Vietnamese | RecipeTin Eats

Crispy pork belly banh mi

Nagi — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 05:00:00 +0000

** A very big thank you for sharing the happiness and relief of Dozer’s ongoing recovery post surgery. I’m so touched by all the support. ❤️ Now I can get back to my day job – GREAT FOOD!**

Here’s my recipe for Crispy Pork Belly Banh Mi, possibly the best sandwich I’ve ever had in my life! Stuffed with juicy pork belly meat with ultra crispy crackling, this Vietnamese sandwich has all the essential banh mi fixings plus a special secret banh mi sauce. Out of all the types of banh mi I make, this is my favourite!

Crispy Pork Belly Banh Mi

I recently had the best banh mi of my life at a place called Ca Com in Melbourne. It was a banh mi stuffed with crispy pork belly with a special sauce and plenty of banh mi fixings, and it was absolutely incredible. The standout was the pork itself which was ridiculously juicy with superior crispy crackling!

In fact, in recent years I’ve noticed more people ordering pork belly banh mi over the classic “mystery pork slices” version, an observation consistent with an Instagram poll I ran where 57% of respondents voted for crispy pork over the classic mystery pork slices (16%). Does that surprise you? It did me!

As wildly popular as the pork belly Banh mi is, it is actually quite hard to find really good ones, with dry meat and not-so-crispy-crackling the most common shortfall. So in case you don’t live around the corner from Ca Com (like me, all the way up in Sydney!), here’s my copycat recipe.

It’s not exactly the same (for example, they don’t use pâté, I insist of sticking with this tradition), but I’ve taken inspiration from theirs, including a copycat of their special banh mi sauce. I hope you become as obsessed with this as I have!

Authenticity background – it is!

In case you are curious, crispy pork belly banh mi does exist in Vietnam. The “mystery pork slices” version is still considered the classic, but banh mi shops and street vendors offer all sorts of filling options, from grilled meats to meatballs, chicken to egg. Crispy pork is not as common with street vendors (I think practicality might be a factor, because of the cooking logistics and cost) but it does exist.

One of the many banh mi shops I visited in Vietnam. I even made a Vietnam food guide – here!

Anatomy of a Crispy Pork Belly Banh Mi

Here’s what makes up a pork belly banh mi. There’s some gathering involved (oh yes, and a simple crispy crackling pork belly to make 😂). But once gathered (and crackled), assembly is a breeze! Excellent food for gatherings, particularly in summer.

Crispy pork belly (don’t worry, I have a tried-and-proven easy crispy crackling trick!)
Spreads – mayonnaise and pate
Pickled vegetables – carrot and daikon (white radish)
Fresh veg – coriander/cilantro, cucumber slices
Garnishes – fresh chilli, coriander/cilantro, crispy Asian shallots (optional, store bought)
Special banh mi sauce – A hoisin coconut milk mixture, copycat of the sauce used by Ca Com!
Crusty bread roll

Slow roasted Crispy Pork Belly for banh mi

Using the tried and true (easy!) tips in my Crispy Pork Belly recipe, this pork belly has terrifically crispy crackling that is crispy from edge to edge – no rubbery spots – with a tender fall-apart-flesh. It’s initially slow roasted to make the meat tender and dry out the skin, then blasted at a high heat to make the skin crispy.

Guaranteed crispy skin tips

Here are my little tricks that make all the difference to ensure we get crispy skin!

DO NOT SCORE THE SKIN. A) you don’t need to score for crispy crackling. B) It’s risky. All it takes is an accidental pinprick piercing of the flesh and the juices that bubble up through that tiny hole will spread and result in a 10 cm/4″ patch of rubbery skin. While skilled butchers would never make this mistake, do you know who scored the pork belly you bought – an apprentice or a high school kid working in the grocery store meat department? No we do not! Don’t risk it.
Fridge dry – Dry the skin overnight in the fridge, uncovered. Even a few hours in the fridge is effective. This is an insurance policy step that is recommended. If you skip it (especially if your pork belly was vac packed) you are not allowed to complain if your pork belly is not as crazy crispy as mine! 😂
Level your pork – Use foil balls to level your pork belly so the skin is sitting as flat as possible. This will ensure even distribution of heat across your pork belly skin for superior crackling. If you don’t do this step, you’ll find that the lower points don’t crackle well – if at all.

And that, my friends, is all the pertinent information I need to impart for crispy crackling pork belly. Then just follow the simple recipe steps! Here’s a visual summary:

INGREDIENTS FOR PORK BELLY

Here’s what you need to make the crispy pork belly. Chinese five spice powder isn’t traditional but I like to add it for a touch of extra flavour. So consider it optional – there’s so many other things going on in banh mi, you won’t miss it.

Pork belly NOT SCORED – Look for a piece that is even thickness (rather than thin at one end and thicker at the other) with flat, smooth skin. This shape will crackle better and the flesh will cook through more evenly.
Not scored – As noted in the above section, make sure the skin is not scored. Check carefully if you buy a vac packed one because sometimes it’s hard to tell.
Oil – Just any neutral flavoured oil: canola, vegetable or peanut oil.
Salt – Essential for crackling. In fact, if you don’t put salt the skin, it won’t get that nice bubbly crispiness, it just becomes a flat sheet of hard skin.
Pepper – I actually like to use black pepper for pork belly, but white pepper is fine too.
Chinese five spice – As noted above, optional extra flavour!

How to make crispy pork belly for Banh Mi

The steps below are a slightly abbreviated version – because there is a LOT to say about crispy pork belly! For a full explanation of the why for particular steps and processes, please visit my Crispy Pork Belly recipe which has much more extensive information.

