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Jan 25 2013

Mi Quang Recipe {Vietnamese Turmeric Noodles with Shrimp, Pork and Sausages}

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It wasn’t until my trip to central Vietnam a few years ago that I really began to appreciate this complex mi quang dish. There are so many different components + ingredients to this specialty noodle dish including yellow turmeric noodles topped with a variety of fresh leafy herbs, lime juice, pork belly, shrimp, jelly fish, crushed peanuts, and black sesame crackers.

This noodle dish has a complex – is it a noodle soup or is it dry noodles? It’s different than most Vietnamese broth-based noodle soups like pho because the broth is poured only enough to slightly cover the noodles {in a way, the broth is more like a sauce}.

Mi Quang Recipe

Here’s a recipe to making mi quang noodles:

STEP ONE // MAKE THE BROTH

Ingredients:

  • 10 cups of water
  • 2.5 lbs spare ribs {cut into riblets}
  • 3 cloves of minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon {TB} minced shallots
  • .5 TB olive oil
  • pinch of salt

Mi Quang Recipe

Wash the pork riblets thoroughly. Heat a soup pot on medium-high heat and add the olive oil, garlic and shallots and saute for 1 minute. Then add the spare ribs. After it starts browning, remove the pot away from the heat and add the 10 cups of water. Put the pot back on the burner and let it simmer for 1 hour on low heat.

STEP TWO // PREPARE + SAUTE THE PORK + SHRIMP

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb shrimp {peel shell + devein}
  • 1 lb pork belly {cut into thin slices}
  • 3 TB annato seed oil*
  • 2.5 TB fish sauce
  • 1.5 TB paprika
  • 3 TB sugar
  • 2 TB minced shallots
  • 1.5 TB minced garlic
  • salt to taste
  • pepper/peppercorn to taste

Mi Quang Recipe

* To make annato seed oil, heat a small saucepan and add 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoon of annato seed over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until the oil turns into a deep red, orange color. Strain and discard the seed.

Mi Quang Recipe

Pour the annato oil into a large frying pan and saute the shallots and garlic. Then add the pork belly and let it cook 3/4 way before adding the shrimp. Then add the rest of the ingredients: fish sauce, sugar, paprika, and add salt and pepper to taste {I like a lot of pepper}. Saute until the shrimp and pork are fully cooked.

Mi Quang Recipe

STEP THREE // COMBINE THE BROTH + SAUCE FROM THE SAUTEED MEAT

This is not the traditional way of making the broth but I wanted my broth to be more flavorful than the traditional “nuoc leo” broth. So, I strained the sauteed meat and took the sauce from the sauteed meat and added it to the simmering broth. Stir the broth + sauce and taste it. If the broth is not flavorful enough, add a little bit more of fish sauce, salt, and/or sugar. Let the broth simmer for another 30 minutes on low heat.

STEP FOUR // COOK THE TURMERIC NOODLES

  • 1 package of mi quang noodles
  • 1 tsp olive oil

or make your own turmeric noodles

  • 1 package of white pho wide noodles
  • turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp olive oil

Mi Quang Recipe

You can either make your own turmeric noodles which essentially is pho noodles with turmeric powder. Just follow the directions on the packaging and then add turmeric {turmeric adds the yellow color but it doesn’t really have any flavor} and sprinkle some olive oil to keep the noodles from drying and the strands from sticking together.

Mi Quang Recipe

Or you can go the easier route and buy packaged mi quang noodles. Just a word of caution, the noodles cook very fast, about 3-5 minutes so make sure you keep an eye on it. You don’t want your noodles too soft. Remember to sprinkle a bit of oil to keep the noodle strand from sticking together.

STEP FIVE // PREP THE TOPPINGS

Ingredients:

  • variety of fresh mints found at Asian supermarkets
  • bean sprouts
  • lettuce
  • chives
  • banana blossom {peeled, remove the white flower between each leaf, then stack the purple layers and cut into thin strips. put the cut strips into a bowl of water with lime juice to prevent it from browning}
  • cilantro {for garnishing}
  • green onions {chopped}
  • lime wedges
  • roasted, crushed peanuts
  • black sesame crackers {broken into big pieces}
  • Vietnamese pork sausage {“cha”}
  • red chili sauce
  • jelly fish {found in the refrigerated area of the Asian supermarkets}

Mi Quang Recipe

The Vietnamese pork sausages + jelly fish are already cooked so they don’t need to be sauteed with the meat.

