My uncle shares with my cousins and me his former colleague's generosity. Both were stationed in the central highland (Vietnam) and after the war he had to return home except he had no money. This man gave him 30,000 dong which back then was a lot of money. He remember his friend's kindness to this day and when he found out his friend currently resides not far away he paid him a visit to properly thank him. Tua Tia and Di Tia (2nd uncle by marriage) and I took a taxi through a cow pasture (which is also used as a soccer field) and stopped at the edge of it since we could drive any further. One of Tua Tia's relatives took him by a scooter and Di Tia and I left on foot to his colleague's home. Both were very happy to see each other after all these years. His colleague told him that seeing him was enough and that was the best gift he can have. I was glad that I was present to capture part of this short but very special occasion. I printed photos for both my uncle and his friend so they will have a bit of this memory to cherish.
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fermented tofu (chao) |
Ingredients:
1 whole duck, dejointed, and chopped or cut into 2-inch pieces (or bite size pieces)
1/2 cup good fermented tofu (or chao in Vietnamese)
3 lemongrass, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
About 1 1/2 lbs of taro, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Coconut water (enough to cover the duck pieces)
1 Tbsp sugar (or to your taste)
Water spinach (rau muong), chrysanthemum leaves, Chinese celery, and rice paddy herbs--use as little or as much as you prefer
Fermented Tofu Dipping Sauce (recipe to follow)
Method:
1) Marinade the duck pieces with fermented tofu, lemongrass, shallots and garlic.
2) While the duck is being marinaded fry the taro pieces in a little oil until golden brown.
3) Fry the duck pieces (except for the liver) until they are lightly brown.
4) Pour the coconut water over the duck pieces and cook until just boiling. Cover the pot partially and turn heat to a simmer. Cook for about 1 1 /2 hour or until the duck is tender to your preference. Remove and discard any of the scum that floats to the top.
5) Add the browned taro pieces and liver. Cook for about 5-10 minutes until the taro is somewhat tender. Season with sugar to taste.
6) Transfer to a hot pot. Add vegetables as you eat. Dip the cooked vegetables, meat and taro in the sauce if interested.
*You can add different types of mushrooms and other vegetables if interested. I think my aunt bought so many vegetables that was enough to fill 6 of the one-gallon bags.
*If you like more taro then use more.
*The coconut water was very tasty and sweet so I did not need to add much sugar for this hot pot. As usual I recommend adjusting the ingredients to your taste.
*Make sure the fermented tofu is tasty. I was lucky to find a good one when I was in Soctrang. Luckily I got the name of the store that carries this particular one. In the States you can ask the store clerks or owner for the best type of fermented tofu. For such item I prefer to shop in small Asian grocer so I can easily talk to the owner myself for his/her suggestions on which one to buy. You will see there are many types of tofu and not all of them will make a good hot pot. My mother tells me she prefers to buy the fermented tofu from Taiwan.
*If you like more taro then use more.
*The coconut water was very tasty and sweet so I did not need to add much sugar for this hot pot. As usual I recommend adjusting the ingredients to your taste.
*Make sure the fermented tofu is tasty. I was lucky to find a good one when I was in Soctrang. Luckily I got the name of the store that carries this particular one. In the States you can ask the store clerks or owner for the best type of fermented tofu. For such item I prefer to shop in small Asian grocer so I can easily talk to the owner myself for his/her suggestions on which one to buy. You will see there are many types of tofu and not all of them will make a good hot pot. My mother tells me she prefers to buy the fermented tofu from Taiwan.
Fermented Tofu Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
1/3 cup fermented tofu
1/2 cup fermented tofu liquid
1 lemongrass, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 Tbsp sugar or according to your taste
Method:
Stir all ingredients together and cook for about 5 minutes. Add chopped chili pepper if interested.
*This sauce is liquid form. My cousin Hui Chieu makes her sauce using just the fermented tofu, lime juice, sugar, and hot chili pepper; this is a much thicker sauce.
*Most Vietnamese chop the duck with bones and all into about 2-inch pieces. I prefer to remove it by separating the joints. I only chop through the bones only if needed. I find my method will have less bone fragments.
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Enjoying hot pot with some of my relatives. |
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My first exciting taxi ride through a cow pasture (aka soccer field)! |
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Tua Tia gets a ride to his colleague's home since it was not accessible by taxi. |
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2 former colleagues reunited after 40 years |
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2 old friends and colleagues sharing a moment of joy from seeing one another |
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You see 2 frail looking men in this photo. But back in their youth these 2 men held powerful positions and were highly respected. |
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watching his friend leave... |
Thank you Thanh for sharing your vit chao recipe and your uncle's story. Funny thing is the first time I ate vit chao was when my roommate cooked it and we were living in Lowell MA. Ever since the first time eating vit chao, I wanted to learn how to cook it myself.
ReplyDeleteI have a question regarding marinating the vit in step# 1, how long do you recommend at a minimum to marinate the vit with fermented tofu, lemongrass, shallots and garlic?
Thank you in advance,
Alan (Tha`nh)
Hi Alan!
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog. Sorry for the delay in my response.
I would say the minimum would be 20-30 minutes.
Happy New Year!
Enjoy!
Thanh
Thanks for sharing your recipe, I will try it one day
ReplyDelete