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chilis
{Pageturner Cookbook}

18 recipes
Asian shrimp with pineapple relish
Black beluga lentil and coconut curry soup
Caribbean conch stew
Chimichurri
Citrus kosho - japanese citrus chili paste
Coconut shrimp with sweet chili sauce
ema datshi
Green Schug
Mexican street corn salad-esquites
Moroccan spiced chickpea soup
Pickled serrano chilis
Punjabi samosa
Red zhoug - schug
Seafood green onion pancake haemul-pajeon
Shito pepper sauce
Sticky tofu stir-fry
Tomatoes with peppers and stewed eggplants
Vietnamese dipping fish sauce

Chili peppers are varieties of capsicum pod which are hot and spicy. They range in taste from only flavoring types to really hot chili peppers.
The name of peppers can vary from region to region, hence the different spellings. It is either “chili pepper”, “chilli pepper”, or “chile pepper”.

“Chilli” is more commonly used in England and Europe. “Chile” is the most commonly used in America’s Southwest regions and particularly in New Mexico. “Chile” is actually the Spanish spelling and pronunciation of the word. However, “chili” is more common in general usage and spelling, an Americanized spelling of the original “Chile” spelling that came out of Mexico.
The Scoville Scale is a measurement of the heat and pungency of chili peppers where each pepper is recorded in Scoville Heat Units (or famously known as SHUs).The heat of a pepper is measured using Scoville units: The scale ranges from 0 as in bell peppers all the way to over 2,000,000 as in the spiciest chile in the world, the Carolina Reaper Pepper and the Trinidad scorpion.


What creates that burning sensation on our tongues and makes us sweat is the capsaicin. It’s the chemical compound found in peppers, and you can find it in the oil residing in the pepper or seeds.
When cooking with chili peppers, one must take precaution and wear gloves and ensure protection of the eyes. It’s recommended not to touch any sensitive part of your skin or your eyes when preparing chilies. Wearing gloves can help protect your skin when chopping chli peppers.
After slicing or chopping the peppers, use cold water to wash your rubber gloves, the chopping board, knife, and any other utensils that came into contact with the pepper or its seeds. This is important: if you're not careful, they can cause some serious irritation.

Asian shrimp with pineapple relish  Print Recipe

Serves: 6

Preparation time:15 minutes

Cooking time:10 minutes

Oil for deep-frying
12 large shrimp, peeled with tails left on, deveined
1/4 cup Thai chili-garlic sauce
12 egg roll wrappers, cut in half into 2 triangles
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup pineapple, cut into a small dice
1/2 red pepper, cut into a small dice
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
2 green onions, washed, ends removed, chopped

  • See Preparation

Asian shrimp with pineapple relish

Preparation:

Pour the oil 2 inches deep in a large pot. Heat it to 350 degrees.

Make four slits width-wise across each shrimp belly to keep the
shrimp from curling as they cook. Place the shrimp in a bowl and toss
them with the chili-garlic sauce.
Shake any excess marinade off of the shrimp, wrap them in the egg roll wrappers leaving the tails out and seal the wrapper and seal the wrapper with a mixture of the water and the cornstarch. Set aside.

In a small skillet, combine the pineapple, red pepper, cilantro,
olive oil, lime juice and green onions. Warm over low heat.
Fry the shrimp in small batches in oil over medium-high heat until golden brown, crispy and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes and set aside on paper towels to drain.
Serve with the relish.

Black beluga lentil and coconut curry soup  Print Recipe

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time:1 hour

1 small cauliflower, washed and divided into small heads
2 tsp coconut oil, solid
2 cups onions, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-inch piece of ginger, grated
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
pinch grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp paprika
1 lb (450g) can plum tomatoes, chopped
1 qt. hot vegetable stock
4 oz (120g) black beluga lentils
4 cups sweet potatoes, chopped into medium-sized chunks
2 cups (475 ml) can coconut milk

For the yogurt dressing:
1 cup 240 ml plain yogurt
1/2 cup cucumber, grated
10 mint leaves, chopped
pinch of salt

  • See Preparation

Black beluga lentil and coconut curry soup

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 200 C. (400 F). Place the cauliflower in a baking dish, drizzle with coconut oil, and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. While cauliflower is cooking, in a large pan, cook the onions, garlic, and ginger in 2 teaspoons coconut oil for about 10 minutes, then add all the spices, and cook over low heat for a few minutes more.
Add the tomatoes, stock, lentils and sweet potatoes, cover, and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn't burn and that you have enough liquid. Top up with water if needed. Add the coconut milk and continue to cook until the lentils and sweet potatoes are very soft. Add the cauliflower to the sauce in the pan.

