Secrets of the Red Lantern: Stories and Vietnamese Recipes from the Heart

A family's journey told through food

red lantern crisp parcels

Soak the noodles and mushroom strips separately in cold water for 20 minutes, then drain and dry on paper towels. Cut the noodles into 1 1/2-inch long pieces, then combine with all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

Cut the spring roll papers diagonally to form 2 triangles, then separate the paper into single sheets. Place a piece of paper on a plate with the base of the triangle facing you. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the mixture onto the middle of the bottom edge of the paper and fold the two adjacent sides, one on top of the other into the center. Roll toward the apex to form a nice firm roll, and secure with a dab of flour mixed with some water. Repeat until you have filled all of the papers.

When freshly rolled, the cha gio can be deep-fried in oil at a temperature of 350°F, or until a cube of bread dropped in the oil browns in 15 seconds. Alternatively, you can store them in the freezer and cook as needed. These can be cooked and eaten on their own, dipped in dipping fish sauce, or placed on top of a dressed vermicelli salad (page 118). At Red Lantern, we like to wrap the parcels in lettuce with herbs and serve with dipping fish sauce.

Note: Ensure you use the spring roll papers as soon as they thaw.

beef, mushroom, and glass noodle salad

To marinate the beef, mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a bowl, add the sirloin steak and coat well. Leave refrigerated for 2 hours.

Soak the glass noodles and mushrooms separately in hot water for 20 minutes, then drain and dry with a paper towel. Cut the glass noodles into 11/2-inch lengths and set aside. Put all of the salad dressing ingredients in a food processor and blend to combine.

Cook the sirloin to your liking on a grill or in a frying pan. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then finely cut the sirloin across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Combine the beef with the rest of the salad ingredients, except the peanuts and shallots, in a large bowl. Add the dressing, then toss well to combine. Turn the salad out onto a serving platter and garnish with the roasted peanuts and fried shallots.

Serves 4 as part of a shared feast

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Contact: Tammie Barker, (800) 851-8923, ext. 7499, tbarker@amuniversal.com

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Secrets of the Red Lantern: Stories and Vietnamese Recipes from the Heart

By: Pauline Nguyen, with recipes by Luke Nguyen and Mark Jensen
ISBN-13: 978-0-7407-7743-1
Format: Hardcover: 8 1/2 x 10 1/4, 344 pages
Price: $40.00 ($44.00 Canada)