We joined the bar-b-que across the street with the Vietnamese, and let me tell you....the kabobs were dynamite. I was momentarily transported to Asia. I met a new friend named Tao and she was kind enough to share her recipe for the kabobs. However, I warn you that the measurements are a bit unclear to me. Here goes....
Vietnamese Kabobs
1. Chicken, Pork, or Beef (this recipe is for 10 lbs. of meat)
She said you can use any meat for this recipe. I hope you're hungry, folks!
2. Teriyaki Sauce = 1 small rice.
"1 small rice" means purchase a small rice bowl from the Asian market and fill it with teriyaki sauce (her words not mine), and that's how much teriyaki sauce will be needed. The bowl she is referring to is slightly bigger than the palm of your hand.
3. Lemon grass = 10
I asked, "10 what?" Tao held her hand in a fist and said, "you know?" The best I can figure from this is that it means 1o bunches of lemon grass (that seems like a lot to me, but what do I know).
4. Garlic = 5
Is that five heads of garlic for 10 lbs of meat? That's a butt load of garlic. Have you ever minced five heads of garlic? I have. Confession: when I was first learning to cook about eight years ago I didn't know the difference between a head of garlic and a clove of garlic. When the recipe called for four cloves of garlic, oh yes....you guessed it. I slapped four heads of garlic in my fancy food processor and pressed "blend." I could hardly breathe when I opened the lid. Shortly thereafter I saw a chef mince a clove of garlic on the Food Network, and I felt like a moron.
5. Shallot = 10
6. Ginger = (she left this part blank)
Tao said that fresh ginger is what keeps the meat tender, but "Don't use too much!" How much is too much? "You try. You will know," she said with an assuring smile. I almost told her my garlic story but decided against it. Tao and I both agreed that this part needs experimentation.
7. Sesame Oil = 1 cup
8. Black pepper = 3 teaspoons
or according to taste....
Mix all these ingredients and marinade kabobs overnight. Then throw them on the grill and there ya go!
Tao and her husband told me that before I could tell anyone I actually cooked authentic Vietnamese food, his family had to come to my house and test my attempt for official approval. "This may take three visits," he said laughing. "We will be there on Sunday," he said joking.
At least I think he was joking. Hmmm....
3 comments:
Fire up the grill! We'll be there and since I'm pregnant, I'll eat anything. Anything that is, except 5 heads of garlic.
I had an epiphany earlier today about the lemongrass. Perhaps you are supposed to mince a pile of lemongrass and then throw in ten small handfuls. yeah? yeah?
I think you just need to ask her if she'll **teach** you how to make it. Then you can write it down as you go.
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