To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together well. Cover and keep in the fridge until needed. Serve the curry with the rice and the yogurt dressing.

Caribbean conch stew  Print Recipe

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time:50 minutes

2 large conchs, cleaned
1/2 large onion, diced
1 large tomato, diced
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 lime

1 1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
pepper sauce or red pepper flakes to taste
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
7 cups water
  • See Preparation

Caribbean conch stew

Preparation:

Tenderize the conch to 1/8-inch thickness, using a meat mallet.
Place the conch in a pot of water. The water should just cover the conch. Boil for 20-30 minutes.
In a large pot, add the oil and allow to heat up for a minute.
Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Let the roux simmer for about 5 minutes. Don't let the roux burn!
Add the tomatoes, onions, thyme, pepper sauce/red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and let simmer for a minute or two.
Add the potatoes, tomato paste. Stir and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, take the conch out of the water and cut it into small chunks.
Add the water, conch and the juice of 1 lime to the large pot.
Cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are done, about 30 minutes.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Chimichurri  Print Recipe

Preparation time:10 minutes

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon finely grated or minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • See Preparation

Chimichurri

Preparation:


In a medium bowl or jar, combine the parsley, oregano, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Add the oil and vinegar* and mix well. Store covered for a couple of days and use before the herbs start to turn brown.

Note: *
Make chimichurri up to 4 days in advance but do not add the vinegar as the acid will brown the green herbs. Bring it to room temperature and add the vinegar a few hours before serving.

Citrus kosho - japanese citrus chili paste   Print Recipe

Serves: 8

Preparation time:20 minutes

1 lemon ( Meyer lemon if available)
1 lime
1 small grapefruit
1 small orange
2 stalks lemongrass
2 serrano or jalapeňo chilis
1 tablespoon fine grained salt
  • See Preparation

Citrus kosho - japanese citrus chili paste

Preparation:

Zest the lemons, limes, along with the grapefruit and orange into a medium bowl. Remove the fibrous outer layers and tops and bottoms from the lemongrass, leaving the tender center of the stalk. Finely chop the center of the stalk and add to the bowl. Finely slice the chili, and add it, seeds and all, to the bowl.
Transfer the ingredients to a mortar, add the salt, and pound with a pestle until everything combines into a rough paste (alternatively, blend in a food processor or blender into a fine paste). Juice one half of a lemon and one half of a lime and add the juice to the paste and stir.

Place in a glass jar, cover, and let ferment a few days at room temperature. Store in refrigerator.

Will keep in the refrigerator for about a month.

Coconut shrimp with sweet chili sauce  Print Recipe

Serves: 4

Preparation time:15 minutes

Cooking time:10 minutes

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper
1/3 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup shredded coconut
oil for frying
Sweet Chili Sauce (See recipe)
  • See Preparation

Coconut shrimp with sweet chili sauce

Preparation:

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, dredge them in flour, dip them in egg and coat them with a mixture of the breadcrumbs and shredded coconut.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, before setting aside on paper towels to drain.

ema datshi  Print Recipe

Serves: 2

Preparation time:10 minutes

Cooking time:10 minutes

10 oz. chili peppers (spicy Thai green/red chilies and jalapeño)
1 red onion , sliced
1 tomato , sliced
3 cloves garlic , crushed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup water
10 oz cheese , grated (a combination of cheddar or farmers cheese)
Salt to taste
  • See Preparation

ema datshi

Preparation:

Heat a pan and add butter. Add the sliced onion, tomato, garlic and chillies. Give them a quick toss and add the water. Season them with salt. Cover and cook until the peppers become tender.
Turn off the flame and add the cheese and let it melt in the residual heat.
Serve it over a bed of red or white rice.
Notes
For a flavorful dish, use a combination of chillies like Anaheim, jalapeño, and green chilies (Thai or Indian variety).
Increase or reduce the amount of chillies based on your tolerance for heat. You can also remove the pith and ribs to reduce the heat quotient
You can use any type of cheese especially one that melts. Avoid using stringy cheese like mozzarella. A combination of farmer’s cheese, blue cheese & cheddar would be good.

