Roasted Eggplant with Garlic and Mint

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

This roasted eggplant with garlic and mint reinforces two cooking truths that I’ve accepted over the past couple years. The first, which I learned from Ina Garten, is that roasted vegetables are, almost without exception, far superior to vegetables cooked by any other method.

The second, which I learned from Vietnamese cooks and cookbook authors everywhere, is that pretty much everything becomes stellar when tossed in the Vietnamese miracle dressing/sauce made with fish sauce, some acid (lime juice or rice vinegar), sugar, garlic and chile peppers.

In this Vietnamese dish, Asian eggplants are roasted over an open flame and then tossed with the miracle fish sauce dressing and scattered with some fresh mint and green onion.

Is this the prettiest dish? It is not. It’s a shame that eggplants, so striking and vibrant in their raw state become so unattractive after cooking. Thankfully, their silken texture and smoky flavor more than make up for their lack of good looks. I know that a lot of you are getting loads of eggplant in your CSA boxes. This recipe should definitely help you make a dent into that box of produce. (You can also try Greek Eggplant Dip)

Roasted Eggplant with Garlic and Mint

Yield: 6-8 servings

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

* 4-5 long Asian eggplants
* 3 Tablespoons fish sauce
* 3 Tablespoons lime juice
* 2 Tablespoon water
* 2 Tablespoons sugar
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1 Thai chile pepper, minced
* 2 Tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
* 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

Directions:

Prick the eggplants all around with a fork to prevent them from busting/exploding. Turn a gas burner on to medium-low. (Note: if you don’t have a gas cooktop, you can oven roast the eggplants or place them on a hot grill). Place an eggplant right on top of the burner. If the heating element is large, you can probably fit two or three on at one time.

Cook, turning the eggplants with tongs after the section exposed to the flames browns. Once the whole eggplant is fairly soft and blistered, remove from heat and place on a plate to cool. Repeat with remaining eggplants.

When cool enough to handle, gently peel the eggplants. You can leave the eggplant whole with the stems attached, or chop the eggplants into large chunks, discarding the stems. Place in a shallow serving bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, water and sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the garlic and chile. Pour the sauce over the eggplant and then sprinkle with the green onion and mint. Serve at room temperature.

Goi Dua Chuot- Cucumber and Shrimp Salad

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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Goi Dua Chuot- Cucumber and Shrimp Salad

I just have one teeny tiny issue with Andrea Nguyen’s seriously wonderful Vietnamese cookbook, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen– I’d love to see more pictures! Especially because she has so many unique recipes that I haven’t seen in other cookbooks or food blogs… and there’s nothing like an amazing picture of a prepared dish to inspire me to get cooking.

This cucumber and shrimp salad was one of those recipes that I hadn’t seen in any other of my other favorite Vietnamese cookbooks, but since it sounded like a perfect one-dish summer meal, I was eager to give it a shot- even more so after I read Andrea’s headnote that her mother had made it for her wedding reception.

Just like everything else I’ve made from Andrea’s cookbooks, this one didn’t disappoint. I was initially worried that it would be a tad bland, since it didn’t contain any fresh herbs. How wrong I was.

The salad is colorful and filling, with plenty of contrasting flavors and textures. The main base of the salad is vegetables like cucumbers and carrots, but there’s plenty of richness from the fine shreds of chicken and pork.

Although this salad does take some time to put together, I’m really excited to share it because it doesn’t use any hard to find Vietnamese herbs or ingredients that probably aren’t available where 95% of you live. So if any of you have been involuntary sidelined from the Vietnamese salads I’ve been featuring lately, I urge you to give this one a shot. You won’t miss that rau ram one bit.

Goi Dua Chuot- Cucumber and Shrimp Salad

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

* 2 pounds seedless cucumbers, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced
* 1 medium to large carrot, peeled and finely shredded
* 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
* 1 boneless, skinless pork chop
* 1/2 cup cooked small or medium shrimp (coarsely chopped if medium-sized)
* 1/3 cup toasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
* 1 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, coarsely crushed (I toast them in a skillet and then give them a couple quick pulses in a coffee/spice grinder)

Dressing:
* 1/4 cup lime juice
* 2-1/2 Tablespoons sugar
* 3 Tablespoons fish sauce
* 2 Tablespoons water
* 2 Thai chile peppers, minced

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the cucumbers and shredded carrot. Add the salt and the sugar and toss to evenly distribute. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Transfer the cucumbers and carrot to a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Working in batches, take some of the cucumber and carrot mixture and plop it into the center of a clean, non-terry dishcloth (several layers of cheesecloth would probably also work). Twist the ends so that the cucumber and carrot mixture is forced into a tight ball. Use your hands and squeeze the mixture several times to wring out moisture. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining cucumbers and carrots.

