Pickled Mangos

When I was younger, one of the reasons that I looked forward to going to Cambodian New Year was for the pickled mangos. I didn't mind waiting in a long line, paying for a couple of salty spicy mangos packed tightly in a clear zip lock baggie. I remember asking friends out of politeness if they wanted any and then hoping...no...PRAYING that they'd say "no." But of course they'd ALWAYS say, "yes." And then, my mind would be flooded with thoughts like, "man, I should've spit in it." Hindsight sure is a bitch.

The following is my take on how to make pickled mangos. It's not too salty, not too sweet, but HELLA SPICY and HELLA GOOD. Man, reminiscing about pickled mangos has definitely brought back the Tacoma girl in me because I've never written the word "hella" that many times, EVER.

Ingredients:


6 Green mangos, peeled and sliced(do NOT use ripened mangos)
1/4 cup of salt

For the sugar water:


6 cups of water
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tsp of red chili flakes(optional)

For the chili paste(dip):


1 Tbsp of salt
1 Tbsp of sugar
5 Thai fresh chili peppers
1/2 tsp of chili flakes
1 tsp of garlic powder

To make the chili paste: Combine all of the ingredients above into a mortar and pestle. Pound it until it becomes a paste. Set aside.

Take your sliced mangos and place them in a large, shallow bowl. Try not to stack too much on top of each other. Sprinkle your salt over the mangos and toss to coat. Let them sit for a MINIMUM of 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

While you're waiting for the liquid to draw out of your mangos, make your sugar water. Add your water, along with your sugar, into a saucepan. Bring it to a quick rolling boil. Remove the pan from the heat(add in your chili flakes if using), and allow it to come to room temperature.

Boil a large pot of water and place the pot in the sink. After your 1 hour is up, CAREFULLY add your mangos into the hot/boiling water, and wash/rinse them off for about 1 minute. Drain well.

Allow your mangos to dry(for at least an hour)on two wire racks fitted over two baking sheets. You may use paper towels instead.

PACK your dried mangos(snuggly), into a container. Pour in your cooled sugar water. Cover tightly with a lid, and allow it to sit at room temperature for 2 full days. After 2 days, place your mangos into the fridge and wait 2 more days. It should take ABOUT 4 days total. Eat within 2 weeks.

Note: You may cut the recipe in half.

Watch the tutorial here to see how I cut and slice my mangos!

Beef Loc Lac(Beef Stir Fry over Salad)

I've been getting a lot of requests to do more Cambodian food...and I'm listening! :) I have a few yummy ones to share with you guys this summer, so definitely stay tuned for those! :)

This dish is very popular in the Khmer community. There is a Vietnamese variation of this dish as well--the only difference, is that they top their stir fried beef with slices of hard boiled eggs and then top it off with some roasted peanuts.

Don't forget to have your sweet and sour dipping sauce on the side! I don't have a written recipe for it yet but I will tell you that it consists of: fish sauce, chopped garlic, sugar, water, lime juice(or vinegar), and chili peppers(or black pepper).

Ingredients:

1 pound of thinly sliced sirloin(I used 100 % grass fed beef from Paso Prime).
2 cloves of chopped garlic
half of a small shallot
Olive oil

For the beef marinade:

1/2 tsp of garlic powder
1/4 tsp of onion powder
1/2 Tbsp. of sugar
1/2 Tbsp. of fish sauce
1 tsp. of soy sauce
1 Tbsp. of corn starch
1/2 of an extra large egg white
pinch of salt
black pepper

For the sauce:

1/3 cup of water
2 Tbsp. of oyster sauce
1 1/2 tsp of fish sauce
1/2 tsp. of sugar

For the thickener:

1/2 Tbsp of corn starch mixed with 1 1/2 Tbsp. of water.

You will also need:

lettuce
tomatoes
onions
cucumbers(optional)
green onions(for garnish)

In a small mixing bowl, make your sauce and then set it aside.

Take your sliced beef and place it into a mixing bowl. Add in your marinade and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes. If you have overnight...even better! Just remember to bring it back to room temperature before you start frying.

While your beef is marinading, start washing your lettuce(and also pat them dry). Slice up your tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions and plate them before you start cooking.

In a hot skillet or wok, add in some olive oil. Add in your shallots. Cook until soft. Add in your chopped garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add in your beef and cook until most of the pink is gone. Add in your reserved sauce, and cook until done. Taste check. Add in your cornstarch and water mixture. Cook until thickened. Serve immediately!

Watch the tutorial here.

Spicy beef salad(plea sach ko/beef larb or laap)

You will need:

about 2 pounds of sirloin steak
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 whole small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 shallot, thinly sliced
8-10 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
1 stalk of lemongrass, trimmed and finely chopped
2 slices of galangal, finely minced
12 sprigs of mint(or more)
12 sprigs of cilantro(or more)
8 sprigs of Vietnamese coriander
2-3 tsp of dried red pepper flakes
8-10 thai red chili, finely chopped(or to taste)
1/4 cup of good fish sauce(or to taste)
a pinch of salt
1/2 tsp of msg(optional)
3 large limes(more or less depending on preference)
Pahok or padek(optional)
1/4 cup of uncooked sticky or glutinous rice to make toasted rice powder(use 2-3 Tbsp in the recipe)
cooked, thinly sliced tripe(optional)

Take your uncooked sticky rice and place it in a small pan on medium to medium low heat. Dry roast your rice until browned, making sure to stir it occasionally. Once toasted, place into food processor or grinder until mostly fine. Set aside.

