Thịt Nướng
(Grilled Pork)

Thịt nướng is a simple and popular grilled pork prepared for Vietnamese Bánh Mὶ sandwiches. This dish is one of my family’s favorites because of the crispy yet tender grilled pork complemented with pickled vegetables and stuffed in a baguette bread.

This Vietnamese grilled pork recipe can be modified to your liking. Chicken can be substituted for pork. You can also serve the grilled meat over rice noodles or jasmine rice.

4 to 6 servings
Preparing time: 15 to 30 minutes
Marinating time: 3 hours
Cooking time: 15 to 30 minutes

• 2 pounds pork sirloin, Canadian

  

  back, OR boneless shoulder

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon crushed and minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons onion
• ½ cup finely chopped green onion
• ½ cup finely chopped lemongrass
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• 10 shish kebob sticks

Clean the pork thoroughly with cold water. Slice the pork into ½ x 3-inch strips. Tenderize with a tenderizer. Combine pork with soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, Hoisin sauce, garlic, onion, green onion, lemongrass, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Skewer the meat onto the shish kebob sticks. Make approximately 10 sticks. Grill the sticks on a barbecue grill for approximately 15 minutes or until the pork is golden brown.

Tips: The meat can also be baked in an oven or fried in a frying pan.

• Baking: preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the meat thinly on a baking sheet. Bake approximately 25 minutes or until golden brown.

OR

• Pan Frying: preheat 1 tablespoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan at medium-high heat. Place the meat on the surface of the frying pan without stacking the meat. Flip the sides occasionally every 1 to 2 minutes. Cook until golden brown.

If you have any questions or comments, I love to hear them. Please fill out the form below.

Vietnamese Đồ Chua Recipe

Pickled Vegetables for Bánh Mὶ sandwiches.

This is a quick and simple Bánh Mὶ pickled vegetable recipe for Vietnamese sandwiches. However, it is not exclusive to only Bánh Mὶ. You can also pickle other vegetables such as beets or beansprouts to compliment with brined pork and rice.

Serving varies

Preparing time: 15 to 30 minutes

Cooking time: 5 to 10 minutes

Pickling time: minimum of 2 hours

 

• 1 medium Daikon radish (6 to 8

  

  inches)

• 2 small carrots

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Pickled Juice – 1 serving

• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup white vinegar (flavor varies with different quality of vinegar)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt

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The proportion of the ingredients may vary depending on the size of the radishes and the carrots.  The amount of radishes is usually two times the carrots. Make sure there is enough pickle juice to submerge all the vegetables.

Combine water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil and let it cool completely before adding the vegetables.

Peel the carrots & Daikon radishes skin. If you like to keep the skin, make sure to scrub the vegetable clean. Slice and dice the carrots and the Daikon radishes into thin match stick size. You can also use the food processor to grate the vegetables for quicker results.

Place the vegetables in a large glass jar or a large glass bowl. Add the pickle juice. Make sure the juice blanket the vegetables completely.

Allow the vegetable to be pickled for a minimum of a few hours. If you would like your vegetables to be sourer, allow them to be pickled four to five days. Refrigerate your pickled vegetables. The vegetables should last for a month being refrigerated.

For our demonstration, I made 4 times the serving of the pickled juice with the medium radish and 2 small carrots. I allowed the vegetable to be pickled for three days.

TIPS: Notice that the Daikon radishes are quite juicy once you cut them up. Make sure to wring all the juice out of the radishes before pickling. This allows the radishes to absorb the new pickled juice quicker.

Once you have successfully made your own pickled veggies, feel free to modify the ingredients to your liking. Substitute sugar with Stevia for a sugar-free recipe. Have a great time!!!

Feel free to leave me questions or comments below. I love to hear your results.

Vietnamese Steamed Buns are called Bánh Bao in Vietnamese. It is a Vietnamese appetizer or snack eaten mostly for breakfast. The dough is airy with a slight crunch like sausage skin in texture and slightly sweet in flavor while the filling is slightly salty. The traditional Bánh Bao is filled with marinated ground meat, egg, Chinese dried mushroom (black fungus), clear or glass noodles, Chinese sausage, and spices.

As the owner of this website, I tracked down special deals for some products or services mentioned herein. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. When you use the link from this page to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission to support this website, and you may receive a great bargain – Full Disclosure.

Below I have Vietnamese Steamed Bun Recipe with two versions. The first version is used with the packaged steamed bun flour and the second version is for making your own steamed bun flour.