Green Schug  Print Recipe

Serves: 8

Preparation time:5 minutes

Cooking time:8 minutes

1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup seeded and roughly chopped fresh hot green chilies, such as serrano or jalapenos, stemmed and seeded
2 to 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 cups lightly packed cilantro leaves
2 cups lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
zest from one lemon
3 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • See Preparation

Green Schug

Preparation:

1. In a small skillet, toast the cumin and coriander seeds until they smell fragrant and have turned a shade darker in color. Transfer to a spice grinder or crush with a mortar and pestle.
2. Put the chilies and garlic in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are fairly fine. Add the cilantro, parsley, lemon zest, reserved toasted spiced, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few twists of black pepper. Pulse until all is finely chopped into a rough purée. Continue mixing while drizzling in the olive oil. Stop the processor before the sauce is completely blended and smooth—you want some texture. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Mexican street corn salad-esquites  Print Recipe

Serves: 4

Preparation time:15 minutes

Cooking time:15 minutes

2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
4 ears fresh corn, shucked, kernels removed (about 3 cups fresh corn kernels)
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons (30ml) mayonnaise
1 tablespoon (30ml) sour cream
2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh lime juice
2 ounces (60g) feta or Cotija cheese, finely crumbled
1/2 cup finely sliced scallions, green parts only
1/2 cup (1/2 ounce) fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeded and stemmed, finely chopped
1 to 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced on a Microplane grater (about 1 to 2 teaspoons)

Chili powder or hot chili flakes, to taste
  • See Preparation

Mexican street corn salad-esquites

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream and lime juice.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering. Add corn kernels, season to taste with salt, toss once or twice, and cook without moving until charred on one side, about 2 minutes. Toss corn, stir, and repeat until charred on second side, about 2 minutes longer. Continue tossing and charring until corn is well charred all over, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a large bowl.k
Add mayonnaise mixture, cheese, scallions, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, and chili powder and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and more chili powder to taste. Serve immediately.

Moroccan spiced chickpea soup  Print Recipe

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time:1 hour

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 large onion, medium diced
6 to 8 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 heaping teaspoon sweet paprika
1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1 quart vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (5-ounce) package pre-washed baby spinach
  • See Preparation

Moroccan spiced chickpea soup

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur. Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.
Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.
Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Pickled serrano chilis  Print Recipe

Serves: 8

Preparation time:15 minutes

Cooking time:10 minutes

2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
2 large white onions, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1⁄4″ slices
2 tsp. toasted cumin seeds
1 tsp. dried oregano
24 serrano or jalapeño chilis
12 whole allspice
12 whole black peppercorns
4 dried bay leaves
1 cup distilled white vinegar
Kosher salt, to taste
  • See Preparation

Pickled serrano chilis

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a 12″ skillet over high heat. Add the onions and cook until just soft, about 2 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano, peppers, allspice, peppercorns, and bay leaves; cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and salt; bring to a simmer.
Transfer the pepper mixture to a 1 1⁄2 -qt. sterilized glass jar and allow to cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate for 1 week before serving.

Punjabi samosa  Print Recipe

Serves: 4

Preparation time:45 minutes

Cooking time:45 minutes

for the samosa pastry:
2 cups maida or all purpose flour
4 tbsp ghee or oil
5-6 tbsp water (i added 5 tbsp + 1 tsp water)
1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
salt as required ( i added ¾ tsp salt)
oil for deep frying

For the samosa stuffing 1:
3 medium sized potatoes/aloo
¾ to 1 cup green peas/matar, fresh or frozen
1 green chili + ½ inch ginger crushed to a coarse paste in a mortar and pestle
½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
¼ tsp red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
½ tbsp oil
salt as required

whole spices to be ground:
¼ inch cinnamon (dal chini)
2 black peppercorns (kali mirch)
1 clove (laung)
1 green cardamom (hari elaichi or choti elaichi)
½ tsp cumin (jeera)
½ tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp dry pomegranate seeds/anardana or 1 tsp dry mango powder/amchur * check notes for mango powder

For the samosa stuffing 2:
3 medium size potatoes
¾ to 1 cup peas/matar, fresh or frozen
1 green chili and ½ inch ginger made in a paste or chopped finely
¾ tsp garam masala powder
¼ or ½ tsp red chili powder
1 tsp dry mango powder (amchur)
1 tsp fennel powder (saunf powder)
1 tsp coriander powder (dhania powder)
¾ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
2 to 2.5 tsp oil
salt as required
  • See Preparation

