Tag: main course
Cahn Mong Toi (Water Spinach Soup with Dried Shrimp)
Cahn Mong Toi (Water Spinach Soup with Dried Shrimp)
If you are ever down and having a bad day, make yourself a bowl of cahn mong toi. The Vietnamese soup only has a few ingredients, but is jam packed with layers of umami from the dried shrimp and fish sauce. You can substitute the dried shrimp for fresh shrimp, ground pork, or tofu.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried shrimp
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups ong choy washed and chopped
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Soak the dried shrimp in hot water for 25 minutes. Drain and chop up.
- Bring the water to a boil. Add in the dried shrimp, sugar, and salt. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add in the ong choy and fish sauce. Simmer for just 2 more minutes.
Pinchos de Cerdo
Pinchos de Cerdo
Pinchos de cerdo are a popular street food found all over Puerto Rico. Skewers of marinated pork are grilled over an open flame then brushed with garlic olive oil and bbq sauce. What is great about these meat showers is that they take less than 10 minutes to grill. If you happen to not have a grill, the pinchos can be broiled for the same amount of time.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- metal skewers
Ingredients
- 1 packet sazon with annatto
- 1 tsp adobo seasoning
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp vinegar
- 2 lbs pork shoulder or sirloin cut into 1 1/2” cubes
- 1/4 cup olive oil infused with 3 minced garlic cloves
- bbq sauce
Instructions
- Mix all of the marinade ingredients together.
- Marinate the pork for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
- Place 5-6 pieces of pork on each metal skewer.
- Fire up the grill! Place each skewer on the grill.
- Grill for 2 minutes each side. After the first flip, brush with the garlic olive oil.
- Brush each side with bbq sauce. Grill for 2 minutes each side.
Kefta Kabobs
Kefta Kabobs
Kefta is either ground beef or lamb or a combination of the two, mixed with spices, grated onion, parsley, cilantro, and mint. The meat is cylindrically shaped around kabob skewers and grilled over charcoal. The kefta is served with couscous or basmati rice and usually a salad and bread.Kefta are best when the meat is a little fatty. Too lean of meat will result in the kabobs being dry. I chose to grind my own meat; a mix of beef and lamb around 75-80% lean. Lamb shoulder and beef chuck will work the best if making a combination of the two meats.
Equipment
- metal kabob skewers
- chimney starter
- charcoal
- charcoal grill
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef or lamb or a mix of the two
- 1 medium onion grated
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/3 cup parsley chopped
- 1/3 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup mint chopped
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients together. Let rest in the refrigerator for an hour to let all of the flavor incorporate with one another.
- Divide the ground mix into 6-8 equal portions. Form the meat around the skewer into a cylindrical shape. Let rest in the refrigerator again for 30 minutes to let the meat firm up.
- Let the charcoal turn grey in a chimney starter. Pour in the grill and place on the grate. Place the skewers directly over the charcoal.
- Grill forbid-6 minutes a side.
