Vol. 13 2/ 2003	2^nd year edition
Editor-in-chief: Ñoã Hoaøng Nghóa phutavanthu@yahoo.com or nthihoang@aol.com

Xuaân Quyù Muøi 2003

Chef Trinh Binh Khon

Braised Pork Shank in Coconut Juice (Thit Heo Kho Nuoc Dua)

INGREDIENTS:

4 to 6 chicken or duck eggs or 12 quail eggs

1/3 cup sugar

3 cups young coconut juice (if using fish sauce)

1/2 cup fish sauce or thin soy sauce

2-pound pork shanks, bone in and with rind

5 scallions, trimmed, halved, and white bulbs lightly crushed

2 ounces fresh ginger, sliced and lightly crushed

3 large cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed 3 or more dried red chilies

5 star anise 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder

Direction

1 Gently place the eggs in a pot and just cover with water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook until soft boiled, about 5 minutes (about 2 minutes for quail eggs). Rinse under cold water and allow to cool completely. Carefully shell the eggs, being careful to keep the eggs intact.

2 Make a caramel by combining the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When the sugar is melted and turns a rich gold, about 8 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the coconut juice and fish sauce (or 3 cups water and the soy sauce). Reduce the heat to low and stir until the sauce is completely smooth. Add the pork shanks, turning them to coat evenly on all sides. Add the pork shanks, turning them to coat evenly on all sides. Add the scallions, ginger, garlic, chilies, star anise, and five-spice powder and simmer, covered, turning the shanks occasionally, until the meat is fork tender, about 4 hours.

3 With a ladle, skim off the fat and add the eggs. Continue simmering, ladling sauce over the eggs

occasionally, until the eggs turn golden and cook through, about 5 minutes.

Fried Rice with Sausage, Shrimp and Crab (Cơm chiên thập cẩm)

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups long-grain white rice 
6 dried Chinese mushrooms 
2 Chinese sausages 
1/4 pound raw shrimp 
1/4 cup vegetable oil plus 1 tablespoon 
1 medium onion 
1 tablespoon fish sauce 
1/2 pound crab meat 
2 eggs 
2 large scallions 
Asian Mushroom: caps, dried, 1 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter
Chinese Sausage: sweet, mild, cured, pork. About 6" long sold in pairs.
Shrimp size: 21 to 25 shrimp per pound.
Fish Sauce (nuoc mam). Use Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce.
Crab meat: fresh, frozen, canned. Rinse and sort to discard shell, cartilage.

Directions

Day before - prepare rice. Bring 6 quarts of unsalted water to a boil over high heat in a large, heavy pot. Stirring constantly, slowly pour in the rice in a thin stream. Reduce the heat to moderate and let the rice boil uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until the grains are somewhat tender but are still slightly firm to the bite. Drain the rice in a large sieve, fluffing it with a fork. Transfer rice to a large bowl and set it aside to cool to room temperature. Cover the bowl tightly and efrigerate overnight or for at least 12 hours. 

Day of cook - Place MUSHROOMS in a small bowl containing 1 1/2 cups hot water. Soak for at least 30 minutes until soft. Remove mushrooms. Discard water. Rinse mushrooms of any remaining grit and cut off and discard any stems. Slice each cap crosswise into 1/2-inch strips.
- Cut ONION in half lengthwise and slice lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips.
- Wash and trim SCALLIONS, keeping most of the green tops. Cut scallions into 1-inch pieces and slice pieces lengthwise into 1/4-inch side strips.
- Shell the SHRIMP. Devein. Chop into 1/4 inch bits and set aside.
- Cut SAUSAGE into 1-1/8 inch slices. Fry the sausages in a wok over moderate heat, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes, or until the slices are delicately browned on both sides and the edges are crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
- Heat 1/4 cup oil in wok. Drop in the ONIONS and stirring constantly, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are soft. Regulate heat to prevent browning.
- Add MUSHROOMS, then the chilled rice and stirring constantly with a fork, cook for about 3 minutes, or until the rice ie heated through. - Stir in the FISH SAUCE.
- Push the rice to the edge of the wok to make a well in the center. Pour in the remaining oil and drop the SHRIMP into it. Without stirring rice, cook the shrimp, for about 2 minutes, turning as they become firm and pink.
- Mix the shrimp into the rice and still stirring, cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Do not let the rice brown. Stir in the CRAB meat and the SAUSAGE and cook for 2 minutes. Break EGGS, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. 
- Mix in the SCALLIONS and taste for seasoning; add salt or more fish sauce if rice seems too bland. Serve the fried rice mounded on a large heated platter or bowl.

Please send email to rtrinh1@yahoo.com for questions or ideas.

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