Co Mai's Buon Suong (Shrimp Paste / Fake Palm Tree Worm)

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• 2 large pots
• Basket
• Food processor
• Soup strainer

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs pork spare ribs (from Asian market), cut small
• 2 lbs frozen peeled deveined headless shrimp (small shrimp are cheaper), to be ground
• Vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup fish sauce
• Potato starch
• Baking power
• Tamarind cooking concentrate
• Oil
• 1 bunch green onions
• Oil color
• One package dried bun (noodle)

STEPS:

1. Spare ribs 2lbs - clean and wash and boil with 2 tbsp of vinegar and half a tbsp of salt (to clean). After it boils for 1-2 minutes, strain and wash the bones.
2. Fill a large pot 2/3 full of water. Add 1/3 cup of fish sauce to the water. Megachef is our family's preferred brand. Add one heaping tsp of MSg (can substitute another sweetener, or eliminate if preferred.). Cover and bring to a boil.
3. Add the strained pork spare ribs back to the boiling pot. Strain out the foam on top of the soup. Simmer at medium heat uncovered for 1 hour to get the sweetness out of the bones for the soup base. Keep straining the scrum.
4. Defrost shrimp and put in food processor. Add 1 bunch chopped green onion, 2 tsp of potato starch/flour, 1/2 tsp of calumet baking powder, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 3-4 tsp of oil and grind, black pepper. Add oil color (if desired).
5. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add and boil bun noodles. Wait till soft but not mushy (5-7 minutes). Shock and Strain.
6. Add three small ladels of tamarind cooking concentrate to the pork bone broth at a boil. Add one small ladel of fish sauce to taste. Should taste sour and salty.
7. Take oil on hands and one spoon of shrimp paste and roll into long logs and put into soup. Leave to boil uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and flipping the logs.
8. Take out and leave aside until serving, when you put on top of bun and ladel in soup. Serve with cabbage or salad.

  

Co Mui's Rack of Lamb

Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 1 hour

YOU WILL NEED:

• Simmer pan
• Mixing bowl
• Baking pan

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Racks of Lamb
• 2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
• 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh Thyme (finely chopped) OR 2 teaspoons Dried Thyme (finely chopped)
• 3 Springs of Fresh Thyme OR 1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
• 2 tablespoons Fresh Mint (finely chopped) OR 2 teaspoons Dried Mint (finely chopped)
• Zest of a Lemon or Orange
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil
• 1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 cup Currants (chopped)
• Water
• 1 can Beef Broth
• Salt
• Pepper

STEPS:

1. Place currants in a bowl, add water and let soak for 15 minutes. Drain currents to save the water but remove the scum at the bottom of the bowl.
2. Trim excess fat and meat between the bones of the lamb. Save trimmings for sauce.
3. Season the lamb racks with salt and pepper. On medium heat, sear the each rack until browned. Place seared lamb racks on cookie sheet or baking pan, 2 racks per pan.
4. Clean the pan with a paper towel to remove the fat. Pan fry the trimmings of meat and render the fat. Drain the fat out of the pan.
5. Add currants, currant water, springs of thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme) and simmer pan until liquid has reduced to half.
6. Add 1/2 can of beef broth and simmer until reduced to half. Add remaining ½ can of beef broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn off the stove.
7. Combine the bread crumbs, garlic, thyme, mint and zest in a mixing bowl.
8. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar to bread crumb mixture and let sit for 5 minutes before dressing lamb.
9. Preheat over at 350°F.
10. Spray lamb racks with Olive Oil or PAM spray. Dress lamb with bread crumb mixture to cover meat. Place additional bread crumb mixture in pan to bake until crispy.
11. Place lamb in 350°F oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, rotate baking pans and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
12. Remove from oven and let lamb rest for 10 minutes before serving.