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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Chicken and Squash Panang Curry (w/ Vegan Substitutes)
your mind will be blown the first time you make fresh curry paste. pounding each ingredient in the mortar and pestle and smelling the wafting perfumes that are released is absolutely intoxicating. even if you don’t have a mortar and pestle, the satisfaction of making fresh curry paste from your food processor, blender, whatever it may be, is well worth the effort. your curry will turn out more fragrant, flavourful, and luscious, plus, you can freeze portions of it for a quick weeknight meal! this does require some ingredient hunting, but most of it can be found at your local asian market. if you’re okay with store bought paste, skip to part 2 of the recipe for instructions. serve with steamed white rice, or try our coconut rice for some extra richness.
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Charred Baby Bok Choy with Pickled Red Onions and Peanuts
a simple side dish that delivers tons of flavour in not a lot of time. baby bok choy is sliced in half and charred on the grill to become deliciously roasty vessels that soak up a bright and zesty vinaigrette. top it off with tangy pickled onions and toasted peanuts for zing and crunch.
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Photo by Jess Kal Photography
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Nuoc Cham
sweet and caramelized sweet potatoes are paired with classic vietnamese nuoc cham for a zesty take on roasted veg. feel free to sub the sweet potatoes with pumpkin or butternut squash (cooking time may be slightly less).
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Grilled Lamb Chops with Minty Nuoc Cham
another favourite from saigon star (see singaporean curry crab post), these grilled lamb chops are served with a minty, sweet, tangy, and punchy dipping sauce. you can definitely change up the protein here, but the classic mint-lamb combo is a classic for a reason as the vibrant mint marries well with the gaminess of lamb. serve as an app, or with some lettuce and rice vermicelli for a more substantial meal.
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Thai-Style Chicken Wings
by far my favourite wings in the world, these thai style wings are the ultimate umami bomb. they’re crispy, sweet, sour, salty, not too saucy, and finger lickin’ gooood. serve them as is, or make it a full hands on meal with steamed sticky rice and grilled corn. make a double or triple batch of the sauce as it easily keeps in your freezer for up to 3 months (but probably longer). add to literally any protein (not just chicken wings) and you’ve got yourself a quick meal. be cautious though as a little goes a long way.
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Indonesian Corn Fritters (Bergedel Jagung)
a couple of years ago, reid and I spent 3 months backpacking around southeast asia, planning our days around eating all the food we possible could. our mission was to find locals who could give us lessons on what they cooked at home.
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Fresh Noodle Salad with Tamarind Peanut Dressing
at one point I wanted to serve pad thai for lunch at my work but didn’t have the equipment or time to do it à la minute, so I took out the stir fry aspect and made this version instead! the ingredients are more or less the same, but this version is served cold like a salad.
plus, burners in home kitchens aren’t powerful enough to get the desired char and wok hay anyway (the flavour from the breath of the wok), so save yourself the hassle from ending up with a gloppy and broken pile of noodles.
this can easily be bulked and prepped the day ahead, just toss the salad in some dressing to keep the noodles from sticking together in the fridge. great option as a packed lunch!
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Kimchi Fried Rice
there are a couple of tricks to ultimate fried rice:
1 - use leftover cooked rice rather than freshly cooked rice and store it uncovered in the fridge - the more it dries out, the better the fried rice will be!
2 - use the hottest setting on your stovetop at home
3 - when in doubt, add oil (加油!)
with those tips, you’ll be getting charred, crispy, chewy fried rice in no time!
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Lemongrass Pork Patties
another one of my favourite things to eat, this dish is inspired by the classic vietnamese ‘com tam’. it’s herbaceous and fresh from all the delightful herbs and veggies, yet rich and nourishing from the savory pork patties, the perfectly yolky fried egg and the luscious coconut rice. top with some pickly and crunchy bits for punch and texture, and everything is singing in haaaarmonyy! crack open that egg, mix everything together and dig innnn.
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Vibrant Steak Noodle Bowl
this is the type of food I want to eat all summer long! vibrant, fresh, simple, and easy. this recipe is great when your a/c is on full blast, as you won’t unnecessarily warm up the house with blazing kitchen appliances. the veg can all be tossed in a bowl and the grilling can be done outside! best enjoyed with a crisp cider in hand.
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Homemade Chili Jam
when I first discovered thai chili jam a couple years back, my mind was blown. I had finally found an all-in-one flavour bomb that could instantly transform any stir fry into magic. the store bought version looks like this, but it contains some added flavour enhancers and colouring (if you’re not into that).
traditional homemade chili jam requires deep frying your own garlic and shallots, but this recipe uses store bought versions of those - cutting your time in half. store in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 6, and use with veg, seafood, meat, rice, noodles - the possibilities are endless!
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Thai Green Apple Salad
do you love thai mango salad but live in a place where mangos don’t grow naturally? ‘cause I do! and green apples are a great substitute. they give a similar crunch and tanginess that green mangos have, plus, they don’t need to travel 11,000 km to get to your plate. pair this with our chicken and squash penang curry and maybe even this coconut chia pudding, and you’ve got a thai feast ready in no time.
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5-Ingredient Coconut Tom Yum Soup
this soup is as easy as combining 5 ingredients in a pot and waiting for 10 minutes! I highly recommend tracking down tom yum paste as this is the base of your flavour. plus, you’d need even more ingredients to substitute it in order to find the right balance. tom yum paste should be available in the international aisle of your major supermarket or at your local east/southeast asian grocery store. if you’re looking for a quick, and I mean rrreeaallyy quick appetizer with not much effort and all the gain, you’ll win with this one. add a little rice vermicelli to make it more filling, or a lot to make it a full meal. we all deserve an easy fix sometimes!
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Laksa
this version of laksa is one of my favourite noodle soups in the world. my day is instantly better with a bowl of this laksa in front of my face. it’s like a hug for your soul, and belly! traditionally made with fish stock, some versions can be quite fishy. I tried to find a balance of just the right amount of fishiness (from the shrimp paste) with just enough spice, tang, and richness. once you have this laksa, you won’t be able to live without it. I definitely wouldn’t want to. even if we are just 2 people, I usually make the full batch for 4 since you can freeze the leftover broth for a quick meal!
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