Vietnames cuisine recipes

Bun cha

Ingredients

• 250 g (9 oz) pork belly, skin on
• 250 g (9 oz) pork neck
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) pork neck, coarsely minced (ground)
• 4 French shallots, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• small pinch of Chinese five spice
• 2 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 tsp kecap manis
• young spring onions (scallions), green tops only, finely sliced
• freshly ground pepper (a mixture of black and white if you have)
• ½ green papaya, peeled and cut into thirds lengthwise, seeds removed (you can also use kohlrabi)
• 1 carrot, quartered lengthwise
• 1 tbsp. raw sugar
• 2 tsp vinegar

Nuoc nam dipping sauce

• 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) white vinegar
• 250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) hot water
• 110 g (4 oz/½ cup) sugar
• 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) fish sauce
• freshly ground pepper

To serve

• selection of chopped herbs: saw tooth coriander (cilantro), garlic chives, rice paddy herb, hot mint, coriander (cilantro), fish mint, lovage, Vietnamese mint, chillies, Thai basil, perilla
• cooked rice vermicelli
• lettuce leaves
• finely chopped garlic
• red chilli paste or finely chopped chillies

Instructions

Marinating time 1 hour or overnight

Slice the pork belly and pork neck into 5 mm (¼ in) thick slices
Combine these in a bowl and have the mince in a separate bowl.
Pound the shallots in a mortar and pestle with salt and sugar to a coarse paste. Add the Chinese five spice, fish sauce, oyster sauce and kecap manis and mix well. Distribute between the meat and add the spring onions to the minced pork. Mix well. Season both bowls of meat with pepper and marinate for at least 1 hour, though overnight is even better.
Slap handfuls of minced pork against the edge of the bowl several times – this helps to bind it together. Form the pork into round patties (about 2 tablespoons each) and flatten slightly.
Slice the papaya and carrot finely widthwise. Sprinkle with raw sugar and set aside while you cook the meat. Add the vinegar before serving.
Place patties and pork belly/neck in separate oiled grill baskets and cook over charcoal, turning once you have some colour on one side. Keep turning until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides.
To make the dipping sauce, combine the vinegar, hot water, sugar and fish sauce in a small saucepan. Season with pepper and mix well. Place the sauce over low heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Keep it warm while you cook the meat.
To serve, pour the warm dipping sauce over the grilled meat and patties.
Serve with papaya and carrot, herbs, rice vermicelli, lettuce, garlic and chilli paste or chopped chillies.

Beef in betel leaf

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) minced (ground) beef
• 200 g (7 oz) minced (ground) pork
• 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp. fine salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. barbecue sauce
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• 3 tbsp. golden syrup
• 2 lemongrass stems, white part only, finely chopped
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) large round betel leaves
• 40 20 cm (8 in) bamboo skewers

Instructions

Chilling time 1 hour

Mix the meats, sesame seeds, salt and pepper, barbecue sauce, five spice, golden syrup and lemongrass together in a large mixing bowl and combine well, squeezing and working the mixture well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Form sausage-shaped rolls of mixture – about two fingers thick (and about the same width as a betel leaf). Place a betel leaf in the palm of one hand, with the stalk facing away from you, green shiny side down. Place one minced meat sausage at the stalk end and roll tightly into a roll.
Skewer five rolls onto each bamboo stick and chargrill over low–medium heat, turning so that they cook evenly. Prick with a skewer after turning the first time to allow the heat to penetrate. It should take around 5–6 minutes per side to cook.
Rest for a minute before serving.

Vietnamese barbecued spatchcock with stir-fried green beans

Ingredients

• 1 x 600 g spatchcock, butterflied
• 4 red Asian shallots or ½ small red onion, chopped 
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 small red chillies, chopped
• 1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice
• 1½ tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice, plus wedges to serve
• 350 g green beans, trimmed
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. deep fried shallots (optional)

Instructions

Preheat a barbecue or chargrill pan over high heat.

