I can bring a taste of their world into our Western kitchens.
Snacks/appetisers
Barbecued scallops with spring-onion oil
Tamarind, mint and lemonade cooler
Coconut prawns with a sweet chilli sauce
Beef skewers with a mango and tamarind dipping sauce
Cambodian-style smoked fish dip
Orange and ginger caramelised chicken wings
Chicken satay with peanut sauce
Cambodian aubergine and mushroom dip
Oysters with a Thai dipping sauce
Barbecued scallops with spring-onion oil
SERVES 4
12 scallops in their shells
4–6 tbsp vegetable oil
8–10 spring onions, finely chopped
1–2 tsp fish sauce
salt and a pinch of ground white pepper
drizzle of chilli oil
2 tbsp crispy shallots (Basics)
2 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts
2 Thai red chillies, finely sliced, to garnish (optional)
While I was in Ho Chi Minh City, in Vietnam, I visited Ben Thanh Market with a restaurant owner named Vy. It is the largest market in the city, selling everything from electrical goods and silk to live frogs and dried spices, and is the heart of the community; Vy told me she had been shopping for ingredients twice a day in a market like this since she was a toddler. It was here that I was given the opportunity to cook this scallop dish.
This recipe combines the fragrance of spring onions with the natural sweetness of scallops and the crunchy texture of peanuts to make a delicious and quick appetiser. I cooked this over charcoal, although a grill is fine, but either way it is easy to overcook scallops, so keep an eye on them.
Open the scallops and clean them, removing the roe. Reserve the top shells. (Wash and dry them – you need these to cook the scallops in.)
Place a wok over a high heat and add the oil. Sauté the spring onions for a few minutes to soften, then stir in a dash of fish sauce and the white pepper to taste. Remove the wok from the heat.
Season the scallops with salt and pepper and arrange them in the clean shells. Spoon the spring onion mixture on top of each scallop and drizzle with chilli oil. Place on a grill rack and cook over hot coals for 4–5 minutes or until the scallops caramelise. Alternatively, place the scallop shells on a baking tray and grill for 3–4 minutes under a high heat until cooked.
Serve the scallops in their shells, scattered with crispy shallots and crushed roasted peanuts. Garnish with sliced red chilli, if you wish.
SERVES 4–5
200g cashew nuts
25g butter
1 tbsp sea salt flakes
1 tbsp crushed red chilli flakes
50g sweetened desiccated coconut, toasted
I could easily snack on nuts all day long. The mild taste of cashew nuts lends itself to being paired with stronger flavours, which is why I think this dish works so well. Here there is an excellent balance between sweet and spicy.
The nuts take only minutes to prepare and you can apply this recipe to other nuts, too, particularly almonds or peanuts. If you wish, you can make these up to two weeks in advance and keep them in an airtight container.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Place the nuts on an ungreased baking tray and bake for about 10–15 minutes until they are lightly browned.
Meanwhile,