Caramelized Spare Ribs / Suon Ram

3 lbs baby back ribs cut into pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup water
Green onion cut in pieces
Black pepper

In a frying pan add oil fry both sides of ribs until brown
Wash the ribs so that it is clear of blood pieces
In a pot - put some oil then add ribs stir fry a few minutes than add the sugar, keep  on stirring until sugar a little bit golden, don't burn it ...

Then add fish sauce - keep on stirring about 5 to 10 minutes until the meat absorb the sugar and fish sauce.  Add water and stir again for a few minutes then cover the pot - lower the heat and let it cook until thicken

From time to time open the pot and stir the meat, do not let it burn.

Meat  is done when sauce golden and almost thicken

Add green onion and black pepper

Ga` Roti/ Vietnamese Roasted Chicken

4 chicken legs (poke knife into legs to have good marination)
1 can Coco Rico
1 tsp thick soy sauce
Soy sauce and sugar
Marinate chicken with a bit of 5 spices, salt, black pepper

Heat 2 Tbsp oil, add chiken fry until golden (take out oil if you want) then add garlic then coco water and a bit of thick soy sauce - cook until chicken is cooked and water almost dry up, add soy sauce and sugar as needed .

Dưa cải chua xào thịt heo quay/ Pickled Green mustard w/ crispy baked pork

Ingredients:

1/2 lbs crispy baked pork/ heo quay
about 1 bowl (1 qt.) pickled green mustard
2 - 3 tomatoes - cut in 8th
Minced - garlic, onion, ginger
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp granulated chicken powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup water
Black pepper
Green onion chopped

In a skillet with medium heat, put in oil then garlic, onion, ginger stir fry until fragrant - add meat then sugar, soy sauce, chicken powder(add a bit of water if needed); then add pickled green mustard stir - cook for an extra 10 - 15 minutes add more sugar or fish sauce add needed.

When done add green onion and black pepper

Thanksgiving Turkey

Ingredients:

1 fresh turkey about 20 lbs (Costco)

3 -4 lemons & 1 Tbsp salt for cleaning


For Marinate:

seasoning salt
hoisin sauce

For Stuffing and Bedding

2 orange
3 onion
1 bunch of celery
1 lemon for baking
4 carrot

for Rubbing before cooking

2 Tbsp melted butter
annatto oil



Follow instruction from turkey package, squeeze lemons then salt all over the turkey then wash it all off.

Truss the turkey - Breast side up, with a long string fold in 1/2 hook onto the neck go down the leg, tie it 2X , around the leg pull it in, then the other leg, tie it together, go up and around the little part of the wing, flip over then tie it, bring it down the end (butt) then turn around tie it again (surgeon knot) or better yet look at this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auQB7D_xB0I hihi

Put turkey in a baking pan, rub turkey with seasoning salt all over the turkey inside and outside, even inside the meat under the skin on the breast (it is ok that the turkey is a bit wet - so it will hold the salt), put the whole turkey with baking pan into then a 13 gallon trash bag, close it tightly and put it in the refrigerator for about 2 days .

Take the turkey out of refrigerator 2 hours before baking .

In the mean time, cut up all the other ingredients into 4th or 6th stuff at least 1 orange, 1 onion, 1/2 lemon, 2 or 3 pieces of celery, 1 carrot inside the turkey and let the rest lay it on the disposable deep baking pan for turkey then the turkey breast side up, add 1 can of chicken broth on the bedding along with 2 Tbsp chicken seasoning and 2 tsp of salt be sure to put the disposable pan onto the baking pan so that it strong enough to move in and out of the oven .

Turn oven to bake at 325F degree

Rub the turkey on top and underneath the skin with 2 tbsp melted butter then annatto oil*** on top of the skin only to color the whole turkey .

Bake about 4-4 1/2 hours

While baking remember to baste the turkey, use the turkey baste to squeeze the juice from the bedding into the inside of the turkey, you can also try to taste the juice to make sure it is well seasoned, this will make the turkey tasty and juicy.


