Tamarind Swiss Chard with Chickpeas

I am now using Eat Your Books to find recipes on a semi-regular basis, but one of the most common search features I used is "Ottolenghi" because with the publication of Flavour, there are so many cookbooks of his to look through (Nopi, Ottolenghi, Jerusalem, Plenty, Plenty More, Ottolenghi Simple, and even Sweet, although I usually just pick that up), that I just search by an ingredient that I want to use up and his name.  Which is how we got this recipe. I had made chickpeas and we have oodles of chard.  I would serve with yogurt next time, and add a bit of honey to cut the tartness of the tamarind.

• 1 lb swiss chard (stalks and leaves), cut into 3/8-inch slices
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 14 oz canned chopped plum tomatoes, with their juices
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked and boiled until tender
• 1 1/2 tsp coriander
• 3 tbsp tamarind paste
• salt and black pepper
• cilantro
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 cups water

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the chard for 2 minutes.  Drain in a colander.
2. Put the onion, caraway seeds and olive oil in a large heavy pan and saute on medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and golden.  Add the tomato paste and stir as you cook it for about a minute.  Add the canned tomatoes, water, sugar, chickpeas, ground coriander, chard and some salt and pepper.
3. Add the tamarind.  Bring to a boil, then cover with a lid and leave to simmer for about 30 minutes.  When ready, the dish should have the consistency of a thick soup.  Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
4. While the stew is cooking, put the quinoa , coconut oil and a bit of salt in a medium pan and set on a medium heat.  Stir to coat the quinoa with the oil.  Add the water and boil, then cover the pan with a tight fitting lit and leave to simmer on a low flame for 20 minutes.  Remove from the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes.
5. When ready to serve, spoon the quinoa into shallow soup bowl, creating a crater in the center.  Ladle some of the soup stew into the middle of each quinoa hole.  Finish with cilantro.

 

Labyrinth of Lies (2014)

I watched this movie yesterday with my youngest son.  It is the telling of how Germany began the process of confronting their behavior during WWII.  It did not happen with the Nuremberg Trials.  In fact in the years after the war, most Germans did not know about the concentration camps and the behavior of soldiers towards others, the unspeakable small and large cruelties that they undertook each and everyday.  This is the story of Johann Rachmann, an ambitious and righteous young prosecutor who follows up a complaint that a guard at Auschwitz is teaching at a local school, which is against the law, but at the time completely overlooked.  When he sees that in fact the teacher was not removed, he digs deeper and no one wants to hear what he has to say.

The next step is to delve into the archives that the Americans have on Nazi crimes.  Almost everyone tells him not to, but never the less, he persists.  What he finds drives him mad, but he eventually brings people to trial, which lasts for almost 2 years, and ends with the beginning of a new reckoning.  Very painful to watch but magnificently done.
 

Slashed Grilled Chicken

The month is winding down but we have still been cooking out of Andrea Nguyen's cookbook to the very end (and beyond, I see a lot of things to repeat here, and a number of things that we have yet to try).  This recipe is simple and delicious.

The Marinade
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small shallot
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh herbs (whatever is fresh – thyme, rosemary, parsley, marjoram, and sage all work)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon  vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Make the marinade by putting the garlic, shallot, and salt into a food processor and pulse until the garlic and shallot are minced. Add the vinegar and give it another whirl to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes while the vinegar sweetens the shallot.

Add the oil, herbs, Worcestershire, and peppers to the processor and whirl to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Slash the chicken thighs with a knife, making one deep cut perpendicular to the bone. Trim off any extra fat or skin.

Put the thighs in a zip-top bag and pour the marinade over them. Turn to coat, then squeeze the air out of the bag, seal it up, and stash in the fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight is even better). Turn the bag every so often to make sure all the pieces get a coated in the marinade.

Remove the thighs from the marinade and give them a dash of salt on each side. Arrange them on a rack set over a pan (I used a 9×13 baking rack) and return to the fridge uncovered. This will help crisp the skin.

