Ever-Green Vietnamese SUPER-FRESH RECIPES, STARRING PLANTS FROM LAND AND SEA [A PLANT-BASED COOKBOOK] By Andrea Nguyen .
Ever-Green Vietnamese is not a vegan cookbook, or even a vegetarian one. It’s part of a new wave of “plant forward” cookbooks that give meat a more supporting role as a sometimes ingredient and flavor enhancer along with the vegetables that play the starring role.
It’s a healthy approach to eating, and one that Ngyuen was surprised to find harkened back to how her family used to eat before immigrating to the U.S. where they found that meat was cheap and plentiful. It turns out that her modern touch of shifting the focus to more vegetables is more in line with the way her mom remembers cooking in Vietnam than the food she grew up on in the US.
As an omnivore who happens to love vegetables and is interested in eating healthier, I like that there is no use of processed meat alternative products. It’s really all about the veggies (and tofu) and making them taste great.
That said, she includes some clever umami-laden recipes for basic building blocks like Vegan Fish Sauce and Vegan Sate Sauce, and the majority of the recipes in the book either are, or can easily be made vegan.
I started with some pantry building recipes, including the Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce (the base can be stored in the fridge for up to a month), Caramel Sauce (can be stored indefinitely), and Nori Dust (good for six months in the pantry). In her recipe for the dipping sauce, she encourages you to start with her suggested quantities, and then taste and tinker with it until it’s just the way you like it. Then write it down, and save it as your formula for the next time. This is an attitude that is repeated throughout the book, including in the Spice-Citrus Marble Cake, where you are instructed to taste and adjust the spice mixture to make it your own. While I generally taste and adjust while cooking (though usually not in a cake!), I tend to dislike recipes that tell you to just to add something ‘to taste’ without describing what you are aiming for. Especially with a cuisine I’m not that experienced in cooking, I found her details helpful in nudging me along in the right direction. That supportive teacher-like voice followed me to my local Asian market where it gave me confidence to try herbs that I had always had trouble identifying, and assistance in deciding which brands of staples to purchase. It even extended to a link to a video online, where I could see just how my caramel sauce should bubble and sizzle, and how dark I should take it.
Armed with my Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce, the Roast Chicken with Nuoc Cham Vinaigrette required minimal additional prep, and became an easy and flavorful meal with some roasted broccoli and potatoes on a sheet pan.
The Caramel Chicken, Mushrooms, and Ginger took a bit more effort but made good use of the Caramel Sauce, with meaty mushrooms soaking up the tasty sauce along with the chicken.
Of all the things I’ve tried so far, though, the revelation for me was just how much flavor can be infused into the humble cauliflower with a few savory ingredients and time roasting in the oven. I couldn’t stop eating the Char Siu Roasted Cauliflower, and expect it will be in regular rotation, either on its own or maybe as a filling for banh mi or bao (both recipes in the book).
Now that I’ve stocked my pantry and fridge, I feel ready to add tasty quick meals to my weeknight repertoire.
Plant-forward is a healthy approach to eating. Vegetables play the starring roles.
Char Siu Roasted Cauliflower
In tropical Vietnam, cauliflower is a prized cool -weather crop that is typically stir-fried, added to soup, or pickled. Serve this cauliflower as a main dish or tuck it into bao or banh mi.
Ingredients
- •.9 Kg (2 pound) head of cauliflower
- •45 ml (3 tablespoons) hoisin suce
- •30 ml (2 tablespoons) toasted sesame oil
- •15 ml (1 tablespoon) agave syrup or mild honey
- •Scant 15 ml (1 tablespoon) ketchup
- •7.5 ml (1 1/2 teaspoons) soy sauce
- •2 garlic cloves, minced and mashed or put through a garlic press
- •1.3 ml (1/4 teaspoon) Chinese five-spice powder
Preparation
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 232°C (450°F). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pull off or cut away large leaves from the cauliflower, saving them for soup or broth, if you like. Trim a slice from the core end, where it is likely discolored. Cut the head into wedges no more than three inches thick. Using a dish towel, dry the wedges so that they will absorb the seasonings well.
In a big b0wl, stir together the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, agave syrup, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic and five-spice powder. Add the cauliflower wedges and, using a big spoon or spatula, stir to coat well. Spread the wedges out onto the prepared baking sheet, cut side down. Drizzle or smear any remaining seasoning from the bowl onto the wedges.
Roast the cauliflower for 15 minutes, use tongs to turn over the wedges, then roast for 10 minutes longer. Liquid will appear on the pan, Continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes, during which the liquid will concentrate, bubble, and thicken. As that happens, use the tongs or a spatula to flip the cauliflower pieces about three times so they puck up the seasonings.
To get a slightly deeper color and flavor, keep the baking sheet in place and switch on the broiler for about 60 seconds, monitoring carefully to avoid burning. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes to develop flavor before serving.
Caramel Chicken, Mushrooms, and Ginger
Much of Vietnamese cooking is based on simplicity, requiring just a few ingredients. This is an interpretation of a classic northern Viet kho. During the quick simmering, the chicken releases its juices to create a sauce which the mushrooms then absorb. Serve with lots of rice and stir-fried or steamed vegetables.
Ingredients
For the Caramel Sauce (makes 1/2 cup):
- •.6 ml (1/8 teaspoon) unseasoned rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or distilled white vinegar
- •100 grams (1/2 cup) granulated cane sugar
For the chicken with ginger:
- •340 grams (12 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) chunks
- •Chubby 5 cm (2 inch) section fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced, and smashed with the flat side of a knife
- •45 ml (3 tablespoons) Caramel Sauce
- •30 ml (2 tablespoons) fish sauce, plus more as needed
- •1.3 ml (1/4 teaspoon) fine sea salt
- •30 ml (2 tablespoons) vegetable oil
- •60 ml (1/4 cup) chopped shallots or yellow onion
- •340 grams (12 ounces) King Trumpet mushrooms, halved lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 4 cm (1 1/2 inch) thick pieces
- •2 scallions, green and white parts, cut into short lengths
Preparation
- For the caramel sauce: In a small heavy saucepan, combine vinegar and sugar with 30 ml water. Cook over medium heat, stirring often. When the sugar has dissolved, stop stirring. Let the mixture bubble vigorously for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the heat to medium low to slow the cooking. Use an exhaust fan to to vent the inevitable smoke. Cook the syrup for about two minutes longer, until it reaches the color of dark tea. Continue a minute or two longer until a color of between inky red wine and dark coffee is reached. Remove from heat and set in a bowl or large pan of cold water to stop the cooking. The water should reach halfway up the outside of the hot pan. Leaving the pan in the water, add 60 ml (1/4 cup) water. When the bubbling stops, blot the bottom of the pan on a dish towel, then set on medium-high heat. Cook briefly, stirring to loosen and dissolve the sugar. Remove the pan from heat and return to bowl of water for about 1 minute, stirring to stop the cooking. Let cool to room temperature.
For the chicken with ginger: In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, ginger, caramel sauce, fish sauce, and salt. Stir to coat. Set a large saucepan over medium heat and add oil. When the oil begins to ripple, add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently for about two minutes until about half the pieces are golden. Add the mushrooms and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until glistening. Add the chicken and ginger mixture, stir to combine, pour in 120 ml (1/2 cup) water, and stir again to distribute.
Cover the pan and bring to a strong simmer. Stir again, then replace the lid. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce reduces and the color deepens. Remove from heat, cover, and let rest for five minutes. Stir in the scallions so they wilt slightly in the steamy heat. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
