“Bun goi da”

“Bun goi da”

“Bun goi da” is a special noodle soup which is one of the most appreciated by visitors to Soc Trang Province.

The strange dish is originated in My Xuyen Town, Soc Trang Province. Leaving the city of Soc Trang some 5 km to My Xuyen Town, you can see a board "bun goi da" suspended before the small stall. While waiting for the dilicious dish moved out, you can view the cool green trees, smelling the fragrance of delicious dishes.

The best “bun goi da” is served at a small and shady stall in a quiet street at old Bai Xau, a site which used to be buoyant port serving the 6 Southern provinces. The shop-owner Trinh Thi Nu, is a retired school teacher in Can Tho City. She takes a very good care to ensure the best quality of the dish which requires a number of ingredients including rice noodles, pork, prawns, soybean paste, sliced red chilli and some herbs. Having put these things into a decoratively presented bowl, a flavoured hot broth, the most important thing to decide the taste of the dish, is added to the mixture.

“Bun goi da” is even more appealing with some fresh vegetables. It has been one of the favourite dishes for both locals and visitors in Soc Trang Province. Each bowl is a mere 12,000 to 15,000 VND. For many years, “bun goi da” have made the journey to Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City, help to improve people’s living standard. Moreover, “bun goi da” is also served in Hoang Cung Restaurant of Saigon - Can Tho Hotel. Although the price is 20,000 to 25,000 VND for a bowl of “bun goi da”, the luxurious seat will help you delight in watching the street and the bowl of “bun goi da” is much more delicious.

Not only the favourite for many visitors, “bun goi da” is one of traditional dishes in Soc Trang Province. Once enjoying and you can feel the typical fragrance of the dish.

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“Banh it” - sticky rice cake

“Banh it” - sticky rice cake

It is true that “Banh it” is a must try specialty of the Central Region in Vietnam!

Commonly, there are two kinds of “Banh it”. The first one is “Banh it la gai”, which is sticky rice cake with coconut or green bean stuffing wrapped in pinnate leaf. The second one is “Banh it tom thit” - glutinous rice cake with meat and shrimp, its name means “little meat shrimp cakes”, the stuffing is made of ground pork and shrimp mixed with spring onion and other spices.

A popular saying goes: "If you wish to eat banh it la gai, get married to a Binh Dinh man to increase your life experience". It shows how essential “Banh it la gai” is to the people in the central region. Originating in Binh Dinh Province on the central coast, “Banh it la gai” has become a veritable specialty of that region of Vietnam.

"Banh it la gai" is made from five ingredients - sticky rice, "la gai" (a type of thorn leaf popular in the central region), sugar, green beans (or black beans) and a banana leaf. The “la gai” is boiled and then ground in a stone mortar until its green colour turns black. The sticky rice is ground into flour. The sugar is dissolved in water and then boiled down to make syrup. Then the three ingredients are mixed together to make the dough. Meanwhile, the green beans are soaked in water for hours and then whipped before steaming. After that the well-done beans are ground and rolled into balls used as fillings for the dough.

The dumpling can also be made with sweetened ground coconut instead of beans. Either way the banana leaves are usually put quickly on the fire or dipped in hot water to make them soft so that it is easier to wrap the cake with them. The little packages usually are shaped like pyramids with square bottoms. Then people arrange the packets into a pot for steaming.

Visiting Binh Dinh, tourists can discover how “Banh it” often stands right in the centre of locals' lives. In death anniversaries, it is acceptable for there to be no fish or meat, but there must be “Banh it la gai”. In marriage rituals, a tray of “Banh it la gai” is the gift of the bride’s family to that of the groom to show the skillfulness of the bride who has made the Banh it together with other villagers.

In the former imperial capital of Hue in Thua Thien-Hue Province, tourists can also find “Banh it la gai” and another type of “Banh it” called “Banh it tom thit”. The cake is a little ball of sticky rice flour stuffed with shrimp and pork. The tasty morsel is served plain or wrapped in banana leaves and is one of the indispensable dishes in the death anniversaries of a Hue family.