Set your grill up for an indirect cook at medium-high (400°F) heat. My spouse used a plate setter on the Big Green Egg to give me nice diffused heat.

When the grill is up to temp, arrange the thighs on the grate skin side up. Close the lid and let it cook for 20 minutes. Flip and cook skin-side down for 20 minutes. Flip again and cook skin-side up until the chicken is done – 180°F internal in the thickest part of the thigh.

 

Vietnamese Crab and Cream Cheese Wontons

This one is from one of Andrea Nguyen's other cookbooks, not the fabulously fantastic Vietnamese Food Any Day, but it is very tasty.  When you fill them like we did, they only make about 25.

• 1/3 cup cream cheese regular or non dairy, at room temperature
• 3/4 to 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1/4 rounded teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon grated garlic (use a rasper)
• 2/3 cup 4 oz crab meat, freshly picked or giant lump preferred
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (stems and/or leaves)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion, green and white parts
• Fine sea salt
• 40 to 48 wonton skins (or less)
  
• Oil for shallow-frying
• 1 cup sweet and sour sauce or Thai sweet chile sauce for serving
  

• To make the filling, in a bowl, use a fork to vigorously stir together the cream cheese, crab fat, fish sauce, black pepper, and garlic. Add the crab meat, cilantro, and green onion, then stir to combine well. Taste and add salt, as needed. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes before using, or refrigerate up to 2 days in advance. Makes about 1 cup.
• Fill each wonton skin with about 1 teaspoon of the filling, creating triangles, flower buds, or nurse’s caps. As you work, put the finished wontons on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet that’s been lightly dusted with cornstarch. When done, loosely cover with a dishtowel to prevent drying. The wontons can also be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours; let them sit at room temperature to remove the chill before frying.
• Put a wire rack on a baking sheet and place next to the stove. Pour oil to a depth of 3/4 inch into a wok, deep skillet, or 5-quart Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat to about 325F on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Working in batches of 4 to 6, slide the wontons into the hot oil and fry for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Use a skimmer to transfer to the rack to drain. Arrange the wontons on a platter and serve hot as finger food along with the sauce for dipping.

 

Love Punch (2013)

It is not only the pandemic.  I came home from religious services and found that I had lost vision in one eye, which is an emergency to get evaluated.  Unfortunately, my detached retina had progressed further than what was needed for emergency surgery, so I had merely urgent surgery, and really couldn't see clearly at all.  One eye was patched, the other dilated and I couldn't quite fit my glasses over the whole apparatus.  So a super light movie is what was called for, and this delivered beautifully.

Pierce Brosnan is not at all irritating in this, and Emma Thompson is reliably great, and this light fare about a couple who have their pensions stolen out from under them and go about getting it back, all the while flirting with getting back together themselves, is light and entertaining.
 

Granola a la Mary

I took one vacation this past summer.  I am still learning to live in the time of COVID, to be my best self in the midst of a disease that is not only unrelenting, it is not being adequately addressed by my government, so it is time to stop being angry about that.  Other than voting there is really nothing more I can do about that.  So figuring out the new way forward, I also learned to make the best granola while I was in Wyoming.

5 c. oats

6 c.  whole nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts)

2 Tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. almond extract

2/3 c. olive oil

1 c. maple syrup

1 tsp. kosher salt

 

Toss together, put on two baking sheets spread out.

Cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, toss, and cook another 20 minutes.  It will be soft when it comes out, but will crisp up as it cools.  

Coconut Caramel Shrimp

 Yet another winner from Andrea Nguyen's new cookbook Vietnamese Food Any Day.  If you have been tempted by some of the recipes that I have been posting lately, take the plunge and buy this book.  I have never made Vietnamese food that tastes this good, and almost everything has been very easy to put together as well.  This recipe is another winner!

