Simeon is very community oriented so Ohana Style ("Ohana" means family and community) conveys his sensibilities through heartfelt homey fare, family stories, and spotlights on the people who have impacted his life. It's a sweet, very Hawaiian vibe that carries throughout the book. The recipes reflect a blending of cultures that's unique to the islands. Flavors and ideas bend toward Asia, but they don't look backwards. Simeon is Filipino American so his palate and flavors are much broader. He's a good chef with three successful restaurants and his flavor combinations are clever twists on classic notions.

If you enjoy fudgy American brownies and Vietnamese coffee, these brownies are for you. The light and dark batters seem fussy but you'll bake up a delectable brownie with the savors of Vietnamese coffee. The cream cheese in the swirl batter lends a cheesecake like quality these Vietnamese Coffee Swirl Brownies.

The secret to these chocolatey, fudgy brownies

Chef recipes are partly technique but also much about selecting ingredients. For these Vietnamese coffee swirl brownies, Simeon advises using a dark Dutch-process cocoa powder and instant espresso powder. They have concentrated flavor that's bold like Vietnamese coffee. Of course, there has to be sweetened condensed milk (Bordens, Old Man, or Target Good and Gather are good)! Adding vanilla pumps up the aroma and flavor of the milk. I've used that combo -- cocoa powder, instant coffee, condensed milk and vanilla, to make the delicious Vietnamese mocha cake recipe in my book, Ever-Green Vietnamese.

Vietnamese coffee swirl brownies pointers

The hardest part about this recipe is layering the batters and swirling. While you can't go wrong, do know this: the chocolate-coffee batter is lighter than the condensed milk batter. You'll layer most of the dark batter in first, then plop on the lighter one, finish with the dark one then strategically run a knife tip through the top. What I suggest is this:

• Simeon's recipe says to put three-quarters of the dark batter into the pan first. I say put about 80 percent of the dark batter into the pan. It's lighter and will float up during baking and will take over the light batter -- if you have too much. So, err on putting more of the dark one down first.
• Scrape up whatever leftover light batter that's in the mixing bowl and use it to add light flourishes at the end.

Tinker with this brownie recipe

After making and eating these brownies, my ideas for you to play with:

• For a coconut edge, instead of all butter, use a 1:1 combo of butter and virgin coconut oil.
• Use salted butter, such as Kerrygold for extra oomph and omit the salt addition.
• For a vegan brownies, use non-dairy cream cheese, such as Kite Hill or Tofutti, coconut condensed milk (Nature's Charm is my favorite), non-dairy butter (I like Miyako's), a favorite egg substitute, and organic cane sugar.

What to do with the extra condensed milk? How about making Vietnamese green or red seafood sauces? Or work it into Thai pork satay? You can also just freeze the condensed milk in a jar for future recipes!

Print

Vietnamese Coffee Swirl Brownies

Cut this decadent, bold flavored brownie into smallish 2-inch (5cm) square pieces if you're serving them at a party. You could cut those squares into triangles to book fancy. This recipe has been adapted from Sheldon Simeon's book, Ohana Style (Ten Speed Press, 2026).

Servings 12

Ingredients

• Cooking spray or neutral oil, for the pan

Condensed milk swirl

• ¼ cup | 60ml boiling water
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1 8 oz | 225g block cream cheese, at room temperature and very soft
• ¼ cup | 35g all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brownie batter

• ¼ cup | 60ml boiling water
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• ½ cup | 40g Dutch-process dark cocoa powder
• 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter
• ½ cup | 100g granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed | 100g light or dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ cup | 71g all-purpose flour

Instructions

• Ready the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle position Coat an 8 × 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray or oil. Line the bottom and two sides with parchment paper with some paper extended over the edge for easy brownie removal.
• Make the condensed milk swirl: In a small bowl, whisk together the boiling water and instant espresso until dissolved. Stir in the cream cheese, flour, condensed milk, and vanilla, and continue stirring until a smooth batter forms.
• In a mug or cup, whisk together the boiling water and espresso powder until dissolved. Add the cocoa powder incrementally, stirring, until a thick paste with no lumps forms. Set aside.
• Make the brownie batter: In a microwave-safe medium bowl, microwave the butter on low power until completely melted and warm, but not hot. Scrape in the cocoa-espresso paste and whisk until combined and let cool to room temperature.
• Once the butter mixture has cooled, add both sugars, the eggs, and salt. Whisk until frothy. Add the flour incrementally, stirring, until the flour is incorporated and no dry streaks remain.
• Assemble and bake: Scrape about three-quarters of the batter into the baking pan and spread into an even layer. Dollop the condensed milk mixture all over the brownie batter. Finally, dollop the remaining brownie batter over the top. Drag the tip of a knife across the top to swirl the layers together, just enough to form a cool pattern but not so much that they mix together.
• Bake until the center is set, 25 to 30 minutes. If you are using a heavy metal pan, glass, or ceramic baking dish, bake for longer, checking every 3 to 5 minutes (see Note). The brownies will pull away from the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the middle will come out slightly moist with just a few crumbs.
• Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting and serving.

Notes

I used a heavy metal pan and baked for 35 minutes and my brownie was slightly under down in the center. I could have gone for 38 to 40 minutes. Remember to test the bake and be flexible! 

The post Vietnamese Coffee Swirl Brownies appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

But, you can rival them. I've come up with batter options and techniques for you to make them just as good as the pros! After months of tinkering, this recipe is the best I've ever made. I'm very happy with the results, which wowed even my mother.

My new bánh xèo recipe is:

• Doable with supermarket or with Asian market ingredients
• Consistently crispy with just the right amount of chew
• Easy to fry up and won't make a mess of your stove
• Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan friendly!

Despite using everyday ingredients, the crepes involve a certain level of finesse. Given that, I built a new online class called "Mastering Bánh Xèo" so you can make the Vietnamese sizzling rice crepes yourself.

The crepe recipes yields a satisfying one-dish meal but to round things out, I developed a fruity 3-color dessert parfait (chè ba màu hoa quả) to go with the crepes!

Take the class and I'll walk you through making a fabulous menu to celebrate Vietnamese street food at its best. You can entertain and make a party from this menu too!

Bánh Xèo class details

• Topic: Mastering Bánh Xèo: Make Vietnamese Sizzling Rice Crepes at Home
• Day and time: Sunday, July 19, 2 to 4pm PST
• Cost: $42.50 per person (includes all recipes and video playback)
• How to register: Use this link to buy a ticket at Eventbrite
• Can't attend the livestream? Sign up for the class to receive the recipe packet and video playback. You can also email me questions!

