Curry Seasoned fried Tofu

Two years ago today, my lovely grandmother passed away. Perhaps gone too soon for she was only 70 yrs old but lived a long hard life. As part of Vietnamese tradition, on the anniversary of our love ones passing, we make dishes as offerings to the passed. Asking them to bless the food that we eat, and wishing them well on their journey in the after life.

I remember while living in VN, one of my grandmothers favorite dishes was curry seasoned fried tofu. She used to love the crunchiness texture on the outside, softness on the inside and as an extra additive, she would dip her crunchy tofu in a bowl of pure fish sauce w/a few chili peppers cut into the bowl. Now it doesn't have to be this way for you, should you choose thai sweet chili sauce, or light soy sauce, that too would be just fine. Looking back on my pastime memories, you never think about one's passing, you are always in denial that one day, every good thing comes to an end. That perhaps we are all immortal to a certain extent but we aren't. So enjoy every minute of life, every breath that we take and every fond and even not so fond moments shared w/our loved ones. It's the littlest things that we miss when he/she are no longer around.  Therefore, I would like to share this fond moment w/you guys, one of Grandmas' favortie pastime dishes of Curry seasoned fried Tofu.

Ingredients
1 pack or brick of tofu (Drain,pat dry and slice thinly)
season w/ 1teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of msg
1 tablespoon of curry powder (This could be found in Asian supermarkets labeled as Ca Ri Ni)

Allow it to marinate in the tofu for about an hour or longer.

Deep fry until golden brown.

This dish could be enjoyed as an appetizer, w/rice, as a side dish or with stir fry vegetables.

Enjoy life my fellow friends, and thanks for stopping by the HoustonWok

Appreciation award Thank you!

Well guys, I opened my inbox today to find a such a lovely award given to me by a lovely young lady by the name of Joy of http://joylicious.net/

Please make sure you check out her blog, she is a fellow Houstonian w/great energy and recipes to share w/us crazy foodies here in Blogosphere.

Also as a tradition of receiving such a prestigious compliment, it is my duty to pass it along and also post 7 things about myself not yet known to the world. So here we go;

1. I can be extremely cocky but choose to stay grounded for the sake of being loved vs hated, I don't like the villain role.
2. I love to sing karaoke and do find myself performing live at Spotlight karaoke in Houston. I have no fear of public performances.
3. I used to hate Nuoc Mam(Fish sauce) really,I couldn't stand it for a long time.lol quite the contrary now.
4. I normally only shop at express men, I don't need Gucci to look good, I'd rather keep my money. You don't get rich by spending money rather how you spend it.
5. I hate people who speed!Leave the house earlier, speeders cause accidents.
6. I hate when people are driving in public and pick their noses, come on, did you think I didn't see you? You obviously saw me in the corner of your eye.
7. I love eating potato chips, after dinner, I have chips, lol I am addicted.

Yes now that you've learned about me I will pass this award along and would like to learn about;

I call her Miss WC of Wanderingchopsticks ,  check out her blog, she was the reason why I wanted to learn to cook Vietnamese food. Miss WC is very personable and has a large collection of recipes for you to enjoy. I love your blog like peas and carrots.

Lan of Angry Asian Creations, she's been a friend since I first started the HoustonWok and I love your blog like peas and carrots. You will find delicious soups, and baked goodies on her site among other interesting stories, check her out.

Hong and Kim of Ravenouscouple who just recently got engaged is also a great site for Vietnamese recipes and photography. I've made a few of their dishes which made me just yell "Hey Ya!!!" and shake it like a polaroid picture. Guys I love your blog like peas and carrots.

Bee of RasaMalaysia the "Asian food evangelist and specialist." Bee my online buddy brings a variety of Asian cusines from 10 different countries directly into your home. I love your blog like peas and carrots.

Cathy of GastronomyBlog also another online buddy based out of Southern California will walk through some of the most unique dining experiences that L.A has to offer. You ever had Japanese food served from a mobile restaurant? Yeah mate, Japanese food served out of a truck on 4 wheels with a butcher knife on the hood. Loving your blog like peas and carrots

Christine of Fresh Local and Best coming to you live from NEW YORK CITY! Thanks for the beautiful photos of New York and refreshing recipes.

Selba of SelbyFood straight out of Jakarta Indonesia providing us with enticing photos of food from her region of paradise in Asia.