“Banh it” is also popular in the historic town of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province. There tourists can find “Banh it” not only at family parties, wedding ceremonies and death anniversaries but also at restaurants. Hoi An has two types of “Banh it”: one with green bean filling and wrapped in banana leaves called “Banh it la gai nhan dau xanh” and the other also filled with green beans but served plain called “Banh it la gai tran”. Unlike common “Banh it la gai”, “Banh it tran” usually is pink and smells like la dua (a type of leaf that smells when it is steamed). A famous “Banh it la gai”-making family lives on Nhi Trung Street in Hoi An. Stopping by their ancient house, tourists can learn all the stages of making “Banh it”. They can see how people prepare “la gai”, whip beans, grind sticky rice and form the dumplings. Above all, they can enjoy “Banh it” right after it is steamed.

Once visting the central region of Vietnam, you should not miss a chance to enjoy the so delicious taste of “Banh it”...

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“Banh Phu The”– Vietnamese conjugal cake

“Banh Phu The”– Vietnamese conjugal cake

In Vietnam,“Banh Phu The” is a special cake, which symbolises the loyalty of a husband and wife...

The conjugal cake is normally served at Vietnamese weddings and used as a wedding invitation or taken by the man’s family to the woman’s family on engagement day. The stickiness of the cake is said to signify the stickiness of the marriage ties. Traditionally, a guy would offer these to the girl he wants to marry. Now these cakes are still an essential part of a wedding banquet, or the gift packages that the groom's family send over to the bride's.

“Banh Phu The” is a Vietnamese sweet with a jelly-like texture made of tapioca flour, pandan, mung bean paste, sugar, sesame seeds and coconut milk. It is very unique with a leaf covering that looks like a tiny square box, made from coconut leaves. The reason it is called Banh “Phu The” is because of how it is wrapped: a box on the top fits perfectly with the box on the bottom. If you would like ton know how to make this special cake, you can visit Dinh Bang - a famous Vietnamese village in Bac Ninh Province, then you can view the method to prepare this husband and wife cake, as follows:

Ingredients:

- 1kg kudzu powder, refined - 800g refined sugar - 200g coconut flesh, scraped in thin threads

- 300g green beans - 50 coconut leaves - 15 pineapple leaves

To prepare:

Filling

Cut green beans in halves, soak in warm water for five hours. Strain and remove skin of green beans. Rinse.

Steam green beans and grind into a paste.

Mix green bean paste with 200g sugar, then cook over a low flame and stir until the mixture loses its sticky texture.

Spread the mixture 3cm thick on a large tray, cool and cut into 6x6cm square pieces.

Cover

Wash and clean pineapple leaves and cut into 60cm strips so that only the middle remains.

Arrange the coconut leaves into a square or hexagonal shape to form a box roughly 25x30cm wide and place a pineapple leaf on top.

Dissolve the kudzu powder and remaining sugar in water. Use two and a half times as much water to the amount of powder.

Cook over a low flame, stirring until the mixture becomes a paste. Extinguish flame, add threads of coconut flesh and mix well.

Fill the coconut leaf boxes with the coconut flesh mixture and place the green bean filling in the centre.

Put the boxes in the steamer and cook for 20 minutes, until the cake becomes clear.

“Banh phu the” is a lot more interesting in texture and flavor. In the real one, the cake has it green color and flavor by being steamed inside its box...

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Barbecued Skewered Pork Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 6

500g Pork fillet 2 cloves Garlic 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Sugar 3 teaspoons Rice wine or dry sherry 1 tablespoon Roasted ground rice 3 teaspoons Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Melted pork fat or lard For serving 500g Fresh rice noodles 1 Medium lettuce Sprigs of fresh coriander or mint Nuoc Leo sauce

Method : Cut the pork fillet into very thin slices. Then cut in small squares. Crush garlic finely with salt and sugar, then mix with wine or sherry. Pour over the pork, mix well and leave for 30 minutes. With mortar and pestle pound a small portion of the meat at a time until it has a paste-like consistency. As each lot is done, remove it to a bowl or plate. Add melted pork fat, ground rice and fish sauce. Knead mixture well, then form small sausage shapes and mould them onto bamboo skewers, squeezing them on very firmly. Barbecue over glowing coals or under a griller, at a good distance from the source of heat so they are well done before the outside is browned. Turn the skewers to ensure the meat cooks on all sides. To serve : Slice fresh rice noodles and steam them. Serve skewers of pork with well-washed and dried lettuce separated into leaves, the noodles, and a small bunch of fresh coriander or mint. Each person assembles his own snack. A leaf of lettuce is topped with a few rice noodles, some of the barbecued pork, a sprig of fresh coriander or mint, a spoonful of sauce, then rolled up to form a neat roll. This takes some practice. If preferred, the sauce may be served as a dipping sauce. Note : The pork for this recipe is pounded and not minced, as the results will not be the same.

