Laksa soup

 This is a recipe for a real Malaysian restaurant quality laksa made by sprucing up store bought laksa paste! You can’t just dump store bought laksa paste into coconut broth! The key is to freshen up the paste by sautéing it with garlic, ginger, chilli and lemongrass. Makes a world of difference! This makes 4 large bowls. 

Ingredients

Chicken Stock

• ▢2 cups (500 ml) chicken stock / broth
• ▢1 cup (250 ml) water
• ▢3 chicken drumsticks (Note 1)

Laksa Broth

• ▢1 1/2 tbsp oil
• ▢2 garlic cloves , minced
• ▢2 cm / 4/5″ piece of ginger , finely grated
• ▢1 lemongrass , white part grated, (Note 2)
• ▢2 birds eye chillis , finely chopped (Note 3)
• ▢1/2 cup (175g) laksa paste (Note 4)
• ▢400g / 14 oz can coconut milk (Note 5)
• ▢2 tsp fish sauce (sub soy)

Noodles + Toppings

• ▢50g / 1.5 oz vermicelli noodles , dried
• ▢100g / 3.5oz hokkien noodles (optional, Note 6)
• ▢80g / 2.5 oz bean sprouts
• ▢80g / 2.5 oz tofu puffs , cut in half (Note 7)

Instructions

Laksa Broth

• Heat oil in a large saucepan or small pot over medium low heat. Add garlic and ginger, sauté for 20 seconds, then add lemongrass and chillis. Cook for 1 minute.
• Add laksa paste. Turn heat up to medium and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, or until fragrant.
• Add chicken stock, coconut milk, fish sauce and 2 tsp of Laksa Chilli Sauce. Place lid on and simmer on for 10 minutes.
• Adjust to taste using lime juice (for sour) and fish sauce (for saltiness). Add tofu puffs. Leave on turned off stove with lid on for 5 minutes.

Assemble Laksa

• Prepare noodles per packet directions.
• Divide noodles between 2 bowls. 
• Pour broth over noodles. 

Chicken Pho

Ingredients

Charred aromatics:

• 1 tbsp oil , vegetable or canola (or other plain oil)
• 2 onions , halved (skin on fine)
• 2" piece of ginger 
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 6 oz sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 bell pepper, finely sliced
• 1.5 lb chicken thighs

Pho Soup Broth:

• 2 quarts water
• 1 small bunch cilantro (Note 2)
• 5 star anise pods (was short in photo & video!)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 8 tsp fish sauce
• 6 tsp white sugar
• 1 spoon of chicken bouillon

Noodle Bowls:

• 12 oz dried rice noodles

Toppings - help yourself

• 1 can bean sprouts (Note 3)
• 1 small bunch cilantro (Note 4)
• 2 limes , cut into 4 wedges
• Sriracha
• Jalapeno chillies , finely sliced

Instructions

BROTH:

• Saute onion & ginger - Heat oil in a 6 litre / 6 quart pot (Note 5) over high heat. Place ginger and onion facedown, leave undisturbed for 2 minutes until they blacken. Turn and leave for another 2 minutes.
• Put everything in pot - Add water and remaining Broth ingredients EXCEPT salt. Bring it a simmer, then lower heat so it's simmering VERY gently with the lid on, but open a crack (Note 6).
• Simmer gently 1.5 hours. Scoop off scum (dirty foam) that rises to surface once or twice during the simmering.
• Strain & measure - Remove chicken, then strain broth into a clean pot - you should have 1.5 litres / 1.5 quarts. If you have more, simmer to reduce. If less, top it up with water.
• Salt broth - Add salt, bring broth to a gentle simmer. Broth should be slightly on the salty side - it dilutes when you add the noodles.
• Keep broth warm until ready to serve
• Shred chicken meat, discard bones and skin. (Note 6 Leftover Chicken ideas)

ASSEMBLING:

• Place Toppings out on the table.
• Reheat chicken (can briefly dunk in broth!).
• Prepare noodles per packet directions, just prior to serving. Drain very well (excess water dilutes broth).
• Place noodle in bowls. Top with chicken, ladle over 375ml / 1.5 cups broth. Sprinkle with green onion.
• Pile on Toppings of choice, add a squeeze of lime into the broth. Consume immediately!

Notes

1. Chicken - or a whole chicken. Don't reduce chicken weight, you will lack flavour in broth. If you're short, throw in a wing or drumstick etc to make up the weight.