Fridge dry overnight or for a few hours, to really dry out the skin. This is a crispy crackling insurance policy that is especially recommended if you purchased your pork belly vac packed where the skin is fully soaked in juices for days/weeks! If you don’t have time, just pat the skin dry really well with paper towels.
Rub the flesh side with the oil, some of the salt, and all the pepper and Chinese Five spice.

Foil boat – Place the pork on a large sheet of foil and fold up the sides to create a “boat”. This holds all the pork fat in as it melts which keeps the flesh super juicy and moist. It’s essentially almost confit-ing in its own fat!
Salt the skin – Rub a bit of oil on the skin then sprinkle the salt evenly across the surface. Take your time with this step because as noted above in the ingredients section, salt = lovely bubbly crackling!

Slow roast for 2 hours at a low 140°C/275°F (all oven types). During this stage, the flesh will become beautifully tender and the skin will dry out but it will still be rubbery at this stage.
Oven temperature & time – For this recipe, I use the same oven temperature for both fan and standard ovens because at lower temperatures, there is less difference between the two. Astute cooks may also note the time is slightly shorter than the Crispy Pork Belly recipe. This is because we don’t need the pork quite so “fall apart” for use in banh mi as it is chopped up into pieces.
Level the skin – After the slow roasting time, the pork will be a bit wonky (meat fibres shrink as they cook) and the skin will still be rubbery. Use foil balls to prop up the lower parts of the belly so the skin is as level as possible so the heat distribution will be more even across the surface and thereby ensuring it crackles evenly!
Here is what it looks like before and after levelling.

Crackle it! Then blast the pork belly in a hot 240°C/465°F (all oven types) for 30 minutes, rotating as needed (if your oven heat is patchy) and using scraps of foil if needed to protect parts that crackle faster.
Admire – Pull the pork out of the oven and admire the brilliant crackling you just made, and resist the urge to peel the whole sheet off and run away with it!

Once the pork belly is cooked, we cut it into thick slices then into chunks to stuff into the banh mi.

Other Crispy pork belly banh mi fixings

There’s no denying for this banh mi, the star player is the crispy pork. But the other elements are important too! Here’s what you need.

special banh mi sauce

The standard sauce for banh mi sandwiches is Maggi Seasoning (think of it as an MSG enhanced soy sauce) or a derivation thereof. And while it’s ideal for classic mystery pork slices banh mi, I personally never felt that it really worked with pork belly slices. For one, a watery sauce doesn’t cling to pork belly hunks. And for another, watery sauces softens crispy crackling faster. Criminal.

So when I saw the banh mi fairies at Ca Com drizzle a thick dark brown sauce on the pork belly, I broke out into applause. Genius! I declared. Followed by – what’s in it?

Here’s what’s in it!

pickled carrots and daikon

This is the most common type of pickles I’ve seen in banh mi. They are classic Asian pickles – the tang is not as sharp as Western ones (because rice vinegar is not as sharp as most western vinegars), and they are more sweet than salty (but not overly sweet like some western ones tend to be).

Using carrots and daikon is an easy way to ensure you get great crunch in the pickles! Find the recipe for these pickles here.

vegetables and herbs

Classic banh mi typical includes thin slices of cucumber and green onion, often cut to the length of the bread roll. It’s not much, but enough to add a hint of juicy crunch from the cucumber and freshness from green onion which jumbles together with everything else to create the greatness that is a banh mi eating experience.

SPREADS

As for the spreads, I’m sticking with tradition here: pâté and mayonnaise. If you skip the pâté, it ain’t a banh mi!😊

Making the banh mi

Putting the banh mi tougher is just about the order in which it is assembled. And stuffing generously. Nobody wants a stingy banh mi!!

Pate first – spread on the base of the roll.
Mayo next – then spread the mayonnaise on top of the pate.
Vegetables – Pile the pickled vegetables non the pate, then plate the cucumber slices and green onion against the lid of the roll.
Pork – Then pile the pork in!
Sauce & coriander – Next, shove plenty of coriander down the side of the pork and drizzle everything with the banh mi sauce. Be as generous as you want – I use about 1 tablespoon.
Garnish – And finally, garnish! As much fresh chilli as you dare and a shower of crispy shallots (if using).

And with that, you are done and about to experience one of the greatest sandwiches of your life!!

Why we make crispy pork belly banh mi

We here in Sydney are blessed with an increasing number of banh mi shops, ranging from modern funky ones to traditional banh mi stands in Vietnamese neighbourhoods. However, as noted earlier, it is actually quite hard to find really good pork belly banh mi, with the pork itself being the letdown. The meat is not that juicy, the crackling not always crispy.

Having said that, even if the meat is not perfect, it is still a very enjoyable sandwich, thanks to all the other banh mi fixings. They are also typically extremely good value, with an enormous amount of pork for the price you pay. I understand why they are popular!

But, this homemade version? It is better than any I’ve had in Sydney. You just can’t beat the experience of fresh homemade pork belly.

The other cause to make this of course, is if you do not happen to live in an area with (good) banh mi shops, and for cost reasons too because this recipe will make 5 generously stuffed banh mi for around $30 – $35, depending on the price you pay for pork belly.

I really hope you try this one day. It is truly an exceptional eating experience! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Crispy Pork Belly Banh Mi

Recipe video above. The crispy pork belly version of the famous Vietnamese sandwich, inspired by Ca Com in Melbourne, a famous banh mi shop. Hands down one of the best sandwiches I have ever made in my life, and my favourite type of banh mi (all my recipes here). Excellent food for sharing with friends and Sunday lunches.

The Special Sauce is a copycat of the Ca Com sauce and it's an excellent match for crispy pork – thicker so it clings and doesn't soak and soften the skin or bread.