Registration discounts

🐦‍⬛ 🌅 Early bird discount: Between now and June 30, save 15% off the ticket price with this special code: sizzle15

✨ 🎁 Paid PTFS subscribers always receive a 25% off discount between now and when ticket sales close. That promo code is in this dispatch for paid subscribers.

The low-down on how the classes run:

• Day and time: Sundays, 2-4pm PST, so you can make something for dinner or for the week ahead. It's also (hopefully) an unhurried time for you.
• Class length: 2 hours, including Q&A
• Online platform: Zoom, with a playback recording for all registrants
• Ingredients: Most ingredients are available at supermarkets. Asian market shopping is sometimes required. You will get pointers, such as brand suggestions, in class materials.
• Equipment: Basic home kitchen equipment. Nothing fancy or exotic is required. If there's something special, it will be flagged in the class materials.
• Class materials: After registering, you'll get a confirmation email with a link to a downloadable PDF of class materials which contain all recipes, Zoom link, plus lists and pointers (groceries, equipment, and prep).
• Zoom class link: The day of class, you will get an email reminder with the link again.
• Cost: Each ticket is $42.50
• Refund-ability: Unfortunately, class registrations are not refundable. Student attendees receive the detailed class materials, livestream class, plus access to the recorded playback.
• Want the class but can't attend? Just sign up to get the class materials and recording to watch. Whether or not you attend the livestream, you can email me follow-up questions.

I'm so excited about teaching you how to make this new recipe. Join me on July 19. REGISTER HERE!

The post Mastering Bánh Xèo July Cooking Class! appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

The apricots are baked into the cake and sink to the bottom where they form a softish, tangy layer that contrasts nicely with the cake. The result is a hidden layer of fresh fruitiness that's fun to eat. It's not desiccated seeming. You don't need ice cream or any other adornments because the cake is special tasting as it is!

The batter was informed by Alice Medrich's brilliant almond butter cake in her award-winning cookbook, Gluten-Free Flavor Flours (written with Maya Klein and published in 2014 by Artisan). In that recipe, she made a spiced apricot topping from dried apricots. I wanted a slightly different cake that (1) celebrated fresh apricots, (2) was made effortlessly and quickly, and (3) was gluten-free without compromising flavor or texture.

A French moelleux of summer fruits, a thin cake studded with stone fruit that David Lebovitz wrote about inspired me to add fruit directly into the batter. When making the batter, I took a chance and prepared it in the food processor. In less than 2 minutes, the batter was done. There's no risk of the batter getting tough or weird because it is gluten free! The processor batter baked up beautifully. This almond apricot cake doesn't require much to impress and satisfy eight people. Here are some pointers to keep in mind before you dive into this keeper of a recipe.

Choosing and prepping apricots for this almond apricot cake

Don't use overly ripe apricots for this cake. Those are suitable for making preserves, like the stunningly good apricot ginger jam! The fruit needs to be firm-ripe. A little softness is ok but when you cut the fruit open, it needs to eventually keep its wedge shape.

To cut nice apricot wedges, use a knife to cut the apricot perpendicular to its natural cleft. The fruit is easier to twist apart. Then you can halve the halves to pry apart the wedges. Quartering an apricot should get you the wedge size you need. I threw a plum into this cake but honestly, it's too watery of a fruit for this cake.

When is the butter soft enough?

Leave the butter out at room temperature until you can press a spoon into it and with little resistance, you make a dent and perhaps push the sides of butter out a bit. I used Kerrygold butter so the cake was extra flavorful. You need the butter to be very soft so you can easily scoop it with the spoon and conveniently plop it into the processor. Whirl away to make the batter pronto.

Flour and binder tips for this almond apricot cake

How to select the rice flour? What rice flour you choose depends on where you grocery shop. This batter recipe works with white rice flour. At a supermarket or health food market, select stone-ground white rice flour (such as Bob's Red Mill brand). If you shop at an Asian market, use Thai rice flour, but make sure it's the regular rice flour sold in red labeled plastic bags, such as Erawan (look for the 3 headed elephant logo). You can buy Thai regular rice flour online, if an Asian market is not nearby. Look for "bot te tinh kiet" (Vietnamese) to indicate the flour is made from long-grain white rice, the kind you'd regularly use for daily meals in Southeast Asia. Weigh the flour because rice flour do not weigh the same by volume.

Almond apricot cake baking tips

When arranging the fruit in the batter, go for a circular pattern. When you cut the wedges of cake, they'll be more or less uniform. Remember to maintain about ½-inch (6mm) distance from the fruit to the wall of the cake pan. The batter will rise up around the fruit to sort of seal it in. This cakes bakes up to a deep golden brown. To ensure the cake bakes to a finish, that's why I lower the heat during the last 15 minutes of baking. You can cover the top with foil, if you fear it browning too much. Be vigilant during the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking!

Print

Almond Apricot Cake

Tender and oh-so flavorful, this recipe was inspired by Alice Medrich's almond butter cake in Gluten-Free Flavor Flours (2014, Artisan). If you don't have a processor, use a blender.

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ pounds | 570g firm ripe apricots
• 6.34 ounces | 180g stone-ground white rice flour or Thai white rice flour
• 1.8 ounces | 50g almond flour/meal
• 6.34 ounces | 180 g granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
• 4 ounces | 113g salted butter, very soft
• ½ cup | 60ml plain yogurt (any percent fat) or slightly watered down Greek yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, or a combo

Instructions

• Ready the oven and pan: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan well with oil or butter, then line the bottom with parchment. (If unavailable, use a removable bottom cake pan or regular high sided cake pan of the same width.)
• Prep the fruit: Halve the fruit, remove the pits, then cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) wedges.
• Make the batter: In a food processor bowl, combine the rice and almond flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Using a small spoon, scoop the butter and then drop it into the processor as small chunks. Run the processor until the mixture resembles the texture of brown sugar, pausing to scrape the sides as needed, about 1 minute. Add the yogurt, eggs, and extract. Blitz the processor until the batter is very smooth and thick, about 30 seconds.
• Assemble the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, scraping it all from the processor bowl. Smooth the top and shimmy the pan to level the batter. Arrange the fruit wedges on their side in circles over the batter. Let them snuggly sit against each other and press them gently into the batter as you work. Leave about ½ inch (1.24cm) of space between the fruit and the wall of the pan so the batter will rise and encase the fruit without juices leaking out.
• Bake, cool, and eat: Bake the cake for 30 minutes, and then lower the temperature to 325°F and continue baking until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Expect the top to finish deep golden brown. (Total baking time is 45 minutes.)
• Let the cake cool in a rack for 1 hour or so, then run a knife around the edge and release the cake. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Notes

If you do not have salted butter, use unsalted butter and add ¼ plus ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt.