Punjabi samosa

Preparation:

preparing the samosa pastry:
  1. Take the flour, carom seeds, salt in a bowl. mix well and add ghee or oil.
  2. with your fingertips rub the ghee/oil in the flour to get a breadcrumb like consistency.
  3. the whole mixture should clamp together when joined.
  4. add 1 or 2 tbsp water.
  5. begin to knead adding water as required.
  6. knead to a firm dough. cover the dough with a moistened napkin and keep aside for 30-40 mins.
preparing stuffing 1:
  1. steam or boil the potatoes and peas till are cooked completely.
  2. peel the boiled potatoes and chop them into small cubes
  3. dry roast all the whole spices mentioned in the above list till fragrant.
  4. once cooled, grind them in a dry grinder or coffee grinder to a fine powder.
  5. heat oil in a pan.
  6. add the cumin seeds and crackle them.
  7. add the ginger-green chili paste.
  8. saute till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
  9. add the peas, red chili powder, the freshly ground spice powder and asafoetida.
  10. stir and saute on a low flame for 1-2 minutes
  11. add the potato cubes and saute for 2-3 minutes with frequent stirring.
  12. keep the filling aside to cool.
preparing stuffing 2:
  1. boil or steam the potatoes & peas till they are cooked completely.
  2. peel the potatoes and chop them into cubes.
  3. heat oil in a pan.
  4. crackle the cumin first, then add the ginger-green chili paste and saute till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
  5. lower the flame and add all the dry spice powders one by one.
  6. stir and then add potato cubes & peas along with salt.
  7. saute for 2-3 minutes.
  8. switch off and add the chopped coriander leaves from top and stir well.
  9. keep aside.
shaping, stuffing and frying the samosa:
  1. after keeping the dough for 30-40 mins. knead the dough lightly again.
  2. divided the dough 6 equal pieces.
  3. take each piece and roll in your palms first to make a smooth ball.
  4. then roll it with a rolling pin keeping the thickness neither thin nor thick.
  5. cut with a knife or a pastry cutter through the center of the samosa pastry.
  6. with a brush or with your finger tips, on the straight edge of the sliced pastry, apply some water.
  7. join the two ends bringing the watered edge on top of the plain edge.
  8. press the edges so that they get sealed well.
  9. stuff the prepared samosa cone with the prepared potato-peas stuffing.
  10. apply some water with your fingertips or brush on the round samosa cone circumference.
  11. pinch a part on the edge (check the video & pics). this helps the samosas to stand.
  12. press both the edges. be sure there are no cracks.
  13. prepare all the samosas this way and keep covered with a moist kitchen napkin.
  14. now heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. once the oil becomes hot (test by adding a small piece of dough – it should come up quickly once added to the hot oil) gently slide the prepares stuffed samosas & quickly reduce the flame to low.
  15. you can also fry the samosas twice as i have mentioned above in the post.
  16. turn over in between and fry the samosas till golden. drain samosas on paper towels to remove excess oil.
  17. fry the samosas in batches.
  18. for frying the second batch, again increase the temperature of the oil.
  19. add the samosas and then lower the flame, thereby decreasing the temperature of oil.
  20. this way fry all the samosas in batches.
baking the samosas:
  1. pre heat the oven to 180 degree C.
  2. brush oil lightly on the prepared samosas.
  3. place them in a baking tray and bake for 30-35 mins or till light golden at 180 degrees C.
serving suggestions:
  1. serve samosas hot or warm with coriander chutney, saunth (tamarind chutney), tamarind-dates chutney or tomato sauce.
  2. they can also be served with a yogurt dip or a plain raita. another way is to serve the samosas with punjabi chole (a spiced chickpea curry).
  3. a chaat can also me made from the samosa. we usually have samosa with masala chai or ginger chai.
  4. even bread or pav (indian bread rolls) can be served with the samosas.
  5. whatever you serve samosas with, remember to have hot masala chai along.

Red zhoug - schug  Print Recipe

Serves: 10

Preparation time:10 minutes

Cooking time:5 minutes

Makes 1 cup

1 cup grapeseed oil
2 large red bell peppers, stemmed and seeded, cut into 8 pieces
8 red chiles stemmed and seeded, cut in half
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground green cardamom pods, with the husks
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 garlic minced cloves
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons packed cilantro leaves, chopped
  • See Preparation

Red zhoug - schug

Preparation:

Add the oil to a large sauté pan and place on the stove over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the bell peppers and chiles and fry while continuously stirring for about 10 minutes, until the peppers start to blister and darken in color.

