This Asian sarmie traditionally gets a schmear of paté, as influenced by the British settlers that found themselves in Vietnam. The crusty bread with airy texture, combined with crispy pork fat and juicy meat, was more than enough to fill our plates. Convinced yet? 

Pork belly bahn mi

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

1.2kg pork belly roast
½ cup coarse salt
4 cloves garlic, sliced
5cm ginger, sliced
¼ cup sugar
⅓ cup soy sauce 

2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Top rice vinegar
1 Tbsp red chilli paste
1 cup beef stock
2 Tbsp Chinese 5-spice
2 medium baguettes
1 cucumber, sliced into ribbons using a veg peeler 5 carrots, cut into matchsticks
½ red pepper, sliced thinly
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sriracha
1 cup pickle mix vegetables 
Handful coriander, chopped 

Method 

1. Score pork fat, pat dry and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place uncovered in the fridge and leave to dry for 2 hours, or overnight if the time allows.
2. Preheat oven to 220°C.
3. Create a foil boat or parcel the size of the pork roast. (This ensures your meat stays covered while cooking, keeping it moist and juicy.) Place in a roasting pan.
4. Put garlic and ginger slices at the bottom of foil parcel.
5. Combine sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, chilli paste and stock over medium heat, stirring to combine.
6. Pour sauce into foil boat.
7. Rub meaty part of pork with spice and place in the sauce, making sure to keep fat exposed. (Add water if needed to cover meat.)
8. Roast for 20–25 minutes, or until fat starts to create bubbles and turns golden.
9. Turn heat down to 170°C and continue cooking for another 1.5 hours, or until meat is tender.
10. Remove meat from parcel and rest for 10 minutes, while pan juices are reducing in the oven, creating a sauce.
11. Place pork fat-side down on a chopping board and slice into 8cm-long strips.
12. To assemble, spread bread with mayonnaise and sriracha. Top with pickled veg and pork belly.
13. Top with coriander and a drizzle of the reduced pork belly sauce.

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermeulen  

Photographs: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Al Pastor-inspired pulled pork tacos

The post Pork belly bahn mi recipe appeared first on MyKitchen.

Packed with authentic recipes that are simpler than you think, master the art of Vietnamese cooking with Uyen Luu’s new cookbook – Quick & Easy Vietnamese!  

Pork & prawn wontons

These can be enjoyed as a snack or starter. They also make a fantastic topping for noodle soups or even instant ramen. I always save uncooked ones for the freezer, then steam them from frozen for 10 minutes. I love to fold with a friend, a cup of tea, so we can have a good catch-up.  

Ingredients

150g pork mince
200g peeled raw king prawns (shrimp), finely chopped
1 can (100g) water chestnuts, finely chopped
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp frozen edamame beans, defrosted
2 Tbsp oyster sauce pinch of sea salt
1 tsp caster sugar
½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
½ Tbsp cornflour
200g square wonton wrappers
2 tsp sesame oil + extra for drizzling
10g garlic chives or coriander leaves, to garnish 

For the dipping sauce  

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 bird’s eye chillies, thinly sliced
2 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp black vinegar or cider vinegar
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 Tbsp crispy chilli oil

Method 

1. First, make the dipping sauce by mixing together all the ingredients in a bowl. 
2. Add the pork to another bowl with the chopped prawns, water chestnuts, spring onions, edamame beans, oyster sauce, salt, sugar and white pepper and mix well.
3. Lightly dust a plate with the cornflour and fill a cup with water. To form the dumplings, place a wrapper onto the palm of your hand and dollop 1 heaped teaspoon of filling into the middle. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water. Fold the wonton wrapper over into a triangle while pushing the air out of the filling, then pinch the wrapper together to form a sack. Pinch and fan out the top to seal, then place on the prepared plate. Repeat until you have used up all the filling.
4. To cook the wontons, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then  gently drop in a handful of wontons (don’t crowd the pan) and let it come back to the boil. After 4–5 minutes the wontons will float to the surface.
5. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then lift them out of the water with a spider or slotted spoon and place on a plate.  
6. Drizzle with sesame oil and repeat until you have cooked as many as you need. Keep any extras for freezing. 
7. Garnish with the herbs, if using, then pour over the sauce or serve it on the side in dipping bowls. 

Cook’s note:
Can’t find a can of water or chestnuts in SA? Adding hazelnuts will deliver a similar flavour, although texture will differ – it adds a great crunch! For a cheaper option, use raw cashews.

Quick & Easy Vietnamese by Uyen Luu (distributed by Jonathon Ball Publishers) is available online and in all local bookstores.

Compiled by: Liezl Vermeulen 

Recipes & photographs: Quick & Easy Vietnamese by Uyen Luu: Published by Hardie Grant and distributed by Jonathan Ball 

Also read: Pork vindaloo recipe

The post Pork & prawn wontons recipe appeared first on MyKitchen.

It’s offcially back to school and work. So, we’ve put together a nifty meal prep guide that’ll make packing lunches for the entire family easier. 

