Recipe: Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

(Click on the image above to view the complete photoset of 4 pictures) I told you about clearing out my fridge in my last post, so this is the second installment where I used the leftover lemongrass, shallots, and chicken breasts as the main ingredients. I found the recipe on a recent copy of Food & Wine magazine--an article about Vietnamese recipes. I believe this is not the most authentic lemongrass chicken recipe around, but it worked out really well and I enjoyed it, especially the caramelized sweet taste of this dish... I am not going to write a lengthy post because of some last-minute shopping that I have to do, but I shall leave you with this wonderful recipe of Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken. Enjoy! Other Vietnamese recipes on Rasa Malaysia: Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky or bean curd skin with shrimp Vietnamese Cha Tom or Hue shrimp patties Related Recipe: Fried Shrimp/Prawn Balls with Wonton Skin (炸虾球) Recipe: Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine, October 2007 "Simple, Tasty Vietnamese Cooking" Ingredients: 2 tablespoons fish sauce 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tablespoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast/thigh, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 3 tablespoons water 3 tablespoons cooking oil 2 fresh lemongrass stalks, tender inner white bulbs only, minced 1 large shallot, thinly sliced 3 chilies, seeded and minced 1 scallion for garnishing Method: In a bowl, combine the fish sauce, garlic, curry powder, salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the sugar. Add the chicken meat to coat. In a small skillet, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 tablespoon of the water and cook over high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Cook without stirring until a deep amber caramel forms. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water. Transfer to a bowl. Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the lemongrass, shallot, and chilies and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the chicken and caramel and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened. Transfer to a bowl and top with the scallion. Serve with steamed white rice. Continue Reading "Recipe: Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken"

Recipe: Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky (Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp)

Tau Hu Ky, or fried shrimp wrapped with bean curd skin is a must-have appetizer for me whenever I go to Vietnamese restaurants. The reasons are very obvious: 1) I love bean curd products, especially bean curd skins; 2) I live to eat shrimp (check my recipe index and you will know what I mean); 3) Bean curd skins + shrimp + deep fried to oily golden glory, need I say more? I believe Tau Hu Ky is the Vietnamese adaptation of a similar Chinese appetizer 鲜虾腐皮卷 or fried shrimp rolls which are commonly available as dim sum. While I love the Chinese version (come with a black vinegar dipping sauce), I also adore Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky. The main difference is the texture of the filling: Tau Hu Ky uses ground shrimp emulsion instead of chopped shrimp. Egg whites are added to the filling to make it fluffy and light... Now, I am calling your attention to that little basil leaf on the plate! That's my first ever herb garden in a pot. Straight from Home Depot, I hope this pretty plant will flourish in my hands. The idea of being able to pluck the leaves for garnishing and cooking is too exciting. Anyway, here is the recipe for Tau Hu Ky, adapted from my Vietnamese Cha Tom hors d'oeuvres. Enjoy and have a great weekend! Recipe: Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky (Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp) Ingredients: 1 pound raw shrimp (smaller shrimp) Dry bean curd skin (cut into 6 in. x 9 in. pieces; 4 pieces) 1 clove garlic 3 thin slices fresh ginger 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1 egg white, beaten until frothy 1 stalk scallion (finely chopped) 2 dashes white pepper powder 2 teaspoons lard or cooking oil Method: Rinse and devein the shrimp. Dry the shrimp thoroughly with paper towels. Put the shrimp, ginger, garlic, white pepper, lard into a food processor and blend well to form a paste. Transfer the shrimp paste into a bowl. Beat the egg white with an electronic hand beater until frothy. Combine the shrimp paste with beaten egg white and blend well with hand. Add finely chopped scallion to the shrimp paste. Divide the shrimp paste into four equal portions. On a chopping board, use a damp towel to wipe the surface of the dry bean curd skin until it's soft for wrapping. Put the shrimp paste in the middle bottom of the bean curd skin and roll it into a 4 in. by 3 in. pieces. Seal and hold the sides and edges with some shrimp paste. Heat up a wok of oil and fry them until golden brown. Cut the Tau Hu Ky into bite size pieces and serve with garlic chili sauce. Continue Reading "Recipe: Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky (Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp)"