There are so many people that I would love to make mention of but there will be another occassion to do this. Please don't take it personal if I didn't mention your blog, because I truly do love everyone, but these are the bloggers that I've interacted with the most since establishing the HoustonWok. Cheers and thank you for stopping by.

Thanksgiving with The HoustonWok family pt.1

AHH yes, Thanksgiving, thank god it's over! Between cooking, serving, hosting and assisting my wife w/sprucing up little Benjamin, I had my work cut out for me. The enterprise will survive to sail yet another day. Nothing could be more true than believing that, "There is no greater wealth than family and the children that we bear." I am grateful for both and in debt to my wife for bringing a wonderful loving child into this world. He and her above all is what I lived to be thankful for this year. For those who have been following my rants on twitter this week, I couldn't have made it more clear that turkey was not invited into our house this year. Turkey in our house is more played out then the discovery of Britney Spears lip singing on stage. Instead we celebrated by offering our family members various Asian dishes all cooked by yours truly. To give you an idea of what it was like to celebrate Thanksgiving in our household this year, I posted a picture above w/captions of our food items. However not everything was photographed but will be posted in the next few days.


Happy Holiday foodies, coming up next, Spring Roll Recipe

Bun Rieu Cua(Tomato Minced Crab paste soup)

What do you want when, the weather outside is cold, the breeze just sends a chill down your spine, all you could say is brrrr.,? Sure a warm cup of tea, hot coffee may just sooth your soul, but what you really want is soup. A soup that is warm to the bone, that brings your shivers to a complete halt! People, here is a soup that is so invigoratingly orgasmic that it'll make Bill Clinton want to go screw another intern and "Client number 9" to jump right out of his skin. I am talking about a broth that is a bit sour from the tomatos, but offers a fusion of flavors from the pork bones, onions, crab paste, dried shrimp and a touch of love. Thats right, Bun Rieu Cua (Tomato Minced Crab paste soup). For those who have been following the HoustonWok, my fellow wokkies know that I hate the cold, it's just not for me. With winter right around the corner I am brushing up my warm melodies to keep my stomach full and bodies warm. How cold is cold in Houston? Roughly 20 degrees on a low night , and although someone from Minneapolis may say, "Oh thats spring weather here", try living in 100degrees F temperature 340 days out of the year, 20 degrees is like standing in a meat freezer. Bun Rieu is a Vietnamese classic, however you don't have to be Vietnamese to appreciate this, the basic ingredients that go into making this broth are our everyday items. Here's what you will need to make Bun Rieu Cua.



Servings 4
5 quart stock pot
Ingredients
Rice Vermicelli Noodles
Step 1 of broth
1 pound of pork bones
Dried Shrimp
4 tomatos sliced
1 yellow onion sliced in half
Step 2 of broth
I thought I'd try something new and add shrimp wontons.(Optional)
1 Bottle of crab paste
3 battered egg yolk
1 brick of tofu(Fried or take home and fry)
1-2 stalk of green onions(sliced)


Seasonings
2 Tablespoons of fish sauce(adjust to taste)
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt(adjust to taste)
1/2 teaspoon of msg(optional)
1 teaspoon of fremented shrimp paste(Optional Mam Ruoc Warning it has a bold smell that if you are unfamiliar w/this product, than don't use it.)
Method
Cook your Vermicelli noodles and set aside
1Clean your pork bones thoroughly
2Bring your stock pot to a boil, and drop in your pork bones bring the fire back to medium heat and allow the pot to simmer for 7 minutes. This process helps to alleviate the impurities in your final stock bringing out a clearer and cleaner broth.
3After 5 minutes poor out the water and season your pork bones if you wish, a tad bit of salt and fish sauce will do.
4 With a new batch of water, add all of the above ingredients in "Step 1 of stock completion) into your stock pot along with the seasonings.
5 Prepare "Step 2 of stock pot completion" Make sure your tofu is fried, and sliced, mix your crab paste w/the battered egg yolk. Batter the egg yolk first!
6.Once your stock pot comes to a boil, add the fried tofu and then pour in your crab paste mix.
7. At this point turn your stock pot to medium heat and allow the broth to simmer.
8. Add the sliced green onions and now enjoy your Bun Rieu.
Contact me should you have any questions or need help w/this recipe.

