Unicorn (Unicorn@Indenial.com)
Tue, 21 Sep 1999 05:34:12 -0400
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: FOOD FUNNY :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Reader "JoJean G." sent us the following:
I have a really happened food funny for you. Several years ago my
nephew went to the hospital to have his tonsils out (back when they
kept you in the hospital for more than 30 minutes). After a couple
days of having nothing but liquids for food, he was brought a glass of
something and he said, "I don't want that. I want something on a
plate." Now when anybody in the family gets hungry, they say, "I want
something on a plate."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::: TODAY'S RECIPE ::::::::::::::::::::::::::
This sauce is served at virtually every meal, and is the Vietnamese
equivalent to the Western custom of providing salt and pepper with
every meal. You will want to serve this with almost all of the dishes
we will be offering up this week.
Nuoc Cham
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small, hot, red chili pepper, seeds
and membranes removed
2 Tbs (30 ml) sugar
1/4 fresh lime, juice and pulp only
4 Tbs (60 ml) fish sauce*
2 to 4 Tbs (30 - 60 ml) water, according to taste
* Also known as nuoc mam, it is available in finer supermarkets and
Asian specialty shops.
Purists insist that the garlic and chili pepper be ground together in
a mortar and pestle, although acceptable results can be obtained by
processing all the ingredients in a food processor. The traditional
procedure is as follows:
Combine the garlic and chili pepper in a mortar and mash with the
pestle until a paste is formed. Squeeze the lime juice into the
paste, then remove the pulp from the lime and add it to the mixture.
Mash to a paste again, and add the fish sauce and water, stirring to
combine. Makes about 1/2 cup (125 ml) to serve 4 to 6.
This vegetable platter is almost as common a sight on Vietnamese
tables as is the nuoc cham. An assortment of greens and sliced
vegetables is served alongside many traditional dishes, allowing the
diners to serve themselves. It will be called for in at least two of
our recipes this week.
Vietnamese Vegetable Platter
1 head soft leaf lettuce, such as Boston or Bibb (not Iceberg)
1 cucumber
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh coriander (Chinese parsley)
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
Separate the head of lettuce into individual leaves, rinse, drain, and
set aside. Peel the cucumber partially, so as to leave stripes of
green skin down its length. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, and
then into thin slices, forming semicircles. Arrange the lettuce
leaves in a mound in the center of a platter. Arrange the mint,
coriander, and bean sprouts in mounds around the lettuce. Arrange the
cucumber slices around the edge of the platter, overlapping them
slightly.
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