Recipes: Vietnamese – perfect summer food

Vietnamese cuisine is fresh, subtle and really satisfying. Vietnamese lime grilled prawns are a great bbq recipe that is simple but exotic.

I had them at many beachside locations on my Honeymoon in Vietnam. The combined flavours of lime and pepper give the prawns a citrus kick that is quite unusual.

Vietnamese pancakes are also perfect summer eating and a regular on Vietnamese menus. The dainty way you have to assemble the pancake has a ritual feel and an incredible fresh taste. If you are short on cash you can skip the prawns and just use pork.

Vietnamese Lime Grilled Prawns

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1lb of king prawns, peeled and deveined
• 1 small onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp peanut or olive oil

For the dip

• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
• Juice of 1 lime

Instructions

1. Mix the onion and garlic with oil. Add the prawns and toss to coat. Cover and leave to marinate in fridge 2-3 hrs.
2. Grill the prawns over a medium charcoal fire, or cook under a preheated grill for about 5 minutes, turning once.
3. Mix together the sea salt, black pepper, and lime juice in a small dish, and use as a dip for the prawns.

Vietnamese pancakes

Ingredients

• 200g flour
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 250 ml water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 150 ml coconut milk
• 1 tbsp spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 200g lean pork, thinly sliced
• 200g prawns peeled and deveined
• 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 100g bean sprouts
• 200g green beans, soaked and steamed until soft
• 10 sheets Vietnamese rice paper, sprinkled with water to soften

Garnish

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 sprig lettuce leaves
• 1 sprig mint leaves
• ¼ cucumber, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, blend flour and turmeric powder with water, then add a pinch of salt, coconut milk and spring onion. Mix well into a batter.
2. In a large frying pan, heat cooking oil over medium heat until very hot. Add pork, prawns and onion. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until meats are lightly cooked. Stir batter well and scoop a ladleful into pan. Add bean sprouts and green beans. Cover for 5 minutes until pancake is crisp. Fold pancake into half and combine to cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Serve pancake with fish sauce for dipping and rice paper, lettuce, mint leaves and cucumber on the side. To assemble, place a sheet of rice paper on a plate and top with a small piece of pancake and some garnishing ingredients. Wrap and dip into mixed fish sauce before eating.