Hello all, and welcome back to CASU@UF! We hope all of you and your loved ones have stayed healthy during the pandemic and seized any extra free time to do some cooking. On that note, we have our first online event coming up–an Anthony Bourdain watch party and trivia night! We will be watching a real powerhouse of a Parts Unknown episode, featuring the beautiful country of Vietnam and a guest visit from Mr. Barack Obama. So, we've prepared a few classic Vietnamese recipes that you can make at home! Unfortunately, the pandemic is keeping us from providing free food and hosting a large event, but please join us this Thursday night to make some rolls or Banh Mi. See you then!
Spring Rolls (Chả giò) - AKA everyone's favorite
Serves 10-12
2 ounces dried thin rice noodles
¾ cup ground chicken
¼ cup shrimp - washed, peeled, and cut into small pieces
2 large eggs, beaten
1 carrot, grated
4 medium mushrooms, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
½ teaspoon white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
24 rice paper wrappers
2 cups vegetable oil for frying
NUOC CHAM DIPPING SAUCE
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup sugar
⅓ cup water
2 Tablespoons lime juice – freshly squeezed, about half a lime
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 clove garlic – finely diced
1 small Thai chili pepper – finely diced
1 Tablespoon shredded carrot
1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce (sriracha) – (optional)
Instructions
Soak rice noodles in cold water until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain well; cut into 2-inch long pieces.
Combine the noodle pieces, chicken, shrimp, eggs, carrot, mushrooms, and green onions in a large bowl. Sprinkle in sugar, salt, and black pepper; stir filling mixture well.
Soak 1 rice paper wrapper in a shallow bowl of warm water to soften, about 15 seconds. Remove from water and place on a damp cloth laid out on a flat surface.
Place 1 tablespoon of filling mixture into the center of the softened rice paper. Fold the bottom edge into the center, covering the filling. Fold in opposing edges and roll up tightly. Repeat with remaining rice paper wrappers, soaking and filling each one individually.
Heat oil in a work or large skillet over medium heat.
Fry the spring rolls in batches of 3 or 4 until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Nuoc Cham Dipping sauce
Set the carrots aside. Add the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix it together until the sugar completely dissolves. Add the shredded carrots right before serving. Makes about 1 cup of sauce. Scale up the recipe if you need more sauce (it's delicious so you probably will).
Summer Rolls (Gỏi cuốn)
Serves 3-6
10 spring roll rice paper wrappers
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
1 large cucumber, julienned
1/2 of a large red pepper, julienned
1/3 cup chopped purple cabbage
1 ounce cooked rice noodles or rice vermicelli
handful fresh cilantro (and/or mint, basil)
5 large green lettuce leaves torn in half
20 medium cooked shrimp, peeled and sliced in half length-wise
PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 Tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, mashed (or about 1 teaspoon minced)
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or a chili-garlic sauce
1–2 Tablespoons warm water, or more as needed
Instructions
First, prepare the rice paper wrappers. Pour warm water into a large bowl, and working with one at a time, dip the rice paper wrapper into the warm water for 10-15 seconds. You want the wrapper to be soft, yet still slightly firm and pliable. Immediately remove from the water and place flat onto a work surface. Pat the wrapper slightly dry.
Then fill the rolls. Place a few sticks of carrot, cucumber, red pepper, and a sprinkle of cabbage on top of the bottom 1/3 of the rice paper as explained and pictured in the post. Then, add a small amount of noodles (if using), and a bit of cilantro. Lay 1/2 of a lettuce leaf on top and 4 slices of shrimp on top.
Finally, roll them up tightly. To do so, gently pull up the bottom of the roll and roll over the filling. Then, roll and use your hands to tuck the filling in as you go. You can fold in the sides of the rice paper roll if you want or leave them untucked.
To make the dipping sauce, add everything to a bowl (except water and optional garnish) and whisk until smooth. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of warm water or until you reach desired viscosity.
Bánh mì - This sandwich will change your life!
Serves: 6
PICKLED VEGETABLES
¾ cup shredded carrots
¾ cup thinly sliced Persian, Kirby, or European cucumbers
½ cup shredded daikon radish
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
PORK
½ cup mayonnaise
4 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
2 to 3 tablespoons sriracha or other chili sauce, to taste
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup chopped fresh basil
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1/2 lime
SANDWICH
6 small hero rolls or 2 baguettes cut into thirds, split (the better the bread, the better the sandwich; I would opt for a crispy baguette if available)
Fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced and seeded, for serving
Mint sprigs, for serving
Cilantro sprigs, for serving
Instructions
In a bowl, toss together the carrots, cucumbers, daikon, vinegar, sugar, and salt and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the pork. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon scallions, and 1 to 2 tablespoons chili sauce, to taste. Cover tightly and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons scallions and the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add pork and cook, breaking up with a fork, until no longer pink, 7 to 10 minutes.
Stir in 1 tablespoon chili sauce and the fish sauce, pepper, salt, and sugar.
Remove from heat and stir in the basil, lime zest, and lime juice. Let cool 5 minutes, then add mayonnaise mixture.
Fill bread with pork mixture. Press the jalapeño, mint, and cilantro sprigs into the pork. Spoon some pickled vegetables onto the sandwiches and serve any extra alongside.
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