At any moment you see any part of the turkey dark enough, cover that part with foil so that it won't get burn . Keep on cover the turkey until it is to the color you want.

At the last moment, you can also turn the oven to broil at 500F, so that the heat will start from the top, this will make the turkey brown but it also will burn it so be sure to watch it minutes to minutes. (I would open the oven and look at it will the broil is on)

--Use the cooking thermometer to test and see if the turkey is about 150 to 160 - this will insure that the turkey is cooked . Press it deep inside the turkey leg to read the temperature .


***to make the annatto oil - in a medium heat pan add 3 Tbsp olive oil, when oil hot enough turn the fire off then put 1n 1 tbsp annatto seed, mix well until the color turn orange (only use the oil discard all the seeds)

HaiNam Chicken and Rice/ Com Ga` Hai Nam

Serves 8-10 (our family)

Chicken:

2 whole chicken - rub a bit of seasoning salt, garlic and onion powder
about 2 inches ginger peeled and sliced
1 onion cut in quarter (4)
4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp fish sauce


Rice:

8 cups long-grain rice - rinsed and rained
Chicken fat
5 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
4 Tbsp finely chopped ginger
4 Tbsp finely chopped shallot
10 cups seasoned chicken broth (add about 2 Tbsp chicken seasoning, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar to chicken broth or when it taste good enough)

In a pot big enough to fit 2 chicken add water bring to broil, add onion and garlic then add chicken . Wait until the water boil again then cook for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat then put the lid on pot soak the chicken for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Take the chickens out of the pot then soak it in a bowl of cold water, take the chickens out and drain well then cover with plastic wrap until ready to eat . When ready to eat cut into bite side or shredded the chicken as you wish

In a large pot (15qts) add oil and the chicken fat then add shallot, garlic , ginger and rice stir continuously until fragrance then add 10 cups of seasoned chicken broth stir until boil then close the lid turn down heat to medium-low until ready to eat . (be sure to watch the rice so that it won't burn but don't open the lid in the beginning)

Dipping Sauce

3 Tbsp fish sauce
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp finely mince garlic
1 Tbsp thin shredded ginger
1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce

Crisp Roasted Pork/ Thit Heo Quay

Seasoning powder - 1 part seasoning salt, 1 part 5 spices and 1 part roast red pork seasoning mix ; mix all three ingredients together then put it in the jar so we can use it any time we need.


1 piece of pork belly (the piece with the bone is best since it will be less fat)
seasoning powder (above)
Hoisin sauce

Wash pork with salt or white wine if you wish, then rinse . Do Not need to dry the meat, let it wet a bit then rub the seasoning powder all over the meat including skin, then rub hoisin sauce over the meat part, do not rub it on the skin part ... leave in refrigerator to marinate overnight.

To bake:

Turn on oven to bake at 350 degree

Put foil over the cooking tray, spray the foil with cooking oil and a bit of olive oil put meat on the tray skin side down cook for about 15 minutes, then turn the skin side up, get a cookie rack put it on the tray, then put meat over the rack cook for another 20 minutes . Use the fork to poke all over the skin then cook for another 30 minutes or until cook (poke fork into meat and the water from meat is white not red) .

Turn oven to broil 500 degree - let it broil for 5 minutes, at this time you can let the oven open and keep on watching the skin if it turning dark cover that part with foil, continue to cook until the skin is hard scrip (this is a very critical time, make sure that you are watching it because it will burn easily and it is not right the skin wont be crisp .