Dough Ingredients with packaged Bánh bao flour:

• 1 bag of steamed bun flour (this flour packet has yeast mixed in)

  

  

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup of milk or water
• 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1 tsp of lime juice or lemon juice

 

Filling Ingredients:

• ¾ lb ground meat (pork, chicken, or turkey)
• 6 tbsps black fungus (soak for 10 to 15 minutes or until soft, rinse and finely chop) (optional)

• ½ cup chopped vermicelli bean threads or clear noodles (Bún Tàu) – soaked in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes to soften the noodles

• 1 ½ tbsp oyster sauce

• 1 tsp fish sauce

• • 1 tsp salt
  • Sprinkle of pepper
  • 2 Chinese Sausages, cut into 16 or 32 thin slices

• 2 boiled eggs, cut each into 8 pieces or 16 quail eggs
• 16 pieces of 2×2 inch paper using parchment paper or wax paper

Dough Preparation:

Put aside 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl for later use. Pour the remaining flour into a mixing bowl. Mix sugar and flour. Mix in the first ½ cup of milk or water. Knead and slowly pour in the remaining milk or water until the flour forms dough.

You should use the palm or the heel of your hand to push forward on the dough. Knead for 15 minutes. Add the oil and the lime/lemon juice and knead it for another 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and should not stick to your hands. It is possible to have a little bit of liquid left from the 1 cup of milk or water (1 to 2 tablespoons).

If your dough is sticky and wet after the kneading, add a little more flour to absorb the liquid. Cover the mixing bowl with a cloth or a towel to prevent the dough from drying out. Leave it somewhere warm (like the oven) and let it rise for about ½ an hour to 45 minutes.

Warning: If you place it in the oven, don’t forget to take the dough out before you plan to cook any cookies or cakes. I forgot it once and my dough didn’t turn out so well.

While waiting for the dough to rise, prepare the filling.

Filling Preparation:

Mix the ground meat, fungus, bean threads, oyster sauce, salt, and pepper.

The fungus is optional because my kids do not like any kind of mushrooms. Mix well and divide the meat into 16 balls. Rub your hands with a little oil while making the meatballs so that the meat won’t stick to your hands.

Divide the dough into 16 equal segments. Roll out each dough ball but not too thin. Use the extra flour that we set aside earlier to prevent the dough from sticking. Put a meatball in the center of the dough. Add 1 or 2 pieces of sausages and 1 piece of egg. Bring the edges of the dough together covering the filling. Make sure all parts of the filling is covered. Pinch the flour edges together with a slight twist so that they stick together making sure you can no longer see the filling. Place the bun on a piece of 2×2 parchment paper.

Steam:

Fill the bottom steamer with 4 to 5 cups of water and bring it to boil. Add 1 tbsp of vinegar to make the buns whiter. Arrange buns on the pan layers of the steamer with holes. Leave space between each bun to allow them to rise. Steam the buns when the water is boiling.

Place a hand towel on top of the top layer steamer and close the lid. Make sure the towel completely covers the opening of the top steamer. The towel absorbs the steam moisture from dripping on the buns and secure the lid for a tight close. Steam for 20 minutes. The buns are ready to serve. Serve 16 buns.

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Bánh Bao using regular flour Ingredients for the Dough:

Yields: 12 buns

• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 cup bread flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Filling:

• 1 lb ground pork (or any ground meat of your choice)
• 1/2 cup yellow onions, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup wood ear mushrooms, finely chopped (soaked for 10 to 15 minutes in hot water)
• 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 3 Chinese sausage links
• 3 large eggs or 12 quail eggs hard-boiled
• 3-inch parchment/wax paper
• 1/4 cup white vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 150-170 degrees Fahrenheit. When it comes to temperature, turn off the oven.
Warm the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds, 45 seconds if the milk is cold. Add 1/2 tsp sugar and active dry yeast to the warmed milk. Stir together for 1 minute. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes until foamy.

In a mixing bowl, combine the bread flour and cake flour. Take 1 Tbsp of the flour mixture and combine it with the baking powder. Set aside for now. Add the remaining sugar to the flour mixture and stir together. Stir the milk and yeast mixture and add to the mixing bowl along with the vegetable oil.

Use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to combine the ingredients. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Increase the speed to Medium-Low and mix for another 2 minutes. Add the flour and baking powder mixture prepared earlier and mix for another minute.

Remove the dough from the stand mixer and gently knead by hand for 2-3 minutes. Place dough into a large bowl. Coat the dough with a thin layer of vegetable oil. Cover the bowl with a large kitchen towel and then place it into the warm oven. Let the dough rest for 1 hour.

