Overview: Vietnamese dishes stand out in a row of cuisines for the nutritional content and immune-boosting qualities, but let’s find out can we cook them affordably
What stands Vietnamese recipes out? The features of Vietnamese food contain lots of vegetables, fruits, and a brilliant balance of aromatics to complement the food – making it one of the healthiest and tastiest foods across the globe. It’s almost like eating a $1 million meal! But not that expensive. In fact, we know that Vietnamese dinner recipes can be affordable.
1) Bo Xao Khoai Tay (Beef and Potato Stir-Fry):
Ingredients:
◻ 250g beef
◻ 1 tbsp minced garlic
◻ 1/4 tsp salt
◻ 1/2 tsp black pepper
◻ 3-4 tbsp olive oil
◻ 1/2 tsp corn starch
◻ 2 medium potato
◻ 1 medium onion
◻ 1 large tomato
◻ 1 tbsp oyster sauce
◻ 1 tsp fish sauce
Instructions:
Cut the beef in thin slices. Add beef slices, black pepper, salt, fish sauce, and corn starch in a mixing bowl. Add half tsp of olive oil as well and set aside.
Slice potatoes in half-length and dip in water if you aren’t cooking right away. Cut tomatoes in half length thin slices
Place a pan with 4-5 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat and add potato slices. Cook briefly for 15-20 seconds and add 1 tsp of minced garlic. Cook it until the garlic is fragrant.
Add half a cup of water to the pan and let the potato soften. Once the potato is soft, add onions and cook for 30 seconds, then add tomato slices, and cook until onion and tomato are soft. For the next step, add oyster sauce to the pan and let it cook.
Now you can use the same the same pan or another – your choice – but for the next step, you’ll be adding garlic and beef together to cook. Once the beef is cooked, add stir-fry potatoes, and toss everything together. Sprinkle seasoning to taste.
Transfer the yummiest Bo Xao Khoai Tay to a serving plate and serve fresh with rice.
2) Dau Ran Tam Hanh (Fried Tofu and Scallion):
Ingredients:
◻ 450g tofu
◻ 30 ml fish sauce
◻ 4 tbsp scallion green parts
◻ 75 ml pork or beef broth
◻ 4-5 tbsp olive oil/cooking oil
Instructions:
Cut tofu into 1 inch thick slices and pat dry the tofu. Heat 5 tbsp cooking oil over a medium to medium-high heat. Fry the tofu slices in the hot oil until golden brown. Transfer tofu to a plate lined with paper towel and put aside.
In another bowl, add scallion slices and pour over the remaining oil that you used previously to cook them partially.
Combine fish sauce and hot broth (you can also microwave the mixture). Pick out the scallion slices and add to the mixture. Give a good stir.
Dip each tofu slice into the broth mixture for a few seconds before placing it to the serving plate. You can also drizzle any sauce from your sauce collection and distribute the broth mixture to small bowls, serving to each person.
3) Bun Ga Nuong (Vietnamese Chicken with Noodles)
Ingredients:
◻ 1 peeled shallot
◻ 2 peeled garlic cloves
◻ 1 tbsp fish sauce
◻ 1 tbsp soy sauce
◻ 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
◻ 1 tbsp brown sugar
◻ 2 tbsp vegetable oil
◻ 5oz julienne carrots
◻ 1/2 cucumber julienne
◻ 8 oz dried rice vermicelli
◻ A handful of mint leaves & cilantro
◻ 1/2 cup peanuts
Nuoc Cham Sauce Preparation:
◻ 2 cloves garlic
◻ 3 tbsp sugar
◻ 3 tbsp fresh lime or white vinegar
◻ 4 tbsp fish sauce
◻ 1/2 tsp fresh red pepper
◻ 1 cup water
Instructions:
Place lemongrass, fish sauce, brown sugar, shallot, soy sauce, pepper flakes, and lime juice/white vinegar in a food process, and blend until it turns into a smooth thick paste. Take a resealable bag and add chicken thighs and paste together – tossing and coating the pieces to mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for an hour or overnight.
The next morning, remove the chicken from the plastic bag. Scrap off any excess marinade and place it into a large skillet over medium heat.Cook and flip it halfway until it turns golden and seems juicy – for 8-10 minutes total. Set aside until it cools down and slice into thin long pieces.
Prepare the Vermicelli:
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil and then remove from the heat. Add the noodles and let stand for 5 minutes. Strain and run cold water over it before draining.
For the nuoc cha sauce, add all the ingredients together and mix well until the sugar dissolves.
For the last step, divide vermicelli noodles into 4 bowls and top with sliced chicken pieces, carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, and mint leaves. Sprinkle peanuts and squeeze some lemon juice.
4) Vietnamese Lamb Shanks with Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
◻ 4 lamb shanks (350g each)
◻ 2 onions cut into half
◻ 2 tbsp chopped ginger
◻ 2 red chili (sliced)
◻ 3 star anise
◻ 2 lemon grass stalks
◻ 1.2l lamb stock
◻ 1 1/2 tbsp tomato puree
◻ 2 limes
◻ 2 tbsp groundnut oil
◻ A handful mint leaves
◻ 2 tbsp fish sauce
◻ A handful of basil leaves
◻ 4 sweet potatoes (cut into big chunks)
Instructions:
Take a heavy-bottomed casserole, heat oven to 160C, and add 1 tbsp of oil. Season and fry the shank from both sides while keeping the remaining oil for the second batch. Once fried from both sides, remove the lamb and add onions. Stir and fry them briskly for a minute and add crushed ginger, garlic, and chopped chili slices.
Turn the heat down and cook for 1 minute. Add 1tbsp sugar, star anise, puree, stock, seasoning, and lemongrass. Bring all to a boil.
Now comes the oven part – cook in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Take the dish out and simmer a little before adding sweet potatoes. Let it cook for 1 hour until the lamb is completely tender, falling off the bone.
In a small bowl, stir fish sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and lime juice. Add mint, basil, and chili before serving.
In Summary:
Dinners are a special part of the day and we believe that the endings should be beautiful – and of course healthy. Vietnamese dishes are a composition of a perfect balance of vegetables and spices.
With the whole family gathering for dinner, cooking something special for your loved ones feels good. If you want to give any of the recipes a try but you’re afraid that you may not find the ingredients, we can help. Redlands Ranch Market has organic vegetables, herbs, and an assortment of international options, including Vietnamese food options to support your cooking escapades!