The post Almond Apricot Cake: An easy gluten-free dessert with a 2-Minute Batter appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

After all that hands-on, real life testing, I can safely say that I'd be happy to cook with any of them. I'd be thrilled if anyone gifted me one of them, though I don't need one because I already own them all. But you don't own one of these yet. Each of these carbon-steel woks have their personalities but they share three characteristics that make them excellent for wok cooking:

• You don't have to stress much to season the wok
• Heats up extremely hot and stays that way so home cooks can satisfying wok away
• Is naturally nonstick so there is no teflon coating to be concerned about as you're cooking on high heat or your biggest burners

Wok quick comparison chart

But one may work better for you than the others. Use this chart for an at-a-glance look at how the three pre-seasoned carbon steel woks compare. Beyond that are my notes to summarize their pros and cons.

Yosukata blue carbon steel wok review

Weighing at 4.6 pounds (2.3kg) when empty, the Yosukata wok is heavy. The name sounds Japanese but it is made in China, where woks were invented thousands of years ago. The Yosukata has virtues as well as limits so it may be for you (or not).

• Pros: The Yosukata wok arrives pre-seasoned so there is little time wasted; Yosukata advises a brief seasoning before using the wok. It heats up super hot and with a flat bottom that is wider than most woks, the heat radiates broadly (you can use it like a medium-skillet for pan-frying steaks, tofu, etc.). This wok retails heat exceptionally well. In fact, if you are not carefully, food may scorch. When cooking food in this wok, you will hear the thrilling swift sizzle of good wok cooking. On my wok burner, I cook at a lower heat than normal when using this wok. Easy to wash and re-seasoning, when needed.
• Cons: When containing food, the wok is heavy so picking it up to toss food can be difficult. The handle is at a steep angle (see photo at right) so if you are relatively short, it may be hard to comfortably pick up. (I'm 5'5" and it can be a beast to pick up.) The metal by the wood handle gets very hot so do not mistakenly touch it when the wok is hot. Dishing up food can be hard because tilting the heavy to scoot food out can be awkward.
• Cooking and cleaning tips: When cooking on a 20K BTU burner or more, use slightly lower heat than what a recipe calls for. The pan stays hot for a long time. If it is too heavy to lift to pour out food, use this hack: Turn off the heat prematurely and scoop food out before picking up the wok. If the wok look dry or crusty, wash and scrub it well, then do a quick seasoning with some aromatics or potato peels and salt, as detailed here.
• Who it's best for: A cook who wants/needs a broad flat bottom surface on a wok. Cooks using induction stoves will get good wok performance from the Yosukata's design. The wok is best for cooks of average or taller height, especially if the person doesn't mind heavy-ish lifting once in a while.
• Blue carbon steel vs. black carbon steel: Blue carbon steel costs more but for a good reason -- it has already been treated to be highly resistant to rust and corrosion.
• Purchase from: Yosukata, Amazon

Anolon EverLast nitrided carbon steel wok review

Shiny and looking like it's a coated nonstick pan, Anolon's EverLast carbon steel wok is one of the prettiest woks I have ever owned. That's due to its nitrided carbon steel finish, which is smoother than normal carbon steel due to a special heat treatment which makes it seasoned and ready for cooking duties. (More on why and how nitrided carbon steel pans are built to be nonstick forever here.) Here's a run down of the Anolon EverLast wok's pluses and minuses.

• Pros: The Anolon EverLast wok heats slower than most over medium heat but once heated the wok is hot all over -- up to the rim practically. Heat retention is excellent. Combine that with the depth of the wok, it allows you to easily stir-fry a bunch of water spinach with ease. Most times, the wok wall do not get as hot as it does with this Analon, which allows you to use the walls to sear and cook food efficiently. When you cook in the Everlast wok, food glides around smoothly with the swoosh sizzle sound of good wok cooking.
• Cons: This wok costs more than the others I tested. There is no extended handle to grab so tossing food in the wok is not possible. The two ear-like handles get warm but cool quickly, though I would use heat pads to grab them if the wok is hot and you want to pour out the food. Otherwise, use a wok spatula or big metal spoon to scoop and transfer food to a serving vessel. The Anolon wok's flat bottom is not as broad as the Yosukata so on an induction stove you, will not have as much of a flat surface to cook off of.
• Cooking and cleaning tips: Preheat the pan over medium heat for several minutes to ensure it's hot all over. Flick water in and it should disappear within seconds! When done, use coarse salt and a sponge to easily scrub off stuck bit. If you like, re-season with a teeny tiny bit of oil.
• Who it's best for: Anyone who wants a handsome, reliable wok to have forever.
• Purchase from: Analon, Amazon

Japan iron wok (Beijing/Peking wok, pow wok) review

What's called a "Japan iron wok" is made of carbon steel, round bottomed and very lightweight. At core, it is a Northern Chinese-style wok that's also known as a Beijing (or Peking) wok, or a pow wok. Names aside, the wok is often marketed to professional cooks and commercial kitchens. Its round bottom design and light weigh signals that it's not for home cooks. It is not labeled as "pre-seasoned" but required little effort to prepare it for cooking. It costs little money. This wok defies many home wokking assumptions. However, the affordable carbon steel pow wok is one of my all-time favorite woks. Here's why:

• Pros: The pow wok is designed to heat up fast because of its light carbon steel construction, which means you can also control the cooking process with ease too. The walls heat up well to but not as fast as the Anolon EverLast or Yosukata. The round bottom does not mean you must use it with a wok ring. The wok initially does not sit evenly but one food goes into it, it steadies itself . Making quick stir-fries in this wok is wonderful. You can easily pick up a pow wok to toss and flip food. You feel like a professional cook! Deep-frying in a pow wok bottom wok is doable so long as you are careful but you'd have to do that with any pan.
• Cons: The hollow handle vents heat but it will eventually feel hot if you have a big burner. Use a mitt to grab it, as needed. The round bottom means you cannot pan-fry so well in it. Its thin metal construction may mean it may not last as long as heavier-duty woks made of thicker carbon steel.
• Cooking and cleaning tips: The pow wok I purchased only required a quick wash with Dawn Power Wash (or as Uncle Google for guidance to use something else) and initial stir-frying some green onions to season; I road tested it by frying an egg and that was no problem! The pow wok I own is very easy to scrub clean and smooth. Anything that stuck comes off easily with water, a smidgen of dish soap, and scrubby or dish scrubber.
• Who it's best for: Cooks with gas ranges and cooking adventures.
• Purchase from: I bought my pow wok for about $45 in 2024 from MV Housewares & Restaurant Supplies in San Jose, CA, located in the Grand Century Mall. Shop "Japan iron wok" online at Japanese cookware shops like MTC Kitchen and Japanese Taste. Amazon sells Japan-made woks by Kanda and Kote2. The Wok Shop sells Beijing/Peking woks. They all look like what I bought. (Large pow woks costing $20 may not be great quality.)