Filling and shaping the bánh bao:

In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the filling (except the sausage and eggs). Roll into 12 balls. Lightly flour the work surface. Gently knead the dough for a few minutes. Divide the dough and then roll into 12 even-sized balls. Cover the dough balls with a damp paper towel and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Cut each hard-boiled egg into 4 pieces. Cut each Chinese sausage link into 12 thin slices at a diagonal. Set aside for now.

Generously flour the work surface again. Take one of the dough balls and flatten to a 5-inch circle using a rolling pin. Flatten the edge of the circle so it’s thinner than the middle. Place the dough on the work surface. On top of the dough add 2 slices of sausage and then the filling ball. Top with one piece of egg and another sausage slice.

Pleat the dough around the bun while pinching it together at the top making sure to cover the filling completely. Twist the top of the bun to secure it. Pat the bun to round out the shape. Place each bun on the 3×3 parchment paper. Continue making the buns until all 12 are made. Place the buns into the steamer trays making sure to leave about 1-inch between each bun.

Prepare the steamer by filling the bottom basin halfway with water. Add 1/4 cup white vinegar to the water and then bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Add the steamer trays. Wipe the moisture from the lid before replacing it. Lower the heat to Medium-High and steam the buns for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the lid and wipe out the moisture again. Cover and continue steaming for another 10 minutes. (Total steaming time is 20 minutes.)

Remove the buns from the steamer. Allow cooling slightly before enjoying it.

These buns can be reheated in a steamer or microwave. To warm in a microwave, wrap a bun in a moistened paper towel and cook on High for 30 seconds. If the inside is still cold, heat again for another 30 seconds.

Store any uneaten buns in the refrigerator. They are best if consumed within the week. Buns can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Enjoy!!! If you bump into questions or comments, please leave them below.

Makes 40 to 50 egg rolls
Preparing time: 60 to 90 minutes
Cooking time: 90 minutes

Egg rolls, known as chả giò in Vietnamese, are popular Asian finger food. Everyone has different ways of preparing egg rolls. Bác Kít, my aunt and I have our own special way. In this article, we will share our homemade egg roll recipe with you. They are composed of miến (glass) noodles, mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, eggs, pork, chicken, and seasoning. Our egg rolls are crunchy outside yet soft with a balanced amount of tasty meat and vegetables inside.

There are three different ways to eat the egg rolls:

1. Eat the egg rolls by themselves as finger food.
2. Prepare them in a vegetable wrap. The egg rolls are cut into 1-inch bite-size pieces. Each individual piece is wrapped in lettuce with several strands of rice noodles, and a few leaves of cilantro. It is then dipped in a sweet and sour dipping fish sauce.
3. Serve with noodles. The egg rolls are cut into 1-inch bite-size pieces. The pieces are placed on top of rice noodles with lettuce, cilantro, bean sprouts, and Sweet and Sour Fish Sauce. Mix all the ingredients together and chow down.

As the owner of this website, I tracked down special deals for some products or services mentioned herein. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. When you use the link from this page to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission to support this website, and you may receive a great bargain – Full Disclosure.

Ingredients

You may have problems finding some of the ingredients below in your neighborhood American grocery store. You can visit the closest Asian / Vietnamese grocery near you or Asian Grocery in Central Florida (click here for my compiled list of Asian grocery stores in Central Florida) for the special ingredients. I also included a direct link to Amazon by clicking on the picture of the hard to find ingredients for your convenience.

For vegetarians, you can remove the meat or egg ingredients and substitute them with your choice of vegetables such as 2 to 3 casava and/or 1 cup of cooked mung beans.

1 (1.8-ounce) package miến bean thread noodles
½ cup pre-chopped black dried fungus mushrooms
OR (slice them into thin slivers) 4 ears medium dried black fungus mushroom

60 frozen egg roll skins (my favorite brand is TYJ Spring Roll Pastry. If you have extra packages, you can freeze the un-open packages for another time. Make sure to keep them seal well or they will dry up. I found two locations for online purchases:

1. Amazon (expensive shipping and 500 in quantity)

2. HEB grocery store. They are located primarily in Texas.

HEB link or copy and paste — https://www.heb.com/product-detail/spring-home-tyj-spring-roll-pastry/297879?_requestid=1386282#
3 carrots, peeled
1 (½ to 1pound) cabbage
½ medium onion
1 pound ground pork (Optional ingredient or you can substitute with turkey)
1 pound ground chicken
1 tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 eggs
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
3 cups vegetable oil

Prepping instructions

Soak the dried noodles and mushrooms in separate bowls of hot water for approximately 10 minutes. Allow the frozen egg roll skins to de-thaw for 30 minutes. Clean and drain the vegetables.

