Vietnamese Meatball Bun Salad Bowl

It's hot and smoky here in Seattle due to all the wild fires burning in British Columbia. That makes me too tired to cook much, so I've been eating a lot of salads and sandwiches. Tonight, though, I was craving Bun, which is a Vietnamese Salad bowl full of Rice Noodles, Cucumber, Carrots and lots and lots of fresh herbs like Cilantro, Thai Basil, Mint and Shiso Leaf. Unfortunately, my favorite Vietnamese restaurant closed recently near my house and I didn't want to drive downtown to their other location. The solution? I decided to make it myself. Luckily, I have Mint, Shiso Leaf and Thai Basil all growing in my garden and I always have Cilantro in my fridge along with Carrots, Cucumbers and Lettuce. The only thing I was missing was Pork that I could slice to caramelize the Vietnamese way. But, I did have ground Pork so I made Vietnamese style Meatballs in the Broiler and I added just a bit of caramel into the Pork to give it the right flavor. I got that idea from a recipe I saw once and wrote down on a little slip of paper, which I kept, but I am sorry to say that I didn't write down where it came from. So thank you to whomever created that recipe. I topped the salad with chopped roasted Peanuts and I was in heaven. It was so good!  I might not need to order takeout anymore since I love this version so much!

Vietnamese Meatballs

1 pound ground Pork

1 large Shallot, minced

3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

2 Tablespoons Sugar 

3 Tablespoons Boiling Water

2 Tablespoons Cold Water

Put the Pork into a mixing bowl and add the Shallot and Fish Sauce. Then in a small frying pan, add the Sugar and Boiling Water. Cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Then quickly add in the cold water, stir and add to the Pork mixture. Stir to combine, pushing the meat down with a spatula until it becomes somewhat pasty. Shape into about 20 meatballs and place on a baking sheet. Press to flatten. Put into the broiler and cook for 4 - 5 minutes and then turn over and cook for an additional 4 minutes.  

Bun Salad Bowl

8 ounces of Rice Noodles

1 large or 2 smaller Cucumbers, peeled and cut in half

1 large Carrot, peeled

1 small head of Butter Lettuce, washed

1/2 cup of Cilantro Leaves

1/2 cup of Thai Basil Leaves

1/2 cup of Mint Leaves

Optional:  1/2 cup of Shiso Leaves

1/3 cup chopped roasted Peanuts

Cook the Rice Noodles in boiling water from 7 - 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with Cold Water. Place in a serving bowl. 

Remove the Seeds from the Cucumbers using a small spoon.Then cut into julienne pieces about 2 inches long.Julienne the Carrots into similar size pieces. Then slice the Lettuce using a Lettuce knife or tear into thin strips. Place on top of the Noodles. Then sprinkle on the fresh herbs. Lay the Meatballs on top of that and sprinkle with the Peanuts. Pour the Dressing over all and toss before serving.

Nuoc Cham Dressing

1/2 cup Lime Juice

2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1 cup Boiling Water

4 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes

In a bowl, stir together the Sugar and the Boiling Water. Stir until dissolved and then add in the Lime Juice, Fish Sauce, Garlic Cloves and Chili Flakes.  

Five Element Analysis

Pork belongs to the Water Element and so does the Fish Sauce. The Wood Element is represented by the Lime Juice. The Fire Element is seen in the Lettuce and Chili Flakes. The two kinds of Sugar, the Peanuts, the Cucumber and the Carrot all make sure that the Earth Element is present. And finally the Metal Element is represented by the pungent herbs, the Shallot and Garlic and the Rice Noodles. This then is a perfectly balanced Summer meal!

Roast Chicken Thighs with Vietnamese Flavors

As you know, I don't often use recipes directly from the source as I am always tweaking things. I think it's that an experienced cook can often "taste" the recipe before making it and sometimes I just know that things need to be changed. I'm always happy to get good recipes and the folks at Serious Eats often have good ones. So, I took their Vietnamese Chicken recipe and only tweaked it a little bit - I made it less spicy and used less Ginger, and of course, I made it Gluten Free. I also doubled the recipe and cooked the chicken for a longer time as they were big pieces. The marinade ended up being deeply flavored and my only complaint is that it smoked up my kitchen while it was cooking. But then again, that might just be because my oven is acting up. In any case, I got a wonderful smoky flavor out of it, but I did have to turn off my smoke detector!  The result was worth it - the chicken things were delicious!  I served them over what the Vietnamese call Bun or basically a rice noodle salad (it will be the next recipe I post) and it made a wonderful meal.  I think this would be a good recipe for a pork tenderloin too and I will try that soon. As I think the oil in this recipe caused the smoke, I am leaving it as an optional ingredient. This dish was delicious and this recipe is definitely a keeper!

Roast Chicken Things with Vietnamese Flavors from Serious Eats

10 Chicken Thighs - bone in and skin on

1/2 cup Tamari

1/2 cup Fish Sauce

3 Tablespoons fresh Lime Juice

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon minced peeled fresh Ginger

1 - 2 teaspoons Chili Garli Paste

6 Garlic Cloves, minced

Optional:  2 teaspoons grated Lime Zest

4 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Mix the ingredients for the marinade and pour into a large glass baking dish. Put in the Chicken skin side down and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours.  Halfway through, turn the chicken over. 

