Baked Catfish (Cá Bông Lau Nướng Da Giòn)

It's the Super Bowl. Are you excited about the ads, the game or half-time?
I'm sure my husband can't wait to hog the TV all day.

On Friday morning, my plan was heading out to run some errands and do one small thing a day that makes me happy - that happened to be buying myself some plants and flowers. I had finally stow away my winter decorations and wanted to usher in the blossoms and bloom in anticipation of spring.

Two days prior, I wanted to serve dried chicken noodle - phở gà khô (click here for the recipe) to my family but as I was browsing through a local market, I found myself stopping at the fish section. Right away I remembered hearing my husband complaining we haven't had enough veggies lately. I knew I needed to prepare a meal that would give us a chance to catch up on veggies and what can be better than fish rolls - baked fish with abundant of fresh vegetables wrapped in rice paper. Roll it up with strings of noodle if you want some carbs in your diet. You can buy dried noodle from the store or make it from scratch. It's so much easier to make noodle using a Philips pasta machine but if you don't have one, a potato ricer would work. 

The baked fish looks beautiful once it's out of the oven.  It inviting and totally irresistible when topped with scallion oil, crispy fried onion, and fresh roasted peanuts.  I just realize what really made me happy today is accomplishing this recipe to share with you.  

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RECIPE: Baked Catfish

printable recipe

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Ingredients

1 catfish, ask the store to clean and butterfly or split the fish
1 sweet onion, sliced

1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon five spice powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
6-8 cloves of garlic, peeled
for honey mixure
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
for toppings
green onion, minced
crispy fried shallot or fried onion
roasted peanuts, chopped
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Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F

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Preparing Honey Mixture

Add honey and lemon juice in a small bowl, mixing to combine.  Set aside.

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Marinating the Fish

Pound garlic with a mortar and pestle into a paste. Add salt, sugar, five spice powder, black pepper, and olive oil, mixing to combine.

Using your fingers to rub the spices in and distribute evenly all over the fish. Line onion slices on the baking tray.  Place fish on top of the onion, skin-side up.  Tuck the onion in so the fish covers the onion. 

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Baking the Fish

Put the fish tray in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the fish and baste the fish skin wit honey mixture. 

Place it back into the oven and increase the oven temperature to max (mine is 550 degrees F) until skin is crispy golden brown.

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Preparing Toppings

Scallion Oil - while the fish is being baked, in a sauté pan, heat a tablespoon of oil and a clove of smashed garlic over medium heat. The purpose of using the garlic in oil is to impart the garlic flavor in oil.  You can skip garlic if preferred.  I am a fan of garlic.  When the garlic starts to turn brown, remove oil from heat.  Let it cool down for a minute then add the green onion and mix well.  Discard the garlic.  Set aside. 

Fried onion or fried shallots - I used the premade fried onions. From scratch, slice shallots thinly then fry in oil until crispy.

Roasted Peanuts - I sometime use Planters dry roasted peanuts.  You can roast raw peanuts in the pan over medium low heat until golden.

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Presentation

Use two spatulas to transfer fish and onion onto a serving plate. Spoon scallion oil over the top of the fish. Top with crispy fried shallots or fried onion, and roasted peanuts. Serve with rice papers as spring rolls or lettuce wraps with noodles along with herbs, lettuces, cucumbers, granny smith apple or green mango, and pickled daikon and carrots if preferred. Dip rolls in fermented shrimp pineapple sauce, fish sauce, or tamarind fish sauce.

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Here's to your Superbowl celebration with this grand delight.

Eat well.  Stay healthy. 

Đậu Hũ Chiên Giòn (Crispy Fried Tofu)

This crispy fried tofu is simple and yet tasty to have as an appetizer. The bite-size fried tofu has a natural sweetness and tender center; the beautiful golden brown skin is full of hearty savory notes.

Firm tofu is best for frying as it holds its shape and browns better than other varieties. There are many brands and types of tofu in the market but not all tofu are created equally. When time allows, I would make a trip to a local tofu store to buy their fresh daily made tofu, otherwise, the next best bet is buying packaged organic tofu with the farthest expiration date from my local Costco.

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RECIPE: Crispy Fried Tofu

printable recipe

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Ingredients

2 blocks firm tofu

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder or
2 teaspoons vegetable bouillon
2 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoons fresh minced garlic or
4 shallots, thinly sliced

4 stalks green onions, finely cut
2 tablespoons olive oil

rice bran oil, vegetable or canola oil, for deep frying

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Directions

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Preparing Tofu

Place tofu on a couple layers of paper towel or a kitchen towel. Slice tofu into bite size cubes. Remove excess moisture content in the tofu by placing another paper towel or kitchen towel (doubled over) on top and gently press out the excess water, until the paper towel is no longer drawing out much water.

