Dinner with Julie

Vietnamese Bun at Pho Anh Huyen

Happy Earth Day! We celebrated by not cooking.

That’s not exactly true. Sue is here, and for the past two days we’ve been writing, listing, scheming, researching, and yes – testing recipes and simmering beans – we did an interesting soaked-bean vs. non-soaked bean experiment that once and for all proves our lack of proper excitement and stimulation in our lives. Perhaps if our husbands took us on a trip to Italy or something we might not have to spend our evenings soaking black eyed peas and getting all giddy about it.

By dinnertime we were sick of beans, the kitchen was (and is still) a disaster, and we needed out. She suggested Vietnamese, so I consulted an expert rather than go by default to one of the handful of places I know in town. She sent us to Pho Anh Huyen. It was fast, delicious, and $20 for the two of us. There was a comfortable stream of people coming and going, so it seems we were let in on a good secret. I’ll be going back when I need real food fast, in a place where W can be himself, with noodles, without me getting those looks that come with pointy daggers shooting out of eyeballs.

And now I need to stop typing and start sleeping – I’m taking over traffic on the early show tomorrow, which means being up (and coherent) at 4:30. Sorry to not offer up a recipe, but all this Vietnamese talk reminds me of that time I cooked Vietnamese, and I was going to add a link just there, but instead I think I’ll just go ahead and repost the recipes and photos, in case you missed it. Hey, isn’t Earth Day all about recycling that which is perfectly good?

Vietnamese Chicken or Pork Satay

1-2 lb. skinless chicken thighs or pork tenderloin, cut into strips or chunks
2 Tbsp. honey or sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. canola or olive oil
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp. Sriracha or a pinch of dried red chili flakes

Put the chicken or pork in a bowl or ziplock bag; stir together the rest of the ingredients and pour overtop. Marinate for at least an hour, or preferably overnight.

Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 10 minutes to prevent them from burning, and thread the meat onto them, squishing the pieces together. Grill or broil for a few minutes per side, just until cooked through.

Vietnamese Fried Rice

This is a bit of a spinoff of one I found on Epicurious

Seasoning:
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

canola or mild olive oil, for cooking
5 cups cold long-grain rice
2 large eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
big pinch dried red chili flakes
1 small bunch of green onions, chopped
1-2 large carrots, coarsely grated
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups bean sprouts (optional)
fresh cilantro and chopped salted peanuts, for garnish

In a small bowl stir together the sugar, fish sauce and vinegar.

In a large, heavy skillet, heat a slick of oil over medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook for a few minutes, until heated through. Push over to one side and pour in the eggs; stir-fry until the eggs are scrambled, allowing them to cook without mixing them into the rice completely (so that you end up with detectable bits of egg); add the chili flakes, then the green onions, carrots and garlic; cook for a few more minutes.

Pour over the fish sauce mixture, then add the bean sprouts and cook for a minute, tossing with tongs, just until heated through. Serve immediately, in shallow bowls topped with cilantro and peanuts. Serves 4.

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