Place the red Asian shallots, garlic, chilli, lemongrass, Chinese five-spice, fish sauce and 2 teaspoons of oil in a small food processor and process, stopping to scrape down the bowl a few times, until smooth. Alternatively, pound the first five ingredients in a mortar and pestle until smooth then add the fish sauce and oil.
Rub half the paste into the spatchcock and massage into the flesh. Place skin side down on the barbecue and cook for 10 minutes. Turn and cook for a further 10 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the heat, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and set aside, covered, to rest for 5 minutes.
When the spatchcock is almost finished cooking, bring 1 cm water in a wok to the boil. Add the beans, cover and steam for 2 minutes. Strain and return the wok to a medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and the remaining spice paste. Cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until the paste starts to darken a little. Add the green beans and cook for 1 minute until well coated in the paste. Add the soy sauce and lemon juice and cook for a further 1–2 minutes until the beans are tender.
Place the green beans on a plate and scatter over the deep fried shallots. Cut the spatchcock in half and serve with lemon wedges.

Snails cooked in a coriander and Thai basil butter

Ingredients

• 24 fresh snails, in their shells
• 200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 1 small handful coriander (cilantro) leaves
• 1 small handful Thai basil leaves
• 1 tsp sea salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 315 g (11 oz/1 cup) rock salt
• warmed baguettes, to serve

Instructions

Soaking time 30 minutes

Remove the snails from their shells. Wash both the snails and their shells in salted water, leaving them to soak for 10 minutes before rinsing under cold water. Repeat this process three times.

Set the snails and the shells aside. In a food processor, blitz together the butter, garlic, coriander, Thai basil, sea salt and black pepper. Remove from the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside at cool room temperature to allow the flavours to develop.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Sprinkle the rock salt over a baking tray. Fill each snail shell with ½ teaspoon of the herb butter. Place a snail in each shell, pushing it into the butter. Use the remaining herb butter to fill up the shells. Place the shells in the rock salt on the tray, butter side up. Transfer to the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the butter is sizzling hot and bubbling. Serve with warm baguettes.

BBQ pork breakfast rolls

Ingredients 

Quick pickled vegetables

• 125 ml (½ cup) Chinese rice wine vinegar
• 60 ml (¼ cup) water
• 50 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
• 125 g carrot, peeled and cut into matchstick lengths
• 125 g daikon (white radish), peeled and cut into matchstick lengths
• ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into matchstick lengths

Roll

• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• ½ green chill, chopped (optional)
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 x 60 cm baguette
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 150 g Chinese barbecued pork (char siu), sliced (see Note)
• coriander leaves and lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

Marinating time 30 minutes

To make the quick pickled vegetables, combine rice wine, water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer to a bowl, add carrot, daikon and onion and mix well. Chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine eggs and fish sauce in a mixing bowl with a fork. Add spring onion and chilli. if using. Mix well. Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat. Add egg mixture and cook, without stirring, until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip the omelette over and cook until golden on both sides, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a wooden board and cut into strips.

Drain pickled vegetables, discarding vinegar mixture. Add cucumber and toss well.

Trim ends of baguette, then cut into 4 equal sections. Cut each section lengthways three-quarters of the way through. Spread each with mayonnaise. Fill each roll with sliced pork, pickled vegetables and egg strips. Top with coriander leaves and serve with lime wedges.

Vietnamese spareribs with chile

Ingredients

• 1.6 kg (3½ pounds) Asian-style (flanken) pork spareribs, about 36 pieces (see Note)
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 10 cloves garlic, peeled, about ¼ cup
• 1 lemongrass stalk, sliced, about ¼ cup
• 3 Thai bird chilies
• ¼ red onion, stem and root ends trimmed, cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 5 cm (2 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped, about 2 tbsp.
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 lime
• ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

Instructions

Heat the oven to 170°C (325°F).

