Have you ever planned to go to or have been to Vietnam? Maybe it was on your plans this summer but now you can't because of COVID-19. Well I am presenting you with a dish that originates from Vietnam so you can at least experience one cultural aspect of your dream destination! I'm sure you have all heard of the traditional soups like Pho or Bun Bo Hue, but there are so many other food options that this country has to offer. Aside from soups, Vietnamese cuisine specializes in caramelized dishes also known as "kho". These are completely under-rated dishes and are just simply delicious. This is just one variation that I simply love.
In Vietnam, this dish is called "Tôm Thịt Rim". This is an old country type of food, so if you're interested in Vietnamese culture and what people in the countryside eat on a regular basis then give this dish a try! Quite simple to make in terms of ingredients, but there are a few essential steps and a lot of trial and error involved to get the right taste you desire.
Vietnamese cooking is interesting because most Vietnamese Cooks/Chefs will not follow a recipe, so everyone has a different way of cooking the exact same dish. It is very rare that two people will concoct a similar tasting dish despite using the same ingredient list or recipe. Never mind two different people, but even the same cook will rarely concoct the same tasting dish. You might be used to cooking with specific instructions and proportions such as 3 cups of this and 2 Tbsp of that or a 2:1 ratio of water to rice for example. Well throw that ideology away, pretend to be a Vietnamese cook for a day and give this recipe a try!
Time to make: 20 min cook time + 40 minute prep time
Utensils:
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Large pan/skillet/wok
Some side bowls/mixing bowls
Something to stir with (chopstick, tongs, etc.)
Ingredients
2 lbs of Shrimp with the head
2 lbs of Pork Belly
4 Scallions or 1 medium Red Onion, divided into 3 (diced or minced)
Oil
Freshly Ground Pepper
Fish Sauce
Sugar
Annatto Powder (Can be found at Asian markets or international aisle of supermarket)
Green onions
White Rice for the side
Fresh Cabbage (Optional)
Directions:
Peel the shell off the shrimp, BUT try your best to preserve the contents inside the head as it will be essential for colouring and flavour. Place in a mixing bowl and add enough pepper to cover lightly cover the shrimp and same with the sugar. Add some fish sauce to soak the shrimp. Allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
Cut the rectangular pork belly into thirds, lengthwise. With each of those slabs, slice it into 1/4 inch pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Marinate it the same way as the shrimp and set aside.
Add some oil into your pan and sautee 1/3 your scallions/onions over medium high heat for a minute. Add the shrimp and quickly mash up the head part, which will create an orange coloured paste. Once the shrimp is cooked on both sides remove the contents from the pan and place it in a clean bowl. This prevents the shrimp from overcooking.
Next sautee another 1/3 scallions and then add the Pork belly slices. Continue cooking over medium high heat. Add roughly 2-3 tsp of Annatto Powder. Once the Pork is cooked through, add enough water into the pan to cover the pork. You may end up adding more, but that is okay. Cover and continue heating the pork, stirring occasionally, until the pork is soft and you can easily pierce the slices with a dull stick (chopstick).
Once the pork is nice and tender, adjust the taste of the dish by adding more sugar or fish sauce. The flavour should be a nice blend. Not too salty and not too sweet. However if you prefer a sweeter or saltier dish then add accordingly. Once you have achieved the desired taste, cut the heat and add the shrimp back in.
Serve with Rice and Enjoy!
If you want to eat it the traditional way, rip apart layers of cabbage and soak in cold water to make it crunchy, drain and dip it in the sauce.
Hope you enjoyed the recipe, and let me know if you enjoyed it! If you want me to make it for you, you can order it from me by shooting me an e-mail. Like, Comment and Subscribe for more recipes every week! Thanks for all your support!
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