Co Mai’s Cai Lan Xao

Sautéed Chinese Broccoli

Makes 3-4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• One bunch (~ 1 lb) of Chinese broccoli
• 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 slices of ginger, julienned
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 3 drops of vodka

STEPS:

1. Cut the Chinese broccoli pieces in half and wash all the pieces
2. Boil a pot of water and put the stems in first. After 1 minute, add the rest of the leafy parts. When the water begins to boil again, remove it and drain until cold water.
3. Put everything in a large bowl of ice water for 2-3 minutes, remove, and let dry.
4. Put the oil in a large sauté pan and add the ginger.
5. Add the Chinese broccoli and stir-fry with the oyster sauce and vodka for 1-2 minutes.

   

Co Mai’s Thit Nuong

Barbecue Pork

Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• Barbecue or a grill

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb pork shoulder butt (thit nac vai)
• 2 tsp nuoc mam (fish sauce)
• 1 tsp soy sauce (preferably Maggi)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 shallots
• 1/2 tsp black ground pepper

STEPS:

1. Wash the pork and cut into very thin slices (about ⅛ inch thick)
2. Cut the shallots into slices
3. Add all the ingredients together in a large bowl and let marinate (at least half an hour, overnight is best)
4. Barbecue or grill over low heat for about 10 minutes per side. While barbecuing, you can dip the meat back into the marinade for extra flavor.
5. If you are pressed for time, you can put the meat and marinade mixture in a toaster oven or an oven at 350° F for about ten minutes. This will decrease the grilling time.
6. Serve with rice for com thit nuong or with bun, nuoc mam (fish sauce), and rau thom (a fragrant Vietnamese vegetable mixture – see here) for bun thit nuong.

Tiffany’s Kahlua Cake

Makes 1-2 cakes (see the cake box)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30-40 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• A cake pan

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box instant yellow cake mix
• 1 cup oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup Kahlua
• 4 eggs
• 1 small instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 package buttercream frosting
• Butter, for the pan

STEPS:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F
2. Mix the cake, oil, water, Kahlua, eggs, and vanilla pudding mix together until uniformly mixed
3. Butter a bundt/breadpan/other container and pour the batter in.
4. Cook in oven on middle/upper rack for 30 mins, then 5 minute increments.
5. Check with toothpick to see if it’s done. It shouldn't jiggle that much when it's done.
6. When it's cooked, take out the pan and put it in a water bath to shrink the cake. Fill sink with water and plug. Put the hot pan with cake into the sink floating so the cake doesn't get wet.
7. Use a knife/spatula to push the cake sides away from the pan.
8. Flip the cake upside-down onto a plate (works especially well for a bundt).
9. Scoop up 3 big spoons of frosting into a ziplock bag and microwave for 10 seconds at a time, until melted.
10. Keeping the top zipped, cut off bottom corner of the ziplock bag and use that to drizzle melted frosting onto the cake in a pattern. Make sure to cover the sides. Top with berries or any other toppings if desired.
11. Slice and enjoy.

Bac Thoa’s Thit Rim (Thit Dua)

Coconut Pork

Makes 8 servings
Prep time: 50 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• A large, hard object to crack the coconut into pieces

INGREDIENTS:

• One coconut (should be a lightish brown color)
• 1-2 pounds of pork bellies (thit ba chi)
• Nuoc mau dua (coconut thin sauce), ~1 tsp, for color
• Nuoc mam (fish sauce), ~⅓ cup
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• Ginger, optional, to remove the pork smell, 1-2 tsp
• 1 cup water

STEPS:

1. Put the coconut on the flame (or stove) to roast the coconut to more easily crack it. All the sides of the coconut should turn brown or black, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Crack the coconut open into pieces and remove the meat from the hard shell. Cut off the soft skin of the coconut and slice the meat into thin slices.
3. Cut the pork into thin slices about 1-2 inches long and wash them.
4. Chop the ginger into small pieces and put the ginger, pork, and sliced coconut into a sauté pan.
5. Add the nuoc mau dua, nuoc mam, pepper, and water to the pan and stir-fry until all the liquid is gone (about 45 minutes). The pork should also be a nice caramel brown color with a little bit of burning on the edges.

   

Bac Thoa’s Thit Kho

Braised Pork with Eggs

Makes 8 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2-4 hours

YOU WILL NEED:

• A large pot
• A colander

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 pounds of boneless pork leg skin on (dui sau co da khong xuong)
• ~10-12 eggs
• Ginger, optional
• 2-3 cans Coco Rico
• Nuoc mau dua (coconut thin sauce), ~1-2 tsp, for color
• Salt, 1-2 large tsp or to taste

STEPS:

1. Cut the pork into 3-finger sized pieces. You should end up with about 10-12 pieces.
2. Put all the pork and the eggs into the large pot and fill with cold water. Everything should be submerged in the water.
3. Throw a few slices of ginger in the pot to remove the pork smell.
4. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the eggs are hardboiled.
5. Wash the pork very well and peel all the hardboiled eggs.
6. Remove the ginger and wash the pot very well.
7. Put the eggs and pork back into the clean pot with the eggs on the bottom.
8. Put on the stove on high and add the nuoc mau dua, salt, and Coco Rico. You should have enough broth to just barely cover all of the contents. If not, add water or more Coco Rico until all the pork is covered.
9. When boiling, skim the fat off the top of the broth and turn the stove to low-medium for 2-4 hours with the lid on.

   

Bac Thoa’s Ca Kho

Catfish in a Clay Pot

Makes 8 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2-4 hours

YOU WILL NEED:

• Claypot

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium catfish (about 3 lbs each)
• Ginger, julienned
• 2 cans Coco Rico
• Nuoc mau dua (coconut thin sauce), ~1-2 tsp, for color
• Salt, 1 large tsp or to taste
• Whole black pepper, 1 tsp

STEPS:

1. Cut catfish width-wise into ~1.5 inch thick pieces
2. Remove the head and the tail (save for Canh Chua)
3. Wash the fish pieces very well with hot water, optionally with a little white vinegar
4. After cleaning, put a little bit of oil in the bottom of the clay pot and cover the bottom of the pot with the julienned ginger
5. Layer the fish on top of the ginger
6. Put on the stove on high and add the nuoc mau dua, salt, pepper, and Coco Rico. You should have enough broth to just barely cover all of the fish.
7. When boiling, skim the fat off the top of the broth and turn the stove to low-medium for 2-4 hours.
8. Toward the end, remove the lid off the clay pot to condense the broth further.