Remove the peppers and chiles from the oil, set aside, and let cool. Add the cooled fried peppers and chiles and the paprika, turmeric, cloves, cardamom, cumin, salt, garlic, and lemon juice to a food processor and blend, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula when necessary, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarce puree. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool, then add the cilantro and stir to combine. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Seafood green onion pancake haemul-pajeon  Print Recipe

Serves: 2

Preparation time:15 minutes

Cooking time:12 minutes

½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon potato starch
½ teaspoon kosher salt plus a pinch of salt
a pinch of ground black pepper
¾ cup stock (anchovy kelp stock, chicken stock or vegetable stock), or water
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 green onions, roots and tops trimmed to 8 to 9 inches long (to fit your skillet)
4 to 5 ounces (½ cup) seafood (peeled and deveined shrimp, squid, clams), chopped
1 large egg, beaten in a small bowl
1 fresh red pepper, sliced

For dipping sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon gochu-garu (Korean hot pepper flakes)
1 green onion, chopped
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
  • See Preparation

Seafood green onion pancake haemul-pajeon

Preparation:

dipping sauce:
1. Put soy sauce, vinegar, gochu-garu, green onion, and sesame seeds in a small bowl.
2. Mix and set it aside.
3. Prepare pancake ingredients:
1. Combine the chopped seafood, pinch of salt and a pinch of ground black pepper in a small bowl. Mix it well and set aside.
2. Combine flour, potato starch, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¾ cup stock (or water) in a large enough to accommodate the green onions. Mix with a whisk until smooth.
Make green onion pancake:
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and swirl to coat evenly.
2. Add the green onions to the batter to coat them. Using tongs or your hand, place them side by side in the skillet, alternating white end to green end, so they form a neat rectangle.
3. Add the seafood to the leftover batter in the bowl. Using your hands or tongs, spread the battered seafood on top of the battered scallions, scraping out any excess batter remaining in the bowl.
4. Add the sliced red pepper and pour the beaten egg over top of the pancake in the skillet.
5. Quickly wash your hands!
6. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 6 minutes, until the bottom is light brown and crispy.
7. Turn the pancake over with a large spatula. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil around the edges of the skillet. Lift one edge of the pancake with your spatula and tilt the skillet so that the oil flows underneath the pancake. Cook for another 3 minutes until nicely browned and crisp.
8. Turn the pancake over again. Turn up the heat to medium high heat and cook for 1 minute, until the bottom turns crunchy.
9. Transfer to a large plate, with the egg and seafood side up. Serve right away with the dipping sauce.
How to eat:
1. Mix the dipping sauce with a spoon. You can cut up the large pancake into several pieces before eating. Take 1 piece to a small individual plate and drizzle some dipping sauce with the spoon and eat. If you don’t want to precut the pancake, you can use your chopsticks to tear off a chunk of batter with a green onion and seafood, and then eat it with the dipping sauce. I prefer the second way because I love to eat the whole cooked green onion.

Shito pepper sauce  Print Recipe

Serves: 20

Preparation time:20 minutes

Cooking time:50 minutes

• 1 cup peanut or canola oil
• 2 medium red onions , cut into small cubes
• 2 cloves garlic , very finely chopped
• 2 inch fresh ginger , peeled and finely grated
• 1/2 tablespoon crushed thyme leaves
• 2 oz. green kpakpo shito peppers (or green Scotch bonnet peppers, or alternatively 2 tablespoons dried green pepper flakes), diced with seeds
• 3 tablespoons tomato purée
• 2 oz. chilli powder
• 1 oz. ground dried shrimp
• 1 oz. smoked fish powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper , freshly ground
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • See Preparation

Shito pepper sauce

Preparation:



1. Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan, then add the oil and fry the onions over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until they become translucent.
2. Add garlic, ginger, thyme and green kpakpo shito peppers. Mix well and fry for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Stir in the tomato purée and mix well.
4. Pour in the chili powder and continue cooking, stirring constantly for 30 minutes.
5. Finally, add the dried shrimp and smoked fish powder, then cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring almost continuously to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan.
6. The content should change from dark red to very dark brown and the oil will rise to the surface when the sauce is ready.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
8. Cool, then spoon into sterilized glass jars.
9. Seal the jars and keep them in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Sticky tofu stir-fry  Print Recipe