Season the ribs lightly with 1 tsp of the salt and place on a broiler pan fitted with the broiling rack or a baking sheet fitted with a cooling rack. Add a 5 mm (¼ inch) depth of boiling water to the pan, wrap the ribs and pan tightly with foil, and cook until the ribs are pull-apart tender, 1½  to 2 hours. Basically, you’re steaming the ribs.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the garlic, lemongrass, chilies, and onions and process for 30 seconds, until well chopped. Add the sugar, ginger, fish sauce, soy sauce, and the remaining 1 tsp salt and continue processing to a coarse paste, scraping down the sides of the food processor a couple times.

Adjust the rack in the oven to the highest setting and preheat the broiler.

Arrange the ribs, meat side up, on the rack and smear with some of the garlic paste. Broil the ribs until nicely caramelized, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully and when they start getting a little char on the tips, remove and flip them. Smear again with some of the paste and broil on the bone side for about 3 minutes. Flip, smear, and broil one final time so they are nice and crispy on the meat side, about 2 more minutes.

Using tongs, transfer the ribs to a cutting board and cut into single-bone pieces. Squeeze the lime into the pan drippings and stir to combine. Toss the ribs in the pan drippings and serve sprinkled with the cilantro.

Soy milk jellies with coffee syrup

Ingredients

• 2½ tsp powdered gelatine
• 160 ml (5½ fl oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 330 ml (11 fl oz) soy milk
• 270 g (9½ oz/1½ cups) chopped palm sugar (jaggery)
• 25 g (1 oz/⅓ cup) coarsely ground coffee beans

Instructions

Chilling time 6 hours

Sprinkle the gelatine over 2 tablespoons cold water in a cup or small bowl and stand for 5 minutes or until softened.
Meanwhile, combine the condensed and soy milks in a small saucepan and gently heat over medium–low heat – do not simmer. Stir in the gelatine mixture and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the gelatine has dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Divide among six 175 ml (6 fl oz) glasses or serving bowls and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight – the jellies will just be lightly set.
Combine the palm sugar and 400 ml (13½ fl oz) water in a small saucepan and slowly bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add the coffee and cook for another 2 minutes for the flavours to infuse. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids, then refrigerate until cold.
Pour some of the syrup over the jellies and serve with the remaining syrup on the side.

Cha ca

Ingredients

• 3 tsp chopped fresh ginger
• 3 red Asian shallots, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2¾ tsp ground turmeric
• 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) fish sauce
• 750 g (1 lb 11 oz) skinless blue eye cod or other firm white-fleshed fish fillets, cut into 4 cm (1½ in) pieces
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 375 g (13 oz) dried thin rice-stick noodles
• 90 g (3 oz/½ cup) rice flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 80 ml (2½ fl oz/⅓ cup) vegetable oil, plus extra if necessary
• 8 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and cut into 4 cm (1½ in) pieces plus extra, finely sliced, to garnish
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 2 bunches of dill, coarsely torn
• 160 g (5½ oz/1 cup) roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Sauce

• 80 ml (2½ fl oz/⅓ cup) mam nem (Vietnamese fermented shrimp sauce)
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp. caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 lemongrass stem, white part only, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 medium red chillies, finely chopped
• 95 g (3¼ oz/½ cup) very finely chopped fresh pineapple flesh

Instructions

Marinating time 2-3 hours

Combine the ginger, shallots, garlic, 2 teaspoons of the turmeric and fish sauce in a food processor and process until a coarse paste forms.

Put the fish in a bowl with the paste and pepper and stir to combine well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2–3 hours. Drain the fish well.

To make the sauce,

combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine well, until the sugar has dissolved. Put the rice-stick noodles in a large bowl, cover with boiling water and stand for 5 minutes. Drain. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the noodles and cook for 2–3 minutes or until tender – or cook according to the packet instructions. Drain well.