Mi Quang Recipe

Mi Quang Recipe

I add a lot of veges to my bowl {it covers about 1/3 of the bowl}!

STEP FIVE // ASSEMBLE THE BOWL + EAT !

Mi Quang Recipe

Now it’s time to layer your bowl! Start by adding some noodles to your bowl, pour the broth over the noodles {about 1/4 of the bowl}, and add some meat, a lot of veges, banana blossoms, and broken pieces of the rice crackers. Then sprinkle peanuts, cilantro, green onions and finish it off with lime juice. Add some chili sauce if you like your food spicy.

Boy, was that a lot of steps but it’s darn good + so worth it. This is a great special noodle dish to make over the weekend for your family + friends!

{on a side note: when it comes to Vietnamese cooking, my mom never writes down her recipes and there is never precise measurement. She just taste as she preps + cooks and I do the same when it comes to Vietnamese cooking. Some like it more salty, others like it sweeter. So during this process, when I was sauteing the meat, I’d taste the pork and if it was too salty, I’d add a little bit more sugar. If it was too sweet, I added a bit more of the fish sauce. Do the same with the broth. Remember to always taste your food before you serve it! Happy cooking!}

{Photos by Tiffany Nguyen}

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Jan 16 2013

Mangosteen Memories

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Mangosteen

A couple of my friends are planning their destination weddings this year and both weddings will be in Asia! It got me thinking about my last trip there. I discovered a very unique fruit: mangosteen.

I recalled the first time I had this exotic fruit. It was when my sister, cousin, and I went on a journey to Asia, exploring Vietnam, Thailand and Beijing on our very own. Our family in Vietnam knew how much we loved fruit so they bought us a variety of different fruits we have never seen or eaten. When they opened up the fruit for us, it revealed this gorgeous flesh. The flesh of the mangosteen had a unique sweet + tart flavor.

The mangosteen fruit can look tricky to open because it has a thick inedible rind. It can be opened in two ways: with your hands or with a knife.

If it has just been harvested, the mangosteen fruit is soft enough to be opened by a firm press or twist on its outer surface. Since the mangosteen fruit gets imported to the States, by the time it makes it to the States, the rind hardens. This is when you will need to use a knife to carefully cut around the circumference of the mangosteen fruit. Avoid cutting too deep because you’ll end up cutting the edible flesh. Once you create a cut around the fruit, twist it to open. The wedges look similar to a garlic clove. Scoop out the wedge and enjoy! Be careful because each wedge may have a seed that should not be eaten.

Now, I’m trying to create a traveling fund in hopes that I can make it to any one of these weddings. Please let me know if you want to donate to my traveling fund! I kid {OK, maybe not}.

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Jan 11 2013

The Best Food I Ate … in California

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I know you are probably thinking I’m always in California! I think you’re onto something… I do spent a good amount of my days in Cali; it’s as if I never left!

Well no trip to Cali goes without eating good food! As you can tell, food is a big part of my life. Here are the best things I ate during my trip to Orange County, California during the holidays.

