Recipe
29 Jul 2007

Bánh Mì Tôm Chiên – Shrimp Toasts

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These shrimp toasts are my Aunt Phuong’s signature appetizer and are served at large family gatherings. This recipe yields enough to feed a small army.

  • 4 pounds shrimp (size 36-40)
  • 1 bunch green onion
  • 2/3 bulb garlic (5-7 cloves)
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 ½ tablespoons black pepper
  • 10 tablespoons nouc mam
  • 2 ½ loaves white bread
  • Vegetable oil

Prepare shrimp

Thoroughly wash shrimp in salted water 3-4 times, changing the water after each washing. Devein and peel shrimp and let drain. Pat shrimps dry with a paper towel before marinating.

Prepare marinade

Finely mince green onions and garlic cloves and place in a large mixing bowl or container with a lid. Add sugar, egg white, pepper, and nouc mam to the onions and garlic. Mix well with shrimp, cover with plastic wrap or lid, refridgerate, and let marinade for 30 minutes minimum—overnight is best.

Assembling shrimp toasts

Cut each slice of bread into six rectangular pieces and lightly toast in the oven at 200 degrees for approximately 10 minutes.

Chop marinated shrimp in a food processor until a thick paste is formed.

Spread a thick layer of the shrimp paste atop the toasted bread and lightly brush with vegetable oil (see below). Repeat with remainder of bread and shrimp paste.

Deep fry shrimp toasts with the shrimp side down first. When both sides are golden, remove from oil, drain, and serve.

Recipe
27 Jul 2007

Mom’s Lollipop Fried Chicken

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For marinade

  • 15 chicken wings and drummettes (30 pieces total)
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • ¼ cup fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 ½ tablespoons sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper

For coating and frying

  • ¼ cup Italian bread crumbs or Panko
  • ½ cup white or whole wheat flour
  • Vegetable oil

Prepare chicken

Separate wings and drumettes and set wings aside. For the drumettes, using a knife, cut around the thin tip of each piece to loosen the meat around the joint. While holding the base, push the meat down gently to expose the bone and form a “chicken lollipop.” See instructional video below for a short tutorial.

Make marinade

Mince shallots and garlic and place in a bowl large enough to fit 30 pieces of chicken. Pour fish sauce, salt, sugar, and pepper into the bowl as well, then add the chicken. Make sure the chicken is well coated in the mixture, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit overnight to marinade.

Coating and frying

Heat vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Coat chicken first in flour and then in the bread crumbs; it may be necessary to push the meat up on the drummettes once more. Once oil is ready, fry chicken until golden, drain, and serve.

Recipe
24 Jul 2007

Bánh Bột Lọc – Clear Shrimp and Pork Dumplings

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Translucent, almost gelatinous cakes of sticky tapioca flour filled with sauteed whole shrimps and sliced fatty pork. Topped with scallions and crispy rendered pork fat and served with fish sauce.

For filling

  • 1/2 pound shrimp
  • 10 large shrimps (with heads)
  • 1/2 pound pork belly or pork back
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon nouc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Pepper

For dough

  • 30 ounces tapioca starch
  • Boiling water

For topping

  • 1/8 pound pork fat
  • 2 scallion stalks
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Make filling

Cut pork into small pieces that contain meat, fat, and skin. Set aside.

Remove the small and large shrimp’s tails, legs and veins, but leave their peels intact. The shrimp’s peel adds to the dish’s flavor and texture. For the larger shrimps, do not remove their heads. The shrimp heads contribute to the filling’s intense orangey color.

Sauté the pork in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat until just cooked. Add the shrimp (large and small) to the pork along with vegetable oil, fish sauce, salt, and sugar. Cook until all liquid has been absorbed. Lastly, add a generous amount of pepper to the filling.

Make dough

Place the tapioca starch into a large mixing bowl. Add enough boiling water to the starch to form malleable dough. Start with half a cup of water and gradually add in a little more until dough is formed. Knead the dough for approximately five minutes or until the water and starch is combined. The dough should be smooth and pliable.

Assembling and cooking Banh Bot Loc

Using a small portion of the dough, form a flat circle that is approximately 3″ in diameter and 1/8″ thick. Place one shrimp and one piece of pork in the center of the dough and fold in half. For the larger shrimps, cut into smaller pieces. Repeat with the remainder of the filling and dough.

Cook the banh bot loc in boiling water for 5-8 minutes or until translucent. Once the banh bot loc has been removed from the boiling water, place them immediately in a cold water bath for 3 minutes and then drain. Repeat until all banh bot loc has been cooked.

Make topping

Saute pork fat on high heat. After 15 minutes, crispy pork fat will form within the liquid fat. Drain the liquid fat leaving only the crispy pork fat. Set aside. Chop scallions into thin slices and sauté in vegetable oil. Add in crispy pork fat and combine. Spread the onion, oil, and crispy pork fat mixture atop the banh bot loc and serve immediately with fish sauce.