Entrees

Roast lemongrass chicken with turmeric coconut rice

April 4, 2019 by vytran24 1 Comment

Thank you to RiceSelect for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.
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This roast lemongrass chicken with turmeric coconut rice is a delicious weeknight dinner that you’ll come back to often. The roast chicken brings the umami factor while the turmeric coconut rice provides a vibrant, delicious backdrop for the chicken to shine.

Today I’m sharing one of our favorite weeknight meals–roast lemongrass chicken with turmeric coconut rice. This chicken and rice dish is on regular rotation in our house since it is easy to prepare. Once you try this dish, you’ll never look at chicken and rice the same way again!

Growing up in Vietnam, I ate rice daily. One of my favorite childhood was one pot yellow chicken rice. My mom cooked the rice and chicken with spices like curry powder, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom to create a beautiful aromatic one pot meal. While I love this dish, my husband and kids aren’t keen on a lot of the spices used in the yellow chicken rice so I prepared something with spices that they do enjoy.

What I love about this dish is you can marinate the chicken the night before and pop it in the oven when you come home from work. The whole chicken is marinated in a mixture of lemongrass, lime leaves, shallot, garlic, fish sauce, and yogurt overnight. The yogurt helps tenderize the chicken and keeps it moist and juicy during roasting. I like using free range chicken since its meat tend to be leaner with better texture. You can also use chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat. The lemongrass and lime leaves act as aromatics and lend an incredible fragrance to the chicken.

While the chicken is roasting, I prepare the turmeric coconut rice. I love using RiceSelect Texmati White Rice for this dish. RiceSelect Texmati White Rice is a pantry staple because it is organically grown, free from preservatives and chemicals. Like all RiceSelect products, this rice is made with superior quality and taste. This RiceSelect rice combines the nuttiness of basmatic rice with the high quality of American long-grain rice.

I used to make this dish with coconut milk but recently learned a trick from Andrea Nguyen of Viet World Kitchen to use coconut water instead for a lighter, more delicate flavor. Due to its delicious nutty flavor and unique texture, RiceSelect Texmati white rice goes so well with the sweetness of the coconut water. Along with the turmeric, the coconut water creates a fragrant and vibrant rice with a fluffy texture. This rice dish is so delicious you’ll be cooking again and again.

I the love the balance of turmeric, herbs, and richness in this dish. The roast lemongrass chicken brings all the umami factor while the turmeric coconut rice provides a vibrant, delicious backdrop for the chicken to shine. I like to serve it with steamed broccoli but you can use any vegetables you like. This roast lemongrass chicken with turmeric coconut rice is a delicious weeknight dinner that you’ll come back to often.

If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #beyondsweetandsavory on Instagram. We truly appreciate your feedback and incorporate them to continually improve our recipes.

If you like Vietnamese food, check out these recipes: grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork ribs, Vietnamese shaking beef, or Vietnamese sticky wings.

5 from 6 votes

hands holding a plate of roast lemongrass chicken and turmeric coconut rice

Roast lemongrass chicken with turmeric coconut rice

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 50 mins

Total Time

2 hrs 10 mins

The roast chicken brings the umami factor while the turmeric coconut rice provides a vibrant, delicious backdrop for the chicken to shine.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese

Keyword: coconut, lemongrass, rice, roast chicken, turmeric

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

Lemongrass Roast Chicken

1 3.5 lbs whole free range chicken
2 lemongrass stalks, coarse outer layers removed, top and bottom trimmed, and finely chopped (about ½ cup)
1/4 cup marut lime leaves, roughly chopped
2 banana shallots, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp freshly grated turmeric
2 tbsps fish sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt

Turmeric Coconut Rice

3/4 cup RiceSelect Texmati white rice
1 1/4 cup fresh coconut water
1/2 tsp freshly grated turmeric
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsps chopped cilantro

Instructions

Roast lemongrass chicken

In a small bowl, combine the lemongrass, lime leaves, shallots, garlic, fish sauce, salt, and yogurt.
Place the chicken in a large dish.
Spread the lemongrass marinade evenly over the chicken, tucking any excess into its cavity.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to roast, bring the chicken to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken, breast side down and roast for 30 minutes.
Turn the chicken over so the breast side is up and spoon the juices over the top. Roast for another hour until the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. If the chicken starts to brown too much, tent it with aluminum foil.
Remove the chicken and let it cool slightly before carving.