How I tested these woks

I cooked with these woks and washed and seasoned them. Beyond identifying their strengths, I also learned their quirks. I used them to help others cook well too. Watch the Japan iron wok in action in this video, which I made for a great kung pao recipe at my newsletter:

Final wok verdict

Which wok is best for you? It depends on your stove (gas, electric coil, or induction) and needs (do you want a light weight or heavy duty wok? do you want to pan-fry in it more than stir-fry quickies? A summary to help you make the best choice:

• Heat source: Yosukata is best for induction. Yokusata and Anolon EverLast are great for electric coil and gas. All three are fabulous with gas.
• Weight: Pow wok is the lightest wok. The Anolon is heaviest but conduct superwell. Yokusata is heavy and sometimes hard to pick up by the handle.
• Cooking needs: If you just want to do quick stir-fries only, choose the pow wok (which also does an amazing job of frying an egg to a crisp roundness because of its shape and heat conduction!). To use a wok for stir-frying, panfrying steaks or tofu, and deep-frying, go with the Yosukata. If you're just into stir-frying small and big batches of food plus deep-frying in the wok, the Anolon EverLast is a very good choice.

I have all three in rotation in my kitchen and it is very hard to choose which I like more. Woks are not expensive and I have owned about twelve woks in my cooking life. The Yosukata, Anolon EverLast, and Japan iron wok are some of the best I have owned and used. I hope this post helps you make a decision!

The post Best Pre-Seasoned Carbon Steel Woks: 3 Popular Models Tested and Reviewed appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

I've offered lots of fried rice tips in the Japanese curry fried rice recipe but to be honest, when I want a 'special' fun rice that's also easy and healthy, I make cơm trộn (mixed rice). The Vietnamese-Chinese dish is simply hot cooked rice tossed with a handful of ingredients and accented with a little quick pickle. There's minimal cooking involved to yield a cheerful, confetti-like mixture. It looks and tastes festive and you can make it from whatever you have on hand. That said, a well composed cơm trộn contains varied flavors plus eye-catching colors, shapes, and textures.

When my family lived in Vietnam in the early 1970s, there were cơm trộn shops in Chinatown set up for customers to select from a wide range of add-ins that the staff would toss together in a big bowl for you to takeaway. The light rice dish was a departure from plain boiled rice. Better yet, it can sort of be a one-dish meal if you load it up with veggies. In America, my mom regularly threw together the rice for an easygoing lunch or dinner.

My mixed rice playbook

Nowadays, when I make this confetti rice at home, I use leftovers, prepping them as the rice cooks (reheated precooked rice is swell!). As the rice cooks, prep the add-in goodies: get the pickle going and then make the egg sheet and cut egg strips first before reheat the skillet used for the egg to ready the meat, tofu and any other veggies. Put them in a bowl as you're working. Once the rice is done, I add it to the bowl, mixed it up, and serve in the bowl or transfer to a serving bowl.

Some questions you may have:

• What kind of rice to use? Any kind of rice - white, brown, or haiga (partially milled) will work. Here's my recipe for a perfect pot of jasmine rice, which will work with any long-grain white rice.
• Can you use leftover rice for mixed rice? Yes! You'll need 3 cups (720ml) or so of rice. Warm it the microwave oven then toss away with the other ingredients.

How to make vegan mixed rice

Skip the egg sheet strips and animal protein! Here are some ideas:

• Use tofu and make sure it has some character. For richness, use my easy pan-fried tofu recipe at my newsletter. Or, use extra firm tofu and cut it into ⅓-inch (8mm) cubes or crumble it into chunks. Toss with some soy sauce and salt to coat. Heat a small splash of oil over medium-high heat in the skillet, then add the tofu and let sear, stirring once in a while, until lightly seared here and there, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Sear fast cooking veggies like summer squash and or mushroom, cutting them up as ½-inch (1.25cm) pieces. Season with salt and a little soy sauce for flavor then sear like the tofu. If you have grilled leftover veggies, use them instead!

A mixed rice essential

Whatever meats, or veggies, you use, do not skip the quick sweet pepper pickle. It adds tang, crunchy streaks of color, and a fruity pungency to brighten the rice.Without the pickle, the rice is lacking a certain something that makes it taste special. Beyond the pickle, the sky's the limit for playing around and crafting endless versions of cơm trộn. Here's a skeleton of how to prepare mixed rice.

Print

Mixed Rice | Cơm Trộn

This recipe is easily scaled up. Just toss in a bigger bowl. Serves 2 to 3 as a light main course, 4 with two or three other dishes

Course Main Course, rice, Side Dish

Cuisine Vietnamese

Servings 2

Ingredients

Pickled sweet pepper

• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• ½ small red bell pepper or 2 mini sweet peppers cut into 1-inch matchsticks (½ cup total)

Rice

• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 1 large egg made into 1 thin Egg Sheet quartered and cut into narrow strips (see Note)
• 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil, such as canola, rice bran, or vegetable
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 to 1 ½ cups cooked meat, seafood, or tofu cut into pea-sized pieces
• Salt
• Fish sauce, soy sauce, and/or Maggi Seasoning sauce, for serving

Instructions

• Make the pickle: Combine the water and vinegar in a small bowl. Add the bell pepper and set aside to marinate while the rice cooks.
• Cook the rice: Rinse and cook the rice to yield separate chewy, firm, 'dry' grains. You want the grains to mix well with the other ingredients so the rice shouldn't be too soft or gummy. For guidance, see the Perfect Rice recipe.
• Ready the add-ins: While the rice cooks, use the egg and a smidgen of oil to make one thin egg sheet in a medium skillet. See the Egg Sheet recipe for assistance.
• Reheat the skillet over medium heat with the remaining scant 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and green onion, and sauté until fragrant and soft, about 15 seconds. Add the chopped protein and continue cooking for a few minutes just to combine the flavors and warm things up. Season to taste with salt, and then transfer to a medium bowl. Add the egg strips and set aside.
• Assemble and serve: To serve, drain the bell pepper and add to the bowl of meat and egg strips. Use chopsticks or a fork to fluff the rice before adding it into the bowl. Mix the ingredients together well. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl or platter and bring to the table. Because the rice is lightly seasoned, invite guests to use the condiments to add their own final touches.

Notes

Notes:

Make the Egg Sheet using my recipe here. 

Check the main post for tips for using tofu and other veggies. 

