Sir-fried black forest mushrooms with garlic

Ingredients: serves 3 people

·         20 dried forest mushrooms.

·         2 tbsp cooking oil.

·         3 cloves garlic, minced.

·         1 tbsp rice vinegar.

·         1 tsp broth mix.

·         1 tsp granulated sugar

·         ½ tsp ground pepper.

·         1 tsp coriander, finely chopped.

Preparation:

-          Soaking the mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes. When they have softened, squeeze them with your hands to remove the excess water.

-          Cut each mushroom into 4 small pieces.

Cooking:

1)      Heat a large frying pan over a high heat until it becomes hot. Reduce the heat to medium, add the oil to the frying pan. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir fry for about 20-30 seconds.

2)      When the garlic is aromatic, add the mushoorm. Stir-fry for 3 minutes over a high heat.

3)      Add the vinegar, broth mix, sugar, pepper. Combine them well.

4)      Add the coriander. Toss again and turn the heat off.

Serving:

-          Transfer the stir-fried mushrooms  to a serving platter.

-          Eating with warm rice.

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Vietnamese chicken and cabbage salad

Ingredients: serves 5 people.

• 500 g chicken breasts, cooked, shredded into 2-inch lengths.
• ½  savoy cabbage, finely shredded.
• 1 onion, finely sliced.
• 2 carrot, peeled, cut into thin matchsticks.
• 1 cup fresh laksa leaves, torn and chopped.
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped.
• 75g unsalted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped.

Dressing:

§  2 garlic cloves, minced.

§  1 fresh hot red chili, deseeded, minced.

§  3 tablespoon fresh lime juice.

§  2 tablespoon rice vinegar.

§  3 tablespoon refined white sugar.

§  2 tablespoon fish sauce.

Method:

1)      Mix the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Stir until well combined.

2)      In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, onion, carot together. Then pour the dressing over them, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3)      Add the shredded chicken and half the peanuts. Toss for 5 minutes.

4)      Add half the laska leaves and toss to combine well.

Serving:

Transfer the salad to a flat plate. Sprinkle the remaining laska leaves, coriander leaves and peanuts.

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stir-fried water spinach with garlic

Ingredients: ( serves: 5 people)

 -          a bunch of water spinach ( 500 g), washed, cut into 2-inch length.

-          4 garlic cloves, finely minced, divided

-          2 tbp cooking oil.

-          1 tsp sesame oil.

-          1 tsp broth mix.

-          1 tsp sugar.

-          1 fresh red chili, thinly chopped, divided.

-          Ground pepper.

Method:

1)      Blanch the water spinach in boiling water in just 30 seconds. Remove and soak in ice water until it is no longer warm. Then drain in a colander to remove all excess water.

2)      In a fryingpan, add cooking oil over medium heat. Add half of minced garlics , stir-fry in 1 minutes until they are golden brown.

3)      Place half of chopped chili, and the water spinach.

4)      Season with broth mix, sugar and sesame oil.

5)      Stir fry in 2 minutes. Then add the remaining garlic and red chili. Allow them to fry for 30 seconds.

6)      Remove from the heat.

Serving:

-          Serve in a flat white plate. Sprinkle with some ground pepper.

-          Eating with warm rice.

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Vietnamese sweet and sour fish sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced.
• 1 hot red chili, seeds removed, minced.
• 3 tablespoons lime juice.
• 4 tablespoons refined white sugar.
• 2/3 cup fish sauce.
• 1 cup hot water.

Preparation:

Follow the below steps:

1)      In a small bowl, add the garlic, chili, sugar, lime juice first. Stir them all.2)      Then add fish sauce. Continue stirring. 
3)      Add the hot water and stir well until the sugar dissolves completely.

Serving:

-   It is commonly used as a dressing for salads, or dipping sauce.

- You should use the hot water because it help dissolving the sugar rapidly and releasing the fragrance of spices and fish sauce.

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Bitter melon soup

 Ingredients: ( serves 5 people).

•   5 bitter melons .
• 1 tsp fish sauce. 
•  1 tbs cooking oil.
• Salt, sugar, broth mix, ground pepper.
• 4 stalks scallions. Half cut in 2 inch-length, half finely chopped.
• 1 tbs chopped corianders.

For pork stuffing:

§  200 g ground lean pork.

§  1 egg whites.

§  1 dried wood ear mushroom, 2 inches in diameter, soaked in hot water about 20 minutes, drain and thinly cut.

§  1 small bunch of bean thread noodles, soaked in warm tap water about 5 minutes, drain and cut  in 2 inch length.

§  1 shallot, minced.

§  1 tsp sesam oil.

§  2 tsp fish sauce.

§  1 tsp ground pepper.

§  1 tsp sugar.

§  1 tsp broth mix.

Preparation: 
1)      In a fryingpan, add cooking oil over medium heat, then add the minced shallots. Stir-fry until the shallots have become golden brown. Remove from the heat. 
2)      Combine all inredients of pork stuffing together in a small bowl. Then add the fried shallots . Mix well. Get aside about 30 minutes. 
3)    Use a sharp knife cut the ends off the bitter melon and cut in half lengthwise (do not peel). Scrape out the seeds and pith from the middle of the melon with a small spoon. Wash in clean water and drain in a colander. 
4)      Use a soupspoon to stuff the bitter melons with the pork stuffing.

Cooking: 
1)      Bring a pot of water to a boil. 
2)      Place the stuffed bitter melon in the boiling water. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes. 
3)   Then reduce the heat to medium in about 30 minutes. Add the 2-inch lengh scallions and season with sugar, broth mix, and fish sauce. Taste test and turn off the heat.

Serving: 
-     Cut the bitter melon into 2-inche length pieces.Transfer them to a large bowl. Ladle the hot soup into the bowl. 
-          Sprinkle some ground pepper and garnish with chopped scallions and corianders. 
-          Eating with warm rice.

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Vietnamese Pork Roll

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Fried Chicken Wings with Fish Sauce.

( serves 5 people )

Ingredients:

• 0.5 kg chicken wings.
•  5 garlic cloves, finely minced.
•  3 tablespoon fish sauce.
• tablespoons sugar.
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper.
•  1 red chilli, chopped
• Cooking oil for deep frying.
• Some tomatoes, cucumber: sliced (for garnishing).

Preparation: 

1.  In a large bowl, marinate chicken wings with 2 teaspoon minced garlic,  1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon ground pepper, and 1 tablespoon fish sauce for  about 30 minutes.
2.   Prepare the sauce: in small bowl, add 1 tablespoon water, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoons sugar, stirring well to dissolve sugar.

Process:

1.  Heat oil in frying pan. Deep fry chicken wings until golden brown. Set aside on a plate.
2.  In a clean large wok or frying pan, add 2 tablespoon cooking oil under medium heat. Add 2 teaspoon minced garlic, chopped red chillies, stirring. Add fried chicken, stirring, then pour the marinated solution over the wings. Reduce the heat to simmer the chicken in the solution. Stir and coat the chicken  for 5 minutes.
3. Then continue to add the sauce, stir sauce around the wings until they are golden brown. Turn off the heat.

Serving:

 In a large plate, place sliced tomatoes and cucumber , then add the wings. Pour the sauce remaining in the wok over the wings. You can use this dish  with tomato sauce and red chili sauce.

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