I always think Vietnamese food never gets the recognition it deserves. It is so mainstream and often considered “fast food”. Yet, it always features a combination of the five fundamental tastes (ngũ vị): sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and spicy; so well balanced. Traditional Vietnamese cooking has often been characterized as using fresh ingredients, not using much dairy or oil, having interesting textures, and making use of herbs and vegetables. The cuisine is also low in sugar and is almost always naturally gluten-free, as many of the dishes are rice-based instead of wheat-based, made with rice. Strongly influenced not only by the cuisines of neighbouring China, Cambodia and Laos but also by French cuisine due to the French colonial rule over the region for almost 65 plus years.
Here is a week-night recipe which can be made last minute and require ingredients you should keep in your pantry… at least, I do.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
500 Gr. Fresh salmon cut into 2-3cm thick pieces
3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
1 Teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
1cm piece of ginger thinly sliced
2 Garlic finely minced
2 Green onions thinly sliced
METHOD
Cut the salmon fillet in pieces and place in a medium slice bowl. Pour the fish sauce and the black pepper and mix well. Marinate the fish for a good half hour.
Using a medium size frying pan, pour the oil and the brown sugar. Once the oil is hot and the sugar melted, remove the salmon from the bowl and keeping the remaining juice for later.
Fry the fish peaces on each side for 30 seconds, no more. They will brown very quickly and become quite crispy. Once cooked, place them in serving bowl or dish. Quickly add the garlic and ginger and fry for about 30 seconds then add the shallots or green onion and also fry for a few seconds, until barely cooked. Add the remaining fish sauce and mix well.
Pour the juice over the cooked salmon and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Serve with noodles or steamed rice.
risespice.com 
Leave a comment