The post Mixed Rice (Cơm Trộn) is easy breezy and healthier than fried rice appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

Regardless of thickness or cuisine, egg sheets are made the same way, in a nonstick skillet and flipped over to cook both sides. I've made them for many iconic East Asian dishes.

Egg sheets in East Asian cuisines

Egg sheet tips for success

So, it makes sense for you to know how to make these well. Here are my pointers:

• Use a nonstick skillet for easy release.
• At first, make a double batch to practice. My recipe is very basic but some cooks add mirin or Shaoxing rice wine.
• I don't strain the beaten eggs but if you like do it for an even batter.
• Heat the pan up until it is hot but not scorching hot. You want the eggs to delicately set, not burn.
• Don't worry about wrinkles. They disappear in dishes.
• Make egg sheets in advance so you don't have to hassle or hustle to do something new in the middle of an unfamiliar recipe.

Watch me make egg sheets

I'm making thin egg sheets in this video. When making a thicker version that's more like a thin fluffy omelet, use more oil and a smaller skillet. See the variation below for extra details. The main recipe contains troubleshooting tips.

How to make thick egg sheets

To make a thick egg sheet, use 2 eggs and the salt for the "batter". Increase the oil to 2 teaspoons. You need the extra oil to yield a fluffy, thick texture. Pour the oil into a small or medium skillet, depending on how thick you want the egg sheet. Heat over medium heat until hot. Pour in all the egg, swirling to cover the pan bottom. Wait for the edges to pull away from the skillet before flipping the egg sheet over with a spatula - not your fingers - because there's extra oil and higher heat. Cook the second side for 15 to 20 seconds and it's done.

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Egg Sheets

One batch yields 2 thin egg sheets, typically enough to garnish dishes. Feel free to use 1 egg to make a single egg sheet.

Course Basic pantry

Cuisine Asian

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• Fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon neutral-flavored oil, such as canola, rice bran, or vegetable

Instructions

• Prep the egg batter: Beat the eggs in a small bowl with 2 pinches of salt. If you like, strain the eggs through mess strainer to ensure a fluid batter.
• Make thin egg sheets: For each egg sheet, heat ½ teaspoon of oil in a 10 inch (24cm) nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. When the skillet is hot (flick water in and it should sizzle gently for a few seconds before evaporating), pour in some of the egg, swirling to thinly film the bottom. Swiftly return any excess egg to the bowl.
• When the edges start to separate away from the skillet, use your index fingers and thumbs to pull up the egg sheet and flip it over. (It's not that hot.) Cook for 15 to 20 seconds to dry the other side (or turn off the heat or slide the pan to a cool burner for the egg sheet to finish cooking). Lift and transfer the egg sheet to a plate or cutting board to cool. Repeat with the remaining egg, stacking up the sheets. The total number of egg sheets you make depends on the skillet size and how thin they are.
• Cut the egg sheets: When finished, cut them up to whatever size you need. Save time by preparing egg sheets several hours in advance, keeping them at room temperature covered by plastic wrap. Egg sheets can be store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature to use.

Notes

If you use an 8-inch (20cm) skillet, you'll make 3 egg sheets. Lower the oil a smidgen.

Troubleshooting: If your egg batter doesn’t swirl and adhere to the skillet, the pan isn’t hot enough. If the egg sticks in a thick film and immediately starts to brown, your skillet is too hot. Wait for the pan to heat up or lower the flame. You want the egg to quickly adhere yet gently cook.

The post How to Make Egg Sheets, Crepe-like Omelets for Sparking up Asian dishes appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

Why this wood ear mushroom salad rocks

Most wood ear mushroom salad lack flavor but Wei and Chen have a great technique for getting bright tang and umami into the crunchy little fungus. Their boiling and icing method does wonders and their dressing has just enough punch. It's so easy, I made it twice in one week.

The other beautiful thing about this salad is you can prep it up to four (4) days in advance of serving. Then toss in some green onions and dish it up. Bring it to a pot luck or on a picnic! Below are ingredient tips, substitution pointers, plus the recipe.

Wood ear mushroom tips

Purchased at Chinese and Vietnamese markets, dried, wood ear mushroom do not look like much but they give a lot. In fact, you don't need much for a batch of this healthy salad. Choose a medium bowl to soak them in because the do not remain dainty! If you're new to these mushrooms, check my beginner's guide to wood ear mushrooms for pointers on buying, prepping and cooking them.

Young ginger substitute

This Taiwanese wood ear mushroom salad also uses young ginger. When mildly zesty young ginger is unavailable, use mature (regular) ginger. For the 10grams, you'll need a chubby section about ½ inch (1.25cm) long. Peel and cut it into fine matchsticks. Put it in a small bowl and pour very hot (or just boiled) water over it to cover. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes to mellow, then strain and drain well to use in the salad. Sip the soaking liquid as a light ginger tea, if you like.

If you're using this ginger hack, do while the mushroom soak so both ingredients are ready for putting into the dressing. If you forget, then just let the prepped wood ear mushroom sit in dressing while you ready the ginger. They both will chill together for a while anyway.

Soy sauce tweaks for great salad

If you were making this salad in Taiwan or if you want to fully cook Taiwanese style, you'd use Taiwanese soy sauce. It has a lighter flavor and a touch of sweetness so it differs from East Asian soy sauces from China, Japan, or Korea. I made two batches -- one was with Heydoh soy sauce, an excellent Taiwanese soy sauce made with black soy beans that Wei imports to the United States. (Learn about soy sauce and Heydoh from my conversation with Wei.) The other batch of salad was prepared with my usual go-to Pearl River Bridge Golden Label Superior light soy sauce.

What were the differences? After a thorough chill, both tastes excellent. The Heydoh soy sauce has lots of nuanced umami but not as much salinity as the PRB soy sauce. I ended up adding light drizzle of Heydoh to that batch and it totally sang louder with brighter savory-tangy notes. In the wood ear mushroom recipe below, taste and tweak the dressing because your soy sauce may differ from mine. Either way, your wood ear mushroom salad will be a fun year round side dish to keep on hand.

Tinker with wood ear mushroom salad

• Add heat: Instead of sesame oil, use a favorite chili oil or chili crisp.
• Boost veggie power: Double the dressing, and about 30 minutes before serving, toss in 2 sliced Persian cucumbers (seed them first!). Let the mushroom and cucumber marinate in the fridge to pick up flavor. Add thinly sliced carrot and/or celery to the pot when blanching the wood ear them marinade them all together; omit the green onion, if you want.

I'm sure you'll have many other ways to play with this salad. It's fun, easy, and healthy. It's a perfect for summer or any time, actually.

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Wood Ear Mushroom Salad

In Mandarin Chinese, this cooling, crunchy salad is called 涼拌黑木耳 (Liáng Bàn Hēi Mù Ěr). This recipe has been slightly adapted from Clarissa Wei and Ivy Chen's sensational cookbook, Made in Taiwan (Simon Element, 2023).

