Saturday, July 30, 2005

Nghêu Hấp Bầu

Steamed clam in wax gourd


1 lb clams
1 small wax gourd, slice into 11/2-inch length
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 green onion, julienned
5 sprigs cilantro, minced
1/2 cup water
2 T white wine
1 t vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste


Use a small knife or spoon to scoop the seeds out of the gourd rings, put in a medium pan, add water, white wine, garlic, oil, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil and reduce heat, cook for 3-5 minutes or until partly translucent. Add clams, bring back to boil for 3 minutes or until all the clams are opened. Add green onion and cilantro. Serve hot with steam rice and ginger fish sauce.

Friday, July 29, 2005

Bò Cuốn Nướng

Grilled Beef Wheels


1/2 lb flank-steak
1/4 white onion, thinly sliced
1 t minced lemongrass
1 ripe tomato, slice into 1-inch length
10 small okra, cut in half
1 green onion, chiffonade
1 T vegetable oil
salt and pepper
5 toothpicks


Butterfly the steak: holding the knife horizontally, slice the steak in half leaving 1 inch uncut. Open the steak, pound it until uniformly thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (and a pinch of fishsauce if desired), top with lemongrass and onion and roll tightly. Insert bamboo toothpicks through the roll's center at 1-inch intervals, cut into slices between the toothpicks.

Sprinkle tomatoes, okras with salt, pepper and oil.

Grill beef pinwheels about 5-7 minutes until well browned outside and still pink inside. Grill tomatoes and okras until soft about 3-5 minutes. Place the beef pinwheels on tomato slices, top with green onion.


Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Cơm Cá Hồi




1/3 lb salmon
1 small bunch cresson
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t fish sauce
2 sprigs dill, 1 minced 1 for garnishing
1 T vegetable oil
salt and pepper
1 cup steam rice


Put 1/2 T oil into a medium pan, add garlic and stir evenly until fragant, add cresson. Cook for 3 minutes, add fish sauce and pepper.

Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper, fry until cooked about 5-7 minutes. Scrub minced dill on when it still hot. Serve over rice and garlic cresson.