Turmeric Coconut Rice

Wash the rice in three changes of water and drain well.
In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the rice, coconut water, turmeric, and salt and bring to a boil.
Stir occasionally to loosen the grains.
Lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and all the liquid has been absorbed.
Before serving, use a fork to fluff the rice then transfer it to a serving plate and garnish with cilantro and serve with the chicken.

Seared scallops grapefruit and shaved fennel salad

February 23, 2018 by vytran24 Leave a Comment

This refreshing salad of seared scallops, grapefruit, shaved fennel, and wild rice is the perfect antidote to the heavy winter meals.

a platter of seared scallops, grapefruit, fennel, and wild rice salad next to a bowl of salad dressing

During the winter I find myself turning on the oven for a lot of roasting and braising meat. To balance it out, my body craves for lighter meals and refreshing salads. This seared scallops, grapefruit, shaved fennel, and wild black rice salad is the perfect antidote to the heavier meals of winter. It only requires four ingredients with very little done to them to create one of the most delicious salads on this blog.

a platter of seared scallops, grapefruit, fennel, and wild rice salad

The key to this salad is to source in season grapefruit, young fennel, and fresh sea scallops. Winter is peak season for grapefruits and you can use any varieties you like. If you can’t find grapefruit, you can substitute with blood oranges or cara cara and will still have an amazing salad. With young fennels, you’ll be rewarded with a tender bulb that has a sweet and beautiful anise flavor. Shaving a fennel bulb into paper-thin slices requires a mandoline but the thin fennel slices add a wonderful crisp to this salad.

a platter of seared scallops, grapefruit, fennel, and wild rice salad

Ask your fishmonger where the scallops came from and when they’ve been caught. You want sea scallops that are large, fresh, glossy, and untreated. Treated scallops means they have been soaked in the phosphate solution that’s often used to preserve and plum them. I was intimidated by cooking scallops until I tried the technique from Taste and Technique Recipes to Elevate Your Home Cooking by chef Naomi Pomeroy. The trick to getting perfectly seared scallops is to remove any excess moisture prior to cooking and use a cast iron pan with the right temperature. If they don’t sizzle the second they hit the pan, they won’t develop that nice golden brown crust. The sweet and juicy taste of the seared scallops are balanced by the crispness of the fennel, citrus forward flavor of the grapefruit, and nuttiness of the wild black rice. This seared scallops grapefruit and shaved fennel salad is light, refreshing, and the perfect antidote to winter cooking.

a platter of seared scallops, grapefruit, fennel, and wild rice salad

If you want more salad inspiration, check out these recipes: watermelon radish carpaccio with arugula salad, za’atar roasted radishes and lentil salad, and za’atar roasted romanesco steaks with lentils.

4.09 from 12 votes

a platter of scallops, grapefruit, fennel, and wild rice salad

Seared scallops grapefruit shaved fennel and wild rice salad

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

40 mins

This seared scallops grapefruit, shaved fennel, and wild black rice salad is light, refreshing, and the perfect antidote to winter cooking.

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Seafood

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 young fennel bulb
fennel fronds for garnish
2 small red grapefruits
1/2 cup wild black rice
1 pound sushi grade sea scallops
2 tbsps olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Salad dressing

2 tbsps olive oil extra virgin
2 tbsps grapefruit juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