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Chinese, Taiwanese

Servings 3

Ingredients

• ½ cup | 20g small dried black wood ear mushrooms
• ¼ cup | 60ml unseasoned rice vinegar, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 1-inch | 10g piece fresh young ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks (see swap tip in main post)
• 2 tablespoon scallion green parts only, thinly sliced on a diagonal

Instructions

• Rehydrate the mushroom: In a medium bowl, cover the dried black wood ear mushrooms with hot tap water. Soak until they're soft, about 15 minutes. Drain in a colander, then wash them thoroughly under running water, making sure to get rid of any sand or grit stuck in the crevices. With a knife or scissors, trim off and discard any tough, craggy bits.
• Boil and ice down: Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring it to a vigorous boil over high heat. Prepare an ice bath to the side. Drop the wood ear mushrooms into the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the heat off, drain the mushrooms in a colander, and immediately transfer them into the ice bath to cool down, about 20 seconds. This will keep them crunchy and crisp. Drain well in a colander again, squeezing out excess moisture.
• Marinate and serve: In a glass storage container with a lid, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil, and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Taste for a pleasant tang and salty hit. If needed, add soy sauce by the ½ teaspoon or vinegar by the 1 teaspoon. Add the wood ear mushrooms and ginger. Stir a few times to coat, then cover, shake to combine even more. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or to 4 days. Mix in the scallions right before serving. Include some of the liquid, if you like.

The post Wood Ear Mushroom Salad (Liáng Bàn Hēi Mù Ěr) appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

The espresso dark brown, sometimes ebony greyish fungus grows on logs. They look like ears sprouting from trees and their texture evokes cartilage, hence the moniker wood ear mushroom in English. But in Chinese, they are often simply called black fungus mushroom: 黑木耳 (hēi mù ěr). In Vietnamese, wood ear mushroom are called nấm mèo (cat ear mushroom) or mộc nhĩ đen. Japanese cooks know them as kikurage and Korean cooks call them mogi-beoseot.

Why cook with wood ear mushrooms?

Because they are one of the most useful mushrooms to keep in your East Asian and South East Asian pantry for Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai dishes. They are really second to dried shiitake. Wood ear mushrooms rehydrate fast so you can toss them into stir-fries, soups, stuffings, salad, and banchan. They're also low calorie: a serving of 3.5 ounces (100 grams) has 25 calories! The black fungus often plays a supporting role in foods to add textural and dark color accents. They don't change much during cooking too.

Vietnamese cuisine uses wood ear mushroom in soups and fried imperial roll (cha gio) stuffings, among other dishes. But I've used them in modern Vietnamese salads as a vegan substitute for pig ears. Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine has myriad ways to use wood ear mushroom as an accent note, like in hot and sour soup, and as the main feature. Ditto for other Asian cuisines. You may have seen wood ear mushroom in Korean japchae stir-fried noodles and Thai glass noodle salads.

Buying wood mushroom can be confusing when you're looking at all the options at Chinese and Vietnamese markets, for instance. This post is loaded with information and tips for you to make the right decision at the store. And, once in your kitchen, the prep tips will help you confidently cook with the little wondrous fungus.

Wood ear mushroom health benefits

The fungus is loaded with beneficial nutrients including pantothenic acid, selenium, riboflavin, thiamine, magnesium, zinc, B6, folate, calcium, potassium, and manganese. They also contain antioxidants and polyphenols to potentially protect cells against oxidative damage and thus help us deal with lowering cholesterol and avoiding cancer, heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. In Chinese medicine, wood ear mushroom has been used to improve the gut-brain connection, assist circulation and cognition, and support Yin. Who would think that such a little wood ear would be so powerful! As with any "healthful" food, eat a moderate amount and not too often!

How wood ear mushroom impacts food

These are not thick, meaty mushrooms. They are more cartilage-like because they deliver crisp crunch. Flavor-wise, they have little to offer. However they will absorb a modicum of flavor from dressings like in this easy Taiwanese wood ear mushroom salad.

In Vietnamese cooking, we may combine shiitake and wood ear. The latter contributes aroma and umami. The latter lends color and texture. You can use them separately or together. You see the two mushrooms combo used in Chinese hot and sour soup too.

Should you buy fresh or dried wood ear mushroom?

Fresh wood ear mushroom look like adorable tiny velvet berets. They are easily cultivated fresh but are mostly sold at Chinese markets in the fresh produce section on styrofoam trays. In Asia, they're super fresh and my understanding is they only last about 2 days. In the States, I've kept fresh wood ear mushroom for about one week. What's cultivated here is grown for durability.

No worries. Most people used dried wood ear mushroom. If you shop right, you'll find dried wood ear mushroom to be just as good as fresh. Seldom is the case that fresh mushroom is as good as their dried version. But in this case you'll be fine. One bag of dried wood ear mushroom lasts indefinitely too.

How to shop and wood ear mushroom

Up to now, I've used the terms interchangeably but you need to know this: they are kin but not quite the same. There are four common kinds (listed below) but in the main, what you see sold at Chinese and Vietnamese markets are labeled black fungus, cloud ear, and wood ear. It's fine and correct to call them all wood ear!

• Black fungus (Auricularia heimuer)
• Cloud ear fungus or wood ear (Auricularia cornea)
• Jelly ear (Auricularia auricula-judae)
• Silver ear fungus (Tremella fuciformis)

What are the difference between these? Labels may confusingly indicate "black fungus", "fungus", or even "black wood ear mushroom fungus"! So, look at the mushroom in the packaging. Usually greyish on one side, black fungus is thinner and more delicate than wood ear mushroom, which often sports one tan side but tends to be thicker. The difference is nominal to most cooks. They are interchangeable. Cloud ears tends to be very small and thinner than black fungus, hence its name.

What do I select? My go-to is "black fungus" because it tends to be of medium thickness and nice texture. Wood ear mushroom with one tan side tends to be thicker and chewier -- nice for when you want extra texture and rusticity. Suggested brands of wood ear mushroom include: T&H Trading, Richin Trading. If those brands are unavailable buy at the mid to upper end of the price spectrum at the market.

Should you buy whole or sliced wood ear mushrooms?

Select Buy the fungi as whole or odd-shaped pieces. Avoid pre-sliced strips which hamstring your prep options. Why let someone else determine the size of your food? Wood ear mushroom is very easy and fast to slice, chop, and mince.

How to store dried or fresh wood ear mushroom?

Fresh wood ear mushroom should be refrigerated and used within the week. Dried wood ear mushroom last nearly forever in a canister or airtight container stashed in a dark cupboard. They don't have an aroma to dissipate so you don't have to worry much!

