Text 21599, 133 rader
Skriven 2009-03-06 21:15:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av MICHAEL LOO
Ärende: Re: Lettuce wraps 303
=============================
-=> Quoting Michael Loo to Jim Weller <=-

 JW> Regional Memorial Hospital Auxiliary of Brunswick, Maine

 ML> Interestingly, I used to go out with a woman whose aunt, one
 ML> Lorene Kitchin, lived on Orr's and/or Bailey's Island and was
 ML> on the committee that produced the Merrymeeting Merry Eating
 ML> cookbook. We used to cook together, or, rather, I would cook
 ML> Chinese food, and they would eat. I am not implying that this
 ML> is my recipe, which it is not. But at one point in the earlier
 ML> 1980s I compiled a Chinese cookbook with similar recipes for
 ML> the benefit of that family, especially Lorene, another niece
 ML> of Lorene. I believe this recipe may have been influenced by
 ML> me, and in any case, there are recipes in that book that are
 ML> from me.

That's pretty neat.

MMMMM-----Meal-Master - formatted by MMCONV  2.10

     Title: Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)
Categories: Vietnamese, Beef, Stews
  Servings: 12

           For a 6-quart pot, you'll
           need:
      1 lb beef stew meat
      1 lb oxtails, or substitute with
      1 lb beef stew meat or
      1 lb beef neck bones
      1 TB annatto seeds
    1/2 c  all-purpose flour
      2    stalks lemongrass, bruised
      2    inch knob ginger, cut into
           big slices
      1    Stick of cinnamon
      3    Star anise
      1    Bay leaf
      2 ts Chinese 5-spice powder
      2 ts Ca Ri Ni An Do (Vietnamese
           Indian Madras Curry Powder)
      2 TB Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese Fish
           Sauce)
      2 ts salt
      6 oz can tomato paste
      2    carrots, cut into 2-inch
           chunks
      3    potatoes or more, cut into 2
           inch chunks
      1 c  pearl onions, or 1 large
           onion, cut into 2 inch
           chunks

Bo kho's distinct taste comes from the use of lemongrass, ginger,
star anise, cinnamon, Vietnamese Indian Madras curry powder and
Chinese 5-spice powder. The deep red color isn't just from tomato
paste but also the use of annatto seeds. The stew needs to simmer
for several hours to maximize flavor and for fall-apart tender beef.
I prefer using a combination of beef stew meat and oxtails. The
oxtails will result in a much deeper, richer flavor. You could
certainly add tendon as well. Add the vegetables in the last hour of
stewing so they don't become mushy.

And like most stews, it's even better the next day, and the day
after that, and the day after that. I Facebooked (Yeah, it's a verb
now.) my cousins and friends to offer them some bo kho, but none
took me up on it. So I ate it all by myself. It took me a week. And
it was good every single time.

You'll need about 1 lb beef stew meat and 1 lb oxtails. Wash and set
aside.

Annatto seeds provide the deep rich red color and a slight sweetness
to the stew.

In a large pot on high heat, add 1 tblsp of annatto seeds to 2 tblsp
olive oil. The seeds will start releasing their color. Be careful!
The seeds may pop in the oil. Keep stirring until the oil turns red.
Scoop out the seeds and discard.

Sprinkle about 1/2 cup flour over the beef, making sure to coat each
piece. Pan-fry the beef and oxtails until each side is brown. You
may have to do this in batches. I just move the oxtails to one side
of the pot and stack them on top of each other. When the beef is all
browned, add any remaining flour to the pot. It'll help thicken the
stew.

Add two bruised lemongrass stalks, ginger slices, a stick of
cinnamon, and 3 star anise pods. Also add 1 bay leaf, 2 tsp Chinese
5-spice powder, 2 tsp Ca Ri Ni An Do (Vietnamese Indian Madras Curry
Powder), 2 tblsp Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese Fish Sauce), 2 tsp salt, and a
6-oz can tomato paste.

Then fill your pot about 3/4 full with water. When the water boils,
turn the heat down to medium and let simmer for an hour.

Meanwhile, prepare your other vegetables. I used pearl onions
because I couldn't resist how beautiful they looked. You can dice a
large onion instead. Chop up 2 carrots and 3 potatoes, or more if
you wish. Keep the vegetable chunks at least several inches in size
as they'll simmer for a while and you don't want them to become
mushy or lose shape.

Add the vegetables after the stew has been simmering for an hour.
Taste and add fish sauce or salt if necessary. Turn the heat down to
medium-low and let it simmer for another hour.

After simmering for several hours, the beef stew meat and oxtails
should be fall-apart tender. Fish out the ginger, lemongrass,
cinnamon, and star anise.

Serve with Vietnamese French bread, rice, or rice noodles.

Notes:

Christine of Holy Basil used shallots instead of pearl onions.

Ila of I Nom Things created a fusion version by adding red wine.

  From: Http://Wanderingchopsticks.Blogspot
 
MMMMM-------------------------------------------------

Cheers

YK Jim


... Fast, easy, cheap: sounds a back alley relationship, not lunch

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