Combine the rice flour, remaining turmeric and salt in a bowl. Add the fish and toss well to coat, shaking off any excess.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add the spring onion and onion and cook, tossing often, for 4–5 minutes or until the onions are lightly charred. Add half the dill, toss for 1 minute or until the dill has wilted then transfer to a bowl. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the fish, in a single layer, and cook, turning once, for 5–6 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Scatter over the onion mixture and the remaining dill.

Divide the noodles among warmed bowls and divide the fish mixture over the noodles. Scatter over the peanuts and extra spring onion, and serve with the sauce on the side.

Vegetarian pho with shiitake mushrooms

Ingredients

8 cloves

3 whole star anise

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 cinnamon stick

1.25 litres (5 cups) vegetable stock

30 g (5 cm x 3 cm) ginger, finely sliced

25 g (10–12 small) dried shiitake mushrooms

½ brown onion, finely sliced

1½ tbsp soy sauce

3 sheets nori (see Note)

salt and pepper

200 g carrots, julienned or shredded 

To serve

150 g rice

noodles, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, drained

bean sprouts

sliced long red chilli

fresh herbs such as mint, Vietnamese mint, coriander or Thai basil

lime wedges

hoisin sauce (optional)

Chinese chilli sauce or sriracha chilli sauce (optional)

Instructions

Combine the cloves, star anise, coriander seeds and cinnamon stick in a medium size saucepan. Place over a medium-high heat and toast for 2–3 minutes until aromatic. Add the stock, ginger, shiitake mushrooms, onion and soy sauce and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer.

Meanwhile, wave the nori sheets over a direct flame for 30–40 seconds until lightly toasted and crisp. Add the nori to the stock, season generously with black pepper and a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the carrots, cover and simmer for 6–8 minutes until tender. Strain, reserving solids and stock. Return the stock to the saucepan, adjust seasoning to taste and place over a low heat to keep warm.

Remove the carrots and shitake mushrooms from the solids (discard remaining solids) and thickly slice the mushrooms. 

Divide the rice noodles between two deep bowls and top with the carrots and mushrooms. Pour the hot stock over the noodles and top with beans sprouts, chilli and herbs. Serve with lime wedges, hoisin sauce and chilli sauce to the side.

Vietnamese-style vegetable curry with peanuts

Ingredients

• 1 stalk lemongrass, white part chopped, green part bruised
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 2 long red chillies, sliced, plus extra to serve
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 lime leaves, shredded, plus extra to serve (optional)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tsp mild curry powder, such as madras
• 300 g potatoes, cut into 2 cm pieces
• 250 g carrots, cut into 1.5 cm pieces
• 325 ml (1½ cups) vegetable stock or water
• 2 tbsp. fish sauce
• ¼ cup peanuts, roasted
• 150 g green beans, trimmed
• steamed rice, to serve

Instructions

Roughly chop the white part of the lemongrass and place in a small food processor with the onion, chillies, garlic, lime leaves and half a tomato. Process until finely chopped, scraping down the bowl a few times. Alternatively pound in a mortar and pestle until smooth.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the paste and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until fragrant. Add the remaining tomato and curry powder and cook for 2 minutes until the tomato softens and begins to break down. Add the potato, carrot, stock, fish sauce and 2 tablespoons of peanuts. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer steadily, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the green beans, stir to combine and continue to cook, covered, for a further 7–8 minutes until the carrots and green beans are tender. 

Divide curry between bowls and top with the extra chilli, lime leaves and roasted peanuts. Serve with steamed rice.