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Barbecued Whole Fish Recipe

Ingredients :

750g Small snapper or bream, cleaned and scaled 2 teaspoons Green peppercorns, finely crushed 2 teaspoons Red chili, chopped 3 teaspoons Fish sauce 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 4 medium Onion, finely sliced 4 cm Fresh ginger, cut into very thin slices 3 cloves Garlic, cut into very thin slices 2 teaspoons Sugar 4 Spring onions, cut into 4 cm pieces, then finely shredded Lemon and garlic dipping sauce to serve

Method : Wash the fish inside and out. Dry with paper towels. Cut 2 diagonal slashes into the thickest part of the fish on both sides. Place the peppercorns, chili and fish sauce in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Process or grind until a paste is formed. Brush the paste lightly over the fish, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Heat the barbeque until very hot. Lightly brush it with oil. Cook the fish for 8 minutes on each side, or until the flesh flakes easily when tested. While the fish is cooking, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring until golden. Add the ginger, garlic and sugar and cook for 3 minutes. Place the fish on a serving plate, top with the onion mixture, sprinkle over the spring onion and serve immediately with lemon and garlic dipping sauce and steamed rice.

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Beef and Watercress Salad Recipe

Ingredients :

350g Fillet steak, partially frozen 1 tablespoon Green peppercorns, roughly chopped 4 cloves Garlic, crushed 3 stems Lemon grass (white part only), very finely sliced 3 tablespoons Cooking oil 1/4 teaspoon Salt 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper 250g Watercress 125g cherry tomatoes, halved 4 Spring onions, chopped 2 tablespoons Lime juice

Method : Cut the steak into thin slices. Place the steak, peppercorns, garlic, lemon grass, 2 tablespoons of oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove the watercress sprigs from the tough stems, break them into small pieces and wash and drain them well. Arrange the watercress on a serving platter and place the tomatoes on top around the outside edge. Heat the remaining oil in a wok until very hot and lightly smoking. Add the beef mixture and stir-fry it quickly until the meat is just cooked. Add the spring onion and toss through. Remove the beef mixture from the wok, pile it up in the center of the watercress and sprinkle lime juice over the top Serve immediately while hot. Note : Partially freezing the meat for about 30 minutes will makes it firm and therefore easier to slice very finely.

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Beef Pho Recipe

Ingredients :

1 kg (2 lb) Beef shin bones 350g Gravy beef 6 cm Thinly sliced fresh ginger 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste 2.5 liters Water 2 tablespoons Fish sauce 400g Thick fresh rice noodles 150g Rump steak, thinly sliced 3 Spring onions, finely chopped 1 medium Onion, very thinly sliced Herbs & Spices 6 Peppercorns 1 Cinnamon stick 4 Cloves 6 Coriander seeds Toppings Chopped red chili, bean sprouts, fresh purple basil leaves, chopped spring onion, thin lime wedges, fresh coriander leaves.

Method : Place the bones, gravy beef, ginger, salt and water in a large pan. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer very gently, uncovered, for 3 1/2 hours. Skim off any scum that forms on the surface. Add in the herbs & spices like peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds and fish sauce. Then cook for another 40 minutes. Remove the gravy beef and set it aside to cool. Drain the stock, reserving all the liquid and discarding the bones and spices; return the liquid to the pan. When the gravy beef is cool enough to handle, cut it against the grain into very fine slices. Set aside. Close to serving time, plunge the noodles into a pan of boiling water and cook them for about 10 seconds only, otherwise they will soften and fall apart. Drain the noodles well and divide them among large individual soup bowls. Arrange the toppings on a platter in the center of the table. Bring the beef stock to a rapid boil. Place some slices of the cooked meat as well as a few slices of the raw steak into each bowl of noodles. Ladle the boiling stock over the top, sprinkle over the spring onion, and onion slices and serve. Each diner chooses their own toppings and can also add sauces such as sweet chili sauce and hoisin sauce to their dish.

