Vietnamese Green Mango Salad/ Goi Xoai

I'm Vietnamese and I love Vietnamese food. It's my ultimate fave. I love almost all kinds of ethnic foods but even if I wasn't Vietnamese, I think it would still be my favorite. Most people who aren't Vietnamese don't have a clue about what real Vietnamese food is. People tend to think all Vietnamese food is beef noodle soup aka Pho, fried rice or spring rolls. But it's so much more than that - I can testify!

I think this dish is the epitome of why I love Vietnamese food. Our food can be so light and refreshing and often highlights seasonal ingredients. Since it's so damn hot in Southern California right now, this meal is the perfect solution to ending your day with a meal that can be made without slaving over the stove (just the grill for a few minutes). 

Mango is my favorite, so it's probably obvious that I adore this green mango salad. Since the mango is green, it's not too sweet, but delightfully tangy. To freshen it all up, a bunch of fresh herbs are thrown in and the salad gets a bit of bite from some onions. The dressing adds the sweetness that is missing from the mangos and takes it to this whole other dimension. I just love this salad, simply.

Vietnamese Green Mango Salad/ Goi Xoai
Yields: 4 - 6 servings


For the salad:
3 green mangoes, cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup dried shallots, fried
1/2 cup vietnamese coriander (rau ram), chopped
1/4 cup sliced onions
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted and roughly chopped
20 medium shrimp, shelled and de-veined


For the sauce: (makes much more than needed for the salad)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup lime juice


In a large bowl, toss together all of the ingredients for the salad. To make the sauce, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry until golden. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the fish sauce, sugar. Boil until the sugar is dissolved, let cool slightly, then add the lime juice. Add more sugar if needed. Heat a grill over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with some salt, pepper and olive oil. When the grill is hot, add the shrimp and cook on both sides until done, about 3 minutes each side. When ready to eat, divide the salad among the serving dishes and top with shrimp. Drizzle each serving with 1 - 2 tsp. of the dressing.

Tofu with Ground Pork and Shrimp

This is one of my most favorite tofu recipes ever. I've been such a pest to my mother in the kitchen lately; messing up her perfectly cleaned kitchen and bothering her with endless questions on her food. I have a feeling that she secretly loves it and since it's to my benefit, it's a win-win situation. This tofu is sweet from the juicy tomatoes but salty from the ground pork and I've never gotten bored of it after 20 years!

Tofu with Ground Pork and Shrimp

Yields: 8 - 10 servings

24 oz. ground pork

8 oz. ground shrimp

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsn. sugar

4-5 tbsn. fish sauce (depending on how salty you like it)

2 packages of extra firm tofu, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

vegetable oil

6 large roma tomatoes, chopped into 1 in. pieces 

2 large onion, wedged and broken up

4 tbsn. of ketchup, to your liking

2 tbsn. oyster sauce, to your liking

1/3 cup of chopped parsley

Directions:

In a deep pan pour the oil in until it reaches a height of about 1 centimeter. Heat the pan on medium high until oil is hot. Lay the tofu in carefully and cover the pan and let cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Carefully turn the tofu on its other side and cook until brown and crispy. Once done, take out let cool and then slice into 1 inch cubes. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the ground pork, ground shrimp, pepper, fish sauce, and sugar. Mix well. Heat a large pan on medium high. Add the meat mixture and break up while cooking. About 5 - 10 minutes later, add the diced tofu, tomatoes, and onion. Cook for another 10 - 15 minutes or until all well cooked and onions are soft. Next, add the ketchup and oyster sauce. Add more of each to your own taste. Mix well and let meld for another 3 - 5 minutes. Once everything is all cooked, serve hot and top with the chopped parsley.