Fill a medium saucepan halfway full with water and bring to a boil. Drop in the pork chop and chicken. Return to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer gently until they are both cooked through. Remove the chicken and pork from the water and let cool. Reserve the light stock for another use or drain.

When the pork and chicken are cool enough to handle, use your hands to pull into shreds. Let them cool completely and then add to the cucumber and carrot mixture. Add the shrimp and the toss everything together.

Make the dressing by combining the lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, water and chile peppers. Pour onto the vegetables and toss well. Sprinkle the mixture with peanuts and the crushed sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Bun Cha- Rice Noodle Salad with Herbs and Pork Meatballs

Recipes

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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Bun Cha- Rice Noodle Salad with Herbs and Pork Meatballs

When it came to Asian noodles, I used to find anything other than instant ramen intimidating. After all, there were strange sauces, herbs I wasn’t familiar with, and noodles made from rice. Rice! And instructions for these rice noodles called for soaking them in hot water off of the heating element. Say what?

Then I went to Vietnam and fell in love with bun cha Hanoi. Suddenly I was a lot more willing to experiment with Asian noodle dishes and seek out unfamiliar ingredients.

Turns out I made a lot of fuss over nothing. Now that I’ve gone gluten-free, rice noodles are a way of life. Those funny herbs? I guess I’ve figured them out. And the sauces? They’re a snap to make.

This is one of those infinitely adaptable meals that’s surprisingly quick to make if you’ve got some staples in the fridge (tip: my local Vietnamese market sells nuoc cham as well as pickled carrots and daikon so it’s worth checking your local Asian market if you’re short on time).

Here I combined the noodles with pork meatballs, but it would also be great with lemongrass shrimp or even standard shredded rotisserie chicken as the protein.

And don’t worry if you are out of mung bean sprouts, cucumber, or even one or two of the herbs. Just make sure you’ve got some noodles, a healthy dose of crunchy vegetables, a handful of herbs, a protein and some nuoc cham and you’ll be all set.

Bun Cha- Rice Noodle Salad with Herbs and Pork Meatballs

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 pound rice vermicelli noodles
1 cup carrot and daikon pickles, drained
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 cup julienned cucumber
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/3 cup roughly chopped mint
1/3 cup roughly chopped Thai basil
1/3 cup roughly chopped rau ram
2 green onions, chopped into thin rings
vietnamese pork meatballs
1/2 cup crushed, unsalted toasted peanuts
nuoc cham

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the noodles. Stir quickly to separate noodles. Let stand for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Divide the noodles into four bowls. Evenly divide the carrot and daikon pickles, mung bean sprouts, cucumber, herbs, and meatballs. Top with a sprinkle of peanuts.

Allow individuals to ladle on desired amount of nuoc cham.

Bo Nuong Xa- Grilled Lemongrass Beef

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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My favorite beaches in Hawaii? Waimea, Hanalei, and Lanikai are certainly near the top of the list, but I’ve got another favorite right here in urban Honolulu: Ala Moana Beach Park.

I mean, what’s not to love? It’s got a golden sand beach, calm water that’s ideal for swimming or stand-up paddle boarding, awesome off-shore surf breaks, a jogging loop, a launching area for outrigger canoes, a beach volleyball area, tennis courts, plenty of grassy areas (and parking!) for get togethers, and a picture perfect view of Diamond Head.

If you ever decide to visit Hawaii, I have one crucial piece of advice: don’t go hungry. It’s pretty much inevitable that, even during a quick lap around the park, you’ll encounter the smell of heavenly BBQ at least half a dozen times.

Next time I leave the park totally ravenous and craving some grilled meat, this is the recipe I’m turning to. The potent lemongrass, fish sauce and garlic marinade means that the meat is ready to go in just 30 minutes. I tried it on beef and chicken and it was perfection on both.