1 1/4 pounds (570g) large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 1/2 cups (375ml) coconut water

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon caramel (see note, below), or light molasses or sorghum syrup

1 3/4 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil

1 large shallot, peeled and thinly sliced (but not too thin)

3 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

2 scallions, just the green parts, thinly sliced

freshly-ground black pepper

1. Pat the shrimp gently with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the coconut water, sugar, caramel, and fish sauce until well-combined. (Andrea recommends tasting it to make sure it has a nice balance of sugar and fish sauce. If necessary, add a little more of either.)

3. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet with the shallots and garlic over medium heat. Cook the shallots and garlic, stirring frequently, until they're translucent. Turn off heat and let cool a few minutes.

4. Add the coconut water to the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high until the coconut water starts to boil. Let the mixture reduce at a steady simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary so it stays there, until it's reduced to about 1/2 cup (125ml). It will take 10 to 12 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, until the shrimp are just cooked through and the sauce is reduced to a loose, yet thickened syrup. If you think the shrimp are cooking too fast before the sauce is properly reduced, you can remove them with a slotted spoon, let the sauce reduce, then add them back.

5. Turn off the heat and stir in the scallions as well as a good amount of black pepper. Let the mixture sit for a minute or so before serving, stirring the shrimp so it gets coated in the sauce. If the juices get too thick, you can dribble in a little more coconut water to loosen things up.  Serve with rice.

Note: For the caramel sauce, Andrea's recipe calls for cooking 2 tablespoons of water and 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar with a few drops of vinegar in a skillet until it turns a deep amber color. Remove the pan from heat and add 1/4 cup (60ml) of water, which may bubble up (so be careful). Stir until smooth. Use 1 tablespoon of the caramel for this recipe. (The rest can be stored in the refrigerator, to use when you make it again.)

Char Siu Chicken

These make a great dinner, and then you can use leftovers in a Bahn Mi sandwich.

• 1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 large garlic clove, put through a press or minced and mashed
• 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 tablespoons honey, preferably amber colored
• Brimming 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• Scant 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Step 1

Pat the chicken thighs with paper towels to remove excess moisture, then trim and discard any big pads of fat. If the thighs are large or super-uneven in thickness, butterfly them. Lay the thigh, smooth-side down, on your cutting board. Wielding your knife horizontally, slash the big mound of flesh to create a flap of meat, stopping just shy of cutting all the way through. Fold back the meat flap that you just created. The thigh should now be about 50 percent longer and relatively even in thickness. If the result seems awkwardly large, cut it crosswise into two smaller, squareish pieces. Set aside.

Step 2

In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, five-spice powder, honey, hoisin, soy sauce, ketchup, and sesame oil. Remove 3 tablespoons and set aside for glazing the chicken. Add the chicken to the bowl, coating the pieces well. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to 24 hours (return to room temperature before cooking).

Step 3

Lightly oil a cast-iron stove-top grill pan and set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6 to 10 minutes, turning several times. To test for doneness, pierce the flesh with the tip of a knife; the chicken is cooked when clear juices flow out. During the last 2 minutes, when the chicken feels relatively firm, baste with the reserved marinade to freshen flavor and add sheen. Transfer to a platter and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

My Spy (2020)

This falls under pandemic movie viewing, as well as nostalgia for movies that the kids watched together over and over again on the long car trips of their youth.  This is totally a spy plus kid movie that you could see Dwayne Johnson rocking.

Dave Bautista stars as JJ, a former Army Ranger/Special Ops bad ass who’s now having a hard time transferring his killing skills and sheer brute strength to the CIA, where his boss informs him that subtlety and finesse are more valuable. After botching a job in Ukraine involving a plutonium deal, JJ is sent undercover to Chicago to surveil the relatives of the bad guy who got away: recently widowed ER nurse Kate, and her lonely nine-year-old daughter, Sophie (Coleman).  They have just moved there from Paris for a fresh start after the murder of their husband/father.  JJ’s partner on the mission is the overeager tech wiz Bobbi (Kristen Shaal), who’s brilliant but has zero field experience, not to mention she does not round out JJ's rough edges. The two hole up in a ratty apartment across the way from Sophie and her mom, but Sophie soon finds their hidden cameras, hunts them down and insists that JJ teach her how to be a spy, or else she’ll blow their cover.  It is pretty low violence for an action movie (once you get past the very gory opening scene) and modestly amusing.  Light viewing.
 