PS The recipe for the crispy skin pork belly is based on the much-loved Crispy Pork Belly recipe. So you can have confidence that your pork WILL have perfect crispy crackling!

Course Main, Sandwich

Cuisine Vietnamese

Keyword crispy pork banh mi, Crispy pork belly, pork belly banh mi, pork belly crackling

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Drying skin in fridge 1

Servings rolls

Calories 1313cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Crispy pork belly for banh mi

1kg / 2 lb pork belly with skin on , NOT SCORED. Look for 3 – 3.5cm / 1.2 – 1.6" thick, even thickness with flat, unwrinkled skin, preferably not vac-packed (Note 1)
1 1/2 tsp canola or vegetable oil , divided
1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice , optional (you won't miss it)
1 tsp cooking/kosher salt , divided
1/4 tsp black pepper (or white pepper)

Special banh mi sauce (Ca Com copy!)

4 tbsp Hoisin sauce
3 tbsp coconut milk , full fat
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce (mainly for colour, sub light or regular soy)

To make the banh mi (5 rolls)

5 crusty white rolls (lightly oven toast to crisp if crust is softened)
120g/ 4 oz chicken pate (Note 2)
6 tbsp whole-egg mayonnaise or Kewpie
1 batch Vietnamese pickled carrots and daikon
3 green onion stems , cut to length of rolls (2 to 3 pieces per roll)
2 cucumbers , finely sliced using vegetable peeled or knife
2 cups coriander/cilantro leaves and small sprigs
3 Birds Eye or Thai chillis , finely sliced
8 tbsp crispy fried shallots , store bought (Note 3)

Instructions

Crispy pork belly for banh mi

Dry skin overnight: Place pork belly on a plate. Pat skin dry with paper towels. Leave uncovered in fridge overnight to dry out the skin. (If you don't have time, pat the skin dry as best you can).
Preheat oven to 140°C/285°F (both fan and standard ovens).
Season flesh: Drizzle flesh side with 1 tsp oil. Sprinkle over 1/2 tsp salt, and all the pepper and Chinese five spice. Rub all over the flesh, including on the sides.
Foil boat: Place 2 pieces of foil on a work surface. Put the belly in middle of foil, skin side up. Fold the sides in to enclose the belly, forming an open box, pinching corners to seal tightly and make it as snug as possible. Place meat on a tray.
Season skin: Pat skin dry with paper towels. Rub with 1/2 tsp oil then sprinkle remaining 1/2 tsp salt evenly all over the skin surface, from edge to edge.
Slow roast 2 hours: Place in the oven and roast for 2 hours, tightening the foil around the pork after 1 hour (the pork will shrink). This protects the flesh from drying out.
Increase heat: Remove pork from oven, then increase heat to 240°C/465°F (all oven types).
Level pork: Remove pork from foil, discard fat and foil. Place pork on a rack set over a tray. Use scrunched up balls of foil stuffed under pork to prop it up so the skin surface is as level and horizontal as possible (see photos in post).
30 minutes blast! Place the pork back in the oven for 30 minutes, rotating after 15 minutes as needed, until the crackling is deep golden, puffy and crispy all over. If some patches are browning faster, protect with foil patches.
Rest 10 minutes: Remove pork from oven. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Making the banh mi

Sauce – Mix the ingredients in a bowl then set aside. This will keep for 5 days in the fridge .
Chop pork – Cut the pork into 1 1/2 cm / 0.6" thick slices, then each slide into 1 1/2 cm / 0.6" chunks.
Split & spread – Split the roll in half down the side, keeping the lid attached. Smear the base with 1 1/2 tbsp of pate, then 1 1/2 tbsp of mayonnaise (on top of the pate)
Stuff – Pile about 1/3 cup pickled vegetables on the mayonnaise. Lay 2 slices of cucumber and 2 green onions against the lid. Pile pork on top. Drizzle pork with 1 tbsp of sauce. Stuff coriander/cilantro down the side, sprinkle with chilli then2 tablespoons of crispy shallots as you want (if using).
Serving – Eat immediately! Banh mi is definitely one of those foods best eaten freshly made!

Notes

1. Pork Belly – Best to get one that has not been vacuum-packed (juices soak skin). If your belly is vac-packed, I really recommend doing the overnight drying uncovered in the fridge.

Look for a piece with flat, even skin as wrinkly skin doesn’t crackle as well (in the ridges, because heat can’t get to it as well).

Do NOT get one that is scored. It is a plain fact that you do NOT need to score for perfect crackling (read proof here!) All too often, butchers do poor scoring jobs and pierce through the fat into the flesh. Even the tiniest prick will cause meat juices to bubble up onto the skin and you’ll end up with rubbery patches.

2. Pate – or other pate of choice, but not orange or other flavoured

3. Crispy fried shallots – Sold in packs and tubs at regular grocery stores in the Asian aisle. Ca Com finishes their pork belly banh mi with a shower of crispy fried shallots! It definitely adds an extra touch, with crunchy salty goodness. But it’s optional because it is still excellent without.

4. Pork belly storage and reheating – Pork belly keeps and reheats well, and the crackling stays crispy. If not using cooked pork immediately, loosely cover with foil (it’s ok, the skin will stay crispy!) and it will be good for an hour to use for the banh mi. If intentionally making ahead, separate the crackling from the meat and reheat the cracking in the oven (crispy!) and meat in the microwave (retains moisture).

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

So great to continue to see progress with Dozer’s recovery post op! Here he is at his first outing to the park since his surgery.

This surgery really took it out of him. Combined with his lack of exercise for the better part of the last 7 weeks, I’m taking his rehab slowly. His breathing is still a bit hoarse when he pants, but the most relieving thing for me is that he doesn’t have his panicked breathing episodes (think – asthma attack) multiple times a day. He sleeps through the night peacefully and quietly and is restful during the day.

