shrimp

Bánh Tôm (Prawn Fritter)

in

This recipe was made in partnership with:

Seisuke works with smiths throughout Japan to craft high quality blades at an affordable price. The wide variety of our designs are unique and steeped with tradition making them perfect for both home and professional use.

Nakiri is a Japanese term, meaning “greens cutter.” In the olden days of Japan, this knife was commonly found in household kitchens. To this day, it’s still held in high regard, especially by professionals.

The most striking feature of the nakiri is its rectangular profile, which of course has a function. The flat edge is suitable for repetitive chopping motions that will make full, parallel contact with the cutting board, providing a clean and consistent cutting rhythm as you work through those greens.

If your goal is to cut vegetables specifically, a nakiri is the more effective option. For the same reason you might buy running shoes if you plan on doing a lot of running, buying the right knife for the right cutting goal in mind will help you work more effectively.

Bánh Tôm (Prawn Fritter)
Yield 4
Author Chef Tu David Phu
Prep time
30 Min
Cook time
1 Hour
Inactive time
15 Min
Total time
1 H & 45 M

Bánh Tôm (Prawn Fritter)

Bánh Tôm (or Vietnamese Prawn Fritters) is an iconic, street food with roots in Ha Noi. As popular as these delicacies are, they are extremely difficult to make. However, the secret is in the ability to thinly cut the sweet potatoes to create a ‘basket’ to nestle the shrimp, when fried. And when done right the shrimp is butter (not dry); with a delightfully crunchy sweet potato basket; wrapped with lettuce and herbs. Then dunked in a spicy, saline, savory but sweet nước chấm.

Ingredients

Prawn Fritter
Garnishes
Nước Chấm (Dipping Sauce)

Instructions

Prepare the Batter
  1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add 1 cup of water, and 2 large eggs.
  2. Whisk to incorporate the egg and the water.
  3. Sift the dry ingredeints
  4. Gradually add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the liquid.
  5. Whisk until smooth.
  6. Then add the remaining 2/3 of the dry ingredients into the batter.
  7. Whisk until smooth
  8. Add the Sweet Potato (cut into match sticks) into the batter.
Prepare the Shrimp (Prawn)
  1. Defrost prawns (if frozen) in your refrigerator
  2. Rinse prawns in ice-cold water to maintain their freshness
  3. Devein prawns by inserting a toothpick (or skewer) between shell segments; on the back of the shrimp. Gently pull up on the toothpick and lift out the vein. If vein breaks, repeat in several places. **This recipe is traditionally made with whole prawns; head-on and shell-on.**
  4. Keep the cleaned prawn in the refrigerator. Or in a metal bowl, lined with iced water.
Fry the Prawn Fritter
  1. In a cast-iron pot (cast iron braiser) preheat 3 cups of cooking oil to 325 F.
  2. Use a [wide-mouth, flat, soup ladle] and a [large serving spoon] to help you assemble the Prawn Fritters.
  3. Put 2 tbsp. of battered sweet potato into a greased [wide-mouth, flat, soup ladle].
  4. Place a cleaned prawn on top of the battered sweet potato.
  5. Drizzle 1 tbsp. of batter on top of the prawn.
  6. Press the prawn down firmly into the battered sweet potato.
  7. Gently, dislodge the prawn (using a large serving spoon) and the battered sweet potato (it should resemble a basket) into the fryer.
  8. Fry for 5 minutes on each side.
  9. Remove the prawn fritter from the oil and place it on a roasting rack to cool.
  10. Gently season the prawn fritters with kosher salt.
Make the Nước Chấm (Dipping Sauce)
  1. https://cheftu.com/recipelibrary/nuoccham
Assemble
  1. Garnish with lettuce and Vietnamese herbs
  2. Dip with Nuoc Cham

Similar Recipes

Chả Giò Khoai Môn (Vietnamese Taro Fried Spring Roll)

Bún Gà Nướng (Grilled Lemongrass Chicken & Rice Noodle)

Gỏi Cuốn Tôm [Shrimp Summer Rolls]

https://cheftu.com/recipelibrary/banhtom
TDP Enterprises, LLC
shrimp, potato, sweet potato, yam, ha noi, street food, finger food, fish sauce, nuoc mam, fried
dinner, lunch
Vietnamese
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @cheftudavidphu on instagram and hashtag it # cookingwithcheftu

