Text 19, 98 rader
Skriven 2007-12-30 00:27:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av CAROL SHENKENBERGER
Ärende: Tapioca noodles 3
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MMMMM-----Meal-Master - formatted by MMCONV  2.10

     Title: Phnom Penh Noodle Soup W/Pork, Shrimp, Shallots 2
Categories: Vietnamese, Noodles, Soup, Pork, Shrimp
  Servings: 8

           con't

There should be a good 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet. If not,
add a little extra. Heat over medium heat and add the pork, salt and
pepper, stirring to break the pork up into small pieces. Cook,
stirring, for about 3 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through.
Transfer to a ramekin or small bowl. Set aside to cool. All of these
toppings may be prepared in advance and refrigerated. Return to room
temperature before assembling the bowls. 

Assemble the bowls: Cut the pork and liver into thin slices, about
1/16 thick. For the best results, make sure they are cold. Have
ready the shallot, garlic, ground pork, noodles, and shrimp for
assembling the bowls. Arrange the garnishes on a plate or put them
in small dishes and put on the table. 

To ensure good timing, bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat
while you are assembling the bowls. Add the shrimp and poach them
for about 2 minutes, or until they have curled and turned orange.
Remove from the broth and set aside.

At the same time, fill a large pot with water and bring to a rolling
boil. For each bowl, place a portion of the noodles on a
vertical-handle strainer (or mesh sieve) and dunk the noodles in the
boiling water. As soon as they have collapsed and lost their
stiffness (10 to 20 seconds), pull the strainer from the water,
letting the water drain back into the pot. Empty the noodles into a 
bowl.

Top each bowl with sliced pork, liver and 2 shrimp. In the center
add some cooked ground pork, fried garlic, and crispy caramelized
shallot. Finish with a sprinkling of black pepper.

Raise the heat and bring the broth to a rolling boil. Do a final
tasting and make any last-minute flavor adjustments. Ladle about 2
cups broth into each bowl, distributing the hot liquid evenly to
warm all the ingredients. Serve immediately with the garnishes.

Crispy Caramelized Shallot (Makes about 1/3 cup)

1/2 cup thinly sliced shallot (1 very large or 2-3 small shallots)
3 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil (canola, corn, or vegetable)

To help the shallot crisp up, first remove some excess moisture. Do
your best to use your fingers to separate the slices into individual
layers, depositing them on a paper towel. Gather up the paper towel
and gently blot away the moisture. Set near the stove.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the
shallot and gently fry, stirring occasionally to ensure even
cooking. After 5 to 6 minutes, when the shallot is fragrant and
turning light golden, watch the skillet carefully, moving it
frequently by stirring or swirling the skillet. During frying, the
shallot will soften into a mass and then stiffen as it caramelizes 
and crisps. When most of the shallot slices are rich golden brown,
turn off the heat. (Total cooking time is about 10 minutes.) Using a
slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving as
much oil behind in the skillet as possible; discard or use the
fragrant oil for other uses. Spread the shallot out in one layer.
When they've cooled, crisped, and slightly darkened, transfer them 
to a small bowl or plate. 

Kept uncovered at room temperature, the shallots retain their
crispiness for a good 8 hours. Even if they no longer rustle when
you shake them, they're still tasty.

Notes:

The noodles in a bowl of hu tieu can be chewy clear tapioca noodles, 
opaque white rice noodles like you'd use for pho noodle soup, or
thin Chinese egg noodles (mi). The toppings cover a wide territory,
and may include boneless pork, pork ribs, pork offal, shrimp, squid,
wonton dumplings, fried garlic, fried shallot, and/or scallion. As
usual, you pick and choose whatever you want. Hu tieu is the extreme
have-it-your-way Vietnamese food experience. I've seen a 'dry'
version too but have never tried it.

Given all the variations, locking down a classic approach to hu tieu
is difficult. There isn't one prevailing concept. Yep, Vietnamese
cooking can be downright confusing.


MMMMM-------------------------------------------------

Cheers

YK Jim


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