Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)
the next time you go to a pho restaurant, look for this hidden gem on the menu. it’s probably past #20 of all the potential meat combos you can get in your pho. compared to pho, bo kho has a deeper umami taste, due to the tomatoes and fish sauce in the broth. it’s almost like the vietnamese version of beef bourguignon, but this time served on rice noodles! you can either cook this low and slow, sans agression (thanks ludo lefebvre for the best way to describe gentle cooking), or the process can be expedited with a pressure cooker or instant pot.
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Gluten-Free Sichuanese Liang Mian (Noodles with Sesame Chili Dressing)
sichuanese cold noodles, known as liang mian, are zingy, fiery and packed with flave! they should really be called BIG FLAVOUR NOODLES as the sesame chili dressing leaves a party in your mouth after every bite.
I personally like to eat these noodles warm or at room temp, but if it’s a particularly hot day, you can refrigerate them for 20 minutes before consuming for a refreshingly punchy treat.
you can be pretty flexible with the additions in terms of vegetables and proteins, as the sesame chili dressing will enhance the flavour of just about anything.
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Roasted Sweet Potato, Brassica and Kimchi Bowl
I used to think that I needed a protein with every meal to make it a substantial one. during my early days of cooking, I would have to plan out exactly what type of meat, vegetable, and carb I had to buy at the grocery store. if I didn’t have all 3 components, the meal was incomplete. it’s been years since I’ve shopped and cooked that way, and now it seems only intuitive to grab what’s fresh and what’s in season.
this bowl is great for this frigid time of year as you can utilize any root vegetable and brassica available. feel free to sub the sweet potato with carrots or squash, the broccoli and brussel sprouts with other brassicas, and the noodles with any other grain. kimchi adds the perfect tang, spice, and crunch to brighten all the deeper notes. if you do want the protein, add a poached or sous-vide egg for extra unctuousness.
with a well-stocked pantry of grains and sauces, plus the addition of well-seasoned vegetables, it’s extremely easy to have super delicious and filling meals at your fingertips! this is just one version of what you can do.
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Gluten-Free Dan Dan Mian
‘dan dan mian’, a symbol of sichuanese food, translates to ‘street vendor noodles’ or more literally to ‘carry carry noodles’ as this iconic bowl was sold off of bamboo shoulder poles back in the day.
consequently, it is not a soupy dish and relies on the incredibly savory ground pork for most of its flavour. these are the types of dishes that I want to make more accessible to reid as traditional restaurants will always make it the way its been made. with some minor tweaks to ingredients, asian dishes like this can easily be made gluten free.
we use soba king millet and brown rice noodles as they have the same ‘al dente’ springy texture as ramen.
you can sub the pork for ground round and the chicken stock for veg stock for a vegan version.
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