Bac Thoa’s Filet Mignon

Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30-40 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• Barbecue or a grill

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5-2 lbs beef loin tenderloin / filet mignon
• 1/2 cup oyster sauce
• 1/2 tsp pineapple juice

STEPS:

1. Wash the filets in water and mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl just 15 minutes before cooking (aka once all your guests have arrived!)
2. Barbecue 2-inch thick slices for about 7 minutes each side. Use a fork to feel for a little bit of give to check for doneness.

Bac Thoa’s Asian-Style Baby Back Ribs

Makes 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• Barbecue or a grill

INGREDIENTS:

• 3.5-4 lbs pork loin backribs (baby back ribs)
• 1/3 cup oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup finely chopped lemongrass
• 1 tsp pineapple juice
• 1/4 tsp minced garlic

STEPS:

1. Cut the ribs into pieces of 1 or 2 ribs each. Wash them in water and put clean ribs into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the oyster sauce, lemongrass, pineapple juice, and garlic to the bowl. Mix all the ingredients together, ensuring each rib is coated with the marinade.
3. Let pork marinate for at least an hour before cooking. (Beef can marinate for only 15 minutes.)
4. Barbecue until all the sides are cooked and browned, with slight charring.

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.