Wash and pat dry your sirloin steaks. Lightly salt and pepper them. Add a little oil into a large skillet and fry them only until medium rare. My steaks were thin so I only did 2--3 minutes on each side. Remove them from heat and allow them to cool completely before slicing into them. Once cooled, slice against the grain and once more to make them into tiny bite size pieces.

Add all of your above ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add 2-3 Tbsp of the toasted rice powder last. Mix well using some food safe gloves and taste check. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve same day along with some sliced cucumbers and fresh bean sprouts.

Notes: This recipe makes quite a bit so feel free to cut recipe in half!

Thit kho tau/Kaw(caramelized pork belly w/eggs)

You will need:

2 pounds of pork belly cut into medium sized chunks(about 1 1/2 inch wide).
8 hard boiled eggs(peeled)
1 can of bamboo shoots(tips only), cut into medium sized chunks
the juice from 2 fresh/young coconuts(watch the vid below on how to cut into the coconut).
freshly grated ginger
1/3 cup plus 1/2 T. of good fish sauce
1/3 cup of granulated sugar(to make caramel)
1 T. of sugar(to marinade pork)
1/4 tsp of msg(optional)
black pepper(to taste)
2 pinches of salt
garlic powder
1-2 green onions, finely chopped
water

First, start out by slicing your pork belly into medium sized chunks. Add in your chopped green onion, 2 pinches of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, msg(if using), toss to coat and set aside.

Drain your bamboo shoots, rinse them under cold water, and then cut them into medium sized chunks. Set aside.

Did you make some hard boiled eggs, yet?? Just checking. :)

Next, cut into the coconuts and drain the juice out into a fine, mesh sieve or strainer. Set that aside as well.

Take your heaviest pot(heavy bottomed or thick walled pot) and turn the heat to medium. Evenly coat the bottom of the pot with 1/3 cup of granulated sugar and wait for it to liquify. This can take up to several minutes. Try not to disturb it until most of the sugar has melted. Once it has melted, swirl the pot around a few times.

Once the sugar has turned into a coppery brown, stir it a little bit, and then add in your pork. Mix well and allow the pork to cook for 5 minutes. Add in your bamboo shoots, fish sauce, fresh coconut juice, and hard boiled eggs. You only need to add enough water to completely cover the pork(the eggs do not need to be completely submerged). Bring everything to a quick rolling boil, turn the heat down to medium low, and allow to cook for 2 hours. Don't forget to lift the lid and skim off any scum that has risen to the surface. Serve with rice and a side of pickled mustard greens(recipe can be found on my site as well)! :)

Notes: Once the eggs have browned to your liking, you may remove the eggs to prevent further cooking or just do what I did in the video below. I was taught to simmer the pork for a long time so that the flavor of the caramelized sugar would remain in the pork. If you prefer more of a soupy base, then you may cook for a shorter period of time or just until your pork is tender--just remember to adjust seasoning as needed. You may sub fresh coconut water for the canned ones but keep in mind that it will be much sweeter then using the fresh ones so reduce the amount of sugar used to make the caramel. You can also use pork spare ribs or pork tenderloin if you are trying to keep an eye on your awesome figure. I prefer using pork belly and because of the hight fat content, I can only limit myself into making this dish once, every six months. :)

Vietnamese sour soup(canh chua)

You will need:

7(14.5 ounces)cans of low sodium chicken broth--makes about 3 quarts
1 pound of cleaned cat fish fillets(you may use chicken)
1/2 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups chopped fresh pineapple
4 large tomatoes cut into medium sized chunks
about 1 pound of okra
1/2 pound of baha(elephant ear stems)or fuzzy squash
8 ounces of cleaned bean sprouts
a handful of cleaned rice herb patty
a handful of mexican or saw tooth coriander
1/2 tsp of salt
2 T of fish sauce
2 T of sugar
3 T of tamarind

Garnishes:

chopped fresh herb patty
sliced fresh chili peppers

Chop up your pineapple and set aside. Wash your tomatoes and okra, chop those up then set aside. Take your elephant ear stems, peel off the skin, and slice them at a diagonal about 1/4-1/2 inch thick and set aside as well.

Bring your chopped pineapple and chicken broth to a rolling boil then add in your fish sauce, salt, and sugar. Give it a stir then add in your cleaned catfish fillets and let them simmer for about 5 minutes. If using chicken, please make sure chicken is cooked through before adding in your veggies.

Next add in your okra and elephant ear stems. Stir and let that cook for 5-7 more minutes. Stir in your tamarind powder then skim off any foam or scum that has floated to the surface. Taste for seasoning and add more fish sauce, salt, sugar, or tamarind powder if needed.

Turn off the stove at this point and add in your cleaned bean sprouts. Stir to combine then top it off with your chopped rice herb patty and mexican coriander. Pour into bowl and serve warm. Top it off with more chopped fresh herb patty and slices of fresh chili peppers! DELICIOUS!

Notes: This makes quite a bit of soup so feel free to cut recipe in half!