To make the salad, wash the fennel and discard the tough outer bulb. Reserve some feathery leaves or fennel fronds for garnish.
Cut the bulb in half and use a mandoline to thinly shave the fennel and place in a bowl with cold water.
Cut a slice off the top and bottom of each grapefruit so they have a flat bottom to sit on. Use a sharp knife to cut the peel and remove as much of the pith from the grapefruits as you can. Segment the grapefruits into a prep bowl. Reserve grapefruit juice for dressing.
To make the dressing, in a sauce bowl, whisk together olive oil, grapefruit juice, mustard, and honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Bring a pot of water to boil over medium high heat, add the rice and cook according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water, drain, then set aside to cool.
Lay the scallops on a paper towel and gently blot to remove any excess moisture. Season the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a large cast iron pan on medium-high heat until very hot. Add half the olive oil and heat until the surface is rippling but not smoking. Pour off any excess oil leaving only a thin, even film of oil on the pan.
Add half the scallops to the pan and they should audibly sizzle as soon as they hit the pan. Press down firmly with a spatula to ensure even browning. Sear the scallops for a minute and a half until they develop a nice, golden crust.
Flip the scallops and press down again with the spatula and cook for another 45 seconds to a minute, depending on the thickness of the scallops.
When the scallops are cooked, remove them from heat and set them on a plate. When you cut into the scallop, it should be translucent in the middle.
Repeat the step with the remaining scallops.
When ready to serve, add the rice, drained fennel slices, and segmented grapefruits to a serving platter. Arrange the seared scallops on top. Garnish with fennel fronds. Drizzle with some of the pan juices and salad dressing.

Recipe Notes

Serve this salad for a casual dinner or serve smaller portions as an elegant starter or first course for six to eight people.

Pho Ga Vietnamese chicken noodle soup

January 15, 2017 by vytran24 Leave a Comment

Can you believe it’s 2017?!!! It caught me by surprise how the new year came upon us in a blink of an eye. I did away with New Year’s resolutions years ago because I never seemed to stay on top of them. One intent I did want for the blog in 2017 is to share with you more of the food from my culture. Yes, that means more Vietnamese recipes! For the first post of the year, I’m sharing one of my all time favorite recipes, my mom’s pho ga, as part of the #noodleholicsparty that Soe of Lime and Cilantro is hosting.

Pho has always been my comfort food for as long as I could remember. It’s a quintessential food of Vietnam, as ramen is to Japan. Growing up, I ate pho bo (beef noodle) because beef was a commodity. I didn’t really appreciate pho ga until my husband introduced me to Pho Ga An Nam in San Jose when we first dated. It was the best pho ga in town, almost two decades ago. From then on, I begged my mom to cook more pho ga instead of pho bo. She always uses free range chicken because the meat remains firmer after cooking. The spices used in pho ga are similar to pho bo and lend a fragrant and intoxicating broth. During cold weather and rainy seasons we find ourselves gravitating toward pho ga. Each family has their own variation but most of the ingredients are very similar. We hope this will become your go to pho ga recipe!

Pho Ga (4-6 servings)

1 3-lb free range chicken
2 lbs of chicken carcass
12 cups of water
1 medium yellow onion
2 thumb sized pieces of ginger
1 cinnamon stick
10 cloves
5 star anise
½ tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsps fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 16-oz package of rice noodles (pho noodles)

For the garnish

1 bunch of Thai basil
½ cup of chopped cilantro
½ cup of chopped green onion
1 green jalapenos pepper, sliced thinly
2 cups of mung bean sprouts
1 lime cut into wedges
Freshly ground pepper for serving
Hoisin sauce for serving
Sriracha sauce for serving

1. Char the onion and ginger pieces on both sides over a gas stove. If you don’t have a gas stove, broil them for a few minutes in the oven. Set aside.

2. Roast the spices in the oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes until fragrant. Place the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, star anise, and cloves in a piece of muslin/cheesecloth and tie with butcher’s twine to secure. Set aside.

3. Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the chicken carcass, chicken, onion, ginger, and spices and let everything simmer over medium-low heat. Occasionally remove any scum from the surface.

4. Prepare a large ice-water bath 30 minutes into cooking. When the chicken is done, remove it from the pot and immediately submerge it in the water bath to stop the cooking process and give the meat a firmer texture. Let the chicken stand for 15 minutes until it’s cool enough to handle.

5. Remove the chicken meat from the bones. Set aside. Throw the bones back into the stockpot.

6. Continue simmering the broth for another 90 minutes. Season with salt, fish sauce, and sugar to taste. Add a little more water if too much water has evaporated during the cooking process.

