SPECIAL ISSUE
STREET FOOD ASIA
SAIGON + JAKARTA + KUALA LUMPUR + BANGKOK cooked.com.au 1
Map by Kev Gahan / Illustration Room
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Luke Nguyen: street food warrior If there were a society for the preservation of street food culture, Luke Nguyen would be its commander-in-chief. The Vietnamese-Australian chef, author and presenter has worked tirelessly to share the stories of stall owners, mobile vendors and small, family run restaurants around the world. Street Food Asia is a culmination of that work. To celebrate this one-of-a-kind travelogue and cookbook, all seen through Alan Benson’s sharply focussed lens, this special issue of Cooked magazine brings you an authentic taste of Asia. Lose yourself in the steamy streets of Saigon, scoop up sambal and peanut sauces in Jakarta, use your small change to try some of Bangkok’s best dishes and eat like a local in Kuala Lumpur. If you’re able to travel to these cities, it’s a privilege that shouldn’t be taken lightly. The next time you're pushing through the market throngs, dodging rogue cyclists and breathing in the scent of hot bitumen on a busy South-East Asian road, look a little closer. You never know what street food secrets you might find. And as Luke says, “Even if you can’t be there in person, you can still create the smells, sounds, energy and flavours at home, in your very own kitchen.”
Photography: Alan Benson Street Food Asia by Luke Nguyen, published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $60 cooked.com.au 3
“Discovering local street food is the best way I know to understand a place and instantly feel connected to it. It’s my ultimate buzz and the fact that it comes complete with flames, steam, smoke, smells, sounds, colour, heat, energy and a tonne of flavour only makes it better.” Luke Nguyen
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inside this issue
06 Luke Nguyen’s favourite street food
12 On tour with Luke Nguyen
14 Insider’s guide to Saigon
18 Behind the scenes in Saigon
21 A to Z of Asian ingredients
22 Top 10 Jakarta street snacks
26 Bangkok’s best bites under $2
30 Eat like a local in Kuala Lumpur
34 10 recipes you can’t stop clicking
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BANGKOK
Lobster Tom Yum Serves 4–6 as part of a shared meal
Luke Nguyen’s favourite street food The packed six-week production schedule for the Street Food Asia book and SBS series involved extensive research and on many occasions multiple trips to the same place. Being in the thick of all that eating and moving about can become a bit of a blur, but Luke was able to pick out a few highlights. Ahead are five of his favourite dishes from the trip. By Luke Nguyen Photography Alan Benson
Phetchaburi Soi 5… Remember this address, because you seriously want to come here when you travel to Bangkok. It’s got one of the best concentrations of street food in the entire city. Plus, the residential neighbourhood around here has a particularly nice, authentic vibe. There’s a great (and wildly popular) restaurant called P’aor, in an old shop-house. As you walk in, you notice hefty pots simmering away, filled with a deep orange-red broth that looks for all the world like French seafood bisque. Except you know it’s not when the whiffs of lemongrass, galangal, chillies and makrut leaves start to take hold. It’s actually tom yum and while I’ve had a lot of tom yum in my time, it’s never been anything like this. It’s not clear, as tom yum usually is, but rather rich and creamy. Lobster makes this dish even more lavish and special. ✪ 1 x 400g small whole raw lobster, cleaned ✪ 1 tbs salt ✪ 1 litre (4 cups) prawn head stock ✪ 2 lemongrass stems, white part only, bruised ✪ 3 cm piece of fresh galangal*, finely sliced ✪ 4 bird’s eye chillies, bruised ✪ 3 red Asian shallots*, peeled and bruised ✪ 4 makrut (kaffir lime) leaves, torn ✪ 4 tbs fish sauce ✪ 3 tbs *Thai roasted red chilli paste ✪ 150ml evaporated milk ✪ 5 cherry tomatoes, quartered ✪ 2 spring onions cut into 4 cm lengths ✪ 3 saw-tooth coriander leaves, sliced ✪ Juice of 2 limes ✪ 1 hard-boiled egg, halved ✪ 100g rice vermicelli noodles, cooked according to packet instructions ✪ 1 handful coriander, to garnish
a steamer basket to the pan and bring the water to the boil over a high heat. Add the lobster halves to the pan head first, cover with a lid, and steam for 8 minutes (the lobster will only be partially cooked at this point and will finish cooking in the stock later). Remove from the pan and set aside.
