Published by Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
Copyright © 2009 Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
All rights reserved. The publisher wishes to thank the following for the use of their tableware: TARA home, Singapore, pages 28 (plate), 31 (bowl) and 59 (bowls).
ISBN: 978-1-4629-1533-0 (ebook)
Printed in Singapore
1308CP
15 14 13
10 9 8 7 6 5
Distributors
Asia Pacific: Berkeley Books Pte Ltd,
61 Tai Seng Avenue, #02-12,
Singapore 534167
Tel (65) 6280 1330; Fax (65) 6280 6290.
[email protected] www.periplus.com
Indonesia: PT Java Books Indonesia,
Kawasan Industri Pulogadung Jl. Rawa
Gelam IV No. 9 Jakarta 13930, Indonesia
Tel: (62) 21 4682-1088; Fax: (62) 20 461-0206.
[email protected] www.periplus.com
Photography: Edmond Ho
Food Styling: Christopher Tan
Recipe Tester: Angie Tan
Design: Periplus Design Team
Nongkran Daks and Alexandra Greeley
Vietnamese cooking is famous for its fresh flavors and artfully composed meals—it is the true "light cuisine" of Asia. Delicate soups and stir-fries, and well-seasoned grilled foods served with rice or noodles are packed with fresh herbs and spices. Stunning photography and simple step-by-step instructions make Homestyle Vietnamese Cooking the perfect introduction to the world of Vietnamese cuisine. This book is the perfect guide to preparing delicious Vietnamese dishes like Spring Rolls, Hanoi Beef Noodle Soup and Black Pepper Sauce Crabs.
P E R I P L U S E D I T I O N S
Singapore • Hong Kong • Indonesia
Contents
Basic Recipes
Caramel Sauce
Crispy Fried Shallots
Chicken Stock
Fish Sauce Dip (Nuoc Cham)
Peanut Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Leo)
Roasted Rice Powder
Appetizers, Salads and Snacks
Grilled Lemongrass Chicken Satays
Pork and Prawn Crêpes (Bahn Xeo)
Pickled Bean Sprouts and Carrot
Green Papaya Salad
Fresh Vietnamese Salad Rolls (Goi Guon)
Classic Pork and Crabmeat Spring Rolls (Cha Gio)
Seasoned Prawn on a Sugar Cane Stick (Chao Tom)
Shredded Chicken and Cabbage Salad
Grilled Leaf-wrapped Beef Rolls (Bo La Lot)
Tangy Prawn Salad with Carrot, Cucumber and Mint Leaves
Barbecued Lemongrass Beef Salad
Crabmeat Omelete
Noodles and Soups
Glass Noodle Soup
Hanoi Beef Noodle Soup (Pho Bo)
Chicken Noodle Soup
Noodles with Beef and Vegetables
Hot and Sour Soup with Prawns and Pineapple
Rice
Fried Rice with Prawns
Seafood
Fish in Caramel Sauce
Fried Fish with Lemongrass
Fish Sauteed with Dill and Tomatoes
Stir-fried Fish with Mushrooms and Ginger
Stir-fried Garlic Prawns
Black Pepper Sauce Crabs
Caramel Chicken Wings
Meat and Poultry
Grilled Lemongrass Spareribs
Grilled Meatballs with Peanut Sauce
Hearty Beef Stew with Vegetables
Sesame Beef with Bamboo Shoot
Barbecued Pork Skewers
Pork Stew with Bean Curd and Hard-boiled Eggs
Desserts
Bananas in Coconut Milk
Caramel Custard
Tapioca Pearls with Cantaloupe
Basic Vietnamese Ingredients
Chilies have become an essential culinary item in almost every Asian country. Many different varieties are used. The Asian finger-length red chili is moderately hot. Dried red chilies of this variety are ground to make chili flakes or ground red pepper. Tiny bird's-eye chilies are extremely hot. They are also available dried. The seeds are usually removed when slicing or mincing the chilies.
Coconut cream and coconut milk are mainly used in Vietnamese desserts. While freshly pressed coconut milk has more flavor, coconut cream and milk are now widely sold in cans and packets that are quick, convenient and tasty. You can dilute canned or packaged coconut cream to obtain thick or thin coconut milk. Fresh coconut cream is made by grating the flesh of 1 coconut (this will yield about 4 cups of grated coconut flesh), adding ½ cup water, kneading a few times, then straining it with your fist, or with a muslin cloth or cheesecloth. This should yield about ½ cup of coconut cream. Thick coconut milk is obtained by the same method, but the water is doubled to 1 cup and 1 coconut will yield about 1 cup of thick coconut milk. Thin coconut milk is obtained by adding 2 cups of water to the already pressed coconut flesh a second time and straining again, and this should yield 2 cups of thin coconut milk. Most of the recipes in this book call for thick coconut milk. Consistencies vary from brand to brand, so use your judgement and dilute with water