7. While the broth is simmering, bring a small sauce pan to a boil.

8. Add the noodles and cook for about 2-3 minutes or just until al dente. The noodles will finish cooking in the broth.

9. Prepare the plate of garnishes with Thai basil leaves, mung bean sprouts, lime wedges, and jalapeno peppers.

10. In a small sauce bowl, add the Hoisin sauce and the Sriracha sauce for serving.

11. Chop the green onion and cilantro.

12. To assemble divide the noodles between soup bowls. Top with chicken meat, scallions, and cilantro. Ladle the hot stock over the top, sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, and serve immediately with the garnishes.

Cook’s note: for a less fatty broth, make the broth a day ahead and leave the broth in the fridge overnight. Remove the layer of fat at the surface before rewarming the broth. For a cleaner broth, strain it before serving.
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For more delicious noodle recipes, check out all the other #noodleholicsparty dishes from bloggers from all part of the world!

Rakhee Yadav |Vegetarian manchurian with stir fry noodles by Boxofspice

Erin Clarkson |Beef ragu with pappardelle by Cloudy Kitchen

Ingrid Goesnar |Indonesian boiled noodles (mie rebus) by Piquecooking

Christine Leong |Malaysian Laksa with Pumpkin by Vermillionroots

Ashley Cuoco |Chestnut Tortellini & Fettuccine in Sage Cream Sauce by Cuococontento

Ryan and Adam |Vegetarian Tteokbokki by husbandsthatcook

Regan Baroni |Shrimp Scampi with Tagliatelle by Regan Baroni

Nevada Berg |Juniper Berry & Barley Noodles with Creamy Chantarelles by North Wild Kitchen

Joanne |Vegan Jjajangmyeon by the Korean Vegan

Lindsay Radcliffe |Duck Noodle Soup by Lindsaysfeast

Lyndsey Eden |Avocado pesto cream sauce with homemade fettuccine noodles by Lyndsey Eden

Aimee Twigger |Homemade soba noodles in a lapsang souchong broth with crispy tofu by Twiggstudios

Haiya Tarik |Malaysian Laksa by Passmethedimsum

Maggie Zhu |Shanghai Scallion Oil Noodle (Cong You Ban Mian) by Omnivorescookbook

Lauren McDuffie |Oak-Smoked Pasta Cacio e Pepe by Harvest and Honey

Soe Thein |Noodle in Burmese coconut and chicpea broth (Oh- no-khao-swe) by Lime and Cilantro

Marvellina Goh |Aceh noodles (Mie Aceh) by Whattocooktoday

Mahroo |Persian Noodle (Reshteh) by Noghlemey

Spaghetti and meatballs

October 27, 2016 by vytran24 Leave a Comment

I grew up with Vietnamese food and it wasn’t until I met my husband over 15 years ago that I was introduced to Italian food. For the first year that we dated, we ate mainly Italian food because it was a novelty to me–spaghetti, lasagna, gnocchi, and all kind of pasta. I owe my love of Italian food to my husband so I make one of his favorite dishes often, spaghetti and meatballs.

I like adding fresh tomatoes to the tomato passata for that extra tomato umph. I love using tomato passata because it’s made with high quality ripe tomatoes resulting in a well flavoured tomato base that is more delicious compared to the standard canned tomatoes. Every family has their own meatball recipe but we found the combination of pork and veal make really moist meatballs. Spaghetti and meatballs is such a tasty and classic dish that can feed the whole family and make for great leftovers.

Spaghetti and Meatballs
14 oz of dried spaghetti
½ tbsp of salt
2 tbsps of olive oil
Freshly ground pepper, to serve
Finely grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
Extra basil leaves to serve

For the sauce:
2 tbsps of olive oil
1 tbsp of garlic, chopped
1 cup of fresh San Marzanos tomatoes, chopped (can substitute with Roma tomatoes)
1 24-oz bottle of passata
½ cup of red wine
1 cup of spaghetti water
½ cup of basil leaves, chopped
2 tbsps sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the meatballs:
½ lb ground pork
½ lb ground veal
½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
¾ cup panko
2 eggs
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
¼ cup white onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground pepper
2 tbsps olive oil

1. For the meatballs, in a large mixing bowl combine pork, veal, cheese, panko, eggs, garlic, white onion, salt, and pepper and mix well to combine.