And I’ve got my shoot-studio companion back. 🥰 He hasn’t figured out yet that he can no longer taste test (see this post for why). He also doesn’t realise I’m shooting pickled vegetables here.😂

The post Crispy pork belly banh mi appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Vietnamese pickled carrots and daikon (radish)

Nagi — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 23:51:49 +0000

Pickles are an essential part of Vietnamese food! These pickled carrots and daikon (white radish) are easy to make and last for 2 months in the fridge. They’re served on Vietnamese noodle bowls (like these), alongside meats and for Banh Mi (crispy pork is my favourite!). I pretty much always have some on hand.

Vietnamese pickled carrot and daikon

If you’ve been to Vietnam or Vietnamese restaurants, you’ve probably seen these pickles which are commonly served alongside meat dishes, on noodle bowls and stuffed with abundance inside Banh Mi.

They are a regular side in traditional Vietnamese dishes and I keep squeezing this recipe in. And it finally dawned on me to file it as a separate recipe!

Crispy pork belly banh mi uses these pickled

Also, these pickles are generally just great to have in the fridge – for picking at, adding into salads and on the side of non-Vietnamese dishes (it’s not against the law!) – and last at least 2 months.

What they taste like – Vinegary but less sharp than typical western pickles (thanks to the rice vinegar), erring more towards sweet and not that salty. Carrot and daikon (white radish) is ideal because they retain a nice crunch for great texture!

Ingredients

Here’s what you need for these Vietnamese pickles:

Carrot and daikon (white radish) – These vegetable retain terrific crunch when pickled which adds great texture to dishes. Either use a knife to cut into thin batons or a mandolin that will julienne vegetables into 2 mm thick batons which is wider than typical julienne graters (including my own). Don’t be tempted to shortcut cutting the vegetables by using a box grater. I tried (the lazy cook in me couldn’t resist) – and it just wasn’t the same. A big vinegary pile of coleslaw-like mush. I missed the crunch!
Rice wine vinegar – This is the vinegar used for the pickled vegetables, an Asian vinegar made from rice. Substitute with apple cider vinegar.
Salt and sugar – For pickling. These pickled vegetables are a bit sweet and bit salty, nice balance between the two. I often find Western pickles too sweet or too salty. I think you’ll like the balance of these Vietnamese ones.

How to make Vietnamese pickles

It’s extremely straight forward: just dissolve the sugar and salt in a large bowl with 1 1/2 cups of boiling water. Then add the vinegar and vegetables and set aside for at least 2 hours or until the vegetables become a little floppy. But they will still have a nice crunch rather than being unpleasant mush, and that’s the way they will stay for at least 2 months.

Amount of each vegetable to use – You can use as much daikon and carrot as you can fit so they are all covered in the liquid. I tend to use equal amounts of each, but I’ve seen places that use more daikon and less carrot, and vice versa. Personal taste I guess, or what’s cheaper at the markets!

How to store – Keep the vegetables submerged under the liquid in glass jars or containers in the fridge for up to 2 months. I have read online that they will last for longer but I haven’t tried. I just ate some from my fridge that are just over 2 months old and they still have a nice crunch to them.

How to use – If you intend to use them all straight away, then drain in a colander and serve. If you only plan to use some, then just pick out what you need, much like you would any pickles from a jar, and consume as is. Just put it straight onto a serving plate or bowl (like the Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Noodle Bowls below), or serve in a little dish and let people help themselves!

What to use Vietnamese pickles for

Alongside any Vietnamese meat, such as Lemongrass Pork, Vietnamese Chicken and Bun Cha (Vietnamese meatballs)
Stuffed into Banh Mi (I’m posting this recipe with my Crispy pork Belly Banh Mi which I also published today)
On Vietnamese noodle bowls and rice bowls (using the pork and chicken, see those recipes)
Stuffed in Vietnamese lettuce wraps or rice paper rolls
Anything Asian or Asian-y that you want something tangy and crunchy to pair with (Char Siu pork and Momofuku Pork Bossam spring to mind)
Pick at it like you do your favourite pickles!

Hope you enjoy – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Vietnamese pickled carrots and daikon (radish)

Recipe video above. If you've been to Vietnam or Vietnamese restaurants, you've probably seen these pickles which are commonly served alongside grilled meats, on noodle bowls (like lemongrass chicken, pork and meatballs) and stuffed generously in Banh Mi! Keeps for 2 months in the fridge – keep the vegetables submerged in the liquid in airtight jars or containers. Excellent with all sorts of Vietnamese food.

Course pickles

Cuisine Vietnamese

Keyword pickled vegetables

Prep Time 15

Pickling 2

Servings cups

Calories 624cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Pickled vegetables:

2 medium carrots , peeled cut into 3mm / 1/10" batons (Note 1)
1/2 large daikon (white radish) , peeled, cut the same as carrots (Note 1)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup white sugar
4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
3/4 cup rice wine vinegar (sub apple cider vinegar)

Instructions

Pickle – In a large bowl, dissolve the salt and sugar in the hot water. Stir in vinegar. Add carrots and daikon – they should just about be covered.
2 hours – Leave for 2 hours until the vegetables are slightly floppy.
Using – Drain well to use, or just take out what you need (no liquid, just the vegetables).
Storing – The vegetables will keep in the fridge for 2 months, in the pickling liquid. Use airtight glass containers or jars (not plastic).

Notes

1. Carrot and daikon – it’s hard to quantity the amounts but basically you want the same quantity of each, and enough so it is just covered by the pickling liquid. Can’t find white radish? Double up on carrot!

In Vietnam I’ve seen mixes with more carrot/less daikon, and vice versa. Use as much as you can as long as the vegetables are just about submerged in the liquid.