You really can’t go wrong here: the beef or chicken makes a great appetizer dipped in nuoc cham. It was also great sliced up and tossed into a bowl of bun or served with rice and a Vietnamese salad on the side.

Even if you don’t want to put together a whole Vietnamese spread, consider swapping out your standard steak for this lemongrass beef at your next backyard get-together. I wouldn’t be surprised if it became your new staple.

Bo Nuong Xa- Grilled Lemongrass Beef

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic
2 stalks lemongrass, woody and dry ends trimmed and removed, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fish sauce
3 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound beef sirloin tip, thinly sliced (freeze the beef for 1-2 hours for easier slicing)
finely chopped cilantro
crushed, unsalted and toasted peanuts

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the sugar, pepper, garlic, lemongrass, fish sauce, oil, and salt and process until nearly smooth. Place the beef in a bowl or ziplock bag and pour the marinade over it. Toss to coat each piece of beef. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes. While beef is marinating, preheat grill.

Place the beef on the preheated grill (you can also thread the beef onto pre-soaked skewers, if desired). Grill for 1-2 minutes on each side.

Slice beef (you can skip this step if you’ve used skewers) and transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle with any accumulated juices and sprinkle with chopped cilantro and crushed peanuts.

A Vietnamese Herb Primer and Visual Guide

Tips & Guides

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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A Vietnamese Herb Primer and Visual Guide

Although you’ll still be able to make some great Vietnamese food even without access to a lot of special (read: hard to find) herbs, I wanted to include a quick primer for those of you with access to a good Vietnamese or Asian market in case you’d like to do some experimenting. In the photos below I placed all of the herbs on the same cutting board to give you a sense of scale.

There are also a couple of herbs that I’ve yet to get a good photograph of (I get to the market too late and they’ve already sold out!), so I’ll be sure to try to update as soon as possible with photos of wild betel leaf and sorrel.

Cilantro

Cilantro is also called coriander leaves and Chinese parsley; unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably already know about cilantro and have determined out whether you’re in the love or hate camp. I love it’s bright, citrusy flavor but it can taste soapy to some unlucky individuals.

Mint

Although there are several types of mint that are popular in Vietnam, standard grocery store mint will work just fine in all Vietnamese recipes.

Culantro

Culantro is also called Mexican coriander and saw-tooth herb; this Vietnamese herb is highly aromatic and pungent… almost like cilantro on steroids.

Rice Paddy Herb

The small, delicate leaves grow in sturdy pale green stalks and taste of cumin and orange citrus.

Rau Ram

Rau Ram is also called Vietnamese coriander; similar in taste to cilantro, but peppery and lemony.

Thai Basil

Also called Asian basil; has purple stems and purple buds. Think of Thai basil as a spicier and less sweet version than the Italian cousin.

Vietnamese Balm

Also known as Vietnamese mint; this saw-edged, slightly fuzzy herb tastes of lemon and mint.

Fish Mint

Very appropriately name, this spade-shaped herb has got a very distinctive fishy smell and taste.

Water Spinach Curls

Not actually an herb at all, but these water spinach curls are a fun addition or garnish for a lot of Vietnamese dishes. They provide texture but not much flavor. You can even purchase a special tool to make them.

Lemongrass

A favorite in many dishes, both savory and sweet. Lemongrass tastes and smells, not surprisingly, like lemon. Although it’s started to be sold fresh in many supermarkets, I’ve read that many Asian markets sell frozen, finely ground lemongrass.

Green Onions

Also called scallions; a very common Asian herb with round, hollow stems and a delicate onion flavor.

Garlic Chives

Also called Chinese chives. Has flat leaves with a delicate onion and garlic flavor.

Purple Perilla

Also called red perilla and shiso. These leaves are green on top and purplish on the underside. They have a subtle taste that I’ve heard described as being reminiscent of cinnamon, licorice, mint and lemon.

Any other Vietnamese herbs that I should try?

Thit Heo Kho- Vietnamese Pork in Caramel Sauce

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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Thit Heo Kho- Vietnamese Pork in Caramel Sauce

More than a couple friends and former roommates have marveled at my ability, or perhaps willingness is a better word, to eat the same thing over and over again. The people who don’t like leftovers? Don’t understand them. At all.