Peel the carrots, peel and discard the dead leaves on the cabbage. Shred the carrots and cabbage. You can do it manually with a shredder or with a food processor to speed up time.   Dice the onion into small pieces. Cabbage and carrots produce lots of juice after being shredded. Squeeze as much juice from the shredded vegetables as possible with cleaned hands. Draining the vegetables prevents the egg rolls from being soggy. Mix the shredded vegetables in a large mixing bowl.

Remove the mushrooms & noodles from the water. Squeeze the water from the mushrooms and noodles with cleaned hands. Cut the noodles into 1 to 2 inch long strips. If the mushrooms are not pre-chopped, chop them into fine pieces. Mix the pork and chicken with the ground vegetables, mushrooms, noodles, salt, pepper, and eggs.

Combine flour and 2 teaspoons of water in a small bowl. Mix into a paste. Use the paste to stick the flap of the egg roll skin to the egg roll. Wrap The Egg rolls.

Wrapping procedures

(some egg roll skin wrapper packages may contain illustrations and/or instructions for wrapping procedures):
Peel the egg roll skins apart. Place one egg roll skin on a large plate. Rotate so that a corner faces you. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat and vegetable mixture in the center of the paper. Spread the mixture 2½ to 3 inches perpendicularly to the corner facing you. Flip-up the corner facing you over the mixture, such that the fold is flush against the meat and vegetable mixture. Flip the left and right corners evenly over the first fold such that the new folds are flush against the meat and vegetable mixture.

Roll the folded shape tightly away from you. Make sure any loose ends of the egg roll skin are neatly tucked in. Tucking in loose ends reduces crumbs when frying. The roll should be tight enough to prevent the mixture from escaping during frying. Spread flour paste thinly on the last corner of the paper and continue rolling over the corner. The paste glues the end to the roll.

Warning:

When frying, do not allow the oil to become too hot. The outside of the egg rolls will burn but the inside will be uncooked. The deep fryer maintains the oil at a constant temperature hence the cooking inconsistency will be eliminated. I have been using a brand DeLongHi deep fryer for at least 10 years. It has been serving me very well. I allowed the oil to preheat for 10 minutes then I fry the egg rolls for 8 to 9 minutes or as golden as you like. It’s simple and splatter-free.

Frying Instructions

If frying in a frying pan, preheat the oil in a deep fryer or a deep non-stick frying pan for 1 to 2 minutes at medium heat. Dip the tip of an egg roll into the fryer to test for the temperature of the oil. Wait until the oil fizzes. Place the egg rolls into the fryer. Fry the egg rolls in batches of 10 or until you cannot fit anymore. Avoid stacking them. Depending on how hot your heat is and at your own judgment, fry each batch at medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure to constantly rotate the egg rolls frequently (like every 1 to 2 minutes). Place two paper towels on top of a plate. Transfer the fried egg rolls to the plate. Use a paper towel to blot the excess oil from the egg rolls.

You can freeze the egg rolls in two ways:

1. Freeze the wrapped and uncooked egg rolls until ready to be fried. When ready to fry, do not de-thaw the egg rolls. Place them immediately into the hot oil. This prevents the egg rolls from becoming soggy.
2. Freeze the fried egg rolls until ready to eat. Heat them up with a toaster oven or an oven.
   Place the egg rolls side by side in a large zip-lock freezer bag. Do not stack them. One bag can hold up from 16 to 18 egg rolls.

Tips:

After frying a large number of egg rolls for 30 to 40 minutes, many burnt flakes and crumbs blacken the oil in the frying pan. If you do not own a deep fryer, one way to avoid blackened egg rolls when frying is to fry them in two separate pans. Pour 2 cups of vegetable oil into a non-stick frying pan. Preheat the oil at medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes.

Do the fizz test with an egg roll. Place the first batch (10 to 12 egg rolls) into the frying pan. Fry the egg rolls for 2 minutes on each side. Pour 6 cups of oil into a non-stick deep saucepan. Preheat the oil at medium heat. After 4 minutes of frying on each side of the egg rolls, transfer the egg rolls from the frying pan into the saucepan.

Place the second batch of uncooked egg rolls into the frying pan. This time, allow the second batch to fry for 16 minutes in the frying pan. Rotate every 2 minutes. Fry the transferred egg rolls for 11 minutes in the saucepan. Rotate occasionally. Fry the egg rolls for the last 5 minutes at medium-high heat.

Transfer the finished egg rolls to a dish. Transfer the second batch of egg rolls from the frying pan to the saucepan. Continue to fry for 4 more minutes at medium-high heat. Apply the same procedures to the remaining uncooked egg rolls. This process is rather lengthy but it will produce nice golden egg rolls.

 

I would love to hear your thoughts on my homemade egg roll recipe. Please enter your comment below.