2. STORAGE: Keep for 2 months (likely longer!) in an airtight container the fridge submerged in the liquid, like you would any other pickle!

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

He doesn’t realise it’s just vegetables!

The post Vietnamese pickled carrots and daikon (radish) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Nagi — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 04:42:10 +0000

Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps are a lower-cal version of Vietnamese rice paper rolls. The fresh herbs and peanut dipping sauce are key here! Everything else you can switch: prawns for shredded chicken, fish or even tofu, with any shreddable veg you want. Excellent no-cook meal!

Vietnamese lettuce wraps

These lettuce wraps are not strictly Vietnamese authentic (as far as I know), but they certainly embrace all that we love about Vietnamese food – fresh and light yet never boring, using an abundance of crunchy vegetables, herbs and a killer peanut dipping sauce.

That’s definitely a signature of Vietnamese food – wickedly good sauces that make everything delicious! Honestly, you could just smother a bowl of otherwise bland boiled vegetables in that sauce and it will make it 100% scoff-able!

Ingredients in Vietnamese lettuce wraps

Here’s what you need to make these. Yes there are a fair few components. But once you gather everything, it’s just a matter of a bit of chopping then piling everything on platters for people to help themselves. No cooking! 🙌🏻

The peanut dipping sauce

I’m putting this first because, frankly, it makes you forget you’re eating healthy because it’s so good!

Natural peanut butter – Pure peanut butter is made with JUST peanuts – no sugar, oil or other additives – so the peanut flavour is stronger. It’s also thinner which makes it more suitable for making sauces – commercial spread will make the sauce much thicker. You’ll find natural peanut butter in the health food section or alongside other spreads in regular grocery stores.
Hoisin – Sweet and savoury, this is a flavour shortcut so don’t skip it!
Lime juice – For fresh tang. Substitute with rice vinegar.
LOW FAT coconut milk – Thinner than full fat (so the sauce isn’t too thick) and also the coconut flavour is not as strong so it doesn’t overwhelm the other flavours. If you only have full fat, that’s fine, just thin it with a little water, directions in the recipe notes.
Garlic – Because it makes it better.
Sambal oelak – A chilli paste with flavourings, for a bit of heat. It doesn’t make this sauce spicy. Substitute with any other chilli sauce or paste (just add a bit and taste) or feel free to leave it out.
Dark soy – Deepens the sauce colour and adds flavour plus salt. You can substitute with regular or light soy sauce, but the sauce colour will be a bit paler.
Sugar – For a touch of sweetness. If you use full fat coconut milk or commercial peanut butter spread, you might not need this.
Salt – Just the soy isn’t enough, and adding more made it too soy-saucey, I found, and overtook the peanut flavour. So I switched to adding a bit of salt.

THE LETTUCE WRAPS

Prawns/shrimp – Here in Australia, we are blessed with great prawns! Sold pre-cooked, boiled straight out of the water to lock in freshness. However, feel free to cook your own, I’ve included directions in the recipe notes.
Other protein options – Because the peanut sauce is so good, you can literally use any protein even if it’s plain! Think – shredded poached chicken, or leftover pan-fried fish or salmon (flake into big chunks), and even non-Asian foods like bits of roast beef. And of course, leftover Lemongrass Chicken or Pork would literally be perfect.
Lettuce – Use any lettuce you want suitable for wrapping or stuffing. I’ve used baby cos (romaine) which are nice and crisp, which are natural boat-shapes making them ideal for making lettuce wraps. Butter lettuce, which have soft leaves so they wrap without breaking, are also ideal. Iceberg lettuce can also be used.
Beansprouts – Perky and fresh, and no chopping! (Tip: Store in a container of water, fully submerged, change the water every couple of days. They will stay fresh for a week, compared to 2 – 3 days in the bag).
Cucumber – Julienned. Not too finely, a bit of crunchy is nice!

Fresh herbs – The classic combination of mint and coriander/cilantro, to be used in abundance! For those of you who can’t stand coriander/cilantro, use more mint plus chives and/or green onion (cut into batons).
Vermicelli noodles – or glass noodles. These fill out the meal a bit so it’s not just vegetables. But if you’re really counting carbs, you could omit them or opt for a lower-carb option like konnyaku (konjac) which are the famous Japanese zero-calorie noodles that you can even find in regular grocery stores these days (like this one at Woolworths in Australia).
Peanuts – for sprinkling.
Birds eye chilli – for an optional hit of fresh heat and a lovely sprinkle of red colour on the platter.

QUICK PICKLED VEGETABLES – optional!

You can totally just use plain carrots, finely julienned using a shredded or box grater, or some nifty knife work.

Or you can add great extra flavour into your wraps by making Vietnamese pickled vegetables! These are the same pickles used in Banh Mi and it’s one of the things that makes it so special: the crunch with the tang balanced with a bit of sweet. Here’s what you need:

Carrot and daikon (white radish) – These are two pickled vegetables commonly used in Vietnam, including in Banh Mi. They are cut into thin batons so you get a terrific crunch (albeit pickled-softened-crunch!) when you bite in them. Don’t be tempted to shortcut cutting the vegetables by using a box grater. I tried (the lazy cook in me couldn’t resist) – and it just wasn’t the same. A big vinegary pile of coleslaw-like mush. I missed the crunch!
Rice wine vinegar – This is the vinegar used for the pickled vegetables, an Asian vinegar made from rice. Substitute with apple cider vinegar.
Salt and sugar – For pickling. These pickled vegetables are a bit sweet and bit salty, nice balance between the two.

How to make Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps

It’s no cook, if you use pre-cooked prawns like I do!

