Fried rice + sour/Tamarind soup (2-3 servings)
For this week’s theme, I chose two Vietnamese specialties : fried rice (cơm rang) accompanied by a sour soup (canh chua). What I love about these two dishes is that they use the same basic ingredients, and yet they are unique in their own way. Also, the soup is perfect to mitigate the occasional dryness of the fried rice. I specifically chose the easiest recipes so that anyone could prepare this, even the slow-learners! And the last great thing is that you can add whatever you would like 🙂
Here’s what you will need :
For the soup :
150g chicken breast/chopped pork/smoked bacon
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced/1 small white onion or shallot, peeled minced.
3 tomatoes cut into medium pieces
1 celery stick, sliced thinly (optional)
tamarind extract/lemon
fish sauce/salt
chives, minced
coriander leaves (optional)
oil
- Prepare 1L of water in a kettle.
- While waiting for the water to boil, heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan, add the garlic/onion and fry until light golden.
- Add the chicken/pork and fry until the meat’s lightly coloured then add the tomatoes and fry everything for a few minutes.
- Add the 1L of boiled water and then adjust the sweet, salty and sour flavours to suit your taste.
- Add the minced chives or/and the coriander.
For fried rice :
2 cups cooked rice
1 small white onion/shallot minced
150g chicken breast/smoked bacon/
1 cup of peas and carrots sliced thinly (optional)
1-2 eggs
chives, minced
fish sauce/salt
oil
- Preheat a wok or a pan to medium heat. Pour 2 spoons of oil, add the onion/garlic and fry until light golden.
- Add the meat and fry until tender. Put aside.
3. In the same wok/pan add 1 spoon of oil, add the rice and fry for a few minutes.
4. Add the egg, and then the fish sauce/soy sauce/salt to suit your taste and mix it up.
5. Add the meat with onions/garlic that you’ve just put aside, to the wok/pan and mix everything up. Finally, you can add the minced chives, and you’re done.
Serve these two dishes together, and voilà.
Chuc an ngon!
Ania.