2. Using wet hands, roll 2 tbsps of the mixture into balls and place them on a plate. Cover and refrigerate the meatballs for 30 minutes to allow the flavor the develop.

3. Heat 2 tbsps of olive oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Cook the meatballs in batches, turning frequently for 5 minutes or until browned.

4. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside.

5. In the same pan, add 2 tbsps of olive oil and the garlic and let it cook and become fragrant, about 5 minutes.

6. Add the fresh tomatoes, tomato passata, and red wine to the pan. Bring to a boil. Add the meatballs and simmer for 30 minutes or until the sauce is reduced and the meatballs are cooked through.

7. While the meatballs are cooking, place the spaghetti in a large saucepan of salted boiling water and cook for 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain well but do not rinse. Toss the spaghetti with olive oil.

8. If the tomato sauce becomes too thick, add the spaghetti water to thin it. Add basil and season with sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.

9.Divide the spaghetti between serving bowls, top with meatballs, extra sauce, basil leaves, and Parmesan cheese.

Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)

April 28, 2016 by vytran24 4 Comments

When I was first introduced to Korean food in high school, I immediately fell in love with three dishes–cold noodles, bibimbap, and kimchi fried rice. Being Vietnamese, I grew up on noodles and rice so it wasn’t a surprise that I gravitated toward those dishes. I usually order the cold noodles and bibimbap at the restaurant since they’re a bit more complicated to make.

On the other hand, when I’m craving for rice and something spicy, kimchi fried rice is my go to! Surprisingly simple but so darn addicting, it’s on regular rotation with our traditional Vietnamese fried rice and Thai pineapple fried rice.

My Korean friends told me that the eggs are usually cooked with the rice but I prefer mine with a fried egg on top, actually two because one fried egg is never enough!

Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)
3 tbsps olive oil
¼ cup white onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ tbsp ginger, minced
1 cup of Napa cabbage kimchi, chopped
2 cups of cooked white rice, one day old
4 eggs, fried sunny-side up
Scallions and cilantro for garnish, both sliced thinly
Freshly ground pepper
Extra kimchi to serve (optional)

1. Heat a wok or large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add 2 tbsps of olive oil and stir-fry the onion and ginger until fragrant. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute, making sure the garlic doesn’t burn.

3. Add the chopped kimchi and rice and stir-fry for another 5 minutes.

4. Decrease the heat to medium-low and press the rice down with a spatula and let the bottom crisp for another 5 minutes then turn off the heat.

5. In a separate pan, heat the remaining olive oil on medium-high heat and fry the eggs, one side until the white is just set.

6. Divide the fried rice among four plates, top each plate with a fried egg, and garnish with freshly ground pepper, scallion, and cilantro.

Tonkatsu with napa cabbage slaw and miso tonkatsu sauce

January 22, 2016 by vytran24 Leave a Comment

You probably noticed that the blog has been quiet since late December but there’s a good reason for that. We took time off near the end of the year and traveled to the Bay Area to visit family. When we came back, everyone got sick and and is barely getting over our cold. Even though we all felt under the weather, we’ve been cooking as usual and can’t wait to share some of the delicious meals we’ve been making with you.

For our first post of 2016, we’re sharing this delicious tonkotsu dish from our favorite Japanese cookbook, Japanese Soul Cooking. Japanese food was foreign to me for the first twenty years or so of my life. Sushi, what’s what? Ramen, is that cup noodle? And tonkotsu, sounds kinda strange! It wasn’t until I met my husband that I was introduced to Japanese food. He would order tonkotsu whenever we had Japanese food but I usually stuck to ramen or udon. One day, my curiosity got the better of me and I asked him for a bite. A crunchy, crumbly panko coating with a thin layer of tender pork hidden beneath! I haven’t eaten pork this way before. Fried and delicious! Since then I’ve been hooked.