Soak vermicelli noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes (or whatever your packet says). Then drain, rinse under water (so they don’t stick together) and allow excess water to drain off thoroughly before using (about 5 minutes in the colander).
Quick pickled vegetables – Dissolve the sugar and salt in hot water, then mix in the vinegar.
Pickle the carrot and daikon for 2 hours then drain. Or keep them in the pickling liquid for weeks!
Cut the prawns in half horizontally and remove the vein (that’s a nice word for poop shoot which I really wanted to avoid writing, but for clarity, decided I better include it 😂).
I like to cut the prawns thinner because they sit inside lettuce wraps better. I find whole prawns a little too chunky, though if I was using small prawns I would use them whole.

Lay it all out on a platter

Basically, once the above prep has been done, you just lay everything out on a giant platter or in various bowls, plonk it on the table and tell people make your own dinner! 😂

ASSEMBLING THE LETTUCE WRAPS

And as for the lettuce wrap part, there really are no rules. But here’s a guide for the order in which I do it:

Noodles first then whatever vegetables you want to add. Because – newsflash – you don’t have to stuff everything you see on the platter into every lettuce wrap!!
Prawns – Top with prawns and stuff the herbs down the side.
Sauce – Drizzle with sauce, sprinkle with peanuts and chilli.
Then bundle it up and bite!

And there you have it. Another one of my DIY spread meals. I’m a big fan of these for gatherings! Take more of what you like, avoid the things you don’t. Everything can be prepared well in advance, piled onto the platters then kept in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

Bonus: It travels well. In fact, I sent the platters you see in this post to my team at RecipeTin Meals. They cook for the vulnerable 5 days a week, so it’s the least I can do to cook for them every now and then. (Well, technically shoot leftovers…..same, same! 😈).

Got more suggestions for fillings? Share them below so others can read your ideas! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Vietnamese Peanut Sauce Lettuce Wraps

Recipe video above. Such a great DIY summer spread, a regular all through summer in my circles! It's essentially a lower-cal version of Vietnamese rice paper rolls. The fresh herbs and the peanut sauce are key here! Everything else you can switch: prawns for shredded chicken, pan fried salmon or other fish (flake into big chunks) or even tofu (I pan fry batons). Use whatever shreddable veg you want.

Emergency version: store bought roast chicken (shredded) + packet shredded coleslaw veg + peanut sauce + noodles. SO GOOD.

Course Light mains, Mains

Cuisine Vietnamese

Keyword Lettuce wraps, vietnamese lettuce wraps

Prep Time 20

Servings as a meal

Calories 320cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

The lettuce cups:

300g / 10 oz peeled whole cooked prawns/shrimp , medium (600g/1.2lb unpeeled whole prawns – this is what I use) – Note 1
75g / 2.5 oz dried vermicelli noodles (or glass noodles or rice)
12 large or 16 -20 small lettuce leaves (I used baby cos/romaine), eg iceberg, butter lettuce

Veg and herbs:

1 batch quick pickled carrots and daikon , below *recommended* OR 2 carrots finely julienned (use plain)
2 cups beansprouts
2 cucumbers , julienned
2 cups mint leaves
2 cups coriander/cilantro sprigs (sub with chives + extra mint)
3 birds eye red chilli , finely sliced (optional)
1/4 cup roasted peanuts , finely chopped (recommended)

Vietnamese Peanut Sauce:

2 tbsp natural peanut butter , smooth (ie not sweetened) – Note 2
2 tbsp hoisin
1 – 2 tbsp lime juice , sub rice vinegar
1/3 cup LOW FAT coconut milk (Note 3)
1 large garlic clove , finely grated
1 tsp+ sambal oelak (or other chilli sauce/paste of choice), can omit (adj to taste)
1 tsp dark soy (Note 4)
1 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Quick pickled vegetables

2 medium carrots , peeled cut into 2 mm / 1/10″ batons
1/2 large white radish (daikon) , peeled, cut the same as carrots
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup white sugar
4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
3/4 cup rice wine vinegar (sub apple cider vinegar)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Pickle first – Put the boiling water, salt and sugar in a bowl. Mix to to dissolve, then add vinegar. Submerge vegetables and leave for 2 hours. Drain then use per recipe (or store in fridge submerged in liquid).
Peanut sauce – Mix the peanut sauce ingredients and set aside for the flavours to meld while you prepare the platter. Start with 1 tbsp lime juice and add more if you want tarter.
Prawns (shrimp) – Cut the prawns in half horizontally and remove the vein.
Noodles – Soak the noodles in boiling water per packet directions. Rinse under cold water (to prevent stickiness) then drain very well.
Lay it all out – Pile everything onto a giant platter or put things in little bowls, then let everybody help themselves!
Assemble – Here's my order: lettuce leaf, noodles first, then veg* (carrots, bean sprouts etc), prawns, stuff herbs down the side, drizzle with sauce, sprinkle with peanuts and chilli. Bundle and bite!

Notes

* Sometimes I like to be a rebel and not use all the veg in every lettuce wrap, especially if I’m using small lettuce leaves. Just put what you want in your lettuce wrap!

1. Or cook your own – just toss 300g/10oz raw peeled prawns with a little salt and pepper. Preheat oil in non stick pan on high and cook each side for 1 1/2 min (medium) to 2 minutes (large ones), then remove.

2. Natural peanut butter is just peanuts, no sugar no salt. Flavour is more intense and it is runnier than peanut butter spread which makes it idea for sauces. Mix well before use as it separates if not used regularly. Can sub with peanut butter spread but your sauce will be thicker with slightly less peanut flavour.

3. Low fat coconut milk is thinner which makes the sauce not too thick. If you only have full fat, that’s fine, use 1/4 cup then top up with water.

