THE MENU

• Dầu Màu Điều - Annatto Seed Oil
• Nước Chấm Nem Nướng - Peanut Dipping Sauce
• Nem Nướng - Grilled Pork Sausage
• Bánh Bèo - Rice Flour Dumplings
• Chạo Tôm - Prawn & Sugarcane Skewers

Ingredients

Dầu Màu Điều- Annatto Seed Oil

• 2 TBL annatto seeds, ground
• 4 TBL vegetable oil 
• 1 TBL Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine) 
• 1 tsp soy sauce 

Substitute Options

• annatto seeds - turmeric
• vegetable oil - any neutral oil
• Shaoxing - dry sherry, cooking sake, mijiu
• soy sauce - tamari, fish sauce

Nước Chấm Nem Nướng - Peanut Dipping Sauce

• 60g chicken livers, soaked in milk overnight (optional)
• 1 TBL vegetable oil 
• 1 shallot, sliced 
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 2 TBL mung beans
• 1 TBL tapioca flour
• 300ml water
• 2 TBL crushed peanuts 
• 1 TBL peanut butter
• 1 TBL hoisin sauce 
• 1 tsp fish sauce

Substitute Options

• chicken livers - can omit
• vegetable oil - any neutral oil
• shallot - red onion, spring onion (white part only)
• mung beans - other split lentils
• tapioca - cornstarch, potato starch, rice flour
• hoisin - barbecue sauce
• fish sauce - soy sauce, tamari

Nem Nướng - Grilled Pork Sausage

• 400g pork mince 
• 100g pork back fat, finely diced 
• 1 spring onion, white part only, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 TBL fish sauce
• 1 TBL honey
• 1 TBL cornstarch 
• ¼ tsp bicarb soda 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 2 TBL annatto seed oil* (recipe in previous lesson), optional
• vegetable oil as needed

Optional Garnishes

• fresh herbs such as mint, perilla or coriander
• cabbage or lettuce 
• peanut dipping sauce* (recipe in previous lesson)

Substitute Options

• pork mince - chicken or beef mince
• back fat - fatty bacon, pancetta, speck
• fish sauce - soy sauce, tamari
• honey - agave syrup
• cornstarch - tapioca, potato starch, rice flour
• bicarb soda - baking powder
• annatto oil - vegetable oil or other neutral oil
• nuoc cham can replace peanut dipping sauce

Bánh Bèo - Rice Flour Dumplings 

• 185g rice flour 
• 25g tapioca flour or cornstarch
• 500g water 
• cooking spray or vegetable oil as needed       

Filling 

• 2 TBL annatto oil * (recipe in previous lesson), or vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced  
• 100g pork mince 
• 50g raw prawns, finely chopped
• 1 TBL peanut sauce* (recipe in previous lesson)
• salt to taste

Optional Garnishes

• crispy fried shallots
• finely chopped coriander 
• nuoc cham dressing* (recipe in previous lesson)

Substitute Options

• tapioca, cornstarch & potato starch are interchangeable
• annatto oil - vegetable or peanut oil
• pork mince - chicken mince, tofu or fish
• prawn - chicken or tofu 
• peanut sauce - peanut butter
• crispy fried shallots - sliced spring onions
• coriander - mint, thai basil, perilla

Chạo Tôm - Prawn & Sugarcane Skewers

• 400g prawns, shelled & de-veined
• 50g pork back fat (or fatty bacon), finely diced
• 2 spring onions, minced
• 2 cm ginger, minced 
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp tapioca flour
• 2 tsp fish sauce 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 TBL annatto oil* (recipe in previous lesson) or vegetable oil
• sugarcane, cut into 10 cm batons
• vegetable oil as needed

Optional Garnishes

• lettuce leaves
• fresh herbs
• nuoc cham dipping sauce* (recipe in previous lesson)

Substitute Options

• prawns - other white fish
• back fat - fatty bacon, pancetta, speck (optional)
• tapioca, cornstarch & potato starch are interchangeable
• egg - can be omitted
• fish sauce - soy sauce, tamari
• annatto oil - vegetable oil, peanut or other neutral oil
• sugarcane - lemongrass stalks, bamboo skewers
• herbs - coriander, mint, Vietnamese mint, perilla
• lettuce - iceberg, cos, butter lettuce 

Dầu Màu Điều - Annatto Seed Oil

This bright and fragrant oil adds an orangey-red colour to a number of Vietnamese dishes.  The oil will keep for weeks in your pantry or a few months in the fridge. Annatto seeds may be difficult to find at the supermarket, but your Asian grocer should stock them. At a pinch you could substitute ground turmeric.