Hanoi rooftop spring rolls

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup dried shitake mushrooms
• 4 pieces dried wood ear mushrooms
• ⅓ cup dried shrimp (see Note)
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• 4 small spring onions, finely chopped
• ½ small jicama or kohlrabi, peeled, cut into thin long strips (julienne)
• ½ carrot, cut into thin long strips (julienne)
• 300 g minced pork
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 3½ tsp Chinese dried egg powder (optional; see Note)
• 20 sheets Vietnamese rice paper (bánh trang; see Note) 
• vegetable oil, for shallow-frying

Nước mắm pha dipping sauce

• 80 ml (⅓ cup) Vietnamese fish sauce (nước mắm)
• 1½ tsp white sugar
• 125 ml (½ cup) water
• a squeeze of lime juice
• a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper
• coriander leaves, to serve

Chilli vinegar

• 20 garlic cloves, halved
• 2 red bird’s-eye chillies, roughly chopped
• distilled white vinegar, to fill

Instructions

To make the chilli vinegar,

line the base of a sterilised screw-top jar with the garlic cloves, then add the chillies (add more or less depending on how much kick you want it to have). Fill the jar with the vinegar and leave to strengthen for 2 days. Store in a cool, dry place or in the fridge and keep using whenever you want.

To make the filling,

place all the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water to soak and soften. Do the same for the dried shrimp. Once they are soft, drain and thinly slice the mushrooms and finely chop the shrimp.
Place the minced pork, mushrooms, shrimp, onions, spring onions, jicama and carrot in a big bowl and combine well. Add the beaten egg (it’s the secret here and holds everything in the nem rán together, much like a meatball, and gives a richer texture), then sprinkle in the salt, pepper and dried egg powder, if using. Set aside to combine the flavours until needed.

To make the dipping sauce,

stir the fish sauce and sugar in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add 1 tablespoon of base vinegar mix and 125 ml (½ cup) water. Taste and add more fish sauce or sugar to taste. Finish off with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of black pepper.

To roll the nem rán

, lay a sheet of rice paper on a clean, dry surface. Take about 2 tablespoons of filling and line the mixture up near the edge of the rice paper like a sausage. Fold over the short edge once to cover the filling, then fold in the rice paper from left and right to enclose the filling securely. Continue rolling towards the end of the rice paper and set aside until ready to cook. Repeat with the remaining rice paper and filling.
Fill a large frying pan with vegetable oil until 2 cm deep and heat over medium heat. In batches, gently lower the nem rán into the pan to prevent them sticking to each other and breaking the fragile wrapping and fry for 4–5 minutes or until golden (ensure they cook at at a constant low sizzle). Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen towel to soak up the excess oil.

To serve,

provide everyone with their own dipping bowl and fill with a couple of tablespoons of nước mắm pha  and some fresh coriander. Add some extra black pepper if you like and get dipping!

Caramelised pork belly

Ingredients

• 500 g boneless pork belly
• 50 g white sugar
• 1 litre young coconut water
• 60 ml (¼ cup) fish sauce
• 3 spring onions (scallions), white part only, bashed
• pinch of salt
• ½ tsp finely ground white pepper
• 3 red bird’s eye chillies, left whole
• 4 nasturtium leaves, to garnish
• pickled vegetables and steamed rice or crisp baguette, to serve

Instructions

Cut the pork belly into 2 cm x 4 cm pieces and set aside.

To make the caramel, place the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a large saucepan over high heat. Simmer until a dark but not burnt caramel forms, then carefully add the pork pieces to the pan. Stir to coat the pork in the caramel, then add the young coconut water. Slowly bring to the boil, skimming off any fat and impurities that rise to the surface. Reduce the heat to low, then add the fish sauce, spring onions, salt and pepper. Simmer for 1½ hours or until the pork is very tender. Add the chillies in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Transfer to a serving plate, then garnish with nasturtium leaves and serve with pickled vegetables and steamed rice or baguette.

