Baked Pork w/ Rice Noodles | Bun Thit Nuong

It's not often that I dine at a Vietnamese restaurant - but when I do, I'm ordering Bun Thit Nuong almost 4 of 5 times. It's just that good.

I was being lazy and didn't go out to purchase what I needed. Missing ingredients; cucumber, bean sprouts, and garlic. I substituted the garlic with garlic salt.



Par boil chunky pieces of pork shoulder. Rinse and slice into thin pieces. Marinade with 1 finely chopped onion, fish sauce, oyster sauce, garlic salt, black pepper, pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and sugar.


Instead of grilling the meat, I pop them in the oven. It lacks the barbecue flavor and aroma so sometimes I marinade the meat with Char Siu mix - I didn't this time since I didn't have any available. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread a thin layer of the marinaded meat onto the lined sheet.


Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Or until the meat is cooked and golden brown. Broil Lo for another 3 minutes.

Serve with vermicelli rice noodles, variety of lettuce and herbs, crushed roasted peanuts, and fish sauce.

A little heavy handed with the fish sauce for the marinade and it would've tasted better if there were cucumber and bean sprouts. Next time...

Extended Weekend Getaway: Arkansas

Tax season is over and Phuonganator needed a vacation. I could use one too. We set out to Arkansas to visit Chi Lien and Andy.



Fuel: Thai Crunch Salad from the MarketPlace. Good flavors and textures; Gotta love peanut sauce!


Devil's Den State Park




Lake Atlanta


Harvesting watercress?


Sam's Roll? Forgot what that restaurant was - but very yummy, similar to Tokyo's YumYum Roll. Full house and quick service!


Perfect Catch. Hibachi at Sho-Gun's.


If you're a fan of Almond Joy (like I am) Ohh. Emm. Gee. Moment.The Almond Joy Concrete at Andy's Frozen Custard - So Delish!





Cosmic Cavern. Natural formations...pretty amazing.

In Branson, Missouri

Eww Lien!


The next apprentice.


Momma said...


First serving of Crawfish for the season. It was good, but needed the sausage and corn on the cob to bring it too the next level. Can't wait for the Mom and Phuong's Crawfish Boil this summer!


Acrobats of China Show.


One of the best shows I've seen. So young. So much talent. Way better than Shen Yun Performing Arts Show! My favorite was the Butterfly Love performance, a love story told through aerial acrobatics. Uh-May-Zing.

Home bound. My thoughts on Arkansas: Rustic, rural yet modern, calm and relaxing. Everyone's so kind here!
P.s. Chi Ngoc's seafood gumbo - awesome.

Li Hing Mui Gummy Candy

I think it was Big Brother Cuong who introduced Li Hing Mui powder with gummy candy to me. I was hooked. It's been a while since I've had them though.



Thanks Thuong and Hau for the stash! I've been craving.


Assorted gummy candy in a plastic bag. (Worms and Bears)


Add a little Li Hing Powder and shake.


Makes a great snack. Tastes even better when you let it sit overnight.

And Thanks for the Chocolates!

LOL Random 5

Like I've said before, nothing beats the combination of family, food, and fun. This past week, I've been able to reunite with family and friends I haven't see in years, acquaint some cool folks, and connect with relatives I've never met. Recapping the fun-filled week:

Last Tuesday, Niece Linda was in town so we decided to meet up for lunch. I think it's been maybe 4 or 5 years since I've seen her. Catching up with family was nice.


Kona Calamari


Sushi and Salad


Macadamia Nut Chicken. A favorite.

Dinner at Tokyo Sushi on Wednesday with Niece Thuong, her fiance Nephew Hau, the sister, and some friends.

Dinner at Golden Harvest on Thursday with Vang, Ly, The Bride and Groom to be, and a few members of the bridal party.

Pre-Wedding Party Friday Night at The Bank.

With my Lovelies

Sister Phuong made banh beo Saturday Night. Too busy fixing myself a plate and ready to eat that I forgot to take a snapshot of the deliciousness! We headed to MGM that night with the nieces, nephews, and new found cousins. No Luck - Lost 15 buckaroos =( hehe I'm no risk taker..no gambler.

The Reception on Sunday. Congrats David and Linda!












I started taking pictures of the dishes, but halfway through the meal...everyone at our table already wandered off to greet family and friends.

Monday: Stay in to get as much sleep as possible.

Girls night out with Niece Thanh and Cousin Liz Tuesday night.

Dinner at Bar Louie


Angry Louie w/ Sriracha, fire sauce, fried jalapeno, and pepper jack. Yum! Tasted like a vietnamese style burger.


White Louie. Pizza was good, but loved the crust!


Loaded Tots. These were so good!

Walked over to Tin Fish for drinks and desert.


Cheers!


Cheesecake, Tiramisu, Mint Chocolate. Winner: Tiramisu

Bar Louie and Tin Fish are two of my favorite places now. Good food. Good prices. Awesome music.

Opo Squash Soup with Shrimp | Canh Bau Tom

A light, slightly sweet, and refreshing soup that basically consists of 2 ingredients, shrimp and opo quash, you can pretty much find the rest of the ingredients in your seasonings cabinet and fridge.



Winter melon can be used instead too, but I like the way opo quash holds up in the soup. Winter melon tends to overcook easily and has a mushy texture. Up until maybe a year ago, I could not tell the difference between these two vegetables. How I distinguish the two: Opo Squash is usually light green in color and has a smooth skin; Winter melon is a little bit of a darker green and has a fuzzy skin.


Lightly pound deveined shrimp; marinade with fish sauce, chili flakes, scallions whites, and minces garlic.


Remove the skin and cut opo squash into thin (not paper thin) pieces. I cut mine into half circles, but you can cut it anyway you prefer - you don't want it too thick either.


As always, I like to start many dishes by infusing the oil and sambal chili paste


Heat on high: Add the shrimp mixture and let cook for about a minute - stirring to break up the clump of shrimp.


Add water and bring to boil. Season broth with salt and fish sauce.


Add opo squash - cook until just almost translucent. Remove from heat and it will continue to cook.


Garnish with chopped scallions and enjoy simply as is or with rice.

Avocado Shake | Sinh To Bo

A favorite anytime of the year - but best on warmer days.


Blend together peeled and pitted ripe avocados (Hass avocados work great), ice cubes, spoonfuls of condensed milk, a couple spoons of sugar, and a splash of milk.


Serve