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Beef with Bamboo Shoots Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 3-4

375g Rump or fillet steak 2 tablespoons Peanut oil 1 Large can bamboo shoots, sliced 6 Spring onions, sliced 1 tablespoon Fish sauce 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1 clove Garlic, crushed 4 tablespoons Sesame seed, toasted and crushed Extra 2 tablespoons of peanut oil

Method : Cut beef into very thin slices about 5 cm long. Heat peanut oil in wok, stir fry beef quickly for only about 1 minute. Remove from wok while meat is still pink. In same wok, heat extra oil and fry well-drained sliced bamboo shoots and spring onions for about 2 minutes. Add fish sauce and salt, and fry for a further 5 minutes. Add crushed garlic, stir and fry for a further minute, then return beef to wok and stir fry for a minute. Add sesame seeds and mix well. Serve hot with rice. Note : Do not double this recipe. If a larger quantity is needed, make two lots.

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Caramelized Shrimps (Prawns) Recipe

Ingredients :

500g Medium raw shrimps 6 Spring onions 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped 2 tablespoons Caramel sauce 1 tablespoon Fish sauce 1 tablespoon Lime juice 1 tablespoon Soft brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/4 Red pepper (capsicum), cut into fine strips.

Method : Remove the shrimp heads and devein. Leave the tails shells and legs intact. Rinse the shrimps under running water and pat dry with paper towels. Finely chop half the spring onions. Cut the rest into 4 cm long pieces and then finely shred the pieces into thin strips. Heat the cooking oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Add the garlic, chopped spring onion and shrimps. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, tossing the shrimps until they turn pink. Drizzle the caramel sauce and fish sauce over the top and cook for 1 minute. Add the lime juice, sugar, salt and remaining spring onion. Toss well and serve immediately, garnish with the red pepper. If the prawn shells are tender, they can be eaten. Note : To make caramel sauce, combine 4 tablespoons of sugar with 3 tablespoons of water in a small pan. Stir over low heat, without boiling, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the syrup to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until the syrup turns dark golden. Take care not to burn it. Remove the pan from the heat and add 4 tablespoons of water. It will spit and sizzle and the caramel will form hard lumps. Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring until the limps become liquid again. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

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Chicken and Winter Melon Soup Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 6

500g Chicken wings or half a chicken 1kg Chinese winter melon 6 Spring onions 5 cups Water 1 teaspoon Salt 1 tablespoon Fish sauce Black pepper to taste

Method : Cut chicken wings or half chicken into joints. Peel melon, discard skin and spongy center with seeds. Cut melon into bite-sized pieces. Slice spring onions. Put chicken into saucepan with spring onions, water and salt. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 1 hour or until liquid is reduced and well flavored. Add winter melon, bring to the boil for one minute only. Add fish sauce and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, with rice if desired. Note : Peeled, sliced and seeded cucumber can be used as a substitute for winter melon if it is not available.

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Chicken with Cellophane Noodles Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4-6

500g Chicken meat 125g Cellophane noodles 2 Spring onions 1 tablespoon Oil 2 tablespoons Fish sauce 1 tablespoon Light soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon Ground black pepper 1/2 cup Water 2 Firm ripe tomatoes 2 White onions Sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper

Method : Remove skin and bone from chicken meat and cut into large bite-size chunks. Reserve bones for soups. Put noodles in a large bowl, pour boiling water over and allow to stand for 10 minutes, then drain and cut noodles into bite-size lengths. Cut spring onions into thin slices. Heat a wok, add oil and swirl to coat inside of wok. Add chicken and onions, stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, pepper and water, bring to boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Add noodles, return to the boil, stirring constantly and cook for 3 minutes longer. Serve hot, accompanied by a salad of sliced tomatoes and white onions, dressed with a dash of white vinegar, a sprinkling of sugar, salt and pepper to taste.