Protein Power Bowl 

Total time: 25 mins // Serves: 1  

Ingredients  

1 egg Cooking oil 
50g boerewors or chicken sausage 
80g cherry tomatoes 
Handful mixed lettuce leaves, washed and chopped/torn 
2 Tbsp pesto, hummus or guacamole (mashed avocado) 
Fresh sliced chilli (optional)  

Method  

1. Bring a small pot of water to the boil. Carefully lower the egg into the water, and simmer for 6 minutes to hard-boil.  
2. Remove egg and immerse in cold water to cool. Do not peel the shell off – only do this just before eating to maintain freshness.  
3. Heat some oil in a pan over medium-high heat and cook sausage until well browned all over. Remove and set aside to cool.  
4. Add tomatoes to the same pan and cook for about 10 minutes to soften. Remove and set aside to cool.  
5. Once the egg, sausage and tomatoes have cooled to room temperature, pack into a lunchbox with lettuce and chilli (to garnish if you like). Pack the pesto/hummus/avocado in a separate small container. Refrigerate for the next day.  
6. When you’re ready to enjoy your lunch, transfer all ingredients to a bowl, peel the shell off the egg and cut it in half, and top meal with pesto/hummus/avocado. 

Use your leftovers 
If you braaied on the weekend, pack any uneaten cooked wors, chops or chicken kebabs into this meal instead of frying new sausage. 

Bran Muffins 

Total time: 40 mins // Makes: 12 

Ingredients 

1¼ cups wholewheat flour 
½ box (250g) bran flakes 
¾ cup brown sugar 
2½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 
¼ cup raisins 
2 large eggs 
1 cup oil 
¾ carton (375g) buttermilk  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake papers.  
2. Combine flour, bran flakes, sugar, bicarb and raisins in a bowl.  
3. Add eggs, oil and buttermilk and whisk until combined.  
4. Spoon mixture into cupcake papers, filling each two-thirds full.  
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until springy to the touch.  
6. Cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. They can also be frozen in the container for a month. 

Flavour burst 
For extra oomph, add a handful of chopped nuts (like almonds), seeds (like sunflower seeds) or berries (like raspberries) to the batter and fold through. 

11 Ways With Toast 

Shake up your routine with these fast and fabulous flavour combos:  

1. Antioxidant:
Spread 3 Tbsp cottage cheese or ricotta over your toast. Top with a small handful of blueberries, a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of grated lemon peel and 1 tsp toasted pumpkin seeds. 

2 . Protein Packed: 
Top toast with 1 2/ sliced avocado, 1 soft poached egg and a drizzle of chilli sauce or oil. Season.  

3. Energy Boost:
Spread 2 Tbsp nut butter over your toast (we used macadamia nut butter) and top with 1 sliced banana and a drizzle of honey. 

4. Coco Craze:
Melt 1 2/ slab (40g) dark chocolate with 1 Tbsp coconut oil (in a microwave), stir until smooth, spread over toast and top with toasted almonds. 

5. Fruity Finesse:
Spread toast with 2 Tbsp cream cheese and top with 4 sliced strawberries. Season with black pepper and garnish with basil leaves.  

6. Pick-Me-Up:
Cover toast with a liberal dollop of soft butter and Bovril.  

7. That’s My Jam:
Heat 1½  cups frozen mixed berries, 2 Tbsp sugar and a liberal squeeze of lemon juice in a pot over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes until thick and jammy. Spread butter on your toast, followed by dollops of your homemade jam. 

8. Go Green:
Spread 1 Tbsp basil pesto and 3 Tbsp cottage cheese over your slice of toast, top with fresh cucumber ribbons and season. 

9. Omega-3 Kick:
Top toast with ½ can (200g) pilchards in tomato sauce and sprinkle with 2 tsp each chopped capers and parsley.  

10. Plant Powered:
Spread toast with 2 Tbsp hummus, top with thinly sliced fresh tomato and season. 

11. Full of Beans:
Fry ½ chopped onion in 2 Tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp each paprika and sugar, 1 can (400g) rinsed beans and 2 Tbsp tomato paste. Cook until fragrant. Top toast with tomatoey beans and parsley. 

Vietnamese Meatball Sandwiches 

Total time: 35 mins // Makes: 4 

Ingredients 

1 packet (about 500g) pork sausages 
Cooking oil 
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
4cm knob fresh ginger, grated 
¼ cup honey 
¼ cup soy sauce
½ tsp fish sauce 
Juice and grated peel of 1 lime or ½ lemon 
1 French loaf or baguette, sliced into 4 
Melted butter, for toasting  

For serving:  

Sliced radish, spring onion and red onion 
Cucumber ribbons
Pickled veg 

Method 

1. Remove pork sausage mince from the casing. Shape into golf-size balls. 
2. Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat and fry meatballs for 8-10 minutes until golden. Drain on kitchen paper. 
3. Add garlic and ginger to the same pan and fry until fragrant. 
4. Add honey, soy sauce, fish sauce and lime/lemon juice and peel. 
5. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens. 
6. Slice open loaf/baguette portions, brush with melted butter and toast in a pan until golden. 
7. Place 3-4 meatballs on each sandwich and top with radish, spring onion, cucumber, red onion and pickles. Close sandwich to transport (see below).