*** For our family - we need two pieces of meat :)

Char Shiu Pork

4 lbs pork bottom butt - cut in strip (about 4 pieces)
1 bag Roast red pork (Lobo)
4 Tbsp water
1 tsp 5 spices
2 Tbsp wine (Mai Que Lo (wine soak in 5 spices))
5 Tbsp brown sugar or (cooking sugar from korean)
5 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 piece of ginger (about a size of a thumb, slice then smashed)
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp sesame oil

Mix all ingredients together except oil, add pork then oil - overnight

Turn over 350 degree cook about 30 turn it over then cook another 20

To make the pork look nice, I pan fried it to the color I want

As for the sauce, I took the marinated sauce, cook it until boil then put it through a sifter to get just the water then cook it down until thicken

Stuffed Tomatoes

12 Tomatoes

Filling

1 lbs grind pork butt
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 egg
1 tsp cornstarch
minced garlic, ginger, onion
4 ears of dry black mushroom
1 small package of cellophane (bean thread) noodles

soak black mushroom in warm water - wash well cut into strip than small pieces
soak bean thread noodles in warm water - cut in small pieces

Mix black mushroom, noodles with the marinated meat

Cut tomatoes in half, carefully cut off the top and end of tomatoes (the tomatoes should still be the same shape) squeeze out the pulp then cut out the inside of the tomatoes - save it for making sauce

Take a spoon then spoon the meat into the tomatoes, use the back of the spoon to press it tightly into the tomatoes (should be about 20 pieces, save the rest of the tomatoes to make sauce later)

In a non-stick pan, turn heat to medium, put in some oil than put tomatoes meat side down cook until brown .

Sauce

All tomatoes left - minced
3 Tbsp oyster sauce
3 Tbsp gourmet sauce (costco)
3 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
2 cup water
1 Tbsp minced garlic, ginger, onion
1 Tbsp chicken seasoning
2 tsp sugar

In a pan with a higher side, turn on medium heat, add oil then garlic, ginger, onion stir until golden then tomatoes stir fry a few minutes then add water, all other ingredients mix well, add tomatoes meat side down - when it comes to a boil turn heat to low and let it simmer until it is thicken, taste the sauce again to make sure it is ok, add more sugar or fish sauce as you wish .

Cơm Gia Đình / Family Daily Foods picture

Nui xào sốt cà
Bò Xào / Beefsteak
Nấm và hành



Thịt kho mắm ruốc




Bột Chiên



Mướp xào tôm
Canh sườn cải ngọt, gia'
Sườn ram




Canh chua cá thì là
Cá rô chiên bỏ vô canh
Cá catfish chiên giòn

Chowmein in Oyster Sauce with Chicken

This recipe is good enough for our family, if you don't have too many people , please be sure to make less hihi



Need to buy:

3 bag of noodles - made by Southern CA with a picture of CA state
1 bag (2 lbs) beans sprout
2 bunches green onion
1 bunch chives (hẹ)
1 thumb size ginger
Oyster sauce
Soy sauce
Sugar



3 bag of Noodles - spread each bag onto a long large plate, microwave for 1 minute then turn to the other side and microwave for another 1 minute - let cool
In a pan, boil some water - when water is boiled add noodle, stir and count from 1 to 10 - take out noodle run under cold running water until noodles is cleaned . Put some sesame oil and let air dry .


2 bunches of green onion - cut into 1 inch long
1 bunch chives (hẹ) cut into 1 inch long

1 bag (2 lbs) bean sprouts - wash then cook in microwave about 2 to 3 minutes

6 chicken leg quarter - cleansed cut a few lines on top and in the bottom - marinate in seasoning salt (we used our special seasoning - 1 part seasoning salt, 1 part 5 spices and 1 part chinese barbecue char sue) ; onion powder and garlic powder
Just spingle on both side and leave it over night, skin side up

Cornstarch

In a big pan, put some oil to hot, dread chicken in cornstarch on both side then put in the pan, fry both side then take out and put in a rectangle pan bake for another 15-20 minutes broil if nececesary so that the skin of the chicken golden brown .


Sauce to put on noodles

4 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp water
1-2 Tbps soy sauce

In a big wok put some oil, stir fry onion and chives lightly cooked, then take it out put a little more oil - add noodle stir fry until it looks dry ready to eat, turn heat to low add mixture of oyster sauce to you taste mix well, turn off heat add beans sprout, onion and chives mix well .