Crispy Lemongrass Salmon

This is yet another quick and easy preparation for a weeknight dinner, coming from Andrea Nguyen.  Once again, this cookbook should be on everyone's book shelf.

• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped lemongrass (from 1 medium stalk)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons packed light or dark brown sugar
• Fine sea salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon Madras-style curry powder (preferably Sun brand)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil or another neutral oil, plus more as needed
• One 1 1/3-pound skin-on salmon fillet, about 1-inch thick at the center

---

In a small food processor, combine the lemongrass, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and grind until the lemongrass is minced. Add the shallot, fish sauce, curry powder and oil and run the machine, pausing to scrape down the sides, until you have a coarse paste. Taste the seasoning paste. You want it a little saltier than you’re comfortable with, so if needed, add more salt, a pinch at a time, or fish sauce in 1/2-teaspoon increments. Set aside.
Cut the salmon crosswise into four equal portions, then make two 1/4-inch-deep, 2-inch-long slits, about 1/2 inch apart, on the skin side of each piece of fish. Rub the seasoning paste all over the fish and into the slits. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, position a rack 5 to 6 inches from the broiler element and set the oven to broil. Let it heat up for about 15 minutes, so it’s really hot. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a rack inside.
Drizzle the fish with canola oil and arrange the pieces, skin-side up, on the prepared rack. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the skin is slightly charred. Use a metal spatula to flip the fish and then broil for about 3 minutes, until the flesh no longer looks raw and is beginning to brown. If you don’t like crisp skin, broil the flesh side for about 1 minute longer to darken and pick up character. If you like crispy skin, flip the fish so the skin is up. Broil for 30 to 60 seconds longer to crisp the skin. Monitor carefully to avoid super-blackened skin. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Chops

This dish is so much better than any that I have had in a Vietnamese restaurant.  I think the only downside of cooking extensively out of Andrea Nguyen's new cookbook is that you might never dine in one again, but that makes it perfect for a pandemic, because here we are, eating great Asian food night after night.
The turmeric coconut rice pairs well with this, and the slicing up some vegetables, tossing with the leftover marinade and grilling alongside the meat is genius, especially for a weeknight.

 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

 2 tbsp coarsely chopped shallot, or 3 tablespoons roughly chopped yellow onion

 ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh lemongrass (from 2 medium stalks)

 2 tbsp light or dark brown sugar

 Rounded ¼ teaspoon recently ground black pepper

 1 ½ tbsp canola or other neutral oil

 1 ½ tbsp fish sauce

 1 ¼ tsp soy sauce

 ½ tsp molasses, dark amber honey, or caramel sauce

 4 thin-cut bone-in pork chops (about 6 ounces each), about ½ inch thick

 ½ cup Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce (optional)

In a small food processor, combine the garlic, shallot, lemongrass, brown sugar, and pepper and whirl to a fine texture. Add the canola oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, and molasses and process until relatively smooth, like a wet paste. Transfer to a medium bowl. 

Use paper towels to blot excess moisture from the pork. Add the pork to the marinade, turning to coat well, then cover and set aside to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Or, refrigerate for up to 24 hours; let the meat sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.

Warm a cast-iron stove-top grill pan over medium-high heat, prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high (you can hold your hand 6 inches above the grill for 3 to 4 seconds). Grill the pork chops for 5 to 7 minutes, turning frequently, until firm and cooked through. Pierce with the sharp point of a knife to test (it’s okay if the center is faintly pink).

Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve the chops warm, passing the dipping sauce at the table, if desired.

Ernesto's Manifesto (2019)

This movie came recommended to us as a light movie fare to watch in the time of COVID and climate change making it hands down the worst year of the 21st century to date.  May it not be exceeded, but 2021 may be more of the same.

