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mussels with lemon grass, lime leaves & basil hoy mangpoo ob mordin
This is quite the most delicious way of preparing mussels you'll ever try. The fragrance of kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, and Asian basil totally transforms the mussels, which are briefly simmered in the herb-seasoned stock and eaten with sweet Thai chili sauce. The mussels can be served with rice and also make a perfect first course for a Western meal, served with crusty French bread and a good Sauvignon Blanc.
3 cups (750 ml) water
6 kaffir lime leaves, torn
3 stems lemon grass, bottom 6½ in (16 cm) only, bruised and cut in 4 pieces
1 teaspoon salt
2 lb (1 kg) mussels, preferably green-lipped variety, scrubbed to remove grit, washed and drained
1-2 large red chilies, sliced
½ cup firmly packed Asian basil sprigs
sweet Thai chili sauce
Put the water into a wok or large saucepan and add the kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, and salt. Bring to the boil, lower heat, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the mussels and continue simmering, stirring frequently, removing each mussel immediately the shell opens and transferring it to a serving bowl. Discard any mussels which do not open.
Pour the stock through a cloth-lined sieve. Put 2 cups of the strained stock back into the wok and bring to the boil. Add the chilies and basil and simmer uncovered for 1 minute.
Pour the stock over the mussels and serve with sweet Thai chili sauce as a dipping sauce.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 15 min Cooking time: 8 mins
fresh summer rolls goi cuon
The Vietnamese are famous for their superb rolls, the savory fillings wrapped in wafer-thin rice papers or tucked up in freshly steamed rice crêpes. There's no denying that you need time to prepare this recipe. I once spent over an hour making Summer Rolls for a party of about 50 in France, and swore I'd never do it again. But when they were devoured in preference to other elegant French appetizers, I was ready to make them all over again for the next party. You could serve the rolls as a starter at dinner, or as finger food for parties.
½ cup (125 ml) wate
¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
4 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (preferably Shao Hsing)
1 teaspoon fish sauce
8 medium-sized raw prawns (about ½ lb or 250 g), or 16-20 if using small rice papers
10 oz (300 g) pork loin or fillet, in one piece
8 large Vietnamese rice papers (about 8 in or 20 cm diameter), or 16-20 small rice papers (6½ in or 16 cm diameter)
8 lettuce leaves
1 cup (80 g) bean sprouts
1½ oz (50 g) rice vermicelli, soaked, soaked in hot water to soften, cut in 2 in (5 cm) lengths
½ cup loosely packed mint leaves
½ cup loosely packed coriander leaves
½ cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves (optional)
small bunch garlic chives or spring onions, cut in 4-5 in (10-12 cm) lengths (optional)
Bring the water, vinegar, wine, and fish sauce to the boil in a small pan. Add the prawns and simmer until just cooked, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the prawns, leaving the liquid in the pan. When prawns are cool, peel, devein, and cut in half lengthways.
Put the pork in the reserved liquid in the pan, adding just enough water to barely cover the meat. Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer gently until tender, about 10 minutes for fillet and 25 minutes for loin. Drain, discarding the liquid. When the pork is cool, shred finely.
Shortly before serving, set a bowl of warm water and a kitchen towel on a bench. Dip a rice paper in the water for 3 to 4 seconds, remove and place on the towel. Smooth the rice paper with your fingers. Repeat with another three rice papers.
Put a lettuce leaf across the center of each of the soaked rice papers and add 2 prawn halves. Spread over some of the pork, bean sprouts, vermicelli, mint, basil, and coriander. Lay two lengths of garlic chives across the top.
Roll up the rice paper, tucking in the edges to make a cigar shape and completely enclose filling. Alternatively you could leave one side open, so that the garlic chives stick out and look more decorative. Repeat with the remaining rice papers. Serve whole if using small rice papers, or cut diagonally in three bite-sized portions if using large rice papers.
Makes: 8 large or 16-20 small rolls Preparation time: 35 min Cooking time: 15-30 min
fragrant grilled chicken wings slob mouan kroeung
The first night I investigated a cluster of food stalls in Siem Reap in Cambodia, the kerosene lighting was so dim that I wasn't quite sure what I was ordering. Luckily, I chanced upon these succulent chicken wings, marinated in a delightful blend of lemon grass, galangal, chilies, fish sauce, and other seasonings. These make ideal finger food (don't forget the paper napkins as they're quite sticky), and the marinade could even be used for a whole chicken, oven-roasted in the usual Western style.
2 lb (1 kg) chicken wings, pricked all over with a fork
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil for brushing
Marinade
2 stems lemon grass, tender inner part of bottom 3 in (8 cm) only, thinly sliced
2 shallots, minced
2 large red chilies, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground galangal
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fish sauce
Prepare the Marinade. Process the lemon grass, shallots, chilies, garlic, and galangal until finely ground, adding a little of the oil if needed to keep the mixture turning. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the rest of the Marinade ingredients. Add the chicken wings to the Marinade, mixing well with your hand to ensure the wings are evenly coated. Cover and marinate at least 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.
Brush a barbecue or gas grill or broiler with oil and heat. Grill the chicken wings over moderate heat, turning several times until they turn golden brown and crisp all over, about 15 to 20 minutes. Brush a couple of