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Chicken with Lemon Grass Recipe

If you cannot get fresh lemon grass, this is one recipe where dried lemon grass will not do. Instead, use the finely peeled rind of a large lemon to get a close approximation of the original recipe. Ingredients : Serves 4-6

1 small Roasting chicken (about 1kg) 3 or 4 stalks Lemon grass or rind of 1 large lemon 3 Spring onions 1 teaspoon Salt 1/4 teaspoon Ground black pepper 2 tablespoons Oil 2 Fresh red chilies, seeded and chopped 2 teaspoons Sugar 1/2 cup Roasted peanuts, finely chopped 2 tablespoons Fish sauce Extra black pepper to taste

Method : Cut chicken into small serving pieces, chopping through the bones with a sharp cleaver. Remove outer leaves of the lemon grass and finely slice the tender white part at the base of the stalks. Bruise with mortar and pestle or handle of cleaver. Finely slice the spring onions, including the green leaves. Mix the chicken with the salt, pepper, lemon grass and spring onions, and set aside for 30 minutes. If lemon rind is used instead of lemon grass, shred the thinly peeled rind very finely with a sharp knife. Heat a wok, add oil and when oil is hot add the chicken mixture and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add chilies and stir fry on medium heat for a further 10 minutes or until chicken no longer looks pink. Season with sugar and pepper and add peanuts. Stir well. Add fish sauce and toss to distribute evenly. Then serve with rice or noodles.

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Crab Shrimps and Potato Fritters Recipe (Prawns)

Ingredients :

200g Raw shrimps 200g Can crab meat 200g Potatoes 1/2 cup Self-raising flour 1 cup Coconut milk 2 teaspoons Fish sauce 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon Sugar Cooking oil for shallow frying Lettuce leaves, to serve Fresh chopped mint leaves, to garnish Vietnamese Dipping Sauce to serve

Method : Peel and devein the shrimps. Finely chop the meat. Drain the crab meat. Finely grate the potatoes, squeezing out as much water as possible. Place the shrimp meat, crab meat, potato, flour, coconut milk, fish sauce, salt, pepper and sugar in a large bowl and combine well. Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok until hot; cook tablespoons of the mixture, about 3 at a time, tossing gently until golden brown. Drain the fritters on paper towels. Arrange the fritters on a bed of lettuce leaves and garnish with mint leaves. Serve with the Vietnamese Dipping Sauce. Note : Grate the potatoes just before cooking to stop them from going brown.

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Crab Omelet Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 3-4

4 Eggs 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper 125g Crab meat, fresh, frozen or canned 2 Spring onions, chopped 1 teaspoon Fish sauce 1 Fresh red chili, sliced, optional Oil for frying

Method : Beat eggs slightly and season with salt and pepper. Pick over crabmeat and discard any bits of bony tissue. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan and saute the spring onions and chili for 1 minute. Add crab and continue to fry for a further minute or two. Sprinkle fish sauce over. Remove mixture to a small plate and allow to cool. Heat a teaspoonful of oil in the frying pan, pour in beaten eggs and cook, drawing egg mixture in from sides of pan, until set on the bottom, creamy on top. Spoon crab mixture down center of omelet and fold in half. Serve on a warm plate. This may be accompanied by nuoc cham.

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Dry Cooked Pork Strips Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 6-8

750g Lean pork chops 2 tablespoons Water 2 tablespoons Fish sauce 1 tablespoon Sugar 3 Spring onions, thinly sliced 1/4 teaspoon Ground black pepper

Method : Remove skin and bones from pork chops, and cut meat into thin strips. Put into a small, deep saucepan - a large saucepan will not do for this dish, as the little liquid for cooking the pork must not be allowed to evaporate over a large surface area. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir, cook for 2 minutes on high heat, then reduce heat to medium and boil for 20 minutes or until liquid is completely absorbed. Stir towards end of cooking time so that meat does not burn. It will turn brown. Serve with white rice and a green vegetables or salad.

