Culinary Vietnam (20 page)

2
Return to the heat and add the lemongrass, ginger, star anise, garlic, fish sauce, vinegar, salt, and peppercorns. Cook at a low boil for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 20 minutes more. Remove the chicken from the pot and cut each piece in half. Strain the broth with a fine strainer or through cheesecloth.

3
Precook the potatoes and carrots in boiling salted water just until done, about 15 minutes; drain and let cool.

4
Place a “lau pot” or other heavy pot in the middle of the table, two-thirds filled with the broth, on top of a heat source sufficient to bring it to a boil.

5
Add some of each of the remaining ingredients along with several pieces of the chicken, being careful not to overfill the pot.

6
After about 10 minutes of cooking in the hotpot, diners may begin to help themselves to the food in the hot broth. Replenish with the additional ingredients as needed. A large spoon or ladle is handy for serving the broth.

Chicken, Lemongrass, and Chile Stir-Fry

Ga Xao Xa Ot

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size chunks

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 good-size lemongrass stalks, thick bottom part only, finely minced (about 3 tablespoons)

2 to 3 red or green serrano or Thai chiles, stemmed and chopped

2 teaspoons minced shallots

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 green or red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 medium white onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 tablespoon

Caramel Sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer or 4 to 6 as part of a larger meal

Found in many small restaurants around the country and on the home table, this dish is boldly flavored, and it captures the essence of Vietnamese flavors and a simple cooking method. It can also be made with pork instead of chicken. Usually served as part of an array of dishes, it also works well as the center point of a meal. Another popular way to present this recipe is to serve it along with rice paper wrappers, lettuce leaves, and fresh herbs for each diner to roll up their own wrap to be dipped in sauce.

1
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a wok and add the lemongrass, chiles, shallots, garlic, bell pepper, and onion; stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and continue stir-frying until it begins to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Caramel Sauce and fish sauce, and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes more to coat the chicken with the sauce. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Seafood Dishes

With over 1,200 miles of coastline and hundreds of rivers and even more lakes and ponds, Vietnam is a treasure of great seafood. Ingredients from the sea are featured in a huge number of Vietnamese recipes, and seafood often makes its way into dishes that center around land-based ingredients too. The Vietnamese are almost fanatical about the freshness of their seafood. Many sea creatures are still alive and swimming moments before they are cooked. Some of the harder-to-come-by seafood items may be available at Asian markets; otherwise, substitution is always an acceptable option. Just make sure that it is as fresh as can be for the best authentic results.

Grilled Fish Hanoi-Style with Rice Noodles and Herbs

Cha Ca Hanoi

Marinade

2 teaspoons juice from fresh galangal or gingerroot, or 1 teaspoon dried galangal powder

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 tablespoon Vietnamese shrimp paste, or 2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

3 tablespoons plain yogurt

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 pounds catfish, halibut, tilapia, sea bass, or other mild yet firm fish fillets

12 to 16 ounces dried vermicelli or other rice noodles

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts

2 cups chopped fresh dill tops (1-1/2-inch pieces)

Dash of salt

Handful of chives, or 4 scallions (green parts only)

Fresh herbs (Asian basil, mint, cilantro, sorrel, Vietnamese coriander, etc.)

Tender lettuce leaves (butter, red or green leaf lettuce, etc.)

1 cup

Basic Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

with 2 teaspoons sugar added

Serves 4 to 6

This dish is named after the restaurant in Hanoi that first popularized this method, Cha Ca la Vong. However, I learned this recipe from my friend Khai Binh, the chef of his family’s Dzoan Restaurant in Saigon. The original recipe calls for sour rice, a fermented concoction that takes several weeks to prepare, but plain yogurt works well. The classic method of serving this dish is to first grill the fish, then place it in a skillet on a tabletop burner and cook it again with dill and chives or scallions. Here, I recommend you grill or broil the fish in larger pieces and cut them bite-size, then sauté the dill, chives, and peanuts in oil and pour over the fish. Individual portions are then combined in a bowl with rice noodles, fresh herbs, and lettuces by each diner. Cha Ca is usually served along with a sweet dipping sauce and some sliced chiles.

1
Combine all of the marinade ingredients and toss gently with the fish fillets. Set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Grill the fish or broil until done, cut into bite-size pieces, and arrange on a platter; cover to keep warm.

2
Cook the rice noodles until done and then rinse in cool water and set aside.

3
Heat the oil in a skillet or wok and add the peanuts, dill, salt, and chives (cut into 3-inch lengths, then quarter lengthwise). Sauté until fragrant and hot, then pour over the cooked fish pieces. Serve with the noodles, herbs, lettuce, and dipping sauce for each diner to combine on his or her own bowl or plate.

Whenever we settle into a small town or village, having come directly from home, it takes us time to find our feet, to get acclimated, to adjust our expectations for what each individual day will bring. It affects our feelings about the food we eat and how the food tastes.