I’d probably be happy to eat the same things over and over again for the rest of my life, but it’d make for one boring food blog. Getting me out of my (admittedly contented) food rut was one of the biggest reasons for starting Girl Cooks World in the first place.

In my pre-blog life, I’d probably make the Ga Kho I recently posted every week for the next month or so, happily devouring it each and every time. These days I have to do the next best thing: make something similar to practically guarantee success while trying something new. Everybody wins.

These types of caramelized dishes, often cooked in clay pots in Vietnam, are popular for a reason: they’re quick, simple to make and taste like you spent all day cooking. The caramelized pork recipes that I found were all pretty basic so I decided to stick with the same basic formula that worked so well with the chicken, but just reduced the number of Thai chiles. The garlic, fish sauce and sugar cooked down to create a sticky sauce with just a touch of heat. Pair it with some rice for an easy and surprisingly quick weeknight meal.

Thit Heo Kho- Vietnamese Pork in Caramel Sauce

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

* 1-1/2 pounds boneless pork loin
* 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 inch piece peeled fresh ginger, grated (peeled, frozen ginger is easy to grate)
* 2-3 small shallots, minced (I used shallots about the size of ping pong ball)
* 1 Thai chile, sliced
* 3 Tablespoons fish sauce
* 2 Tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
* 1 Tablespoon sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 teaspoon caramel color (optional, but check to make sure it’s gluten-free if using)
* 1-2 green onions, finely sliced on the diagonal for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Cut the pork into large chunks and set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the pieces are no longer pink. Push the pork to the perimeter of the saucepan and add the garlic, ginger, shallots and Thai chile. Cook for several minutes, until softened.

Combine the fish sauce, both sugars and black pepper in a small bowl and stir to mix.

Toss the pork and garlic mixture and then pour in the fish sauce mixture and stir to coat. Bring to a boil for a minute or two and then add the water and caramel color, if using. Adjust heat to a low simmer and then let the pork cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and the pork is cooked through.

Remove from heat, sprinkle with the green onion and serve with rice.

Che Chuoi- Coconut Soup with Banana and Tapioca Pearls

Dessert

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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Che Chuoi- Coconut Soup with Banana and Tapioca Pearls

This isn’t your grandmother’s tapioca pudding…. unless of course you have a Vietnamese grandmother. In fact, I probably shouldn’t even call this a pudding at all… this dish is definitely more like a soup. More specifically, a rich and creamy sweet coconut-based soup with small, chewy tapioca pearls and chunks of fresh banana.

You can slurp up this soup hot, at room temperature, or cold. It’s total comfort food any way you serve it. Just know that the soup will thicken a bit as it cools. Of course if you are looking for a more pudding-like texture, you can always increase the amount of tapioca pearls.

If you anticipate leftovers, I’d recommend adding fewer bananas and taking care to ladle out all the banana chunks during the initial serving. That way you can add fresh banana when reheating any leftovers.

This banana version is one of the most common che desserts, but I’ve also had it with chunks of honeydew melon or cooked taro chunks. Feel free to get creative/adventurous with the mix-ins.

Che Chuoi- Coconut Soup with Banana and Tapioca Pearls

Yield: 6 servings

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

* 3 cups water
* 1/2 cup very small tapioca pearls
* 3-4 regular bananas or 6-8 mini bananas
* 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* toasted coconut or toasted, chopped peanuts (optional)

Directions:

Place the water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and then add the tapioca pearls, stirring to prevent any clumping. Adjust heat and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tapioca pearls are almost translucent with just a small white dot in their centers.

While the tapioca is simmering, cut the banana into bite-sized chunks. Set aside.

Once the tapioca has softened, add the coconut milk, sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring, to heat everything through and dissolve the sugar. Gently stir in the banana chunks and cook another minute or two. Remove from heat and let sit for 10-15 minutes to cool and thicken.

Spoon into individual bowls and sprinkle with coconut or peanuts, if desired.

Ca Tim Dau Hu Kho- Braised Eggplant with Tofu

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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Ca Tim Dau Hu Kho- Braised Eggplant with Tofu

Although there are plenty of vegan and/or vegetarian recipes here on Girl Cooks World, there’s only one with tofu. It’s not that I dislike tofu, but there’s just a lot of other things that I like even better. But things have been pretty meat-heavy around here lately, so I thought it was time to expand my horizons a bit and give the beloved bean curd another day in the sun.