4. Dark soy is more intense flavoured than regular and light soy, and darkens sauce colour. But you can substitute with light or all-purpose soy (more on difference soy sauces here).

Leftovers – The peanut sauce will keep for 4 days in the fridge or freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition assumes all the sauce and vermicelli noodles are consumed, and half the pickles. You probably won’t use all the pickles but you’ll be fine with that because they last for weeks and weeks in the fridge!

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

This is how he kicked off the new year – begging for the very croissant we just gave to Jeff*. Shame on you Dozer. Shame on you! 😂

* Jeff is a local who lives at Bayview dog park in the northern beaches of Sydney where I lived for 10 years until 10 months ago. I still take Dozer for a romp at the beach regularly! Jeff is a big reason why people travel from all over Sydney to visit Bayview dog park – because he is the reason why the park is so pristine.

The post Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Vietnamese Caramel Ginger Chicken

Nagi — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Vietnamese Caramel Ginger Chicken – juicy chicken bites glazed in a Vietnamese caramel sauce with a good dose of ginger. 5 ingredients. 12 minute braise. Serve over jasmine rice with Asian Slaw for a dinner everybody will gobble up!

Vietnamese Caramel Ginger Chicken

When you see today’s recipe, you’re going to doubt me. How can a recipe with so few ingredients that’s so fast to make be as good as I promise??

Answer: Because the Vietnamese have been making this for centuries!

The caramelisation cooking method used in today’s recipe is a traditional Vietnamese technique. Proteins such as chicken, pork, egg and sometimes vegetables are braised in a simple mixture of sugar and water (or coconut juice), seasoned with fish sauce and flavoured with aromatics such as ginger, garlic and chilli.

At first the mixture looks thoroughly unimpressive – watery and foamy. Like this:

But just give it a mere 12 minutes, and this is what it looks like:

I know, right?? Incredible. We should know better than to doubt the Vietnamese!

And here’s a nice close up for you, including the inside – proof of juiciness:

Vietnamese caramel this-and-that

Vietnamese caramel sauce is not new to these parts! Long time astute readers may recognise this as similar to a sticky Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken that I shared many years ago. That is made with whole bone-in chicken thighs and takes around an hour to make. Also, other members of the Vietnamese Caramel Family – fan favourite Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls (quick) and slow-cooked Vietnamese Caramel Pork (juicy bites!)

Today’s recipe might be my favourite, for it’s speed and the lovely pops of ginger flavour.

Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls

Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken

Vietnamese Caramel Pork

Caramelised Vietnamese Shredded Beef

What you need for Vietnamese Caramel Ginger Chicken

Here’s all you need to make today’s miracle dish:

Boneless chicken thighs – Thighs work best because they will stay juicier for the required simmer time for the sauce to reduce down into a glaze. But if you want to make this with chicken breast, I’ve popped directions in the recipe notes – best to take it out of the pan partway so it doesn’t overcook.
Brown sugar – This is what makes the caramel glaze! Brown rather than white sugar, for extra caramely flavour.
Fish sauce – The “secret ingredient” that gives the sauce more depth of flavour than just using salt or soy sauce. You can substitute with soy sauce, but the glaze won’t have quite the same flavour.
Ginger – We use quite a lot, for lovely gingery flavour! 1/3 cup finely julienned.
Garlic could be substituted.
Chilli (optional) – For a faint background hum of warmth. I use Birds Eye but Thai chilli or other chilli of choice would be fine. This dish is not spicy by any means, the spiciness of a single chilli is reduced through the cooking process and overpowered by the sweetness.
Eschalots (optional) –Also known as French onions, and called “shallots” in the US. They look like baby onions, but are finer and sweeter than regular onions so they disappear into the glaze better.
Not to be confused with what some people in Australia call “shallots” ie the long green onions. Substitute with finely sliced red or regular onions, or skip it. It’s not so common in traditional Vietnamese caramel dishes but it does add extra flavour (I tried with and without).

How to make Vietnamese Caramel Ginger Chicken

Very easy, low maintenance and quick! No marinating required, and just a 12 minute braise.

Toss the chicken in the fish sauce and chilli (if using). Then just set aside while you prepare and measure out the other ingredients. Marinating isn’t required – plenty of flavour infusion into the chicken happens during the braise. But you could leave it overnight, if you wanted to.
Use a large non-stick pan else the liquid will take ages to reduce. Mine is 30cm/12″. If yours is smaller or the liquid is taking way too long to reduce down into a glaze, remove chicken with slotted spoon and reduce the liquid by itself (it will be fast).
Caramel – Put the oil and sugar in a pan over medium heat and stir.
Melt – As the pan heats up, the sugar will melt and form a caramel. As soon as it has melted, take the pan off the stove before adding the chicken. ⚠️ This is a precaution step – because the caramel does sizzle a bit when you add the chicken. If your stove runs very hot or you’re a little…..err…. overly enthusiastic when tossing the chicken in, I’d hate for caramel bits to splash on you. By taking it off the stove, we don’t need to worry.
Chicken -Slide the chicken in carefully (don’t throw it in!), eschalots and ginger. Toss briefly to coat, then return to the stove. The caramel may harden but that’s ok, it will re-melt on the stove.

Cook – Stir the chicken until it changes from pink to white but the inside will still be raw. Add water then let it come up to the simmer.
Braise 10 to 12 minutes – Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the sauce reduces down into a brown glaze that coats the chicken. This is what it looks like at the start – not very appetising! It’s very low maintenance – just stir every couple of minutes.
Midway – Here it is halfway through. You can see the chicken is starting to be stained by the sauce colour. What you can’t see is all the lovely flavour being absorbed by the chicken!
Glaze! Then after 10 to 12 minutes, this is what it looks like. The liquid will have reduced right down and transformed into brown stick glaze that coats the chicken. At this stage, you will want to stir quite regularly to ensure the sauce doesn’t catch and burn on the base of the pot. Just reduce the heat it you’re concerned.
And that’s it! It’s ready to eat!