How to measure dried or fresh wood ear mushrooms?

Measuring the frilly dried fungi can seem cumbersome but your recipe won't be dramatically altered if you're slightly off. A weight measurement helps so know this: ½ cup (120ml) of dried wood ear mushroom weighs .67 ounce (20 grams). So, 1 tablespoon should weigh about 2.2 grams; using ounces for this quantity is sort of pointless. Metric is better.

What if you're starting with fresh wood ear mushroom? ½ cup (120ml) dried yields a good 2 cups (480ml) soaked -- about 4 times! When a recipe soaks 1 tablespoon of dried, you will need about ¼ cup (60ml) fresh. If you're slightly off, the recipe will not be ruined.

Wood ear mushroom and black fungus prep and cooking tips

During rehydration, dried wood ear mushrooms expand to be four to five times their original dried size. It's remarkable so be prepared: Always woak dried wood ear mushroom in a large enough bowl with hot water to cover by 1 inch (2.5cm). In about 15 minutes, they will plump up, be soft and dark. Below is a before and after of the same amount of mushroom -- dried and after soaking.

After rehydration, drain and inspect the mushroom. If you spot super hard knobs, cut them off. That use to be the case years ago but it appears that nowadays, the hard knobs have been pre-trimmed my the producers and packagers. Use the rehydrated wood ear mushrooms soon or refrigerate for up to a week (discard or repurpose the mild tasting soaking liquid). If you've got fresh wood ear mushrooms, just keep them chilled until you need them.

Also note this: To prep in advance, slice, chop or mince wood ear mushroom and keep it in the fridge for up to a week, until you need it! It is hard to ruin wood ear mushroom and they can add alot to Asian food.

The post Wood Ear Mushrooms and Black Fungus: A Beginner’s Guide to Buying, Prepping, and Cooking appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

How does this vegetable stir-fry work? It features a green veggie that's cut on a steep diagonal to ensure the pieces cook quickly and absorb flavors well. One or two other vegetables play supporting roles by adding contrasting color, flavor, and texture. To allow their natural quality to shine, I simply season them with ginger, garlic, and salt. There's a steam-cooking process that ensures everything cooks to a crisp tenderness.

Weeknight Vegetable Stir-Fry Pointers

Use my bonus tips as you tinker with the stir-fry:

• Choosing vegetables to stir-fry: Choose what's freshest and/or in season to produce a winning dish every time. Cutting them with lots of exposed surfaces ensures fast, even cooking.
• Peel or not peel? Peel the watermelon radish if its skin is tough. Kohlrabi may be used instead of carrot or radish; peel and quarter it before slicing. Carrots can keep their skin on.
• Don't want to do a mixed-vegetable stir-fry? Use this recipe to cook 1 ¼ pounds (625g) asparagus or green beans. The seasonings and cooking time remain the same.
• Streamline stir-frying: Line up all the ingredients near the stove because the cooking happens fast.
• What to cook the stir-fry in? A large carbon steel skillet or wok heats up well to cook this dish up in a flash. Whatever you choose, have a suitable lid handy. 
• How to scale up the recipe? Stir-fry in single batches to avoid overcrowding the pan and slowing the cooking. Unite your batches in as one at the end, reheating as needed.
• Serving suggestions: Present this vegetable stir-fry as a side dish or as a starter, like my friend Susan does. It's casual elegant cooking that's attractive too.

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Weeknight Vegetable Stir-Fry

This recipe was original published in my cookbook, Ever-Green Vietnamese (Ten Speed Press, 2023).

Course Side Dish, starter

Cuisine Asian American, Vietnamese, Vietnamese-ish

Ingredients

• 1 pound | 450g asparagus or other green vegetable (such as celery or green beans)
• 4 ounces | 120g carrot, watermelon radish, kohlrabi, and/or fresh mushrooms (such as white, cremini, or shiitake), or a combination
• 1 ½ tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or peanut)
• 3 slices ginger, unpeeled, smashed
• 1 large garlic clove, gently smashed
• ¼ plus ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

• Prep the veggies: Trim the ends of the asparagus, then slice the stalks on a steep diagonal into 2-inch-long pieces and put them into a bowl.
• Cut the carrot into slices a scant 1⁄4 inch thick and 2 inches long; this ensures they'll cook at the same rate as the asparagus. If using mushrooms, cut the stems and caps into 1⁄3-inch-thick slices or tear into large bite-size pieces. Add to the bowl of asparagus.
• Stir-fry and serve: Set a 14-inch wok or 12-inch nonstick or carbon-steel skillet over high heat on one of your largest burners and swirl in the neutral oil. When the oil ripples, toss in the ginger and garlic. Rapidly press down and stir them to release their aroma. Dump in the vegetables and sprinkle with the salt. Stir and toss for about 1 minute, until the vegetables look glossy with brighter color.
• Spread out the vegetables to cover the pan bottom, add the water, cover, and then turn the heat to medium-high. Let the veggies steam-cook for 2 minutes, stirring midway and spreading them out again. When the boiling sounds start turning into a crackling noise (which signals water evaporation), uncover and quickly flip and stir the vegetables, about 1 minute, until no more liquid remains. If needed, turn the heat to high to hasten cooking and thus prevent overcooking. If the vegetables are too firm, add a splash of water and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer. When the veggies are done, they should look lightly glazed. Transfer to a plate or shallow bowl, discard the ginger and garlic if you spot them, and serve immediately.

The post Easy Weeknight Vegetable Stir-Fry Blueprint appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.

For my newsletter, Pass the Fish Sauce, I recently did a livestream to provide a "Fish Sauce 101" to curious cooks, eaters, and readers. As a follow-up, I'm sharing the video plus detailed information so you can understand what fish sauce is and how to make the best choices for your cooking.

Watch my Fish Sauce 101

We covered a lot of fish sauce territory in the 30-minute video, including the basics about what fish sauce is and where it comes from. When watching the video, look for content to cover these topics:

• Fish sauce ingredients
• How to choose fish sauce for your cooking needs
• Difference in major kinds of fish sauce
• Differences in major brands of fish sauce (3 Crabs vs. Red Boat vs. Megachef, for instance)
• How to decode the "N" on fish sauce labels
• Uncommon fish sauce (it's made in many places!)

What is fish sauce?

To recap, fish sauce is the liquid result of salting and fermenting fish - an ancient and practical way of preserving seasonally abundant supplies of protein. Fresh seafood is packed in layers of salt in large earthenware jugs, wood casks, or concrete vats. To keep the fish from floating up as their juices are drawn out during the fermentation process, bamboo racks and rocks are used to weigh the fish down.

