Viet Song!

These quintessentially Vietnamese dishes are simply delicious, and surprisingly easy to make.
PHOTO COURTESY OF Adobe Stock

RICE PAPER ROLLS

Makes 6

18 sheets of 22cm rice paper
18 prawns, cooked and halved
1 red cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, grated
80g of rice vermicelli, cooked
6 sprigs coriander
18 mint leaves
3 limes, juice only

Put some hot water into a large bowl, take a sheet of rice paper and dip the sheet into the water to soften it.
Place 2 half prawns horizontally and face down, about two-thirds of the way down the sheet.
Top with red cabbage, carrot, noodles, coriander and mint, all aligned down the centre of the sheet.
Garnish with the juice of half a lime. The roll should be about 2 inches in diameter, don’t overfill it or it will break.
To form the roll, fold the sides into the centre over the filling. Then fold the bottom of the paper over and start rolling bottom to top. Tuck the filling under whilst rolling tightly.
Serve with hoisin sauce.

BEEF PHO NOODLES

Serves 2

1l beef stock
1 large onion, quartered
2 thumb-sized pieces ginger
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
1tsp coriander seeds
½tsp cloves
1tsp palm sugar
1tbsp fish sauce
1½tbsp soy sauce
200g flat rice noodles
230g sirloin steak, sliced thin

Tip the beef stock along with 500ml of water into a large saucepan.
Fry the onion and ginger in a frying pan over a high heat and char on all sides, before adding to the beef stock.
In the same pan, toast the spices for 2-3 minutes and once they begin to smell fragrant, add them to the beef stock.
Bring the stock to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes before straining.
Add the palm sugar, fish sauce and soy to the beef stock.
Cook the noodles and split between two bowls, topping each with the sliced beef.
Bring the stock to the boil and then pour into the bowls (the heat will cook the beef).
Top each with a sprinkling of spring onions, chilli slices, Thai basil and coriander.
Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.