When I am not feeling lazy, I take an extra step  to soak the sliced tofu in a bath of salty water (a bowl with salt and water) and allow to soak for 10-15 minutes then pat dry before frying. Using this method draws out the moisture and add seasonings, resulting in a better crust and texture. 

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Preparing Green Onion Sauce

shallots

Cut green onions. Set aside. 

Put about a tablespoon of olive oil and garlic or shallots (I prefer shallot) in a sauce pan over medium-low heat until the garlic or shallot begins to turn pale gold. Turn off the heat. Continue stirring until the color deepens.  Add chicken bouillon powder, and sugar in the hot oil and mix well.

  

shallot sauce

Pour the fried shallot or fried garlic mixture over a bowl of green onions. Mix well. 

garlic sauce

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Deep Frying Tofu

Heat oil for deep frying in small saucepan on high (oil should fill pan to at least 2 inches). To test if your oil is hot enough, dip the tip of a chopstick into the oil.  If it begins to sizzle then the oil is ready for frying.  

Blot dry tofu with a clean dish or paper towel to avoid splattering. Carefully add the tofu cubes to the pan. Don’t crowd the pan. Do not flip tofu too soon as it will break apart. Let it cook until the edges start to look brown. Flipping the tofu occasionally to prevent tofu from sticking to pan and also to ensure that all sides of the tofu are golden brown.

fresh daily made tofu

organic tofu from Costco 

Transfer the tofu to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil.

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Presentation

Place tofu on a serving plate. Drizzle the green onion sauce over the fried tofu. Mix it all up so the sauce coats the fried tofu pieces. My little one loves seaweed, so I topped tofu with shredded seaweed.  Serve while it's still warm and crispy.

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Eat well.  Stay hungry.

Lẩu Bò Nhúng Dấm và Hải Sản Chiên Bơ (Beef Fondue in Vinegar Chicken Broth and Grilled Seafood with Butter)

It has been a little over two weeks since my hand was severely burned from trying out a recipe involving frying with hot oil. Thanks to my husband and friend who provided all the care, burn cream, lotion, ointment, antiseptic, anesthetic lotion, aloe vera, and vitamin ointment. The skin is starting to peel and heal. I am hoping I can return to action in another week.

During this time, I had to ask my mother-in-law to take charge of the cooking. She has been picking vegetables from our garden and feeding us simple, healthy soups at every meal: watercress soup, gourd soup, sweet and sour soup (canh chua), My older girl asked me when I can cook bún bò Huế (spicy beef noodle), while the little one has been craving for bánh phục linh (coconut tapioca powder cakes). 

I was beginning to feel guilty for not being able to cook for the family. So the other night, I prepared a spontaneous meal to make up. We took a family trip to Nugget Market to get all the ingredients. Beef fondue in vinegar chicken broth, pan-fried beef and seafood were perfect to enjoy as the rain  was pouring outside. But I must say, the lemongrass shrimp paste sauce stole the show. 

Fondue, paired with a griddle for grilling are perfect to be enjoyed with your family or friends gathering on the cold days.   With just half an hour, you can still surprise a nice meal for your guests or family when you get home late . This beef, salmon, shrimps, calamari, scallops grilled on a griddle with butter and sweet onion created a nice brown crust with beautiful aroma.  Wrap this with noodle, lettuce, herbs, and cucumber in a rice paper and enjoy with my signature shrimp paste sauce; it will satisfy your palate. Beef fondue is just another dish that I craved for so I served both.  If shrimp paste sauce is not your cup of tea, the fish sauce or almond/peanut dipping sauce would go well too.

Prepare the meal with your favorite seafood and type of beef. 

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RECIPE: Lẩu Bò Nhúng Dấm và Hải Sản Chiên Bơ

serve 6 adults

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Ingredients

for grilling

2 pounds rib eye steak

1 pound salmon

1/2 pound (16/20 ct) prawns, peeled, tail-on

3 pieces calamari steaks

1/2 pound Scallops

butter

2 sweet onions

for fondue

2 (32 oz), chicken stock

16 oz of water

1 head of garlic, peeled

1/2 sweet onion, for broth

rock sugar or regular sugar

ground pepper

fish sauce

vinegar

accompaniment

noodle

2 heads of butter lettuce

2 English cucumbers

bean sprouts

assorted herbs (cilantro, mint leaves, etc)

2 packs of rice paper

for dipping sauce

click here for shrimp paste dipping sauce

click here for fish sauce dipping sauce

click here for almond dipping sauce

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Directions

Preparing Broth for Fondue

I bought a 3 pound Tomahawk bone-in rib eye steak of which the bone itself is about 1 pound. This Tomahawk grass fed beef is very flavorful and juicy. I asked the butcher to thinly slice the beef, and cut bone into 3-4 pieces.  However, you can use any type of beef you prefer.

In a stockpot, add beef bone, beef fat from bone-in rib eye, garlic, onion, chicken stock (I used the brand above as they were on sale 2/$5), water, and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add sugar, a tad of fish sauce, ground pepper, and vinegar. The broth should be balanced with a natural sweetness and slight tartness. 

