A Vietnamese Moment

This post is going to be a work in progress. I am trying to master the perfect garlic noodle recipe, something reminiscent of Vox Kitchen in my hometown. Husband loves the dish so I wanted to re-create it at home.  Shrimp - fish sauce - chicken bouillon  - pepper - garlic powder - sugar  1. Butterfly and devein the shrimp, keep the shell on. Marinade the shrimp with above. Pan fry the shrimp, about 2 minutes on each side or until done.  2. Set aside as topping  Garlic noodle - de cecco linguini noodle or chinese egg noodle - garlic - either olive oil or butter - sugar - maggi - Minced garlic - oyster sauce - fish sauce  - red chili flakes - 1 tablespoon of Parmesan - optional: garnish with herb, either cilantro, parsley, or onion Garlic noodle  1. In a bowl, mix equal parts fish sauce, oyster sauce, maggi sauce, and sugar. I used about 1 tablespoon of each for 1/2 box of de cecco pasta.  2. Cook pasta according to instructions.  3. Option 1: ...

I just experimented with seared scallops for the first time the other night. After watching many youtube videos, this is what I've learned.  - Discard the muscle part of the scallop as this will be too tough to eat once cooked - A good sear relies on a very dry scallop, so pat them dry before you sear!  - The pan needs to be adequately hot before you add the scallop for a good sear! Add oil first and then add your butter or else the butter will burn.  1. Salt and pepper your scallop. 2. In a nonstick pan, add oil and then add butter. Once the pan starts to slightly smoke, the pan is ready for the scallops!  3. Add scallops in a clockwise fashion, starting at the outer perimeter since the center cooks quickly. Start at 12:00 o clock and add in a clockwise fashion. Don't overcrowd your scallops or else it will steam.  4. Let scallops cook undisturbed! About 1.5 minutes (or 1 minute) per side. I did 1.5 minutes on one side to allow for a good crust, then flipped it...

Now that residency is over, I have so much more free time on my hands. I have been experimenting with new recipes over the last few weeks and recently acquired two new cookbooks by Ina Garten -  "How Easy is That" and "Barefoot in Paris." I am always looking for new ways to roast vegetables and came across this very easy Garlic Roasted Cauliflower recipe by Ina Garten in "How Easy is That". Now there is a way to cut cauliflower so that you don't create a mess everywhere in your kitchen. Start by cutting off the stem, then with a smaller knife carve out the stem. After that, cut the cauliflower in half going through the stem first (face down). From there, you can peel your cauliflower florets and cut further to make them smaller.   Yield:  6 servings 1 head of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled 1 large head of cauliflower, trimmed, cut into large florets  4 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil, divided use Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 ...

My mom has probably made this dish hundreds of times. It's a very easy and quick appetizer for a crowd or can even be a heartier meal if paired with veggies and fish sauce. This is a Vietnamese style deep fried shrimp. Ingredients - Peeled and deveined shrimp (leave the peel around the tail on) - fish sauce - sugar - garlic powder - panko - pepper - chicken bouillon (very small amount) Shrimp  1. In a bowl, add fish sauce, pepper, garlic powder, and chicken bouillon. Let sit for a few minutes to soak up the marinade. Breading 1. In a bowl, pour the panic. 2. In a separate bowl, add ** flow and ice cold water (could also put in the fridge to get cold prior to frying. Batter needs to be dry to be crispy).  3. Add maybe 1/2 teaspoon/tablespoon sugar,  about 1/8 teaspoon/tablespoon chicken bouillon. Add a sprinkle of pepper and garlic powder. 4. Dredge shrimp in the batter and then in the panko. Deep fry.