Left in a hot, sunny place for months or even more than a year, the fish breaks down and turns into liquid. High in B vitamins, amino acids and protein, the fluid is removed via a spigot at the bottom of the salting container, or by siphoning. In Vietnamese, this first extraction is called nước mắm cốt (or nước mắm nhĩ) and is the most prized. Slightly oily, richly flavored, and deeply hued, it was traditionally reserved for dipping sauces and special occasions. To get more use from the same fish, salted water may be added, and after a shorter fermentation period, a lesser-quality condiment is rendered for everyday eating and cooking.

Is fish sauce actually made out of fish?

Yes and no. Fish -- anchovies, in particular, are usually employed. But as you see in the video and in the photo below, fish sauce can be made of different kinds of seafood. I would have never thought of salmon, herring, fresh water or even eel could be used for fish sauce but they can.

Through the autolytic and aging process, fish sauce develops a deep umami from a healthy amount of glutamates. That's why it tastes so good!

The fish sauces I tasted in the video included ones by Noumami (Norwegian), Hoang Gia and Red Boat (Vietnam), and Leang Leng (Cambodia). Look for them online and at Vietnamese and Cambodian markets.

You may more questions so keep scrolling. I may answer them below!

What is fish sauce made of?

At its most basic, fish sauce is made from seafood and salt plus time for the autolytic process to happen. It sounds gross but the fish digests itself to turn into an amino acid-rich liquid that tastes divine. Fish sauce producers blend fish sauce like wine. Sugar, water, and flavor enhancers like MSG and hydrolyzed wheat extract may be added to finesse the flavor. A preservative may be listed to keep the condiment stable at room temperature.

Can you make fish sauce from scratch?

Old school cooks like my grandmother made fish sauce on an annual basis. Some people do in Vietnam but in the main, people buy it. It requires time, good seafood, and the right climate. My friends on Phu Quoc and Son islands say that their locations in the Gulf of Thailand provides them good access to excellent anchovies and sea salt. Moreover, the sea breezes impact the fish sauce too. They use barrels made of local wood to prepare artisanal high quality fish sauce. At the price of less than $10 USD, that's quite a bargain!

Is fish sauce a Vietnamese thing?

The amber condiment is the most important condiment used in the Vietnamese kitchen for savory foods. Fish sauce is to Vietnamese people like soy sauce is to Chinese people. It's part of our cuisine and culture. There's even a fish sauce museum in Phan Thiet, Vietnam.

Fish sauce contains a lot of protein and has been known to be a good energy booster too. For instance, deep sea divers who go underwater without oxygen tanks are known to take a swig of fish sauce before they dive in. One fish sauce maker told me that her grandpa kept aged fish sauce to offer as a remedy for certain illnesses. And, excellent fish sauce makes a good gift, as well.

Which brand of fish sauce is best?

Choosing fish sauce really depends on how and what you like to cook. In general, I avoid fish sauce sold in plastic bottles because they tend to not be of good quality. I recipe develop with four brands.

• Three Crabs and Megachef (blue label is Viet-style and brown label is Thai-style) are terrific for everyday cooking and dipping sauces. They have sugar and other ingredients aside from fish and salt so they tend to be friendlier and easier to use.
• Son fish sauce or Red Boat fish sauce; they only contain fish and salt. Red Boat has a more neutral flavor than other brands so it is good for cooks who like to use fish sauce in lots of western dishes as well as Asian dishes.
• If you not shop at Asian markets, look in the Asian aisle of your supermarket. Use my guide to supermarket fish sauces as your shopping buddy.

Where should I buy fish sauce?

I typically shop at Asian markets. The best selection is at Southeast Asian markets. That said, Son is carried at 99 Ranch but not always at Viet markets. Red Boat is widely distributed, but Megachef and Three Crabs are Asian market finds. Order online and you will pay more but that's the price of convenience. I have ordered a hard-to-find 5-liter jug of Son from Amazon and it arrived safely, without a leak.

Will fish sauce go bad?

Not if it is left at a cool room temperature in a dark spot. Fish sauce can age well if it is premium fish sauce. If your fish sauce does not have preservatives, then keep it refrigerated. If crystals form, that's just salt and is not a sign of spoilage. There's a lot of salt in fish sauce to keep it good for a long time. Always close the lid well to prevent it from dehydrating. Check here for my fish sauce storage tips.

How to use fish sauce well

Many recipes call for using a lot of fish sauce but that lead to too fish sauce-y of a flavor in food.

• Phase in fish sauce. Fish sauce (nuoc mam in Vietnamese, nam pla in Thai, patis in Tagalog) varies in flavor. Some are salty while others are sweet. Some are bold and others are light. Use a little at a time when starting out with a brand you're unfamiliar with. You'll then know how the fish sauce impacts your food.
• Use fish sauce with salt. Hedge the power of fish sauce by combining it with salt. I do that in noodle soups like chicken pho and beef pho.
• When adding fish sauce to broth, set aside some to add at the end of cooking to finesse flavor and allow the umami in fish sauce to express itself well.
• Tinker with fish sauce. First start by making nuoc cham, Vietnam's go-to dipping sauce. My nuoc cham recipe is built for experimentation and for you to master the sauce. Then play with it. For instance, substitute fish sauce instead of anchovies in Mediterranean recipes. Start with my lazy day Caesar salad recipe. Sprinkle a few drops on sliced tomatoes that taste a bit meh. Add a bit to guacamole or salsa.

Can I skip fish sauce in recipes?

Absolutely no. When fish sauce is in a recipe, it serves a key purpose. It plays a pivotal role in the flavor and outcome of the dish because it's the source of umami and salinity. Use one of my substitutions below. If you skip fish sauce, your dish will not turn out well.

Fish sauce substitutes

Everyone needs substitutes so here are mine for your considerations:

• You cannot eat seafood or are vegetarian or vegan? Buy a vegetarian fish sauce or make one. Here's my buying guide for vegetarian fish sauce plus a basic recipe. I have an excellent vegetarian/vegan fish sauce recipe in Ever-Green Vietnamese.
• Can soy sauce be used instead of fish sauce in recipes? Be careful. Don't use a 1:1 swap of because your food may taste to soy sauce-y, be too dark in color, or not be as salty.

Emergency fast 'faux' fish sauce recipe

Use this only when you have bare bones ingredients and are in a major pinch. Combine 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon agave syrup, 1 teaspoon light soy sauce and ¼ cup water. Stir to dissolve the salt. You'll have a good ¼ cup.

If you have other fish sauce questions, ask away and I hopefully will be able to respond!

The post Fish Sauce: What is it? Plus, how to buy, store, use, and sub for it appeared first on Viet World Kitchen.