5 Delicious and Refreshing Dishes to Beat the Heat This Weekend

2. FIVE-SPICE ROLLED PIG EAR

Ingredients

– 2 pig ears

– Ingredients for cleaning the pig ears: 1 small ginger root, 2 lemongrass stalks, white salt, vinegar, white alcohol.

– Cooking spices: 2 phở-sized spoons of dark soy sauce, 2 phở-sized spoons of light soy sauce, 1 coffee spoon of seasoning powder, 1 coffee spoon of minced garlic, 1 coffee spoon of minced shallots, 1 coffee spoon of pepper, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 star anise, 1 cardamom pod (or substitute with 1 coffee spoon of five-spice powder if cinnamon, star anise, and cardamom are unavailable), fresh coconut water (or plain water if coconut water is unavailable)

– Add a few drops of caramel coloring (optional) to give the ears a nicer color.

– Kitchen twine or string for tying the ears.

Instructions:

Step 1: Pre-treatment

– Remove hair and dirt from the pig ears. Rub the ears with 1 phở-sized spoon each of vinegar, white salt, and alcohol, then rinse thoroughly with plain water.

Step 2: Roll the pig ears

– Starting from the pointed end, roll the ear tightly and secure it with kitchen twine or string, creating multiple rounds.

Step 3: Parboil the pig ears

– Boil a pot of water (enough to submerge the ears). Add 1 crushed ginger root and 2 crushed lemongrass stalks. When the water boils and the aroma of ginger and lemongrass fills the air, put the ears in and parboil for about 3-4 minutes. Remove the ears, rinse them again, and the unpleasant smell should be gone by now.

Step 4: Braise with five-spice

– Place the rolled and cleaned ears in a pot, adding just enough fresh coconut water to cover them (or use plain water if coconut water is unavailable).

– Add the following spices: light and dark soy sauce, pepper, seasoning powder, minced garlic and shallots, star anise, cinnamon, and cardamom. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid reduces. Occasionally turn the ears to ensure even flavor absorption (add chili powder or fresh chili to taste if you like it spicy). Adjust the seasoning to your preference, but be careful not to make it too salty as the liquid reduces.

Note: When the liquid is almost gone, turn the heat down to avoid burning.

– When the liquid has reduced and thickened, and the ears have turned a reddish-brown color, remove them from the pot. Let the ears cool completely, then store them in the fridge for 3-4 hours. Slice thinly and serve with chili sauce.

3. RICE PAPER ROLLS WITH ROASTED PORK BELLY

Ingredients:

For the pork belly:

– Choose a piece of pork belly with a good mix of lean meat and fat.

– Sea salt, aluminum foil.

For the rolls:

– Rice paper, cucumber, pineapple, herbs, carrot…

– Fermented fish sauce, garlic, pineapple, chili…

Instructions:

Step 1: Pre-treatment

Prepare a pot of boiling water and blanch the pork belly for 2 minutes. Remove the belly from the water and pat it dry with paper towels. Use a knife to score the skin in a crisscross pattern.

Step 2: Roast the pork belly

Wrap the belly in aluminum foil, keeping the skin side exposed. Sprinkle a layer of salt over the skin, being careful not to let it fall onto the meat and make it too salty. Leave the skin uncovered.

Place the belly in an oven or steamer.

– First roast: 200°C for 25 minutes. Remove the salt after the first roast.

– Second roast: Set the temperature to 200°C and roast for another 35 minutes. The skin should be crispy and reddish-brown.

Note that the temperature and time may vary depending on the type of oven or steamer used.

When the time is up, remove the belly from the oven, slice it thinly, and serve with rice paper.

Step 3: Make the dipping sauce

Pour fermented fish sauce into a bowl. Add minced garlic, chili, and pineapple to taste. Adjust the seasoning as needed.

Step 4: Serve

Arrange the herbs, cucumber, carrot, and pineapple on a platter. Add the roasted pork belly and serve with rice paper. This dish is refreshing, crunchy, and full of flavor from the dipping sauce.

4. BEEF ROLLS WITH MUSTARD GREENS

Ingredients:

– Beef loin: 500g. (You can also use beef tenderloin or flank steak, but loin may be a bit drier).

– 1 cucumber, 1 carrot, 1 green banana, ½ pineapple, optional: star fruit

– Mustard green leaves (young leaves are best)

– 1 small piece of ginger

– Soy sauce, mustard, Omaha salt and pepper, cooking oil

Instructions:

– Peel the banana and cut it into thin sticks. Soak them in diluted vinegar to prevent discoloration. Rinse and drain before serving. Do this step last to minimize discoloration.

– Clean and cut the cucumber, carrot, and pineapple into thin sticks.

– Pick the young leaves from the mustard greens and rinse them. Drain and set aside.

– Cut the ginger into thin sticks and soak them in water. Drain just before serving. You can roll these with the beef and other ingredients.

– Rinse the beef and pat it dry. Season with a little Omaha salt and pepper for about 5 minutes. This simple seasoning helps bring out the natural flavor of the beef.

– Grease a pan with a little oil. Sear each side of the beef for about 4 minutes, depending on your desired doneness. I seared mine for 4 minutes for a medium-rare finish.

After searing, let the beef rest on a cutting board before slicing it into thin sticks. Resting the meat helps the surface firm up while keeping the inside tender and juicy.

– Make a dipping sauce by mixing soy sauce with mustard to taste. You can also add some chili if you like it spicy.

Serving suggestion: Place some beef, vegetables, and ginger on a mustard green leaf and roll it up. Dip the roll into the soy-mustard sauce and enjoy.

Alternatively, you can use scallion stalks to tie the rolls if you want to prepare them in advance. Blanch the scallions and use them to secure the rolls. Serve the beef rolls with mustard greens and enjoy the unique flavor.

5. BEEF TARTARE

Ingredients:

– Goose meat, deboned

– Green mango

– Carrot

– Onion

– Roasted sesame seeds

– Galangal, lemongrass, garlic, chili

– Lime leaves, coriander

– Rice paper, fish mint, bần fruit sauce

– Good-quality fish sauce, spices

Instructions:

Step 1: Pre-treatment

– Boil the goose meat briefly, then let it cool down and pan-fry it until just cooked.

– Slice the green mango and carrot into thin sticks.

– Thinly slice the onion and soak it in ice water to reduce its pungency.

– Pound the galangal and garlic into a paste, and slice the lemongrass thinly.

– Roast the sesame seeds until fragrant.

Step 2: Mix the ingredients

Slice the goose meat and season it with fish sauce, MSG, and a pinch of pepper. Mix in the galangal, lemongrass, and garlic paste. Just before serving, add the mango, carrot, and onion. Toss in lime leaves and coriander. Finally, sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds.

Step 3: Make the dipping sauce

Dilute the bần fruit sauce with 2 tablespoons of water and add a little sugar, along with some ginger, garlic, and chili to taste.

Serving suggestion:

Serve the tartare with rice paper, fish mint, and the dipping sauce. You can also use sung leaves, star fruit, green banana, or other herbs. Enjoy!

Good luck with your cooking!