Nước Chấm [The Soul of Vietnamese cuisine]

in
Nước Chấm
Yield 4
Author Chef Tu David Phu
Prep time
14 Min
Total time
14 Min

Nước Chấm

Nước Chấm (Seasoned Fish Sauce)is the staple table condiment on most Vietnamese dining tables. Most commonly used as a dressing and a dipping sauce. Its complex, yet balanced flavors [spicy, savory, bright, sweet, and salty] have the ability to enhance any dish. It's this distinction that determines the Vietnamese palate. And often serves as the mark of quality in a traditional Vietnamese meal.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Chop Thai Chili
  2. Mince garlic and shallot
  3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl the minced add 2 tsp. of Thai Chili, 2 tbsp. of Minced Shallot, 2 tsp. of Minced Garlic.
  4. Add2 tsp. of Fermeneted Chiil
  5. Add 1/4 cup of Lemon Juice
  6. Add 1 cup of Coconut Water
  7. Add 1/4 cup of Son Fish Sauce
  8. Then season the sauce with 3 tbsp Organic Sugar (or 1/3 tsp stevia)
  9. And last, stir the sauce until the ingredients all well incorporated.

Recommended Products:

Artisanal Aged Son Fish Sauce

Similar Recipes

Củ Cải Chua Ngọt [Pickled Daikon and Carrots]

Nước Tương Chấm (Peanut Dipping Sauce)

Mỡ Hành Gừng [Ginger, Scallion, Bacon Sauce]

Nước Mắm Gừng [Ginger Fish Sauce]

TDP Enterprises, LLC
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @cheftudavidphu on instagram and hashtag it # cookingwithcheftu

Gỏi Cuốn Tôm [Shrimp Summer Rolls]

in

This recipe was made in partnership with

CCHP delivers high-quality, affordable healthcare through culturally competent and linguistically appropriate services to the community since 1986.

Gỏi Cuốn Tôm [Shrimp Summer Rolls]
Yield 4
Author Chef Tu David Phu

Gỏi Cuốn Tôm [Shrimp Summer Rolls]

Gỏi Cuốn is typically wrapped with thinly sliced meats that have been grilled or poached; rice noodles; lots of leafy greens, lettuces, and herbs. As painstaking as it may seem, it’s a matriarch standard (and expectation) to meticulously go through each and every green, lettuce, and herb; to use them only at their peak freshness. At the heart of Vietnamese cuisine are herbs. They add complexities and identity to Vietnamese dishes that set them apart from Thai, Cambodian, Burmese, and other Southeast Asian cuisines. Take away the garnishes from this dish, and not only is it not Gỏi Cuốn anymore, but it’s not Vietnamese.

Ingredients

Gỏi Cuốn (Summer Roll)
Poached Shrimp
Nước Tương Chấm (Peanut Sauce)
Vietnameses Pickles