Makes - 60ml 

Active time - 15 minutes

Total time - 15 minutes  

Ingredients

• 2 TBL annatto seeds, ground
• 4 TBL vegetable oil 
• 1 TBL Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine) 
• 1 tsp soy sauce 

Method

1. To grind the annatto seeds, pound them in a mortar and pestle or blitz in a spice grinder to release their colour.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 150C.
3. Add in the crushed annatto and fry for 1-2 minutes until the oil changes colour and becomes fragrant. Stir occasionally.
4. Carefully strain the infused oil through a sieve into a heat proof bowl and discard the solids.
5. Finally, mix the Shaoxing and soy sauce into the oil. Allow to cool and store in the fridge or pantry.

Nước Chấm Nem Nướng - Peanut Dipping Sauce

This condiment is made from creamy peanuts and has optional chicken livers added to give it a deep, complex flavour. It is an excellent dipping sauce for Vietnamese grilled meats. Mung beans are interchangeable with soybeans. 

Makes - 400ml

Active time - 30 minutes 

Total time - overnight

Ingredients

• 60g chicken livers, soaked in milk overnight (optional)
• 1 TBL vegetable oil 
• 1 shallot, sliced 
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 2 TBL mung beans
• 1 TBL tapioca flour
• 300ml water
• 2 TBL crushed peanuts 
• 1 TBL peanut butter
• 1 TBL hoisin sauce 
• 1 tsp fish sauce

Method

1. Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and pour in the vegetable oil. Add the shallots and sauté until they begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and continue to cook until it becomes fragrant.
2. Drain the chicken livers well, add them to the pot and fry until browned slightly.
3. Add in the mung beans, followed by the tapioca and continue to stir for another 30 seconds. 
4. Slowly tip in the water, incorporating a little at a time so that the starch doesn’t clump together.  
5. Combine the peanuts, peanut butter and hoisin into the saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mung beans should soften allowing the liquid to thicken.
6. Season the mixture with 1 tsp fish sauce and pour into a vessel suited for an immersion blender. Carefully blend the hot peanut sauce until smooth.
7. Serve warm or cooled alongside grilled meats. 

Nem Nướng- Grilled Pork Sausage

Traditionally served grilled over charcoal, these sausages can be served in a number of creative ways: roll them up in rice paper with some fresh cucumber, herbs, and pickled vegetables, work them into a banh mi, or on top of rice noodles. The annatto seed oil is optional, but it gives the sausage a bright, orangey colour. 

 Active time: 30 minutes 

Total time: 1 hour 

Serves:  Makes 16 skewers 

INGREDIENTS 

• 400g pork mince 
• 100g pork back fat, or bacon, diced 
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp cornstarch 
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 
• 1 spring onion, white part only, crushed 
• ¼ tsp baking soda 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 2 tbsp Dầu Màu Điều- Annatto Seed Oil for brushing 
• Garnishes: 
• Fresh Herbs 
• Cabbage or lettuce leaves 
• Dồ Chua

METHOD: 

• Soak 16 bamboo skewers in water. Dice the pork back fat into small cubes. Place the garlic and spring onion in a mortar and pestle and crush them.  
• Place the pork mince, fish sauce, honey, cornstarch, garlic, spring onion, baking soda and salt into a food processor and blend together until smooth and tacky. Fold in the diced back fat and refrigerate the mixture for 2 hours until it’s firm. 
• Spread a little bit of oil onto the palm of your hands. Grab about 2 tbsp of the mince mixture and place it into an oval shape in your hand. Gently shape the meat mixture around one of the skewers. Grill the mincemeat over charcoal for 4-5 minutes until it’s cooked through. 
• Serve with pickled vegetables, fresh lettuce leaves, and fresh herbs.