Sauce to dip chicken



4 Tbsp water
4 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp vinegar
4 onion dice put in a small bowl, add a little onion microwave about 30 seconds then add to sauce
red pepper
ginger cut in thinny string

Chicken Curry

2 lbs chicken cut in pieces marinate with
1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp chicken seasoning powder, 1 Tbsp onion powder, 1 Tbsp garlic powder --- for at least 1 hour

1 Tbsp oil
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp curry in oil
1 bag vegetarian curry powder
1 Tbsp chicken seasoning powder
1 Tbsp minced garlic, onion
1 can young coconut juice
1 can coconut milk
4 potatoes - cut in 4 or 6
3 carrot - cut into bite size

In a wok, put in oil , when hot add onion stir fry until fragrant then add chicken, stir fry until cooked,(no more red) add 1 tsp curry in oil and 1 tsp curry powder stir a little . Add coco juice, water to cover chicken then all other seasoning, potato & carrot . Cook until done, be sure to taste it - the taste should be mild not too salty

When potatoes and carrot soft enough, add a can of coconut milk wait until boil then turn off heat - do not cook too long after you put in coconut milk .

Tôm Kho Tàu / Shrimps

Tôm Kho Tàu


2 lbs Tôm loại lớn/ jumbo shrimp
1/2 hủ riêu tôm/shrimp paste w/ chili sauce (fly dragon brand)
1/2 cup đường / sugar
1/2 cup nước mắm / fish sauce

Marinate shrimps with

1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp tiêu/ black pepper

mix well then add

1 Tbsp constarch - mix well

1 Tbsp olive oil

mix everything together , put in refrigerator , take out to room temperature 15 minutes before cooking .

4 cloves garlic minced
1 hành hương / small red onion minced

Heat wok with oil, stir fry garlic and onion until golden, take out from wok, add a little more oil then add shirmps - stir fry until cooked (do not over cooked the shrimps ) set aside .

In another pan add sugar and fish sauce - cook down until thicken, add shrimp paste stir fry then green onion, black pepper pour mixture into the shrimps cook just a little bit .

Vietnamese Meatloaf/Cha Trung Hap

Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork
1 bundle glass noodle - soak in water until soften/drain cut short
1 Tbsp granulated chicken flavor
3 Tbsp fish salt
1 cup jicama root cube in tiny square pieces
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp cooking wine (Mai Que Luu)
5 dried wood ear mushroom - soaked until soften, cut in small pieces
3 Tbsp minced garlic and onion
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 egg + 4 eggs white

Mix everything together and leave in refrigerator until ready to cook

Spray a square glass heat proof container - put mixture inside , flatten the top with the back of a spoon until smooth and even

Put in steamer to cook for about 30 minutes

Pour out excess water and spread egg yolks mixture on top, cook for another 5 minutes

**4 eggs yolks mix with 1 tsp oranged colored oil to put on top

Vegetarian Kung Pao Chicken

Vegetarian Ham or Vegetarian chicken - 1 cup cubed
marinated with a little bit of the sauce mixture below and 1-2 Tbsp cornstarch


4 Zucchini - cubed
4 stalks celery - cubed
1 carrot - cubed
1 cup roasted peanut
1/2 - 1 inch ginger - peeled, thinly sliced, smashed


Sauce:

2 - 3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp cooking wine
1-2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp vegi oyster sauce


2 Tbsp water mix well with 1 Tbsp cornstarch - set aside

Mix all ingredients for sauce in a small bowl and set aside

In a wok, with high heat add oil then ginger stir until fragent , add carrot stir fry for about 1-2 minutes, add 1 tbsp water, then add Zucchini, then celery keep on stir fry until all vegetables are cooked, add the ham/chicken mix well then add sauce when sauce is boiled, add cornstarch mixture, mix well bring it back to boil . Turn off the heat, add peanuts .