What to serve with Vietnamese Caramel Ginger Chicken

Serve over jasmine rice or other plain rice of choice (or cauliflower rice if you’re going the low-carb thing). It’s not a sauce stir fry but you definitely won’t miss the sauce because the glaze is more intense flavoured than a typical saucy stir fry. So you can eat it with plain rice because every rice grain the chicken touches will be graced with the tasty Vietnamese caramel sauce!

For a lovely fresh side salad, I’d suggest a crunchy fresh Asian Slaw. Else, my ever-trusty Smashed Cucumbers (perfect juicy freshness to contrast with this sticky goodness) or Asian Sesame Dressing which you can use for “anything” – leafy greens, steamed broccoli or carrots.

Enjoy! – Nagi x

Recipe credit: Adapted from Eat Like a Viet cookbook by Jenny Lam, after eating this at PhatLon, her Vietnamese restaurant in Perth! I dialled down the saltiness (fish sauce) and added eschalots because I think they make it even tastier.

Watch how to make it

Vietnamese Caramel Ginger Chicken

Recipe video above. Vietnamese caramel sauce is a popular sweet/savoury used in Vietnamese dishes. Here, it's used for bite size chicken pieces that get coated in the glaze with a generous dose of ginger. It's quick, easy, something different and outrageously good!

** NOTE: Sadly seeing reader feedback that the liquid isn't reducing and chicken isn't caramelising. Please ensure to use a LARGE PAN and be brave, simmer RAPIDLY! Else the liquid will take ages to reduce. See Note 4.**

Course Main

Cuisine Vietnamese

Keyword easy vietnamese recipe, ginger chicken, vietnamese caramel chicken, vietnamese chicken

Prep Time 7

Cook Time 15

Servings

Calories 370cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

1 kg / 2 lb skinless chicken thigh fillets , cut into large 5cm/2″ pieces (Note 1)
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 bird’s eye chilli or Thai chilli , deseeded, finely minced (optional) – Note 2
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup brown sugar , tightly packed
1/3 cup ginger , finely julienned (about 5 cm/2″ thick piece)
2 eschallots , halved then finely sliced (sub half red onion) (Note 3)
1/2 cup boiling water

Garnishes & serving:

Fresh coriander/cilantro or green onion slices (recommended)
Red chilli , finely sliced (optional)
Jasmine rice , white rice or other plain rice of choice

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Toss chicken with fish sauce and chilli, then set aside while you prepare the other ingredients. You could marinate even overnight but it's not necessary.
Pan size – Use a large non-stick pan (mine is 30cm/12", must be large). Else, be prepared to remove chicken at end to speed up sauce reduction. See Note 4!
Caramel – Mix oil and sugar in the cold pan, then turn onto medium high heat. As soon as the sugar is melted, remove the pan from the stove then carefully add the chicken (⚠️ it will sizzle so don't throw it in!) . Add ginger and shallots, toss briefly. The caramel may harden, that's ok, it will re-melt.
Cook outside of chicken – Then put the pan back on the stove and stir just until the chicken changes from pink to white all over, but not browned, and definitely not cooked through.
Simmer 10 min – Add water, stir, bring to a simmer. Simmer very rapidly, still on medium high (or even high!), for 10 to 12 minutes, until the liquid reduces right down to a glaze. It might take longer if your pan is smaller or your stove is weaker, that's ok. Stir every now and then while watery, then once it's reduced down to a glaze, toss regularly to get nice colour on the chicken. The further you take it, the better the colour!
Serve with jasmine rice or other plain rice garnished with extra slices of chilli and fresh coriander if desired. Smashed cucumbers or Asian Slaw would be a terrific side!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Eat Like a Viet cookbook by Jenny Lam, after eating this at PhatLon, her Vietnamese restaurant in Perth.

1. Chicken – I cut most into 4, some into 3. You want them quite large so they don’t dry out during the required simmer time.

Breast – not recommended, it will dry out by the time the sauce reduces. However, if you want to use breast, I’d probably use the whole breast (2), split in half (to make 4 thin steaks), start the cook in the caramel, take them out, let the sauce reduce to a glaze then coat. Bit risky to get timing right without overcooking.

2. Chilli – optional, adds the tiniest background hint of heat (longer you cook fresh chilli, less spicy it is, also the sweet dominates here).

3. Eschalots –Also known as French onions, and called “shallots” in the US. Look like baby onions, but have purple-skinned flesh, are finer and sweeter, so they disappear into the glaze better than regular onions. Not to be confused with what some people in Australia call “shallots” ie the long green onions.

Sub with finely sliced red or regular onions.

4. PAN / sauce reduction / caramelisation – You need a large pan (30cm/12″+) so the chicken isn’t crowded else the liquid takes AGES to reduce. Also, be brave and simmer super rapidly so the liquid reduces faster, and once it’s reduced down to a sticky glaze, stir the chicken in the oil left in the pan to get the nice caramelisation on it.

If you’re pan is too small, remove chicken after 12 minutes using slotted spoon and reduce liquid down to glaze (fast, without chicken). then toss chicken back in.

5. Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge. Freezing – haven’t tried but I see no reason why it wouldn’t freeze perfectly well!

Nutrition per serving, chicken only (no rice).

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

Dozer’s way of sulking about being on a strict gastro-intestinal dog food diet for the next 7 days – spitting his food out on the ground. Seriously. What a brat! (Mind you, his natural greediness means he ends up hoovering the floor clean. But still. The attitude!)

The post Vietnamese Caramel Ginger Chicken appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.