5 Hearty and Affordable Braised and Stewed Dishes That Will Make Your Taste Buds Sing

Ingredients:

– 800g beef shank with tendon

– 1 carrot

– 1 bulb of garlic

– 1 cinnamon stick

– 2-3 star anise

– 1 lemongrass stalk

– 1 onion

– 1 tablespoon of tapioca starch

– 1 bowl of fresh coconut water

– Annatto powder or oil

– 1 tablespoon of sugar

– 1 tablespoon of curry powder

– 1 knob of ginger

– 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, salt

– 2 tablespoons of fish sauce

– 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, pepper

– Some spring onions and chilies, if you like it spicy

Instructions:

After purchasing the beef, rinse and pat it dry, then cut it into square pieces.

In a bowl, combine the meat with soy sauce, curry powder, seasoning powder, sugar, and fish sauce. Mix well and marinate for 30 minutes to let the flavors absorb.

Peel and cut the onion into square pieces. Peel and flower-cut the carrot. Mince the garlic, bruise and slice the lemongrass, slice the chilies, chop the spring onions, and grate the ginger.

Once the meat is marinated, heat a pot over the stove and add 2 tablespoons of annatto oil. Fry the garlic until fragrant, then add the ginger, lemongrass, and onion. Sauté until aromatic before adding the beef and stir-frying over high heat. This ensures the meat doesn’t release too much water.

Next, pour in the coconut water, add the cinnamon, and star anise. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beef is tender. At this point, add the carrot and continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes until the carrot is soft.

Meanwhile, dissolve the tapioca starch in a small amount of water and gradually pour it into the beef stew. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens. Adjust the seasoning to your taste and bring it to a final boil before turning off the heat. Serve while hot, garnished with some pepper and spring onions.

This Bò Kho (beef stew) can be enjoyed with rice, noodles, or bread—whichever you prefer!

2. BRAISED SILVER BREAM WITH TOMATOES

Ingredients:

– Silver Bream: 400-500g. You can substitute it with mackerel, Spanish mackerel, or any other firm-fleshed fish.

– 4-5 tomatoes

– 1 onion

– 1 chili

– 1 knob of ginger

– 1 spring onion

– Salt, seasoning powder, fish sauce, cooking oil, sugar

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare the Fish

Choose fresh silver bream with bright, shiny scales and clear eyes. The gills should be a bright red color. Clean the fish by removing the gills, fins, tail, and intestines. Rinse the fish with cold water mixed with a little salt. Then, rinse again with cold water to get rid of any fishy smell. Cut the fish into two halves and set aside to drain.

Step 2: Prepare the Other Ingredients

Wash the tomatoes, remove the stems, and cut them into small pieces. Peel and chop the onion. Slice the chili. Peel and grate half of the ginger, and slice the rest into thin strips. Chop the spring onion.

Step 3: Fry the Fish

Heat a pan over high heat, add cooking oil, and fry the fish on both sides. Transfer the fish to a plate and set aside.

Step 4: Make the Tomato Sauce

In the same pan, sauté the chopped onion until fragrant. Then, add the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 1/3 teaspoon of sugar. Cook the tomatoes thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a braising pot.

Place the fried fish in the pot, along with the ginger and chili. Pour in a bowl of boiling water and make sure the liquid covers the fish. Braise the fish over low heat until it’s tender. This dish should have a saucy consistency, so don’t reduce it completely. You can also use a pressure cooker to speed up the process.

When the fish is done, add the sliced ginger and 1 teaspoon of fish sauce. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with chopped spring onions.

Serve this dish hot with steamed rice.

3. CRISPY RENDERED PORK BELLY

Ingredients:

– 700g pork belly

– 1 lime

– 2 cloves of garlic + 1 chili, minced

– Seasoning: 2 tablespoons of fish sauce + 1.5 tablespoons of sugar + 1 tablespoon of chili paste

Instructions:

Rinse the pork belly and pat it dry. Cut it into small cubes. Squeeze some lime juice over the pork along with a pinch of salt and mix well.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat and add the pork. Keep stir-frying until the pork releases its fat. When the pork turns slightly golden and there’s a significant amount of fat in the pan, drain the fat into a bowl. Keep only the crispy pork bits in the pan.

Add the garlic and chili mixture along with the seasoning. Continue stir-frying until everything is dry and the seasoning coats the pork evenly. Turn off the heat.

Store the crispy pork in an airtight container or jar and keep it in the fridge. Enjoy it with hot rice.

4. BRAISED OYSTER MUSHROOMS AND TOFU

Ingredients:

– Oyster mushrooms

– Tofu

– Seasoning: Soy sauce, sugar, seasoning powder, vegetarian oyster sauce, coconut aminos, cooking oil

– 40g spring onions

– Chilies, shallots

Instructions:

– Clean the oyster mushrooms by scraping off any dirt and soaking them in a dilute salt solution for 5 minutes.

– Cut the tofu into four pieces and fry them until golden.

– You can also cut the tofu into smaller pieces according to your preference, but be careful not to make them too small, or they might fall apart during stir-frying.

– Chop the spring onions. Peel and mince the shallots.

– In a bowl, combine the mushrooms and tofu with the seasoning: soy sauce, sugar, seasoning powder, vegetarian oyster sauce, coconut aminos, cooking oil, and shallots. Mix well and marinate for 10 minutes to let the flavors absorb.

– Heat a pan and stir-fry the marinated ingredients until they’re coated with the seasoning. Add 200ml of water, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Adjust the seasoning to your taste and braise for a few minutes until the sauce reduces slightly. Turn off the heat.

Finally, add the spring onions and chilies. This tofu dish is incredibly flavorful, and the sauce goes perfectly with steamed rice.

 

5. BRAISED PORK BELLY WITH PEPPERCORNS

Preparation:

– 350g pork belly

– Some chilies

– Some black and green peppercorns

– Minced shallots and garlic

– 1 cup of fresh coconut water

Instructions:

– Rinse the pork belly and boil it in a pot of water for 2 minutes. Drain and cut into finger-sized pieces.

– Heat a pan and add the pork, rendering some of the fat. Pour out the excess fat, leaving only the meat in the pan.

– Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to the pan and caramelize until it turns a dark brown color. Then, add the minced shallots and garlic. Sauté until fragrant.

– Season with fish sauce and salt to taste. Pour in the coconut water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.

– Toss in the chilies and peppercorns. Stir-fry for a moment, then turn off the heat.

Serve the braised pork belly with steamed rice. The dish is aromatic, tender, and fatty, with a subtle sweetness and a kick from the peppercorns.

Good luck with your cooking!