Can't shortcut this with breast or boneless thigh - need to use skin on chicken with bone in so it can withstand the cook time, and also dark meat imparts way more flavour into broth.

2. Coriander/cilantro - small bunch quantity: if you bundled it all up, it should roughly equal 1 1/2 cups. Around 5cm/2" diameter around base, 20cm/8" tall (you can chop most leaves off to use for topping, and use stems plus some leaves for broth)

3. Bean sprouts - tend to be a bit floppy and smelly from non Asian stores. To perk them up, put in container, cover in water, refrigerate 12 hours. Drain, let dry then use per recipe. If you change water daily, beansprouts will keep for a week using this storage method.

4. Herbs - these 3 herbs are a classic combination for pho. If you have 2 of three, it's still going to seem like an authentic eating experience. If I really had to only pick one, I'd choose either coriander or Thai Basil. Thai Basil can be substituted with normal basil (but not if it's the only herb you're using).

5. Pot - don't use a cast iron pot as the base will be charred and you may need to scrub. Pot should be at least 6 litres/quarts big. If it's smaller, you can hold back some water and add it as the chicken shrinks/water evaporates (been there, done that!)

6. Clear broth - gentle simmer and scooping off scum is the path to a lovely clear broth!

7. Leftover chicken - you won't even use half the chicken for the Pho. Chicken nicely infused with Asian flavours, so use it for things like: fried rice, Chinese Chicken Salad, Vietnamese Noodle Salad, Peanut Noodle Salad, Chinese Corn Soup, or toss it into a Chicken Stir Fry or Stir Fried Noodles.

8. QUICK Pho using store bought chicken stock - follow recipe but make following changes:

• Do not use thighs, use 500g/1lb chicken breast instead
• Use 6 cups low sodium chicken stock + 1 cup water (instead of just water)
• Reduce fish sauce to 3 tsp, use NO salt
• Char onion & ginger per recipe
• Put all spices, stock and water in pot with breast. Simmer 10 min until breast cooked, remove and shred
• Simmer remaining liquid for 30 min with lid open ajar, reduce to 1.5L/1.5Qt. Strain, proceed with recipe (except NO extra salt in broth).

9. Servings - this will make 4 generous size servings (1.5 cups broth per person, makes a dinner size serving for a person with a very good appetite), 5 sensible servings, or 6 lighter servings (good for a light lunch).

10. Storage - make the broth and freeze for 3 months, or refrigerate up to 5 days. Reheat until piping hot. Do not be tempted to scoop off chicken fat that firms up in fridge - it's essential for flavour in broth and mouthfeel!

All toppings and noodles must be made fresh.

11. Nutrition is per serving, assuming 4 generous servings. I've had to make an educated estimate of the calories from the chicken, noting that while we extract the flavor and some of the fat into the broth, most of the chicken recipe is not used in the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 501cal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 1486mg | Potassium: 352mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 18IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg

Another great recipe by recipetineats.com

French Toast Casserole

 This a modification of a commonly found online recipe a la Carol.

Ingredients:

For 1 serving:

• 2 pieces of Dave's bread
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup soy milk or milk
• 1/6 tsp vanilla
• 4 tsp maple syrup
• Cinnamon to taste
• 1/2 cup fruit

For 6 servings:

• 10 pieces of bread
• 6 eggs
• 1 3/4 cup milk 
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• Cinnamon to taste 
• 2 cups frozen or canned fruit
• 1 can of Oregon cherries, drained
• 1/2 cup of frozen berries, thawed in microwave

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375*F.
2. Tear the bread into smaller pieces and add to small container for one serving or 9 x 13 for 6 servings.
3. Mix egg and all other liquids besides fruit.
4. Dribble fruit evenly over the bread.
5. Pour egg mixture over all of the eggs and push down to make sure they are all soaked.
6. Baking
1. For one serving, 25-35 minutes
2. For six servings, 60 minutes.

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 This is a modification of the original recipe for Vietnamese Chicken Meatballs to make the sauce alone.

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes (hot as you like)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Steps:

1. Add all ingredients together in small bowl.
2. You're done.

Miang Kam Sauce

This is the modification of our original Miang Kam recipe, just to make the sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup shredded dried coconut
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1-2 Tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup water

Steps:

1. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan together. 
2. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure all the ingredients are well blended and the sauce as smooth as possible. 
3. Transfer to a sauce bowl and allow to cool to room temperature before using. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.