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and place a wire rack over it. Remove each piece of Chicken from the marinade and place it on the rack. Place the baking pan in the oven and cook for about 40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees. Transfer chicken to a serving plate.

Five Element Analysis

Chicken belongs to the Wood Element and the Lime Juice adds even more. The marinade contains Tamari and Fish Sauce, which contributes the Water Element and the Ginger and Garlic add in the Metal Element. The Brown Sugar brine int eh Earth Element and the Chili Garlic Paste makes sure that the Fire Element is also present. Serving this dish with a Salad  (Bunh) with Lettuce for the Fire Element and Cucumber for the Earth Element will make it a balanced meal!

Pho - Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

Since visiting the Viet Wah grocery store, I got excited about making Vietnamese food at home and one of my favorite dishes is Pho. This is one of the national dishes of Vietnam. Some people think that it was influenced by the French Pot au Feu, but the Northern Vietnamese swear they were making this before the French arrived. 

If you've been following me for a while, you know how much I love soup and Pho is the equivalent of a Beef Bone Broth with delightful Asian flavors. I go to Vietnamese restaurants quite regularly to order this wonderful soup as it is so nourishing and so delicious! This soup builds blood and it turns out that it is a lot easier to make than you think. I got to talking with one of the cashiers at the market and she told me how she makes it, so this is the recipe you are getting today. It took a total of 3 hours to make the broth, which can be done ahead. The Beef Broth is cooked with charred Onion and Ginger first and then with Star Anise, Cinnamon and Clove. These lovely spices make the house smell wonderful and give the broth it's exotic flavor! 

I used a combination of Beef Neck Bones along with Beef Shank with the bone in. Shank is one of those meats that can be cooked for a really long time and then still tastes good. Oxtails, Beef Brisket and Beef Marrow Bones are also recommended. If you want to be like the Vietnamese restaurants, you can add some very thinly sliced Beef Round to the Rice Noodles and pour the broth over, which cooks the meat. This version is called Pho Tai. You can also make Vietnamese Meatballs, which can be bought frozen at Vietnamese Markets. I'll post a recipe for these soon. The garnishes for Pho include Thai Basil, Cilantro, Green Onions, Thinly sliced Red Onion, Fresh Bean Sprouts and Sliced Jalapeños as well as slices of Lime to squeeze on top. Seasoned to taste with Sriracha and Hoisin sauce, it is a wonderful meal that is eaten as breakfast in Vietnam, but is so good any time of the day! 

Pho - Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

2 pound Beef Neck Bones

2 pounds Beef Shank, bone in
Optional:  Beef Brisket or Oxtails in equal amounts

Water to cover and blanch

16 cups Water to make broth

1 large Onion, unpeeled

1 3-inch piece of Ginger, skin on

1 Cinnamon Stick (about 1 1/2 - 2 inches long)

1 large Star Anise or 2-3 smaller ones

1 whole Clove

3 - 4 teaspoons Salt

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1/2 teaspoon White Pepper

1 pound package of dried Rice Noodles

For Garnish:  

Fresh Beansprouts, one handful per serving (about 1/2 cup)

3 Green Onions, trimmed and sliced

1/4 cup thinly sliced Red Onion

1/2 cup Cilantro Leaves

Thai Basil - about 6 - 8 leaves per bowl

Two Limes, cut into 6 slices each

2 Jalapeño Peppers, cut into thin rings

Optional:  1 pound thinly sliced Beef Top Round or Vietnamese Beef Meatballs

For Serving:  Sriracha and Hoisin Sauce

Heat oven to Broil. Put in Onion and Ginger on a baking sheet and cook until the skin is charred, turning once. Remove from oven when done and peel onion and cut into quarter.  Cut Ginger into thin slices.

Meanwhile, in a large Soup Pot, put in the Beef Neck Bones and Beef Shanks. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat for 3 minutes.  Drain and add in fresh water and put in the Onion and Garlic. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Skim any foam that comes to the surface. Cook for 2 hours.  

Then add in the Star Anise, Cinnamon, Clove, Salt, Sugar and Pepper.Add a little extra water if the level has gone down a lot. Simmer for an additional one hour. Then cool down the soup and remove the bones and meat. Cut the meat up into small pieces, discarding fat and gristle. Strain the broth to remove the Onions, Ginger and Spices. The broth can then be put into the refrigerator or freezer for later use. 

Once you are ready to make the Noodle Soup, cook the Rice Noodles in boiling water or 3 - 5 minutes (or as package instructions suggest). Drain and rinse with cold water.  Put into individual bowls about 1/3 of the bowl. Add in the sliced Beef or Meatballs. Reheat the Broth until boiling and ladle over the noodles and meat, being sure to scoop up some of the chopped Beef Shank. Serve with Garnishes and Sauces and add to individual taste.