We usually make this dish when we crave for pork and are short on time. In less than an hour, you can whip up a delicious and comforting meal of tonkotsu smothered in miso tonkatsu sauce with a bowl of steaming white rice and a refreshing side of napa cabbage slaw. When we have extra time, we usually make a nice yellow curry to go with the tonkotsu like how some restaurants serve it. The recipe for Japanese curry will be posted at another time. Once you make this tonkatsu at home, you might not want to order it from the restaurant again!

Tonkatsu (recipe adapted from Japanese Soul Cooking)
4-6 fillets of boneless pork loin, about ¾ inch thick (about 1 lb)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup of all purpose flour
¼ cup of cornstarch
1 cup of panko crumbs
vegetable oil for deep-frying
white rice for serving

Miso tonkatsu sauce
2 tbsps sake
2 tbsps mirin
2 tbsps water
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsps Hatcho miso or red miso
1 tbsp ground toasted white sesame

Napa cabbage and carrot slaw
2 cups of napa cabbage, thinly sliced
½ cup of carrot, shredded
1 green onion (scallion), thinly sliced
2 tbsps light soy sauce
1 tbsp white rice vinegar
1 tbsp of honey
1 tbsp of toasted sesame

1. Make the tonkotsu sauce first by adding sake, mirin, water, and sugar to a saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes. Whisk in the miso until it’s well combined. Remove from heat and whisk in the ground sesame until smooth. Let the sauce cool to room temperature.

2. To make the slaw dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, and honey. Place the cabbage, carrot, and green onion in a bowl and toss with the dressing.

3. For the tonkatsu, lay the pork fillets on a cutting board and pound the meat with a meat mallet to about ½ inch thick.

4. If the sides of the pork has fat, cut ½ inch notches into the white fat of the fillets to prevent them from curling when frying.

5. Season the fillets on both side with salt and pepper then transfer them to a plate.

6. Prepare 4 plates. Whisk together the flour and cornstarch and put the flour mixture in plate 1.

7. Pour the beaten eggs in plate 2.

8. Place the panko crumbs in plate 3.

9. Reserve plate 4 for breaded tonkatsu.

10. Place a cast iron skillet on a burner and fill it with vegetable to a height of at least 1 ½ inches.

11. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of the skillet and wait for the oil to heat to 350 degrees F.

12. While the oil is heating, bread the fillets. First dredge a fillet in flour lightly and shake off any excess.

13. Dip the fillet into the egg, coating both sides.

14. Dredge the fillet in the flour again and shake off any excess flour.

15. Coat the fillet generously in panko on both sides.

16. Repeat with the remaining fillets and place them on plate 4.

17. Carefully slide the breaded tonkatsu into the skillet and cook them for about 3-4 minutes, turning only once during the frying process, until the fillets turn golden brown.

18. Cook the fillets in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Make sure that the temperature remains at 350 degrees F. If the oil is too hot, the tonkatsu will burn. If the oil temperature is lowered, the tonkatsu will come out soggy and greasy.

19. When the fillets are golden brown, transfer them to a paper-lined plate to drain.

20. Transfer the fillets to a cutting board and slice them into strips.

21.When ready to serve, divide rice among serving bowls, top with pork, and napa slaw. Drizzle tonkatsu sauce on top and garnish with toasted sesame and green onions.

Truffled polenta with mushroom ragu

December 21, 2015 by vytran24 Leave a Comment

Mushroom was not a part of my culinary repertoire until we lived in Washington and our friends introduced us to most amazing varieties. Every fall they would trek to Olympic National Forest and hunt for golden chanterelles and lobster mushrooms deep in the forest, turning over salal and fern to look for these treasures on the forest floor. When the mushroom crop was good, we were gifted with pounds of chanterelles. I’m smitten with the chanterelle because of its lovely peach-like fragrant, golden color, and meaty texture. I love turning chanterelles and other mushrooms into a ragu to pair with a bowl of polenta. This dish is one of our favorite fall comfort foods especially for those nights when we want a hearty vegetarian meal.

