Banh xeo (Vietnamese savory crepes)

Hello Spring!!! What a gorgeous and lively season! I love it when everything rejuvenates after the long cold winter. My unattended little garden surprised me yesterday when I came out for the first time to clean up the backyard after several winter months. All my mints and herbs that I planted last year are now full of life and competing with each other to show their vibrant green leaves under the shining sun.  And that was how I came up with the idea to have this Vietnamese savory crapes for dinner tonight. 

Wait a minute, you may ask, how does that have anything to do with the mints and herbs? Well, if you look closely to my pictures you will see how they are related. Unlike the French crepes which usually served alone by itself, the Vietnamese crepes are usually accompanied by a lot of green vegetables such as lettuces, mustard greens, and a varieties of Vietnamese mints and herbs along side with the fish sauce dressing. It has been a long while since I last made this and I have certainly enjoyed it very much especially with my freshly grown green vegetables.

Crispy rice with shredded pork and Vietnamese sausage (Com chay lap xuong cha bong)

My carb days are over a few weeks ago when I decided to go back to the gym. I still have the crave for carbs every now and then. When I looked back at these crispy rice pictures, I realized how much I really miss eating these. The dish is super simple and easy to prepare, yet it makes a great afternoon snack.  All you need are just some left over rice, some Vietnamese sausages, shredded pork or Chinese pork floss and couple more ingredients. In no time, you will have a scrumptious appetizer.
The crispiness of the rice and the saltiness of the fish sauce bring everything together nicely in every bite. The secret to make this addicting appetizer is to pan-fry the rice until it's all brown and crispy. The crispier the rice, the better it tastes so be patient when frying this. I am still salivating while looking at these pictures, hmmm.... maybe I should reconsider my low-carb diet!

Chinese Green Onion Pancakes

I can't believe summer will be here soon. My oldest son will be done with his first grade in exactly 1 week. Time really does fly while you are having fun. My little baby boy will soon  be a second grader! I'm so proud of him through out the year in many ways. He has grown and learned so much from the first day that I dropped him off at school.  My baby boy is now a little man with many achievements that make his mama proud. So to reward him for his hard work, I made for him his  favorite snack: the green onion pancakes.

There is a Szechuan Chinese restaurant near our place that we frequently visit on the days that my kitchen temporarily "closes" for service. And every single time we go there, I have to order this scrumptious appetizer for him. I don't blame him though, because as simple as it may look, it is quite addicting. The ingredients are so simple and readily available in most pantries. All you need are some flour, salt, water and green onions. That's it and an hour later you will have this delightful pancake to enjoy as snack.

Vietnamese shrimp and sweet potato fritters (Banh tom Co Ngu)

Banh tom Co Ngu (shrimp and yam fritters) is a very traditional appetizer dish of Northern Vietnam. The yam or sweet potato is a quite versatile vegetable root, where you can prepare it in numerous dishes. It also provides  the healthful beta carotene and vitamin C to your system. Since my little garden has been producing a bountiful amount of fresh minty herbs faster than we can consume, I decided to whip up something that could help these herbs from going to waste. 

When I saw this appetizer snack idea on my friend Eatlover blog, I knew immediately what I could do with my herbs. Unlike other types of fritter, this yam fritter needs to be rolled up in lettuce  and mint leaves, then dipped in the garlic fish sauce. The crunchy texture of the shrimps, the sweetness of the yam and the minty taste of the herbs combine with garlicky and spicy fish sauce make your taste buds gone wild! It is divine! I had to refrain myself from overeating it or else I won't be able to walk afterward.

Chicken Karaage

Chicken Karaage is a popular Japanese appetizer that I first got a chance to try it at a Ramen joint. They taste different from the American version of chicken fingers or chicken strips. In my opinion, I like it a lot more than the typical chicken strips. Karaage is a technique of deep frying food that are lightly coated in starch flour. I read  that Karaage was actually derived from  Chinese cuisine origin. It was adapted and modified to become a Japanese version of fried chicken. 

It's usually made with dark meat such as the thigh portion of the chicken. Therefore, the texture is a lot juicier and tastier than its counterpart breast meat which is usually dry. The meat is marinated in soy sauce, sake, ginger and garlic to bring out sweetness the chicken. The bite-size chicken cubes are then dredged in cornstarch or potato starch to create a light crispy coat that provides the crunch when you sink your teeth into it. 

It's essentially a great snack when eaten alone and a satisfying meal when it's paired with some steamed rice or salad. The best part is it's really easy and simple to make. The chicken meat is well marinated in the soy sauce mixture, so you don't even need any sauce to dip it with. The crunchy texture outside and the soft and juicy meat inside create an addictive combination that does not only make you mouth salivating but also makes it so hard to stop after the first,  the second or even the tenth bite....

Escargot

Escargot, a French delicacy that you must at least try once in your life.  I know what you are thinking, but hold the thought until you have tried it.  I'm not trying to trick you into eating some bizarre food, but this is truly a delectable delicacy that you must consider. 

In Vietnam, snails are being eaten as snacks or appetizers. We use it to cook in some of the main dishes such as "Bun rieu", "Bun oc", "Cha oc" or just simply steam it with some lemongrass stalks and lime leaves to create a wonderful aroma and serve hot with the gingerly fish sauce. 

I don't remember how I got introduced into eating snails, but it has always been one of my favorite snacks since I was just a little girl. So the idea of eating escargot has never been a strange concept to me. When I encountered the French escargot, I immediately fell in love with this delicious delicacy.

Fortunately, my hubby is also a fan of escargot (both Vietnamese and French styles), so I've decided to experiment this appetizer dish in my kitchen.  And the verdict from my judge: "The best escargot I've ever had!".  The melt-in-your-mouth texture of the escargot coated in the creamy and garlicky sauce combines with the crunch of the buttery toast creating an out-of-this-world flavor that just makes your taste buds very happy.  My husband finished almost 2 plates like the one seen in the picture and barely saved me some.... But that's alright since the joy of my cooking  is to see my food put a smile on someone face, especially my loved ones and that is priceless!