Lobster Roll Sushi Town Costa Mesa CA


Fresh Sushi Town Costa Mesa CA

LOBSTER ROLL + FRESH THICK CUTS OF SASHIMI + FRESH WASABI // SUSHI TOWN, COSTA MESA

Banh Beo Westminster CA

VIETNAMESE RICE CAKE WITH MUNG BEAN + SHRIMP // THACH CHE HIEN KHANH, WESTMINSTER

Zankhou Chicken Orange CA

CRISPY ROASTED CHICKEN WITH SECRET GARLIC SAUCE // ZANKOU CHICKEN, ORANGE

Vietnamese Sesame Balls CA

SESAME MUNG BEAN BALLS WITH A HINT OF ORANGE ZEST + RICE BALLS // QUAN HY // THACH CHE HIEN KHANH, WESTMINSTER

Chicken and Rice Orange CA

CHICKEN + RICE WITH LIVERS + HEARTS // QUAN VY DA, WESTMINSTER

Furiwa Westminster CA Taro Dessert

CHINESE TARO DESSERT // FURIWA, WESTMINSTER

Japanese BBQ Manpuku Costa Mesa CA

Japanese BBQ Manpuku Costa Mesa CA

JAPANESE BBQ + STONEPOT GARLIC RICE // MANPUKU, COSTA MESA

Bottega Louie Los Angeles Macarons

Bottega Louie Los Angeles Pizza

Bottega Louie Los Angeles Beignets

MACARONS, PIZZA + BEIGNETS // BOTTEGA LOUIE, LOS ANGELES

Flemings Steak Newport Beach

LARGE CUT OF FILET MIGNON // FLEMING’S STEAKHOUSE, NEWPORT BEACH

Whisknladle Bone Marrow La Jolla CA

BONE MARROW WITH SHALLOTS, PARSLEY + BUTTERED TOAST // WHISKNLADLE, LA JOLLA

Extraordinary Desserts Bread Pudding San Diego CA

CHOCOLATE CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING // EXTRAORDINARY DESSERTS, SAN DIEGO

Teuscher champagne chocolates

CHAMPAGNE TRUFFLES // TEUSCHER, BEVERLY HILLS

And now… I’m getting hungry. Happy eating ya’ll!

Tags: banh beo, best food in california, best food in orange county, best food in southern california, bottega louie, che, extraordinary desserts, flemings, food reviews, furiwa, hien khanh, japanese barbeque, japanese bbq, manpuku, newport beach, sushi, sushi town, teuscher truffles, whisknladel, zankhou chicken
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Sep 8 2012

Julie’s Spancy 6 Course Birthday Dinner @ Abacus Restaurant in Dallas, Texas

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SPANCY = SPECIAL + FANCY

Happy weekend ya’ll! I’ve been trying to adjust to this new home on the web + settling into a new place in Dallas, relentlessly trying to make some time to get items out of the moving boxes. I’m making some “majah” progress which makes me feel relieved!

Since I was out of town during Julie’s birthday, we had to postpone her birthday dinner. We decided to go to Abacus, one of her favs! We decided to spoil Julie {+ ourselves} with a 6-course meal {so worth it!}! This place did not disappoint… from the ambiance, to the service and certainly the food {in taste + quality} delivered. As Julie said, the food was good, but the company made it even better!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BFF, JULIE!

Abacus Restaurant Dallas Texas

Course 1 // Bread Basket {yummy flatbread crackers + focaccia bread}

Abacus Restaurant Dallas Texas

Course 2 // White Fish + Kobe Beef Dumpling + Seasonal Veges in a Delicious Broth

Abacus Restaurant Dallas Texas

Course 3 // Grilled Scallops with Fettuccine Noodles

Abacus Restaurant Dallas Texas

Course 4 // Flat Iron Steak with Red Wine Sauce

Abacus Restaurant Dallas Texas

Course 5 // Pepper-Crusted Steak {with a side of BBQ sauce} on a Bed of Delicious Cheesy Grits {these grits were so good!!}

Abacus Restaurant Dallas Texas

Course 6 // Deconstructed Decadent Dark Mousse S’More

Abacus Restaurant Dallas Texas

Parting Gift // Dark Chocolate Truffles

Abacus Restaurant Dallas Texas

At the end of the 6-course we were full + fulfilled! The portions were perfect!

I’m beginning to feel like this weblog is becoming more “food-focused” but I just can’t help it. I love food so much but I love dining with my favorites even more {because it’s really about the experience + it’s a great time to catch up over good food + drinks!}.

The weather is amazing outside! Please do me a favor + go out there + make it a stellar day!

,Tiff

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Aug 21 2012

San Diego, You Are Extraordinary // Good Eats!

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I just got back from attending my ex-roomie’s wedding in San Diego, California! The bf + I both claim that we brought these two together. Dom was his college buddy and Aileen was my roommate back when I lived in Irvine. They met several New Year’s ago when I invited my new roommate to our friend’s New Year’s party in Manhattan Beach! Congrats Aileen + Dom!

Well if you have ever traveled with me, no trip is ever complete without eating some great meals. Thank goodness my bf loves to eat as much as I do + it’s also a bonus to have great foodie friends!

Here’s where/what we ate!

TOKYO TABLE // IRVINE, CA

We had lunch with the bf’s team… this place is best known for its bento boxes + sushi pizza.

{Lobster Bomb Sushi Pizza // A deconstructed sushi roll on a bed of crunchy rice}
Tokyo Table

{Citrus Salmon Summer Roll // A refreshing roll that tasted similar to a Vietnamese spring roll}
Tokyo Table

{Hot Strong Sukiyaki Bimbimbap // A traditional Korean rice dish mixed with beef, kimchi, bean sprouts, garlic chives served in a sizzling hot stone bowl… their take was a bit bland for me {I love the bimbimbap @ Anjin’s!}}
Tokyo Table

PHO LA JOLLA // LA JOLLA / SAN DIEGO, CA

On Saturday morning, we dropped by Pho La Jolla after the wedding ceremony for fresh dripped iced coffee + an appetizer before going furniture shopping + eating brunch with the bf’s family.

