“What to Eat This Weekend? 5 Irresistible Dishes Perfect for Your Days Off”

Phở Cuốn Ingredients

– 1 kg rice noodles.

– 500g tender beef.

– Fresh vegetables: lettuce, green papaya, bean sprouts, carrots, cucumber, pineapple… as desired.

– Garlic, chili, lime, vinegar.

– Seasonings: fish sauce, sugar, seasoning powder, pepper, cooking oil, oyster sauce.

How to Make Phở Cuốn

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients

– Soak fresh vegetables in salted water for safety, then rinse thoroughly.

– Slice carrots, cucumber, and pineapple into thin strips suitable for rolling.

Step 2: Stir-fry Beef

– Heat a pan, add cooking oil, and sauté minced garlic until fragrant.

– Wash and thinly slice the beef. Marinate for 15 minutes with ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and pepper. Stir-fry over high heat until the beef is medium-rare, tender, and aromatic.

Step 3: Roll Rice Noodles

– Lay a layer of rice noodles on a clean plate, add fresh vegetables and beef on top.

– Roll tightly to secure the filling, ensuring the rice noodles don’t tear.

Step 4: Prepare Dipping Sauce

– Cut turnips and carrots into cubes, mix with 1:1:1 ratio of salt, sugar, and vinegar.

– Combine fish sauce with half a cup of cooled boiled water, one tablespoon of sugar, five tablespoons of fish sauce, and three tablespoons of lime juice. Add one tablespoon of vinegar for extra tanginess.

– Mix minced garlic and chili into the fish sauce.

3. Enjoy

Serve with the dipping sauce for a delightful experience.

2. SHRIMP AND PORK SPRING ROLLS

Ingredients

– 300g pork.

– 300g shrimp.

– 10 chives.

– 2 chili peppers.

– 1 garlic clove.

– 200g fresh rice vermicelli.

– 300g thin rice paper.

– 3 tablespoons lime juice – Fresh vegetables for serving – 5 tablespoons fish sauce – A pinch of salt/sugar.

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare Fresh Vegetables

Trim lettuce, bean sprouts, chives, and herbs. Soak in salted water, then rinse and drain.

Step 2: Prepare Shrimp and Pork

Clean shrimp, marinate with ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon rice wine. Cook until shrimp turn red. Peel and devein, then cut in half lengthwise.

Boil pork belly with smashed shallots. Once cooked, rinse in cold water for tenderness. Slice thinly.

Step 3: Roll Spring Rolls

Dip rice paper in water to soften, then layer with lettuce, bean sprouts, herbs, vermicelli, pork, and shrimp. Add chives and roll tightly.

Step 4: Make Dipping Sauce

Mix 2 tablespoons sugar with 2 tablespoons water until dissolved. Add 3 tablespoons lime juice and 5 tablespoons fish sauce. Stir well.

Serve spring rolls with the sweet and sour dipping sauce for a refreshing treat.

3. BUN CHA

Make Crab Nems

Ingredients:

– 400g minced pork

– Rice paper (preferably square for a traditional Hai Phong look)

– 300g crab meat

– 15g black fungus

– 15g shiitake mushrooms

– 100g bean sprouts

– 1 carrot

– 1 jicama

– 2 eggs

– Scallions

– Seasonings: seasoning powder, salt, MSG

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients

Slice jicama, carrots, and onions thinly.

Soak vermicelli, black fungus, and mushrooms in warm water for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.

Rinse bean sprouts and cut into small pieces.

Step 2: Make Filling

– Mix minced pork, crab meat, carrots, jicama, black fungus, vermicelli, mushrooms, bean sprouts, and 3 eggs. Season with salt, seasoning powder, and pepper.

Step 3: Roll Nems

– Dip or brush rice paper with water to soften. Place filling in the center and fold into a square shape.

Step 4: Fry Nems

– Heat oil and fry nems until golden on both sides. Use a deep pan for even cooking.

– Drain on paper towels and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Make Grilled Pork

Ingredients:

– Grill: Season with oil to prevent sticking.

– 3kg rice vermicelli.

– Fresh herbs: perilla, basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, lettuce.

– 1kg pork shoulder (season with 3 teaspoons seasoning powder, 2 teaspoons sugar, 3 teaspoons MSG, 3 teaspoons fish sauce, 1 teaspoon caramel, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and scallions).

– 1kg pork belly (season similarly).

– 1.5 oz garlic, 1.5 oz lemongrass

– Green papaya, sliced and marinated with salt, sugar, vinegar, and garlic.

– Seasonings: fish sauce, seasoning powder, sugar, pepper.

Instructions:

Step 1: Make Pork Balls

– Mince pork shoulder, mix with seasonings, and let sit for 15 minutes. Shape into balls and grill until 60-70% cooked. Finish grilling before serving.

Step 2: Grill Pork Belly

Marinate and grill pork belly, ensuring even cooking. Arrange lean and fatty parts together for a perfect texture.

Prepare Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

Fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, pepper, chili, garlic. Add licorice for a sweet and refreshing touch.

Instructions:

– Combine fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, and water. Simmer until sugar dissolves and sauce thickens.

4. SQUID WITH WATER SPINACH ROLLS

Instructions for Squid and Water Spinach Rolls:

Ingredients:

– 1kg fresh squid (squid tubes or squid leaves).

– 1 small bunch of water spinach (tender, fresh, and clean).

– Rice paper with black sesame or regular rice paper.

– 1 green mango.

– Herbs: basil, perilla (optional).

– Lemongrass, ginger.

– Sweet and sour fish sauce: fish sauce, sugar, lime, garlic, chili, chili powder.

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare Squid

– Clean squid, remove innards, and blanch with lemongrass and ginger for 5-7 minutes until tender.

Step 2: Prepare Vegetables

– Trim water spinach, keeping only tender leaves and stems. Rinse and soak in salted water for 10 minutes, then drain.

– Peel and julienne green mango.

Step 3: Make Sweet and Sour Fish Sauce

Mix fish sauce, sugar, lime, chili sauce, pepper, minced garlic, ginger, and chili in a 1:1:1:0.5 ratio.

Step 4: Roll Rice Paper

Soften rice paper in water, then layer with water spinach, cucumber, green mango, and squid. Roll tightly to secure the filling.

Enjoy:

Serve rolls with sweet and sour fish sauce for a delightful combination of flavors.

5. DUCK STEWED IN FERMENTED RICE

Ingredients: Duck, ginger, lemongrass, fermented rice, shrimp paste, seasonings

Instructions:

– Choose mature duck with thick meat and less fat. Clean and sear the skin for a crispy texture.

– Cut duck into bite-sized pieces and marinate with ginger, fermented rice, shrimp paste, lemongrass, and seasonings for 20 minutes.

– Simmer duck over medium heat until tender and the sauce thickens. Enjoy this flavorful dish with ease.

Wishing you success!