Lories Vietnamese Salad Hanoi Style Recipes

VIETNAMESE RICE NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• Mince the garlic with the cilantro and the hot pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the lime juice, fish sauce or salt and sugar; stir well. Let the sauce sit for 5 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles; boil them for 2 minutes. Drain well. Rinse the noodles with cold water until they have cooled. Let them drain again.
• Combine the sauce, noodles, carrots, cucumber, mint and Napa cabbage in a large serving bowl. Toss well and serve the salad garnished with the peanuts and mint sprigs.

VIETNAMESE LEMONGRASS BEEF AND NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine sugar, rice vinegar and lime juice and stir to dissolve. Add fish sauce, garlic, ginger, chiles and 1/2 cup water and stir together. Let sit for 15 minutes for flavors to meld. (May be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated.)
• Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add rice noodles, stir and turn off heat. Let noodles soften (5 to 8 minutes, depending on brand), then drain and rinse with cold water. Leave in colander at room temperature.
• Meanwhile, combine beef, fish sauce, sugar, garlic and lemon grass in a bowl. Massage seasoning into beef and let sit for 15 minutes.
• Line a serving bowl or four individual large wide soup bowls with a few lettuce leaves and top with noodles.
• Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. When wok is nearly smoking, add beef and quickly stir-fry until lightly browned and just cooked, about 2 minutes. Work in batches if necessary so meat browns and doesn't steam. (If you do not have a wok, you may use a cast iron skillet and work in batches.)
• Top noodles with cooked beef, scallions, carrot, cucumber and daikon. Sprinkle with herbs, crushed peanuts and fried shallots (add sprouts if using). Drizzle lightly with dipping sauce and pass remaining sauce at table.

CRAVING-VIETNAMESE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine 1/4 cup mirin, soy sauce, 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce, brown sugar, and garlic in a bowl. Stir in pork. Let marinate in the refrigerator, 1 to 4 hours.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pork, discarding marinade; cook and stir until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain excess juices and allow to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain and cut into short lengths.
• Combine drained noodles, shrimp, scallions, lettuce, carrots, cucumber, red bell pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl to make salad. Stir in pork.
• Mix sesame dressing, 1/3 cup mirin, 1/4 cup fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce in a bowl to make dressing. Pour over salad and toss until well-mixed.
• Grind peanuts coarsely in a food processor. Sprinkle on top of the salad.

LORIE'S VIETNAMESE SALAD, HANOI STYLE

Steps:

• Cut chicken into small pieces.
• Flatten lemongrass with a ceaver and cut into 3 inch lengths.
• Heat oil in a large skillet, and add chicken and lemongrass.
• Cook until chicken is cooked through, then add meatballs, and 1/2 cup water mixed with 2 tablespoons honey.
• Cook, stirring, until water is absorbed and meat has browned.
• Add another 1/4 cup water mixed with 2 tbsp honey, and cook over high heat until mixture thickens into a sauce, then remove from heat.
• Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, then remove from heat.
• Add rice vermicelli to water in bundles, and submerge until noodles soften then drain noodles.
• NOTE: if you do noodles ahead and they clump just rinse under cool water and re-drain.
• Arrange lettuce onto serving plate and top with noodles bundles.
• Add alternating piles of meat, and vegetables.
• Top with fresh herbs, slivered scallions, chopped peanuts, and hot chiles.
• Drizzle with nuoc cham sauce and serve.