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Eggplant (Aubergine) Slices in Black Bean Sauce Recipe

Ingredients :

500g Eggplant (aubergine) medium size 1/3 cup Cooking oil 4 cloves Garlic, finely chopped 4 cm Fresh ginger, grated 2 medium Onions, finely chopped 1/3 cup Chicken stock 2 teaspoons Canned black beans, rinsed well, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Soy sauce 2 teaspoons Fish sauce 4 Onions, sliced into long diagonal strips

Method : Slice the eggplant into long slices and lightly brush each side with oil. Heat a frying pan over moderately low heat; add the eggplant, 5 slices at a time, and cook until golden on both sides. Remove from the pan. Do not hurry this process as cooking the eggplant slowly allows the natural sugars to caramelize and produces a wonderful flavor. If the eggplant begins to burn, reduce the heat and sprinkle it with a little water. Increase the heat to moderately high and add any remaining oil, the garlic, ginger, onion and about 1 tablespoon of the chicken stock. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add the remaining stock, black beans, oyster sauce, soy sauce and fish sauce. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Return the eggplant to the pan and simmer for 2 minutes or until it is heated through. Scatter over the spring onion and serve Note : Always rinse black beans very well before cooking as they are extremely salty. They will keep a long time if refrigerated after opening.

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Fish and Cellophane Noodle Soup Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 6-8

500g White fish fillets 1 teaspoon Finely grated fresh ginger 3 tablespoons Fish sauce 1 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Ground black pepper 60g Cellophane noodles 1 1/2 tablespoons Peanut oil 1 Medium onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves Garlic, crushed 2 Daun salam or few curry leaves 1 teaspoon Turmeric 1 teaspoon Dried shrimp paste 1 teaspoon Finely grated lemon rind 6 cups Hot water 3 tablespoons Finely sliced spring onions

Method : Remove skin and bones from the fish and chop flesh coarsely. Mix fish with ginger, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and half the salt and pepper. Set aside. Soak noodles in warm water for 15 minutes. In a large saucepan, heat oil and fry onion, garlic, daun salam until the onion is soft. Stir frequently while frying. Add turmeric and dried shrimp paste and fry for another minute, crushing paste against side of pan. Add lemon rind, water and cellophane noodles and remaining fish sauce, salt and pepper. Boil 5 minutes, then add fish and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat, pour into soup tureen or serving bowl, sprinkle with spring onions and serve hot.

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Fish Cakes with Chinese Cabbage Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4

3 Chinese-style fish cakes 1 tablespoon Oil 1 clove Garlic, crushed 1/2 teaspoon Grated fresh ginger 1/2 Medium-size white Chinese cabbage 1 tablespoon Light soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon Salt 2 teaspoons Oyster sauce 1/4 cup Stock or water 1/2 teaspoon Cornflour

Method : Slice the fish cakes thinly. Wash Chinese cabbage, drain well and cut into slices 2.5 cm wide. Heat oil in a wok and fry garlic and ginger on low heat for a few seconds, then add cabbage and stir fry for 1 minute. Add soy, salt, oyster sauce and stir well. Add stock or water and bring to the boil, then turn in the sliced fish cakes and heat through. Push ingredients to side of wok, add cornflour mixed with a little cold water to the liquid in the center and stir constantly until it boils and thickens. Stir all the ingredients together and serve at once with white rice.

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Fried Shrimp Cakes Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4-6 as a meal with rice and soup

1 quantity Shrimp paste 1 Spring onion, finely chopped Pinch of ground black pepper Oil for frying

Method : Mix shrimp paste with onion and pepper and form into small flat cakes with lightly oiled hands. Heat about 2.5 cm vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry on medium heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot with rice, soup and nuoc cham. These cakes are also suitable for serving as appetizers with lettuce leaves and chopped fresh coriander or mint. Wrap in lettuce, adding a sprinkling of herbs and dip in nuoc cham. Eat immediately.

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Glutinous Rice and Soybean Sauce Recipe

Ingredients :

1/2 cup Glutinous rice 4 cups Water 5 cloves Garlic 1 tablespoon Oil 250g Minced pork 1/2 teaspoon Ground black pepper 3 tablespoons Chinese bean sauce 2 cups Chicken or pork stock 2 tablespoons Sugar 1 tablespoon Fish sauce 2 teaspoons Chinese chili sauce 1 cup Roasted peanuts, pounded

Method : Put rice and water in a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes, then uncover and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until all the water has been absorbed. Crush garlic with a little of the measured sugar. Heat oil in a wok, fry garlic on low heat until it starts to change color. Add pork and stir fry on medium heat until it loses its pink color. Add pepper and bean sauce, stir well. Simmer for a minute, then add stock, sugar and fish sauce, stir well and simmer a further minute or two. Add cooked rice, continue simmering for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in chili sauce and peanuts ground in a blender or pounded with mortar and pestle. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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