Ernesto gets what very few of us do--he gets what he deserves.  He starts the story with little if anything on his side, other than his good humor and a rosy outlook on the world.  He loses his job after being falsely accused by wrong doers and he loses his admittedly terrible girlfriend as a result.  From then on things go nowhere but up.  Ernesto is like a Latinx Chauncey Gardiner, going from being a simple waiter in a Tex-Mex restaurant in SoCal to becoming a trusted advisor and financial successful.  What the movie lacks in scintillating dialogue it makes up for with a good person getting the break he deserves.
 

Celebrating a New Year

One of my SIL tested today wishing all of her siblings and families a Happy New Year, and another replied that she hoped that next year was better than this year. It would be hard to argue that this has been a sweet year by any measure, wither on the planet or in the United States.  The inevitable effects of our continued lack of attention to man made climate change just continues to explode into our everyday lives month after month.  We have raging fires in the west, a derecho in the Midwest, and a second major hurricane in the Southeast.  Making matters worse is the ongoing pandemic, with US COVID deaths exceeding 200,000 with about 1,000 new deaths each and every day.  Today emails were released demonstrating that the administration pressured the CDC to suppress accurate information about virus prevention for fear it would make them look bad, fearing neither an increasing death count nor unnecessary infections as a cornerstone of  their legacy.

So, how does next year look?  Only the election results can answer that.  In November, vote like your life depends on it, because it could, and do what you can to ensure a sweeter new year with fewer carbon emissions.

Vietnamese Food Any Day by Andrea Nguyen

The pandemic has been a cooking bonanza for us.  We had joined a Food 52 cookbook group last fall, and never really got deeply into it, but once we were on lock down at home, it unleashed us to try tons of new things.  In April it was hard to get anything, but now we are able to get quite a few things and it seems more important than ever to support our local Asian grocery, which we have shopped at for over 20 years, and has really had a good supply of things even when the grocery store has run low.  This month is Vietnamese food,cooking from this magnifiscent new cookbook from Andrea Nguyen.
We have two of her other three or so cookbooks, and have made a few things out of the Bahn Mi cookbook, including the rolls, but not much.  This book is packed with recipes that have two goals.  One is that you find the ingredients in a regular grocery store (we are skipping that step) and two is that they are pared down so that they can be made easily on a weeknight.  So far we have made about 20 dishes from this, and have another 15 to 20 that we plan to make--even putting unusual ingredients on our shopping list in order to make them.  Everything has been out of this world delicious and flavor packed, and best of all we have gotten well into the habit of making things that were long forgotten, like just how easy it is to make rice paper spring rolls and how delicious the flavor combination of lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar are.  This is a book to buy, you will not be sorry.  Read the introduction if you are new to Asian cooking, and you will be well equipped to make spectacular meals.

Sticky Buns a la Bravetart

We had these over the weekend and they were the best sticky buns I have had in a very long time.  Today is the birthday of my second middle child, and these seem very celebratory indeed.

Filling:

• 4 ounces unsalted butter
• 6 ounces light brown sugar
• 1/4 ounce ground cinnamon (about 1 tablespoon; 7g)
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon (1g) kosher salt
  

• For the Dough:
• 16 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 1/2 cups, spooned; 450g)
• 3 1/2 ounces sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 3/4 teaspoons (7g) kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 ounces unsalted butter (8 tablespoons; 115g)
• 4 ounces milk (8 tablespoons; 115g)
• 8 ounces plain Greek yogurt (about 1 cup; 225g)
• 4 ounces toasted pecan halves, roughly chopped (a shy cup; 115g), or more to taste