Bánh Bèo- Rice Flour Dumplings

These crystal clear rice dumplings have a pleasantly bouncy texture and lend themselves well to whatever creative filling you can summon up. We pair ours with delicious and beautiful orange pork and prawn mince, flavoured with peanut sauce and annatto seed. 

Serves: 24 dumplings 

Active time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes 

INGREDIENTS 

Banh beo batter:

• 185g rice flour 
• 25g tapioca flour or cornstarch
• 500g water 
• 1 tsp salt          
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil for brushing

Pork and Annatto Sauce: 

• 2 tbsp annatto seed oil 
• 100g pork mince 
• 50 raw prawn meat, minced
• 1 tbsp chicken liver + peanut sauce 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced  

Optional garnish:

• Nuoc cham-
• 1 tbsp fried shallots
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 
  
  

METHOD 

• Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add in 2 tbsp of the annatto seed oil, and the minced garlic shortly after. Cook the garlic for 1-2 minutes until it is fragrant but not browned.  
• Add in the pork mince and saute for 1-2 minutes, breaking the mixture up constantly with a wooden spoon. Once the pork mince is nearly cooked through, add in the minced prawn meat and peanut sauce. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until the prawns are cooked and season to taste with salt or fish sauce. 
• Prepare a steamer. To make the banh beo batter, whisk the tapioca flour, rice flour and water together in a bowl. Lightly oil 20 ramekins with a little vegetable oil or lubricate them with a little canola spray. Pour about 1.5-2 tbsp of the batter into each ramekin and steam the whole lot for 7-8 minutes. 
• After steaming, drain them of any excess water, place them on a serving platter, sprinkle a few fried shallots and coriander leaves on top and serve with nuoc cham- fish sauce.

Chạo Tôm - Prawn & Sugarcane Skewers

These plump and bouncy skewers are a delightful addition to any barbecue. Pre-steaming the prawn sets the shape and ensures they retain moisture throughout cooking. The addition of (optional) diced pork fat gives extra richness to the mixture. If you cannot find sugarcane, substitute lemongrass stalks or bamboo skewers. 

Makes - 4-6 large skewers 

Active time - 30 minutes 

Total time - 1 hour

Ingredients

• 400g prawns, shelled & de-veined
• 50g pork back fat (or fatty bacon), finely diced
• 2 spring onions, minced
• 2 cm ginger, minced 
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp tapioca flour
• 2 tsp fish sauce 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 TBL annatto oil* (recipe in previous lesson) or vegetable oil
• sugarcane, cut into 10 cm batons
• vegetable oil as needed

Optional Garnishes

• lettuce leaves
• fresh herbs
• nuoc cham dipping sauce* (recipe in previous lesson)

Method

1. Combine the prawns, spring onions, ginger, egg, tapioca, fish sauce, salt, sugar and annatto oil* in a food processor. Blend into a smooth paste.
2. Fold the diced pork fat through the prawn mixture and set aside in the fridge.  
3. Prepare a steamer with simmering water and line the basket with baking paper, keeping it aside for the skewers.
4. Remove the prawn mix from the fridge and divide it into 4-6 portions, depending how many sugarcane batons you have.
5. Moisten your hands with a little vegetable oil to help you form the skewers. Mould a portion of prawn paste around the top half of a sugarcane baton, creating an oval-shaped sausage. Place the skewer into the lined steamer basket and repeat the process with the remaining ingredients. 
6. Steam the chạo tôm covered for 7 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a grill, BBQ or fry pan to medium high heat.
7. Grill the steamed prawn skewers until the outside begins to caramelise, turning occasionally. If pan frying, use a tsp of vegetable oil. 
8. Serve with optional lettuce leaves, herbs and nuoc cham dipping sauce•.