Bánh Tôm

Fried-Shrimp Chips


10 small shrimps in shell
10 wonton skins
2-3 T tempura mix
paprika,salt and pepper
frying oil

Mix the tempura with cold water (2-3 T) as directed in the box, add paprika, salt and pepper to taste, add raw shrimp with shell in. Prepare a frying pan with enough frying oil over medium high heat, when the oil is ready (bubbling but not smoking), take each wonton skin and dip into the tempura mixture, transfer to the frying pan, place 1 shrimp in the center. Deep fry each side until nicely brown and cooked. Remove and drain with papper towel. Serve this shrimp chips with Sa Dec, My Tho or Nam Vang style noodles.

How to Moisten Rice Papers #2

Place cabbage leaves between rice paper sheets. Cover tighly with plastic wrap and leave overnight.


The sheets should be pliable and ready to roll.

Khổ Qua Xào Tôm

Bitter melon with Shrimp

2 bitter melons, cut in half, scoop out seeds, sliced
10 shrimps, shelled and deveined, diced
1 T vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onion, chopped
fish sauce, sugar, black ground pepper

Heat oil in a pan over high heat, add garlic and cook until fragant, add shrimp and stir-fry until turning pink (lightly cooked). Add bitter melon, stir well to cook evenly. Add fish sauce to taste, a pinch of sugar. Cook until bitter melon is tender crisp. Add green onion, sprinkle fresh ground black pepper on top then serve.

Thịt Kho Trứng Cút

Braised Pork Loin with Quail Eggs

1 lb pork loin, sliced
1 can cooked quail eggs (25-30 counts)
4 shallots, thinly sliced
4 green onions, chopped
1 T vegetable oil
2 T sugar for caramel sauce
fish sauce, sugar, salt, pepper

Marinate pork with 1 T fish sauce, 1 t sea salt, 1/2 T sugar, black ground pepper, shallots.
Drain quail eggs and set aside.
In a heavy bottom pan, heat 2 T sugar over medium heat to make quick caramel sauce. When the sugar about to turn into the color you want, remove pan and add pork in quickly. Mix pork into the caramel to color evenly. Bring back to heat. Add oil in and stir to cook for a few minutes. Add quail eggs. Lower heat to medium low and let it simmers until liquid reduced. Add more fish sauce and sugar to taste. Add green onion and serve.

Canh Cà Rốt Su Su

Chayote Carrot Soup


1/2 chayote, cut into pieces
1/2 medium carrot, cut into pieces
3 shrimp, shelled and deveined, cut into pieces
1.5 cups water
1 green onion, chopped
3 sprigs cilantro, chopped
Fish sauce, black ground pepper

Bring water to a boil over medium high heat, add carrot, bring back to boil, add shrimp, chayote and cook for a few minutes. Add fish sauce and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with green onion and cilantro.

Cà chua Nấm Nhồi

Stuffed Tomatoes and Stuffed Mushrooms

3 roman tomatoes
6 medium white mushrooms
2 T ground pork
6 shrimps, shelled and deveined, minced
1/4 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, chopped
4 sprigs cilantro, chopped
1.5 T vegetable oil
fish sauce, sugar, pepper

Remove stems from mushrooms, brush caps to clean. Discard tough end of stems, chop and set aside.
Cut each tomato in half cross wise, scoop out pulp and seeds, discard seeds and finely chop the pulp and set aside.

Mix ground pork, shrimp, onion, fish sauce, fresh ground pepper together in a bowl. Use a small spoon to fill all the caps with this mixture.

Heat oil in a pan over high heat. Place stuffed mushrooms and tomatoes in, filling sides down. Let them cook for 3 minutes until the fillings turn golden brown. Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle salt and pepper on the caps and cover to cook for 5-7 more minutes.
Gently remove them and set on a plate. Add garlic into the hot pan with oil and liquid left from the caps, stir until fragant, add chopped mushroom stems in, stir, add tomato pulp in, add some fish sauce and sugar to taste. Add green onion.

Pour this sauce on top of stuffed tomatoes and mushrooms, sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Bông Cải Xanh Xào Tỏi

Broccoli with Garlic and Oyster Sauce

2 stalks of broccoli, cut into small florets
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T oyster sauce
1 T vegetable oil
salt and pepper

Heat pan over high heat, add oil, add garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds. Add broccoli and 1-2 T water if needed. Stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add oyster sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until broccoli is crisp-tender (about 3 more minutes). I just toss some red bell pepper in because it has been sitting in the fridge for too long.