Slice & secure 
To transport in a lunchbox, slice the meatballs in half into discs (this allows the sandwich to close properly). Use a toothpick to secure and wrap in kitchen paper before packing. 

Pinwheels 

Total time: 30 mins // Makes: 20 

Ingredients 

Flour, for dusting 
½ cup peanut or almond butter 
½ tsp cinnamon 
¼ cup brown or treacle sugar, or honey  

Method 

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry into a rectangle about 3-4mm thick.  
2. Combine nut butter, cinnamon and sugar or honey. 
3. Spread mixture evenly over pastry, leaving a 2cm border on the long side furthest from you.  
4. Roll pastry up into a log, starting from the longest side.  
5. Chill pastry in the fridge until firm.
6. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.  
7. Slice pastry roll into 20 rounds. Arrange on the baking tray, leaving 2cm between each round. 
8. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.  
9. Remove from oven and sprinkle with extra cinnamon sugar if you like.  
10. Cool completely before packing into an airtight container.

Recipes & photos courtesy of Fresh Living Magazine

The post Lunchbox ideas for the whole family  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Looking for a way to make use of your roast chicken leftovers? Then we have you covered with our simple, flavour-packed Vietnamese chicken pancakes!

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS
For the Vietnamese chicken
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 carrot, peeled and grated
¼ cucumber, cut into strips
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp caster sugar
2 tbsp chopped coriander, plus extra to garnish
For the pancakes
200 ml water
65 g rice flour
2 tsp olive oil
1 egg, beaten
Pinch salt
¼ tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp vegetable oil

METHOD
For the Vietnamese chicken
1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl. Toss to coat.
For the pancakes
1. Whisk together all the ingredients, except for the vegetable oil, to form a thin, runny batter.
2. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour in a thin layer of batter. Once set, flip and cook the other side. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining batter.
3. Serve the Vietnamese chicken with pancakes and garnish with coriander.

Another recipe to make use of  your leftover roast would be our Asian rice salad with shredded roast chicken!

The post Vietnamese chicken pancakes appeared first on MyKitchen.

These Vietnamese rice paper rolls with two dipping sauces are the perfect light, healthy, Asian-styled starter to accommodate all your guests’ needs!

SERVES 12 // COOK TIME 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS
For the Thai chilli dipping sauce
1 ½ tbsp brown sugar
2 limes, juiced
2 tsp fish sauce
1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
For the peanut dipping sauce
1½ tbsp smooth peanut butter
⅓ cup coconut cream
1 lime, juiced
1 garlic clove, grated
½ tsp chilli flakes
For the rice paper rolls
12 rice paper wrappers
¼ cup mint, leaves picked
¼ cup coriander, leaves picked
24 baby prawns, pan fried
1 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
¼ cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks
½ cup cooked vermicelli noodles
½ cup peanuts, chopped
2 limes, sliced to serve

METHOD
For the Thai chilli dipping sauce
1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl.
For the peanut dipping sauce
1. Mix the peanut butter with the coconut cream and lime juice. Stir in the garlic and chilli flakes.
For the rice paper rolls
1. Lay out all the prepared ingredients around a clean chopping board.
2. To assemble, place a sheet of rice paper in a bowl of cold water and allow to soften. Remove it from the water and place on the board.
3. Arrange a line of fresh herbs in the middle of the wrapper and top with 2 small prawns, followed by a few matchsticks of carrot and cucumber, some vermicelli noodles and a sprinkling of peanuts.
4. Fold the bottom and top of the wrapper up and over the ingredients then fold the sides of the wrapper inwards over the ingredients. Roll it up to seal everything inside.
5. Serve immediately alongside the two dipping sauces and a squeeze of lime juice.

Top tip: Leftover coconut cream can be blended with mango and granadilla pulp and frozen for tasty coconut ice pops, or freeze the leftover coconut cream in an ice cube tray to add to smoothies.

For a very similar dish! Eat yourself happy with these smoked salmon rice-paper rolls with dipping sauce! Filled with omega fatty acids and nutritious goods, you’re getting all you need

The post Vietnamese rice paper rolls with two dipping sauces appeared first on MyKitchen.

We gave the classic gatsby an Asian-fusion update with typical Vietnamese ingredients like fish sauce, coriander, peppers and spring onions. Give it a try!

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch spring onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
Vegetable oil, to fry
250 g beef mince
½ butternut, peeled and julienned
4 baby marrows, julienned
1 cup red cabbage, julienned
1 baguette, sliced lengthways
Handful fresh coriander
Handful Asian salad leaves
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced

METHOD
1. Mix the spring onions, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar.
2. Heat some oil in a large pan. Fry mince for 10 minutes, until just cooked. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. Toss the mince with the soy dressing. Mix in the butternut, baby marrow and cabbage.
4. Fill the baguette with mince stir-fry. Top with coriander, salad leaves and red pepper. Cut into 4 and serve.

The post Vietnamese-style gatsby appeared first on MyKitchen.