{Fresh Iced Vietnamese Coffee // Slowly dripped coffee with condensed milk as a sweetner}
Pho La Jolla

{Egg Rolls // Pipping hot egg rolls filled with pork, vermicelli noodles + veges and eaten with nuoc mam sauce}
Pho La Jolla

WHISKNLADLE // LA JOLLA / SAN DIEGO, CA

We had brunch with the bf’s family in beautiful, quaint La Jolla.

{The Brunch Menu}
whisknladle

{London’s Burning + Red Sangria // It was so hot so we decided to cool down with drinks… London’s Burning: an interesting mix of gin, jalapeno, avocado lime {imo…it tasted like salsa!} + your typical sangria…both refreshing!}
whisknladle

{Summer Salad // A delicious mix of argula, avocado, chino white corn, grapefruit, hearts of palm + balsamic}
whisknladle

{Niman Ranch Pork Sugo // A light pasta dish with papparadelle, ground pork and finished with parmigiano reggiano + parsley}
whisknladle

{Roasted Chicken Leg // Chicken sous vide (a bit on the pink side for me…) with grilled chino squash + piquello pepper confit}
whisknladle

EXTRAORDINARY DESSERTS // LITTLE ITALY / SAN DIEGO, CA

No San Diego trip is complete without a stop at Extraordinary Desserts for their delicious Viennese coffee + beautifully presented desserts! And yes, I did enjoy these desserts on the floor outside of our hotel room when we got locked out and the bf had to go to the lobby to get our hotel key reprogrammed. I could not wait! lol

{White Chocolate Cheesecake // Made of white chocolate, layered on a bed of fresh raspberries, dark chocolate genoise, shaved chocolate + finished with whipped cream}
Extraordinary Desserts

{Chocolate Croissant // Filled with dark chocolate + almond paste + finished off with chocolate shavings, edible flowers }
Extraordinary Desserts

JIMMY’S FAMOUS AMERICAN TAVERN // SAN DIEGO, CA

We met up with our good friends for brunch before heading home to Orange County. We loved the atmosphere. It’s located right next to the harbor!

{Bottomless Mimosas // $10 well spent}
Jimmy's Famous

{Creme Brulee French Toast // A very decadent dish that we shared as an appetizer… topped with bananas foster sauce, bananas with a side of applewood smoked bacon}
Jimmy's Famous

{Famous Buttermilk + Beer Battered Onion Rings // Very crispy onion rings served with their popular housemade chipotle ketchup}
Jimmy's Famous

{Southern Egg Benedict // Housemade buttermilk biscuits, topped with sausage gravy + poached eggs with a generous side of tater tots}
Jimmy's Famous

{Cowboy Burger // A delicious burger arranged with cheddar, green chiles, applewood smoked bacon, an onion ring + bbq sauce… comes with your choice of coleslaw, fries, simple greens, or tator tots}
Jimmy's Famous

SENOR MANGO’S // SAN DIEGO, CA

After a night of drinking, we had to make a pit stop at Senor Mango’s for a fresh drink.

Senor Mango's

{Papaya + Mango Smoothie // A refreshing blend of fresh papaya + mangoes}
Senor Mango's

{Fruit Mix // A mix of freshly cut papaya, mangoes, watermelon + strawberries topped with yogurt + granola}
Senor Mango's

NEWPORT SEAFOOD // WESTMINSTER, CA

As if I didn’t have enough lobster at the wedding… I had to get my lobster fix before heading back to Dallas!

{Fresh Prawns // The prawns were still swimming in the tank…best prepared steamed… pricey but so delicious!}
Newport Seafood

{Canh Chua // Vietnamese sweet + sour soup with fish + veges}
Newport Seafood

{Beef with Asian Snow Pea Shoots // Our first time ordering this dish + we loved it!}
Newport Seafood

{House Special Lobster // The main reason we came here… for the fresh lobster goodness, the eggs are the best part!}
Newport Seafood

And that completes my San Diego / Orange County food tour this past weekend!

Have ya’ll been to San Diego? What are your favorite spots?

Tiff

{All photos taken on my state-of-the-art iPhone :)}

Tags: brunch la jolla, eats, extraordinary desserts, famous jimmy's american tavern, newport seafood, orange county restaurants, pho la jolla, restaurants, san diego, san diego restaurants, senor mango's, tokyo table, whisknladle
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