Five Element Analysis

Soup is always considered part of the Water Element and this soups is made with Bones, which makes it even more Watery. But it is made of Beef Shank and that kind of meat belongs to the Earth Element. The Ginger, Spices, Cilantro, Thai Basil along with the Green and Red Onion contribute the Metal Element and the Rice Noodles add even more Metal. The Bean Sprouts and Lime Juice bring in the Wood Element. The Fire Element is seen in the Sriracha and Jalapeños, making this a perfectly balanced bowl of soup!

Green Papaya Salad

I love Green Papaya Salads whenever I have ordered them at Vietnamese restaurants, but often they serve a dressing that has dried Shrimp in it and I'm allergic. So, the best thing for me to do is make it at home.  I usually stop by Viet Wah Supermarket on the way back from the airport and found some Green Papaya and made this delightful salad. It was so much easier than I thought and so inexpensive too. I wanted to make it a main dish salad so I added in some leftover roast Pork, although Chicken and Beef would work just as well.  The dressing is light with no oil - just Lime Juice, Garlic, Red Chili Flakes, Fish Sauce and some Sugar. When it's tossed together with the Papaya, something magical happens. I added some sliced tomatoes for some. If you can't find Green Papaya, I've heard that Green Apple makes a good substitute.  I was just so happy eating this delicious salad!

Green Papaya Salad

1 large Green Papaya (about 1 pound), peeled and seeded and cut into julienned slices

1/2 cup of Cherry Tomatoes, sliced

2 Garlic Cloves

1/4 cup fresh Lime Juice

2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes 

Optional:  1 cup of sliced cooked meat, cut into thin strips

Combine the Garlic, Lime Juice, Fish Sauce, Sugar and Red Chili Flakes. Stir to combine and dissolve Sugar.  Place the Green Papaya shreds into a large bowl and sprinkle with the sliced Cherry Tomatoes and meat.  Pour the Dressing over and toss to combine. Let the salad sit for at least 15 minutes before serving to meld the flavors.

Five Element Analysis

Papaya in Chinese Medicine is thought to lubricate the lungs, enhance digestion and relieve inflammation so you know this salad is good for you!  Ripe Papaya is normally considered an Earthy tropical fruit as it is sweet, but when it is green, it becomes more Woody, so both elements are covered. The Lime Juice adds even more of the Wood Element and the Sugar brings in more of the Earth. The Tomatoes and the Red Chili Flakes contribute the Fire Element, whereas the Garlic Cloves add the Metal Element. Even the Water Element is present, represented by the Fish Sauce and the sliced Pork. This then is a balanced little salad! 

Chicken Meatballs with Vietnamese Flavors

Every Chinese New Year, I try to add one new dish from the Lucky Foods list and this year I decided to change up the meatballs.  So instead of Pearl Balls or Lion's Head Meatballs (previous posts), I decided to use some of the ground chicken thigh meat that I bought at Uwajimaya and made meatballs with Vietnamese flavors.  These meatballs are flavored with Fish Sauce, Lemongrass, Shallots and Cilantro.  The texture is chewy, like all Asian Meatballs, as the meat is made very fine in the food processor. I pan fried them and served them to be wrapped in Lettuce leaves and added some Mint Leaves and Bean Sprouts for some crunch. I also made a Peanut Sauce to drizzle on the wraps or for dunking for those friends who just wanted to eat the meatballs. They turned out wonderfully and were the hit of the party. So I am sharing the recipe with you today.  I'm going to make them often!

Chicken Meatballs with Vietnamese Flavors

2 pounds of ground Chicken Thighs (or use boneless thighs and use the food processor)

2 stalks of fresh Lemongrass, bottom two inches of inside layers, minced

2 large Shallots, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 loosely packed cup of Cilantro, minced

1/3 cup Fish Sauce (I used Red Boat)

1 teaspoon Salt

1/4 cup Cornstarch

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Put Lemongrass, Shallots, Garlic, Cilantro and Fish Sauce in a food processor (I used a Cuisinart). Process until everything is minced fine.  Add in the Chicken Thigh meat and the salt and process until mixed thoroughly.  Form into small balls - walnut sized. Heat a large frying pan and add in the oil, then carefully place as many meatballs in that will fit. Cook on one side until brown and then on the other side until cooked through.  Remove and serve with vegetables and sauce.  

Serve with Red Lettuce Leaves, washed and separated, a cup of Beansprouts and 1/2 cup of Mint Leaves.

For sauce:  Mix equal amounts of Chunky Peanut Butter and Hoisin Sauce (I used Wok Mei brand as it is Gluten Free) and add hot water until thin enough to drizzle.  

Five Element Analysis

Chicken belongs to the Wood Element and the Lemongrass, being a fast growing grass adds even more. The Fish Sauce and Hoisin Sauce contribute the Water Element, the Shallots, Garlic, Mint and Cilantro bring in the Metal Element. The Fire Element is represented by the Lettuce Leaves and the Earth Element is found in the Peanut Butter.  This then becomes a balanced Five Element dish!