I’ve been a super-fan of all the Vietnamese kho dishes that I’ve cooked so far. The sauces tend to be thick, sweet and flavorful. It’s been magic for both chicken and pork, so I figured that it would also work for this eggplant and tofu dish.

And it does. A long, slow simmer practically melts the eggplant into smooth, velvety chunks, which provides a nice contrast with the firm tofu. You have the sweet, salty and sticky sauce that’s typical in kho dishes but with a little flavor twist courtesy of the star anise. A hefty sprinkle of chopped Thai basil adds an element of freshness.

I should note that because there’s fish sauce, the dish isn’t vegetarian. However, I have seen vegetarian versions of fish sauce at the market, so vegans and vegetarians might want to check those out since the rest of the ingredients are both vegan/vegetarian-friendly.

Ca Tim Dau Hu Kho-Braised Eggplant with Tofu

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

* 2 large Asian eggplants, peeled and cut into large chunks
* 1-1/2 Tablespoons salt
* 1-1/2 Tablespoons sugar
* 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 yellow onion, peeled, quartered and separated
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 star anise
* 10-ounce package firm tofu, cut into large chunks
* 1/4 cup fish sauce
* 1/2 Thai chile, thinly sliced
* 3/4 cup coconut juice
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh Thai basil leaves

Directions:

Place the eggplant chunks in a colander set over a large plate and sprinkle with the salt. Use your hands to gently massage the salt into the eggplant. Let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse the eggplant under cold water. Pat the eggplant dry. Place in a medium bowl and toss with the sugar.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, star anise, and cook, stirring for 4-5 minutes.

Finally, add the tofu, fish sauce, chile, coconut juice and give the mixture a gentle stir. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and let the mixture simmer without stirring until the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce.

Remove from heat and sprinkle with black pepper and the Thai basil leaves. Serve with rice.

Gluten-Free S’mores Bars

Dessert

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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Summer doesn’t technically begin for another day or two, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t already been indulging in one of my favorite summer treats- gluten-free s’mores bars! I’ve already lamented about the fact that gluten-free graham crackers are both expensive and hard to find, so I’ll stop yapping about it.

After all, I suppose I should be thankful since it’s exactly those reasons why I opted to skip the usual press in graham-cracker crust, choosing instead to adapt a shortbread base to achieve the same cinnamon and honey graham goodness.

It worked perfectly, probably even better than the gluten-filled original. And just like in the gluten-free graham cracker crust I used for the Barefoot Contessa’s Frozen Key Lime Pie, the amaranth flour is key. If you have a hard time finding amaranth flour, you can just process some whole grain amaranth in your (clean) coffee grinder or Vita-mix.

With a sturdy graham-like base, a thick layer of bittersweet chocolate and a gooey layer of toasted marshmallow, these s’mores bars are like an ultra portable little piece of heaven. And the best part? There’s no campfire necessary, perfect for all of us apartment dwellers with no real vacation or camping adventure in sight…

Gluten-Free S’mores Bars

Yield: 16-24 bars, depending on size

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

1/3 cup superfine rice flour, plus extra for dusting baking pan
1/3 cup amaranth flour (I usually just grind amaranth seeds in my coffee grinder or Vitamix)

2 cups of mini marshmallows
1/4 cup sorghum flour

1/4 cup potato starch

2 Tablespoons of honey
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
6 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
2-1/2 cups high quality chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and dust generously with rice flour.

In a large bowl combine the rice flour, amaranth flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, sugar, xanthan gum and cinnamon and stir to mix. Then, add the honey and butter and use a pastry cutter to blend until crumbly. Press firmly into the bottom of the baking pan. Bake 17-19 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Let stand for 2-3 minutes and then use a spoon to evenly spread out the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with the marshmallows.

Move your oven rack approximately 6 inches below the broiler element and turn your oven to broil. Broil the bars for a couple minutes, watching the bars the whole time, until the marshmallows are golden. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Place the baking pan in the fridge for 2+ hours to chill thoroughly.

Cut into squares and enjoy!