, for serving

2 cucumbers, sliced, for serving

Place the pork in a medium pot with enough water to cover the meat by 1 inch, about 2 quarts. Add the salt. Boil for 10 minutes to remove the impurities from the pork, then drain and rinse the meat, scrubbing each piece to remove any remaining impurities.

Transfer the pork back to the pot and place over medium heat. Add 1⁄3 cup of fish sauce and the coconut soda (or the coconut water plus 1 tablespoon of sugar), cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer.

After about 30 minutes, the pork will begin to brown. At that point, add enough water to cover the pork by 1 inch and stir. Continue simmering, partially uncovered, for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the pork is tender and cooked through.

Add the hard-boiled eggs and continue simmering for 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning: Add additional fish sauce or sugar if needed; you can also add more water if you’d like the liquid to be a little looser. Serve with steamed rice and cucumbers. Tip: The thịt will taste even better the next day and the day after that. To save your leftovers, place everything in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Broccolini With Very Delicious Garlic Sauce

 If you ever need help eating your greens, try tossing them in this delicious combination of fish sauce and garlic. You’ll make more sauce than you’ll need for this recipe, but it’s so delicious that we’re sure you’ll find other ways to use it. We use broccolini here, but it also goes very well with spinach, collards, cabbage, or bok choy. Store the extra sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. It’ll be ready to use, right out of the fridge or rewarmed, on your next plate of leafy greens. —Red Boat Fish Sauce

Ingredients 

1/4 cup (about 6 cloves) minced garlic

1/4 cup grapeseed, canola, vegetable, or other neutral oil

1 1/2 tablespoons Red Boat Fish Sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 pound broccolini, cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions

Make the garlic sauce: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the garlic and oil. Cook until the garlic starts to turn a pale golden color, stirring frequently to ensure the garlic toasts evenly, 7 to 10 minutes.

Transfer the garlic and its oil to a jar or bowl. Stir in the fish sauce and sesame oil, then set aside while you blanch the broccolini.

Blanch the broccolini: In a large pot over high heat, bring 4 quarts of water and the salt to a boil. While the water heats, fill a bowl with ice water and place next to your stove.

Working in batches, add a third of the broccolini to the boiling water. Blanch until just cooked through, about 60 seconds. To see if it’s cooked enough, carefully bite into a stem. If the center of the stem is still raw, cook for another 30 to 60 seconds. Drain the broccolini and immediately place in the bowl of ice water to arrest the cooking.

Let the water come to a boil again before repeating with the remaining broccolini.

Once all the broccolini is blanched, set aside in a colander to drain for 10 to 15 minutes, then dry with paper towels, if necessary. You want the broccolini to be as dry as possible so the dressing will adhere.

Dress and serve the broccolini: When you’re ready to serve, stir the dressing well to evenly redistribute the ingredients. Drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons of the garlic sauce over the broccolini. Toss to coat, then taste and add more sauce to your liking. Serve. If you use a more delicate green like bok choy or cabbage, blanch it for 30 to 60 seconds, or just until tender.

Taro Shrimp Fritters

 AUTHOR NOTES - Red Boat Fish Sauce

These fritters, aromatic with garlic and turmeric, are a riff on the classic Hà Nội street snack called bánh tôm, in which shrimp or prawns are nestled in a basket of sweet potato, then fried. We swap out the sweet potato for taro here for a slightly different flavor; the taro is also lower in moisture than sweet potato, so the fritters stay crisp longer. You can use any size shrimp, though larger shrimp will be easier to slice and offer a more dramatic presentation than smaller shrimp. While these fritters do indeed make great snacks, you can also turn them into a family-style meal by serving them with a platter of lettuce, herbs, and rice paper wrappers. In either case, you will definitely want to dip these in plenty of nước chấm. If you don’t already have a jar in the fridge, you can easily make the nước chấm in the time it takes for the oil to reach the proper frying temperature. — Red Boat Fish Sauce

Ingredients (12 fritters)

For the fritters

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1/2 pound peeled and deveined shrimp

1/2 pound taro, shredded

1/3 cup tapioca starch

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons Red Boat Fish Sauce

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon minced Thai chile, seeds and ribs removed if desired

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Canola, peanut, rice bran, or grapeseed oil, for frying

For serving as hors d’oeuvres

1/2 cup All-Purpose Nước Chấm (see below)

For serving as a family-style entrée

Lettuce

1 bunch cilantro

1 bunch Thai basil

1 bunch mint

Perilla leaves

Rice paper wrappers

1/2 cup All-Purpose Nước Chấm (see below)

Nước Chấm

1/4 cup Red Boat Fish Sauce

1 tablespoon vinegar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 to 2 Thai chiles, seeds and ribs removed if desired, minced

Directions

Make the fritters: In a medium mixing bowl, dissolve the baking soda and salt in 2 cups water. Add the shrimp and let them sit in the brine in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes.

Combine the taro, tapioca starch, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, chile, turmeric, and ¼ cup water in a bowl. Mix the ingredients to create a thin batter, then set aside.

Drain the shrimp, then dry between paper towels. Set aside 6 of the plumpest shrimp and mince the remaining ones. Combine the minced shrimp with the batter. Stir to coat all the ingredients, then place the bowl in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fry.

Halve the 6 reserved shrimp lengthwise. Put in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to fry.

Fry the fritters: If not serving right away, heat the oven to 150°F.

Fill a deep, heavy-bottomed skillet or pot with 2 inches of oil. (Choose a skillet or pot that is at least 4 inches high, so that there is at least 2 inches of clearance from the top of the oil and the lip of the pan.)

Heat the oil to 325°F on a deep-fry thermometer. When it reaches temperature, pour ¼ cup of the fritter batter into a wide, shallow metal ladle. Press a halved shrimp onto the top of the fritter. Gently slip the fritter into the oil. Fry on each side for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden and crisp. While frying, keep an eye on the temperature of the oil: It shouldn’t go above 325°F, nor drop below 300°F. Fry the fritters in batches to help stabilize the oil’s temperature, about 3 fritters at a time, and wait for the oil to return to 325°F between each batch.

Once the fritters are golden, remove them from the oil and let drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. If not serving immediately, place the rack in a warm oven to keep the fritters hot and crisp. Serve with nước chấm and, if serving family style, lettuce, herbs, and rice paper wrappers.

Nước Chấm: Combine the fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, and 1 cup water to a small sauce pot. Bring mixture to a boil.

Take the pot off the flame and add minced garlic and chiles.

Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use. The nước chấm can be stored, covered, in the fridge for at least 1 week.