When ready to serve, use a strainer to strain the broth into the fondue pot.  Add a few slices of sweet onion.  

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Preparing Beef 

Ask the butcher to slice the beef thinly. You can also purchase pre-sliced beef for shabu available at some Asian markets. I like to get it at my local Japanese Oto's Market.  

Arrange beef and sliced sweet onion on a plate or a bowl, garnish it with a red chili pepper and green onion for appeal. 

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Preparing Seafood

Rinse seafood and use a paper towel to pat dry. Cut salmon into half an inch thick. Cut calamari steaks into half- inch pieces. Arrange seafood on a plate.  Adorn it with cilantro or your favorite herbs.

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Preparing Vegetables and Noodle

Arrange bean sprouts, cucumbers, and herbs on a plate.

Noodle - I have been using a lot of Japanese brand noodle.  Green tea noodle is one of my favorites.  However, you can use any type of noodle you like.  Follow package cooking instructions.

Butter lettuce - is always a favorite of mine for wrapping.  It is velvety soft and tender, sweet with bright green leaves. It's just beautiful to look at. Butter lettuce is packed with roots still attached and in a clear plastic protective shell.

Cut off the root.  Rinse by holding the core under the running tap water.  Turn the lettuce head over and let the water run out. Place lettuce in a bowl.  

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Preparing Dipping Sauce

My family and guests love the shrimp paste sauce when I prepare this kind of meal. But if you can't take the aroma of the shrimp paste, fish sauce sauce,or  almond or peanut sauce would pair well too.

fish sauce dipping sauce

almond dipping sauce

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Presentation

Place the fondue pot and griddle in the center of the table and arrange all the dishes around it. 

When the broth is boiling, dip a slice of beef in the boiling broth for a couple seconds or until cooked, dip a rice paper in a bowl of water to soften it, then roll beef together with the vegetables and noodle.  The broth tastes best towards at the end of the meal so enjoy it straight.  

Place butter on the griddle, cook seafood and beef until slightly golden brown.  Roll them along with these wondrous herbs, vegetables and noodle.  Enjoy!

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Eat well. Stay healthy. 

Rau Quả Nướng (Grilled Vegetable Salad)

click the picture for better image quality

It's mid August and my girls just started their fourth day of a new school year in sun dresses, and shorts as there are still sun rays to soak up. Fall hasn't crossed my mind until I noticed the daylight is getting shorter. To make matters worse, some stores are already displaying Halloween decor and winter clothes. In a few short weeks, summer will come to a screeching halt. 

So let us enjoy the fruits and fresh veggies of the season for as long as they last. Let's taste the sweet summertime in a salad bowl filled with grilled vegetables bursting with colors - the red and orange of sweet peppers, the green of asparagus, the yellow of corn, and earthy color of baby Bella mushrooms. These charred sweetness are then tossed with yuzu dressing, chili oil with crunchy garlic, squeezes of lemon, and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro for the perfect summer side dish. This flavorful grilled veggies are loaded with so much healthy summer favorites that you just can't resist.

Tailor the types of fresh vegetables to the bounty that's available around you. You can also substitute yuzu dressing for a homemade version of the dressing by whipping up with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lemon or lime juice, or yuzu juice, and sugar.

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RECIPE: Grilled Vegetable Salad

printable recipe

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Ingredients

2 lbs bag asparagus, trimmed

1.5 lbs bag sweet mini peppers

24 oz pack baby bella mushrooms

3 sweet corn

olive oil

black pepper

a bundle of cilantro, chopped

1 lime or lemon, juiced

Yuzu sauce

1 full teaspoon chili oil with crunchy garlic

1 teaspoon Nanami Togarashi (assorted chili powder), optional

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Directions

Preheat grill to medium.

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Preparing Vegetables

Wash and trim off the bottom ends of the asparagus stalks. Find the area where the green color begins to fade. This is where the tough woody end begins and is where the stalk should be trimmed off and discarded.

In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with olive oil and black pepper. Set aside. 

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Grilling Vegetables

Grill the vegetables on medium heat, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Cut mushroom into quarters.  Cut sweet peppers into half an inch pieces.  Cut the corn off the cob by holding the top of the corn cob firmly, and use the knife to slice from top to bottom, letting the blade run right along the cob.

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Tossing the Vegetable Salad

In a large bowl, combine all the vegetables. Shake up the bottle of the yuzu dressing, then pour a good amount of it to a small bowl. Mix the chili oil with crunch garlic to the yuzu dressing.

Pour the dressing and lime juice over the vegetables, add the assorted chili pepper, if used, toss it well. Add a handful of chopped cilantro to enhance and add flavors and dimension to the salad. Toss it one more time.

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Presentation

Let's dig in!  Serve this salad warm or cold. Enjoy!

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Eat well. Stay healthy.