Garnishments

Lime

Bean sprouts

Shredded banana flower

Spearmint leaves

Lollipop chicken wings w/a garlic glaze

A blue moon has shined this year at the HoustonWok household as I have been designated head chef of Thanksgiving dinner. For the past 6 years of living in Houston, everyone contributed with my Grandmother in law taking charge of the enterprise. However w/ Grandmother in law and Auntie D at their own house, I am at the control of this elaborate spaceship. My Sunday recipes over the years have proven that I could handle the pressure of delivering exquisite meals without fail. While I find this responsibility to be a compliment that I am willingly accepting, it's finally time do things my way. Don't get me wrong, in my house, it's a democracy, but this year, I am the dictator. We are planning a pretty long list of items this year w/turkey not being one of them. Not one of us in this household enjoy eating turkey, call us unconventional but we'd rather have chicken. That being said, this will be one of the dishes passed around our table this year, my adaptation of Lollipop Chicken wings with a garlic and ginger glaze. It's a great finger food, easy to devour, and who doesn't like wings right?
While making this glaze however, I must admit that while brewing vinegar of any type as part of a marinade, it just brings out this god awful smell. The one day that I cooked in the house, I gravely regretted my decision, never, and I repeat, never bring vinegar to a boil inside your house unless you have no other choice. Unless you have a good ventilation system, light a few candles and open a few windows, the smell will hit you like a Sammy Sosa homerun right to your face.
This dish is an adaptation of and Credits to:
RavenousCouple Korean Chicken Wings (For the idea and providing a platform for making Korean Ckn wings)

Chef John from Food Wishes recipe (The recipe and marinade was just astonishing)

GastronomyBlog Mom's Lollipop Chicken Wings (For providing the detailed instructions on how to cut your drumettes into a lollipop form)

While Chef John recommended using the oven/fry method, and Hong&Kim of RavenousCouple recommended using Wondra Flour for batter, I deeped fried and used all purpose flour. Which suprising turned out magnificent.

Servings: 14 wings
Method
Marinade
I followed Chef Johns instructions to the tee., the marinade was sweet,spicy,sticky on the fingers which made gave this finger food a true meaning of finger licking good.
1/2 a cup of rice vinegar (This stuff stinks)
1/2 a cup of brown sugar
1 full spoon of Asian chilli garlic sauce
3 Minced garlic
1 small knob of ginger finely minced
2 tablespoons of soy sauce.,
Bring to boil and once your wings are done, toss the wings in this marinade.
If you are interested in turning your wings into lollipop style, I'd recommend you click on the GastronomyBlog link I posted above.
1.Wash your wings throughly and pat dry.
2.Season w/half a tablespoon of salt and pepper w/3 tablespoons of either Louisianna hot sauce or Franks Original Hot Sauce.
3.Dredge your wings in all purpose flour.
4.Deep fry the wings cooking them all the way through.If you have a deep fryer, pre heat at 350 degrees.
5.Toss in the marinade and enjoy.
Amazingly, this marinade could be enjoyed with lettuce or over rice. For every bite I took into each wing, I heard the angels singing, imagine a slow motion reel, I take a bite and that song from Top Gun plays "Take my breath away." It was just succulent and deliciously awesome and this is the reason why I am incorporating this into my Thanksgiving dinner. I hope you guys are able to find the same joy as I did should you decide to make this dish.

Hu Tieu Nam Vang/Dining with the ladies

Alot has been going on in my life lately, the joyous birth of my son has brought a warm bundle of joy to our household. However without fail, it seems I live a euphoric life surrounded by unnecessary drama. If it is true that theres is no heaven without a hell, then certainly there is no pleasure without pain. Nonetheless they say the bigger the sacrifice, the greater the glory of triumph. Therefore I try to turn a blind eye, play a deaf ear to whats going on. There is a saying that resins well with me and that is "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."
This couldn't be more true, instead of allowing life to get the best of me, why not make the best out of my current situation. Well in this case I don't really like lemonade but I really enjoy soup!!!!
While on the escape to my garage, I knew I wanted something warm, filling, and soothing to ease the headache caused by the bickering from my opinionated family members.
I remember a few years back while in Vietnam, one of my favorite morning time soups was Hu Tieu Nam Vang/Cambodian Style rice noodles. Something different from Pho(Beef noodle soup), a different broth with the same ingenuity. Although many recipes on the internet recommend using tapioca rice noodles, I used the same rice noodles(Banh Pho Tuoi) that one would have while eating Pho.
On my latest stop while traveling through this endless world of Blogosphere, I came across a fabulous Vietnamese food blog called Vietworldkitchen by Miss Andrea Nguyen. Her rendition of Hu Tieu Nam Vang hits the recipe right on the dot. She also explains the different variations of Hu Tieu as well. See her recipe, VietWorldKitchen.
Now for a great step by step instruction w/pictures on making another Hu Tieu soup, I'd also recommend you stop by the awesome Wanderingchopsticks for her recipe on Hu Tieu Saigon.

