RECIPES - Vietnamese made easy

Tamarind Fish Soup (Canh Chua Ca)

Caramel Sauce (Thang nuoc Duong)

Fish Simmered in Caramel Sauce ( Ca Kho To)

Vietnamese Crisp Rice Pancake (Banh Xeo)

Tamarind Fish Soup ( Canh Chua Ca) Ingredients White Fish, fillet or steak 300g Vietnamese Rhubarb (Bac ha) 1 stalk Fresh Pineapple, diced 3 tbsp Tomatoes, cut in wedges 1 small Okra, sliced 1 tbsp Tamarind water 6 tbsp Bean sprouts Chicken/fish heads stock 4 cups Fish sauce 2 tbsp Garlic chopped 3 cloves Fresh chilli, sliced Salt, sugar and pepper 1 spoon Mint and coriander, chopped Preparation In a small saucepan, cook the garlic until golden brown. Soak 1 or 2 tbsp of wet tamarind in water then strain. Bring the stock to boil and add the tamarind water. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let it settle. Strain the Stock. Put the stock into a pot and bring to a boil. Add the fish, then the sugar and fish sauce. When the fish is half cooked, add the remaining ingredients: pineapple,, tomato, bean sprouts, rhubarb. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Put the fish in a warm serving bowl and cover with the soup. Sprinkle with the chopped herbs, garlic mixture and the sliced chilli.

Fish Simmered in Caramel Sauce ( Ca Kho To) Ingredients 4 catfish steaks, cut 1 inch thick ground black pepper fresh chilli 1 tbsp Caramel Sauce Preparation Prepare the Caramel Sauce. Stir the chilli into the caramel sauce and set aside. Add the fish to the caramel sauce in a clay pot or heavy bottomed saucepan and Bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for about 45 minutes, turning the fish occasionally. Sprinkle with black pepper. Served with rice, pickled, fresh leaves or steamed vegetables.

Caramel Sauce (Thang nuoc Duong) Widely used in Vietnamese Cooking to enhance the flavour of some dishes. Ingredients 1/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup fish sauce 4 shallots, thinly sliced Ground black pepper Preparation Cook the sugar in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, swirling the pan constantly, until brown. It will smoke slightly. Remove pan from heat and stir the fish sauce into the caramel. Return the mixture to low heat & gently boil, swirling the pan occasionally until the sugar completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add the shallots and pepper to taste

Vietnamese Crisp Rice Pancake (Banh Xeo) Ingredients Coconut milk 2 Cups Rice Flour 1 Cup Sugar 1/2 tea spoon Salt 1/2 tea spoon Turmeric 1/4 Pork butt or shoulder, cut into thin slices Prawns (shelled, deveined) 12 Garlic (optional) 4 cloves Mushrooms sliced 2 cups Bean sprouts 2 cups Onion 1 large Vegetable Oil 3/4 cup Accompaniments and fillings: Nuoc Cham (Mixed fish sauce) Mixed leaves Make the Crepe batter: . Set aside 1 cup for the filling. . Put the remaining 1/2 cup in the blander with the coconut milk and process. . Add the rice flour, sugar, salt and turmeric - blend well. . Prepare Nuoc Cham fish sauce) and set aside. . In a bowl, combine the pork and prawns with fish sauce, garlic, sugar and black pepper to taste. . In another bowl, combine the mushrooms, bean sprouts, onion . Heat 2 tbsp Oil in high heat. Add the pork and prawns mixture and stir fry quickly.  . Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a sauce pan ,Stir batter well and pour 1/2 cup into the sauce pan. . Quickly tilt the saucepan to spread the mixture into a thin pancake. . Scatter 1 mound of vegetables, 2 slices of pork & 4 pieces of prawns on the pancake . Reduce the heat to moderate, cover the pan and cook for a few minutes. . Fold the pancake in half and slide into a platter. Serving: . To be eaten with fresh leaves, herb. Dipped in Nuoc Cham (Mixed fish sauce) while still hot and crispy.