Serves: 4

Preparation time:15 minutes

Cooking time:15 minutes

FOR SERVING: optional
3-4 cups (474-632 g) cooked brown rice
Steamed broccoli
TOFU
1 lb (450 g) extra-firm tofu
4 Tbsp (60 ml) tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp (15 ml) coconut sugar or maple syrup
4-5 Tbsp (28-35 g) cornstarch
2 Tbsp (30 ml) canola oil

SAUCE
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
1 Tbsp (6 g) ginger, minced
1 Tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar (or sub white vinegar)
1/4 cup (48 g) coconut sugar or maple syrup, plus more to taste
3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce,
1/3 cup water

STIR-FRY
1 Tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
4 green onions, chopped
1 large red or yellow pepper, thinly sliced.
1 Tbsp red pepper sauce (sriracha sauce) or 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce
optional: Sesame seeds, for garnish
  • See Preparation

Sticky tofu stir-fry

Preparation:

1. Prepare the rice and broccoli.
2. Chop green onions, garlic, and ginger . Set aside.
3. Prepare sauce by combining sesame oil, cornstarch, minced garlic, minced ginger, rice vinegar, coconut sugar or maple syrup, tamari or soy sauce, and water in a small mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine.
4. Unwrap tofu, rinse under cold water; dry well in a towel to remove moisture and cut into even pieces, about 3/4-inch cubes.
5. Add tofu to a shallow mixing bowl and top with tamari or soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, and maple syrup. Toss to combine. Let rest 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Use a slotted spoon or fork to transfer tofu to a quart-size or large freezer bag. Add cornstarch 1 Tbsp at a time and toss to coat. Continue adding more cornstarch and tossing until tofu is coated in a white sticky layer- about 5 Tbsp.
7. Heat a large metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Add 2 Tbsp canola oil and heat for 30 seconds. Then use a slotted spoon or fork to add tofu to the pan.
8. Cook on all sides until light golden brown. Remove tofu from pan. Set aside.
9. Return skillet to burner and increase heat to medium-high. Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil, chopped green onions and sliced peppers . Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
10. Add the sauce and tofu with the red pepper sauce or garlic sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, to coat the tofu and vegetables for 2 minutes, or until warmed the sauce has slightly thickened.
11. Remove pan from heat and add sesame seeds (optional). Toss to coat.
12. Serve with rice and steamed broccoli (optional).

Tomatoes with peppers and stewed eggplants  Print Recipe

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 1 hour

Cooking time:40 minutes

3 medium eggplants
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 white onions, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
a pinch cayenne pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup olive oil
3 large vine ripe tomatoes
sea salt and ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped basil
  • See Preparation

Tomatoes with peppers and stewed eggplants

Preparation:

Prepare the eggplant stew a day ahead. Wash and cube with the eggplants with the skin.
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add eggplants and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat, until lightly brown. Add chopped onions and coriander seeds; continue cooking for 5 minutes, adding more oil if necessary. Season with cinnamon and cumin ; add cilantro, lemon juice, salt and pepper, cayenne and chicken broth.
Cover and simmer for 40 minutes, or until eggplants are soft and almost all liquid has evaporated. Cool and refrigerate.

Prepare the peppers a day ahead. Wash and dry peppers. Grill under a broiler until the whole surface of the peppers is dark brown to black. Remove skin. Cut in halves and remove seeds and white pith. Cut into strips.
Peel and slice garlic. In a glass bowl, combine pepper strips with garlic and oil. Allow to marinate for a day or two.
To assemble:
Slice tomatoes. Arrange on plates or platter. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, oil and vinegar, cilantro and basil. Spoon peppers and eggplant compote around tomatoes. Serve cold.

Vietnamese dipping fish sauce  Print Recipe

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

6 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp. fish sauce
1 teaspoon chopped Bird's eye / Thai chiles
  • See Preparation

Vietnamese dipping fish sauce

Preparation:

1. Combine water and sugar in a bowl. Use warm water for easier dissolving.
2. Add lime or lemon juice in increments until you like how it tastes. A good guide is it should taste like lemonade/limeade.
3. Add garlic and fish sauce in small increments until you like how it tastes. It should be a little strong since it goes on unseasoned food.
There are so many different recipes for dipping sauce in Vietnam. The one I like best is smashing some garlic, chilli with sugar, add lime juice, add some water (only if I want diluted sauce for Bún or Rolls), then some fish sauce. I like to crush garlic and chilli at first because it adds a strong taste to the sauce, which is really great when combining with other food.