With the right ingredients, this is a rather easier solution to enjoying Vietnamese soups without half of the hassle of making Pho. Tonight my family is vicariously dining with the ladies of VietWorldKitchen and WanderingChopsticks through their recipes with yours truly manning the stove under the tutelage of my grandmother in law.

Ingredients for the broth
1.5 pound of pork bones
6 quail eggs
1/2 pound of BBQ pork(Xa Xiu) Could be bought at a local Asian market
peeled shrimp(As many to serve accordingly)
1/2 tblspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
1 teaspoon of msg
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 yellow onion sliced in half
2 dried squid
2 tblspoons of soup flavor enhancer

This could be found at your local Asian grocery store.
2 tablespoons of fried onion paste to replace having to caramilze shallots.


Servings 4
5 quart stock pot
Method;
1.Throughly wash your pork bones
2.Boil water,just enough to cover your pork bones, add your pork bones and turn the water to medium heat. The reason for this is to rid your pork bones of all the impurities prior to making the broth. By doing this, your broth will be clear of debris making the soup look more transparent. Leave the pork bones for no longer than 5 minutes on medium heat after the boil.
3.Pour the pork bones out into a strainer and wash your stock pot.
4.Add a little seasoning to your pork bones for you will either choose to knaw on them or cut the meat off of the bone to add to your soup, 1/2 teaspoon of salt,1/2 teaspoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
5.Add your pork bones back into your stock pot, pour water to a little more than half of the pot, add all of the above listed ingredients minus the BBQ pork and the shrimp. The shrimp will be poached in the broth when the broth is done. Poach the shrimp until it turns orangish in color.
6.Bring the broth to a boil and adjust to your satisfaction.(More fish sauce,salt sugar etc...)
7.In a seperate pot boil your rice noodles

Garnishments:
Cilantro
green chives
Lime
optional:Green chilli peppers
Slice your BBQ pork and add to your bowl

Foodies, if you enjoy Pho than I'd recommend trying Hu Tieu Nam Vang. Bon Appetit fellow foodies, and as always, America and across the international globe, The HoustonWok loves you.

Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry/Cai Em be Xao

Lately I've been finding myself not in the mood for much lately. My Sunday cooking has been lacking the same passion as it once was. Not to worry, I'll be back to normal soon it's just my son who I love to death has been chewing my wife and I to kibbles and bits. He's only 15 days new to this world so I understand that he doesn't know anything other than to eat,sleep,smile and make cute faces to make his parents adore him to death. Needless to say, hunger waits for no man, when it's time to eat, it's time to eat. While scouring through my fridge for leftovers and quick remedies, I found this batch of Baby Bok Choy. "LIGHT BULB" This would go well w/just about anything, besides rice, we had xa xiu(Chinese BBQ) along with Chinese steamed chicken(Ga Hai Nam). Perfect, with only about 5 minutes prep time, and roughly 5 minutes cooking time, I really don't have to make a mess and work the wok too hard.

Ingredients:
1 bunch of Baby Bok Choy
3 minced garlic pieces
1 tsp of msg (Optional)
1 tablespoon of cooking oil
1 tsp of sugar
1 tblspoon of water
2 tblspoon of oyster sauce

Method
1.Throughly wash the baby bok choy and cut the bottom ends
2.On medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking into your wok
3.Once your oil is warm, add the minced garlic.
4.Do not let your garlic get scorched,once it begins to give off an aroma add your baby bok choy.
5.Toss the Bok Choy in your wok,it will wilt rather quickly,add 2 tblspoon of oyster sauce,1tsp of msg, 1 tblspoon of water, toss it for just a bit longer.
Now you are ready to enjoy your Baby Bok Choy w/rice and an entree of your choice.
Thank you for joining on the HoustonWok and as always, "America and across the international globe, The HoustonWok loves you!"