Instructions

Poach the Prawns
  1. Skewer the prawns with an 8" bamboo skewer to keep the prawn from curling when cooked.
  2. In a medium-sized pot, add 6cups of water, 2 lemons cut in half, 1 bruised lemongrass stalk, 2 tbsp. of kosher salt
  3. Add the prawns to the pot.
  4. Bring the pot to a simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally
  5. Once the pot gently simmers [175 F] take the pot off the heat
  6. Immediately take the prawns out of the pot into an ice water bath.
  7. Keep the prawns in the ice water bath for 15 minutes.
Butterfly the Poached Prawns
  1. Removed the skewer from the poached prawn
  2. Then gently peel to remove the prawn shell. (save the prawn shells for prawn stock)
  3. Use a pairing knife to make an incision on the underside of a prawn; down the middle; cutting to expose the vein that runs along the top-back of the prawn.
  4. Remove the vein
  5. Rinse the prawn
  6. Lay the butterflied prawn on a pan lined with paper towels; to remove excess moisture.
Cook the Bánh Hỏi (Fine Vermicelli Noodles)
  1. Line a wide, low pot with Bánh Hỏi.
  2. Fill the pot with boiling water.
  3. Allow the Bánh Hỏi to steep for 1 minute. Or until the noodle softens. *Bánh Hỏi will disintegrate if steeped for too long*
  4. Drain the Bánh Hỏi in a colander. And allow the Bánh Hỏi to drain for a few minutes.
  5. Place the Bánh Hỏi on a large plate, lined with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
Make the Nước Tương Chấm (Peanut Sauce)
  1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of Hoisin, 1 tbsp of Sriracha, 2 tbsp. Rice Vinegar, and 1/2 cup of Coconut Milk.
  2. Gradually whisk in 2 tbsp of Chunky Peanut Butter to eliminate chunks
  3. Garnish with Toasted Peanuts and Sriracha
Make the Vietnamese Pickles
  1. Cut the daikon and carrots into matchsticks
  2. Slice the yellow onions. Try to mirror your daikon and carrots matchsticks cuts/size.
  3. In a small pot bring [2 cups of rice vinegar, 2 cups of water, 1 tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. kosher salt] to a simmer.
  4. Take the pot off the heat
  5. Add sliced onions, garlic, daikon, and carrots.
  6. Submerge and steep for 30 minutes.
  7. Store the pickles in their own pickling liquid, refrigerated.
How to Use Rice Paper
  1. Find a large tray that has *(at least) a 2” raised lip. The tray needs to be large enough to fit rice paper in its cavity. (or purchase a Rice Paper Dipper)
  2. Fill the tray with cold water
  3. Submerge rice paper in the cold water for ½ a second.
  4. The rice paper will immediately hydrate. As time progresses, the rice paper will begin to soften. You want to catch ( a sweet spot) where the rice paper is still firm, and not too soft. As the rice paper gets softer, at some point the rice paper will be delicate to work with.
Make The Gỏi Cuốn
  1. Take moistened rice paper and add one sheet of cooked bánh hỏi noodles 1.5” from the bottom of your rice paper.
  2. Rest 2 pieces of butterflied prawn on top of the bánh hỏi.
  3. Fold the 1” of the (left and right) sides of rice paper inward.
  4. Take the roll (with the ingredients) and do a quarter roll, so that the ingredients are wrapped on all sides with rice paper. However, make sure that there still is 2-3” of rice paper left to roll.
  5. Add 1-2 leaf of lettuce
  6. Add 1 sprig of Cilantro and Mint
  7. Add 1 tbsp. of the Vietnamese Pickles (optional)
  8. Finish rolling the Gỏi Cuốn with the rest of the 2-3” of rice paper.
  9. Press down firmly to seal.

Notes

Fun Fact:

Rice paper is the lowest GI of the rice varieties, alongside short-grain glutinous rice and rice noodle. As a result, this translates to lower carbs; lower glucose spike when consumed.


Cooking Tips:

  1. Bánh Hỏi is used in place of Bún because it's less sticky.
  2. Rice Paper Dippers are a game-changer.
  3. Rice paper and noodle quality make a huge difference.
  4. This is a great family recipe to include your kids in the cooking process. Specifically rolling the Gỏi Cuốn 
  5. Use cold water for rice paper, it will hydrate the rice paper slower for ease.


Can you make the Gỏi Cuốn ahead of time?

Yes. Individually wrap each roll to prevent it from drying out. They need to keep at ambient temperature. (max 2 hours). If you refrigerate them, the rice paper will cease and become chewy.

Recommended Products:

Rice Paper Dipper
8" Skewers
Banh Hoi (Fine Vermicelli Noodles)

Similar Recipes

Goi Ga [Vietnamese Chicken Salad]

Chả Giò Khoai Môn (Vietnamese Taro Fried Spring Roll)

Vietnamese Cajun Seafood Stew

Nước Chấm [Vietnamese Seasoned Fish Sauce]

cheftu.com/recipelibrary/goicuontom
TDP Enterprises, LLC
summer roll, spring roll egg roll, salad, appetizer, vietnamese, peanut sauce, pickles, cold, summer
snack, lunch, dinner
Vietnamese
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @cheftudavidphu on instagram and hashtag it # cookingwithcheftu

Shrimp Udon

in
NAVIGATION
1.png
2.png
5.png
Family Reunion Potluck Recipes Blog Graphic (2).png
IMG_2434.jpg
IMG_2436.jpg

Cháo Cá [Vietnamese Fish Porridge]

in
IMG_1570.jpg
Featured
1.png
2.png
5.png
Family Reunion Potluck Recipes Blog Graphic (2).png

Gỏi Ngó Sen Tôm [Vietnamese Lotus Root Salad with Shrimp]

in
Goi+%5BLotus+Root+Salad%5D.jpg