Vietnamese Flavour

[projekktor id=’22670′]

Looking to give your vegetable dishes a flavourful twist? Teresa Makarewicz of Foodland Ontario joins us with some Vietnamese variations.

Vietnamese Noodles with Pork and Herbs
This is a variation on one of the many rice noodle dishes from this part of the world. Have all the ingredients ready before stir-frying.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

1 lb (500 g) Ontario Ground Pork
2 cloves Ontario Garlic, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, white bulbous part only, finely chopped
3 tbsp (45 mL) fish sauce
Pepper
8 oz (250 g) wide rice noodles, broken in half
2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil
1 Ontario Onion, sliced
1 Ontario Carrot, cut into matchsticks
2 cups (500 mL) Ontario Button or Crimini Mushrooms (or mixture), sliced
1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) chicken broth
1 tbsp (15 mL) each rice vinegar and sodium-reduced soy sauce
1/4 cup (50 mL) each coarsely chopped fresh Ontario Thai Basil (or regular Basil), Mint, Coriander and Dill
Fresh Ontario Herbs

In medium bowl, toss pork with garlic, lemongrass, 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the fish sauce and pepper to taste. Set aside.

In medium heatproof bowl, soak noodles in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water and drain again. Set aside.

In large deep skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and mushrooms, stir-fry until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove to bowl and set aside. In same skillet, heat remaining oil and stir-fry reserved pork mixture, breaking up with back of wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add sugar and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add reserved onion mixture, broth, remaining fish sauce, vinegar and soy sauce; stir-fry until carrots are tender; about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add noodles and stir-fry until noodles are tender and heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with chopped herbs. Serve immediately with additional fresh herbs.

Nutritional Information:
1 Serving
PROTEIN: 26 grams
FAT: 25 grams
CARBOHYDRATE: 63 grams
CALORIES: 580
FIBRE: 3 grams
SODIUM: 1410 mg

******************************
Banh Mi (Vietnamese Chicken Sandwiches)

A “street food” staple in Vietnam, originally eaten at breakfast, now enjoyed any time of the day. The baguette is from the influence of the French Colonial era.

Preparation Time: about 30 minutes
Marinating Time: 30 minutes or up to 4 hours
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

Pickled Vegetables:
Half Ontario Greenhouse Cucumber
1 1 Ontario Carrot, coarsely shredded (about 1 cup/250 mL)
1/4 cup (50 mL) rice vinegar
2 tsp (10 mL) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) grated fresh gingerroot
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
Chicken Filling:
4 skinless boneless Ontario Chicken Thighs, trimmed
(about 1 lb/500 g)
2 cloves Ontario Garlic, minced
1/4 cup (50 mL) sweet Asian chili sauce
2 tbsp (25 mL) sodium-reduced soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 mL) each fish sauce and vegetable oil
1/2 tsp (2 mL) Chinese five-spice powder (optional)
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
Chili Mayonnaise:
1/4 cup (50 mL) low-fat or regular mayonnaise
2 tsp (10 mL) Asian chili garlic sauce
1 tsp (5 mL) fresh lime juice
1 baguette (about 24-inches/60 cm), cut into 4 pieces
Fresh Ontario Coriander Leaves
Sriracha hot sauce (optional)

Pickled Vegetables: Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and remove most of the seeds. Cut into matchsticks (you should have about 1 cup/250 mL) and place in small bowl with shredded carrot. In separate small bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, ginger and salt; stir to dissolve sugar. Pour over vegetables and let stand at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours, stirring occasionally; drain.

Chicken Filling: Place chicken thighs in re-sealable plastic bag. In small bowl combine garlic, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, oil, five-spice powder (if using) and pepper; reserving 2 tbsp (25 mL). Pour remaining marinade over chicken and turn to coat evenly. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Place chicken on rack in baking pan. Bake in 425°F (220°C) for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked through, basting once with reserved marinade. Let stand for a few minutes before slicing.

In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chili garlic sauce and lime juice. Cut baguette pieces in half lengthwise and spread both sides with chili mayonnaise. Fill evenly with chicken slices, drained pickled vegetables, coriander leaves and sriracha (if using).

Tips: Marinate and cook chicken ahead of time and assemble just before serving.
Cover and refrigerate marinated pickled vegetables overnight.

Nutritional Information:
1 Serving
PROTEIN: 30 grams
FAT: 13 grams
CARBOHYDRATE: 49 grams
CALORIES: 436
FIBRE: 3 grams
SODIUM: 1425 mg