Truffled polenta with mushroom ragu
½ lb of chanterelle mushrooms (cleaned and cut in big chunks)
½ lb of portobello mushrooms (cleaned and quartered)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
2 sprigs of thyme
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 small shallots, chopped
½ cup of white wine
½ cup of creme fraiche
salt and pepper
½ cup of polenta
1 1/2 cups of water
1 cup of milk
¼ cup of Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of truffle oil

1. To make the mushroom ragu, heat oil oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds.
2. Add the shallots, garlic, and thyme and let everything cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and coat them in the butter and shallot mixture. Let them cook for about 10 minutes until their juices start release and evaporate.
4. When the mixture starts to dry up a bit, add in the white wine and creme fraiche and cook for another 15 minutes.
5. Season the mushroom ragu with salt and pepper to taste.
6. For the polenta, pour water in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly pour the polenta in the pan while gently whisking the mixture together. Stir the polenta occasionally with a wooden spoon while it’s gently simmering to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
7. Add in the milk and continue cooking the polenta for another 30 minutes or until softened. If the mixture starts to dry out, add two tablespoons of water at a time to soften the mixture.
8. When the polenta is softened, stir in the shaved Parmesan cheese and truffle oil. Season with salt to taste.
9. Divide the polenta between four bowls and top with mushroom ragu. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan cheese if you like.

Vietnamese shaking beef or thit bo luc lac

March 24, 2015 by vytran24 Leave a Comment

Growing up in Vietnam, the only beef I remember eating was from pho. Other than that, luxurious beef dishes like shaking beef (thit bo luc lac) were reserved for the rich since quality cuts of beef were quite expensive in the post Vietnam war era. Back then I doubt Vietnamese people even knew what wagyu is. It wasn’t until we moved to the US that my mom began cooking thit bo luc lac for us given its affordability.

To this day, thit bo luc lac is one of my favorite beef dishes. The term “luc lac” stands for the movement of the beef or “shaking” as they are quickly seared in the wok. So no you don’t get dancing beef or quivering beef when the dish arrives at your dinner table. Many Vietnamese restaurants serve thit bo luc lac with sauteed onions, lettuce, tomato, and red rice or on a bed of watercress. I prefer the latter because watercress with its peppery and refreshing taste lends a nice contrast to the deeply flavored beef. For those who are willing to shell out money for filet mignon, you will get super succulent and flavorful thit bo luc lac. I usually stick to sirloin and it stills turn out quite tender and delicious. Whatever way you like your shaking beef, enjoy!

Thit bo luc lac (Vietnamese shaking beef)

1 lb of beef (sirloin cut), cut into ½ inch cubes

1 tbsp soy sauce (Maggie brand)

3 tbsp oyster sauce (Lee Kum Kee brand)

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp sugar

½ tsp freshly ground pepper

4 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 cup of red onions, thinly sliced

1 bunch of watercress, washed and cleaned with tough stems removed

Dipping sauce

2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, water, and sugar until well combined.

2. Add the cubed beef and pepper to the marinade. Toss to combine and let stand in refrigerator for an hour. (If you’re hungry and can’t wait, 30 minutes will suffice.)

3. When ready to cook, heat a wok over high heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil around the top of the wok, letting it run down the side and into the middle of the wok. Add half of the beef to the wok in a single layer and sear for 3 minutes. Shake and toss the beef in the wok and cook for another minute or two. The beef should be seared on all sides. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

4. Add the rest of olive oil and repeat with the remaining beef.

5. While the wok is still hot, add the garlic and onion and continue to stir fry until fragrant and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and onion to the beef and toss to combine.

6. When ready to serve, arrange the watercress on a plate and top with the beef.

7. For the dipping sauce, stir together salt, pepper, and lime juice.

8. Serve the shaking beef with dipping sauce and rice.

Cook’s note: cook the beef to your liking but try not to overcook the meat. Medium-rare should take 3-5 minutes. You also don’t need to dress the watercress because the sauce from the beef already adds so much flavor to the dish.