Stir-fried lemongrass beef with warm vermicelli noodle salad

Ingredients

• 500 g piece beef sirloin
• 3 lemongrass stalks, white part only, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cm piece ginger, julienned
• 2 tsp sugar
• pinch of salt and ground white pepper
• 1 tbsp fried shallots (see Note) 
• 1 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
• thinly sliced spring onion (scallion) and red chilli, to serve

Fish sauce vinaigrette

• 2 tbsp fish sauce 
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 red chilli, seeded and thinly sliced

Vermicelli salad

• 100 g dried vermicelli noodles, cooked as packet instructions
• 4 fresh lychees, peeled, seeded and quartered
• 1 dragon fruit, peeled and diced
• 8 mint leaves, sliced
• 8 Vietnamese mint leaves, sliced

Instructions

Slice the beef into 2 mm-thick strips and place in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the chopped lemongrass, all the fish sauce and half the garlic. Toss to combine well, then stand to marinate for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the vinaigrette, place all the ingredients in a jar, seal and shake to combine well.

Heat half the oil in a large wok over very high heat and stir-fry half the beef and the marinade just until browned. Remove from the wok and repeat with the remaining beef and marinade. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add a little more oil to the wok, then add the onion and the remaining lemongrass and garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes or until fragrant. Return the beef to the wok, add the sugar, season with salt and pepper and stir-fry for another 30 seconds or heated through. Remove from the wok and set aside.

To make the salad, combine all the ingredients and 80 ml (⅓ cup) of the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Transfer the salad to a serving platter, then place the lemongrass beef on top, scatter with the fried shallots, peanuts, spring onion and chilli and a little more fish sauce vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Langoustine with tomato and black pepper sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
• 4 red Asian shallots, finely chopped
• 2 very ripe tomatoes, diced
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste (concentrated purée)
• 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) fish sauce
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper, plus extra, to serve
• 100 ml fish stock or water
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 6 langoustines, legs trimmed, unpeeled but deveined
• 30 ml Scotch whisky
• Asian basil, to garnish

Instructions

Place 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over low heat. Add half each of the garlic and shallot and stir for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar, then add the fish sauce, 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper and the stock. Increase the heat medium, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, then set aside.

Heat the remaining oil, garlic, shallots and chilli flakes in a large frying pan over medium heat and stir until fragrant but not coloured. Add the langoustines and toss to coat well, then pour in the whisky and carefully tilt the pan over the flame until the alcohol ignites. This will burn off the alcohol but impart a lovely smoky whisky flavour to the langoustine. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for another 4 minutes or until just cooked. Transfer the langoustines and sauce to a large serving plate, scatter with basil and another sprinkle of black pepper.

Slow-braised buffalo in aromatic spices

Ingredients

• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 1 tbsp. Shaoxing rice wine
• 2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 4 triangles Laughing Cow cheese
• 170 ml (⅔ cup) local pale ale
• 700 g buffalo chuck steak, cut into 2-3 cm pieces
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 90 g (⅓ cup) tomato paste (concentrated puree)
• 250 ml (1 cup) beef stock
• 4 red Asian shallots, peeled and left whole
• 4 cloves
• 3 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp. chilli oil
• 6 baby carrots, trimmed
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• thinly sliced red chilli and baguette, to serve

Instructions

Marinating time 1 hour

Place the five-spice powder, rice wine, hoisin sauce, chilli flakes and Laughing Cow cheese in a large bowl. Use a fork to mash the cheese, then stir to combine well. Add the beer and combine well, then add the buffalo and stir until well coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  
Place a large wok over medium heat, then add half the oil, followed by half the garlic. Stir-fry for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add half the buffalo, increase the heat to high and toss until the meat is sealed all over. Remove from the wok and repeat with the remaining oil, garlic and buffalo.
Reduce the heat to medium and return the all the buffalo to the wok. Add the tomato paste and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to the boil, skimming any impurities from the top. Reduce the heat to low, add the whole shallots studded with the cloves, star anise, cinnamon and chilli oil and cook for 1½-2 hours or until the meat is very tender. Once the buffalo is cooked, add the whole baby carrots and cook for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and scatter with the spring onions and fresh chilli. Serve with baguette.