Have yourself a Vietnamese Dinner Party
Fear not friends, we have a tasty, simple and party ready feast for you. Take your friends and family abroad without even leaving the kitchen.
The perfect Dinner Party…. Vietnamese Style!
We have picked out our top three dishes from central Vietnam that are full of flavour, tradition and sure to impress even your pickiest of family members.
Plus, they are that simple you can even have a hangover on New Years Day and still rustle these up for the crew, I know, just call us Santa!
Starter: Vietnamese Pancake Rolls
The best batter
Cup of dry rice flour – 1 1/4 cups of water – touch of salt – touch of turmeric powder – Simply stir all together and leave to rest for an hour
Grab your gear…
Thin pork strips – finely diced seafood (160 grams) – 2 sliced spring onions – 240 grams of bean sprouts – herbs of topping (lettuce, minty or coriander) – Rice paper
Take your non-stick pan and add a dash of vegetable oil to it. Fry the seafood and meat lightly before adding in the batter. You only want a thin layer over the bottom of the pan. Toss in your herbs or salad mix and once the pancake is crisp on the underneath, flip out to a plate and fold in half.
Add this inside of the rice paper and serve up either on its own or with peanut sauce. Simples!
Main: Vietnamese Seafood Tangy & Fresh Salad
Whether you are enjoying the Australian summer heat or just can’t be bother slaving over the oven, this tasty and tangy simple salad is a great go to option for those lazy new year days.
Wok up a storm
Take 1 1/2 tablespoons of thinly slice shallots, 100 grams of seafood (shrimp works well), a little vegetable oil and some thinly sliced ginger. Wok it up until lightly brown.
Building the base
For the salad, gently toss together the following flavoursome ingredients:
Grated papaya, onion, mango, carrots, pineapple and cucumber – a dash of fish sauce – one freshly squeezed lime – a sprinkling of sugar – teaspoon of garlic and ginger mix
Once you have added the seafood into the salad base, serve up with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and cracked peanuts.
Dessert: Pandan Sticky Rice
To serve five, head to your local Asian Supermarket and grab the following:
1/2 Can Coconut Milk (Not Shaken) – 1.5 Pounds Sweet Rice – 1 Ounce Coconut Cream Powder – 1 cup granulated sugar (or less, to taste) – 1 teaspoon pandan paste – Sprinkle of Salt – Pandan Leaf
Rice up your life…
Rinse the rice repeatedly and thoroughly. Three – Four water baths should cover this. Leave it overnight in cole water with a little salt. In the morning, remove as much water as possible before adding the coconut cream and then adding in the pandan paste to color. Mix well, don’t wear whites!
Boil the rice for approx. 15 minutes, or if you have a steamer than add a few extra minutes on. Aim for the rice to not be failing apart and fairly dry.
Go coco…
Grab a saucepan, non stick preferred and then add the coconut milk to it. A little sugar and salt will add flavour whilst it comes to the boil. Stir to the right texture then cover the rice with the milk.
Don’t stir! How ever tempting it will be. Leave it covered to rest for approx. 15-20 minutes. Let it air afterwards for a further fifteen minutes before gently using chopsticks or similar to poke the rice and ensure all the milk has been absorbed. Enjoy and get your green dessert on.
Wine Pairing: Snake Wine, the perfect and traditional choice… though not sure you will find it on the shelf of your local liquor store!
Best come visit Vietnam with us next year to top up the cellars…