• For the Caramel Topping:
• 12 ounces light brown  sugar
• 4 ounces heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1. For the Filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter,  sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix on low speed until moistened, then increase to medium and beat the dark paste until creamy, light in color, and very soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a zip-top bag or disposable pastry bag and set aside until needed, up to 24 hours at room temperature.
2. For the Dough: Wipe the bowl with a paper towel, then whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and baking soda until thoroughly combined. Melt butter in a 2-quart saucier over low heat, then stir in milk and yogurt, warming to about 80°F (27°C). Add to flour and stir to form a very dry and shaggy dough. With the hook attachment, knead on low until silky-smooth and elastic, so that it can be gently stretched into a thin but rough sheet without tearing, about 20 minutes.
3. First Rise: Cover bowl with plastic and set dough to rise until puffy, light, and doubled in bulk, about 90 minutes at roughly 70°F (21°C). If the dough feels dense, firm, or overly resilient, rest 15 minutes before testing again (this is more likely in chilly months).
4. For the Caramel Topping: Just before shaping the dough, line a 9- by 13- by 2-inch aluminum baking pan with parchment (or use two parchment-lined 8-inch by 3-inch round cake pans). Add the  sugar to the pan, along with the salt and plain or toasted cream (or divide these evenly between the two pans). Mash with a fork to roughly combine.
5. Shaping: Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, dust with flour, and roll into a 13-inch square. Snip a corner from the bag of cinnamon filling, squeeze over the dough, and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula. Sprinkle pecans on top and roll to form a 12-inch log, ending seam side down.
6. Slide an 8-inch strand of thread, unflavored dental floss, or butcher's twine under the dough until you reach the middle. Cross the ends over the top and pull tight to divide the log in two. Cut each half into six 1-inch slices and arrange in the prepared pan(s).
7. Second Rise: Cover rolls with foil and refrigerate overnight, or up to 48 hours. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F (180°C); meanwhile, let the pan(s) stand at room temperature until oven is hot.
8. To Bake and Serve: Bake, covered, until the rolls are puffed and firm but pale, about 40 minutes. (If using dark pans, check on the cinnamon rolls after 25 minutes.) Remove the foil and continue baking until lightly browned, about 10 minutes more. Loosen rolls from the edge of a pan with a dull knife, then invert onto a serving plate (or plates). Serve immediately.

Thai Spring Rolls

We made this last week using a recipe from a cooking class that we took a couple years ago when we were in Thailand.  We came home all ready to cook Thai food, but never really took much of a plunge into it.  This past couple of months making Vietnamese food has reawakened the spirit.  That and a good meal at a Thai restaurant in Wyoming!  Recipe for 5, must 5x it for a whole package of wrappers (these wrappers have a very weird texture.  Never fear, once fried they are amazing).

2tbsp	Vegetable oil
3 pc	mushroom		sliced
50 g	coriander root		chopped
1/2cup	carrot		sliced
1/2 cup	cabbage		sliced
20 g	Glass noodles		soaked
5 pc	spring roll wrapper
1 tbsp	Water
2 tbsp	Egg for egg wash

Seasoning

 

1/2 tsp Sugar

1 tbsp  Soy Sauce

1/3 tsp Sesame Oil

Stir Fry Paste

4-5 pc coriander root

1 clove Garlic

1 tsp ground pepper

1 pinch of salt

METHOD OF PREPARATION

a.                             Soak dry noodles with water and cut long 2 inch.

b.                             Smash garlic, coriander root, white pepper corn and salt onto mortar .

c.                              Mix egg together for to be glue.

1.                            Heat a wok for 15 seconds and add in vegetable oil (medium heat).

2.                            Add paste. Keep stirring till fragrant (low heat).

3.                            Add cabbage, carrot and mushroom. Stir till they are cooked.

4.                            Add seasoning sauce and glass noodles before will turn off the heat.

5.                            Keep on a plate wait it’s cool down in a few minute.

6.                            Scoop stir fried vegetables on spring roll wrapper (2 T) and wrap.

7.                            Prepare palm oil with big wok or deep fryer turn on the heat with medium-high heat.

8.                            Add spring roll on oil about 4-5 pieces for one time stir and turn until the wrapper turn brown color.

9          Place on oil paper a few minutes wait a bit cold down and cut for serving.