Place the lobster on a chopping board. Using a pair of sharp kitchen scissors and starting at the tail end, cut the lobster in half lengthways through the tough outer shell.
To serve, place the vermicelli noodles in a large serving bowl. Remove the lobster halves from the broth and place on top of the noodles, then ladle over the broth until the noodles are fully submerged. Garnish with coriander and serve.
Cover the base of a stockpot, saucepan or steamer with 4 cm of water and stir in 1 tablespoon of salt to dissolve, then add 6 cooked.com.au
Add the stock, lemongrass, galangal, chillies, shallots and makrut leaves to a stockpot or large saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce, Thai roasted red chilli paste, evaporated milk and simmer for another 2–3 minutes, then add the lobster and cherry tomatoes and return to the boil. Skim off any impurities from the surface of the broth, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 6 minutes, or until the lobster is just cooked. Stir in the spring onion, saw-tooth coriander, lime juice and hard-boiled egg halves.
*Found in Asian grocers
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✪ 60g (¹⁄3 cup) rice flour ✪ 30g wheat starch ✪ 3 tbs vegetable oil ✪ 1 tbs kecap manis ✪ 1 large egg ✪ 1 spring onion, finely sliced ✪ Sea salt to taste ✪ Freshly ground black pepper ✪ 4 tbs crushed roasted peanuts, to serve DIPPING SAUCE ✪ 1½ tsp light soy sauce ✪ 1½ tsp dark soy sauce ✪ ¾ tsp rice vinegar ✪ 1½ tsp sugar ✪ 1 tsp Sriracha chilli sauce Mix the dipping sauce ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Set aside. Line a 22 x 30 x 3.5 cm baking tray with plastic wrap. Meanwhile, combine the rice flour, wheat starch, a pinch of sea salt and 250ml (1 cup) water in a small saucepan. Place over a medium heat, stirring with a whisk to form a smooth batter. As the mixture thickens, begin stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. When the mixture has reached a smooth, gluey consistency, remove it from the heat and transfer it to the prepared baking tray. Using a spatula, smooth the mixture out into an even layer about 1 cm thick. Cover the tray well with plastic wrap.
SAIGON
Pan-fried rice cakes with egg & spring onion Serves 4 as part of a shared meal
This is the Vietnamese version of a Singaporean dish called carrot cake, which doesn’t contain carrots at all. But that’s another story. The Vietnamese one is made with rice flour- and wheat starch-based batter, which is steamed, then cut into pieces and pan-fried. You eat the little fried ‘cakes’ with a lightly sweetened soy-based chilli sauce and the whole effect is a delicious snack for any time of the day. All the various textures are what make this dish great – it’s chewy, soft and moist, plus the frying gives the exterior a crispness that’s addictive. 8 cooked.com.au
Half-fill a large steamer with water and bring to a rapid boil over a high heat. Set the bowl in the steamer, then cover and steam for 15 minutes. Remove from the steamer and leave to cool. Once cool, remove the top layer of plastic wrap from the rice cake. Turn the tray over, inverting the rice cake onto a chopping board. Tap the bottom of the tray and lift it off the rice cake. Remove the remaining plastic wrap and, using a sharp knife, cut the rice cake into 2-cm squares. Set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the rice cakes and cook for 3 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp underneath. Reduce the heat to medium, drizzle the cakes with kecap manis, then turn the cakes over and cook for a further 3 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the egg together with ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a bowl, then stir in the spring onion, reserving 1 tablespoon to finish the dish. Once the cakes are browned and crisp all over, pour in the egg mixture. Leave it for about 15 seconds to set and then use a spatula to turn the cakes and coat them in the egg. Add the remaining spring onion, then transfer the coated rice cakes to a serving platter and top with the crushed peanuts. Serve hot with the dipping sauce. l
KUA L A LUMPUR
Wok-tossed instant noodles with fried egg K QUIC & ! EASY
KUAL
Serves 2
After watching the flying wantan guy near Seapark Market (see p.31), I find a stall nearby doing a roaring trade in Maggi goreng. Made using good old Maggi instant noodles, you’ll find this dish in restaurants and at Mamaks all over the place. People love it. To make it, cooks blanch and drain the instant noodles then toss them in a wok with tofu, choy sum, bean sprouts and egg. Some chilli sauce and soy sauce get thrown in, as well as the sachets of seasoning. The whole thing is served with a fried egg on top and it tastes great. This is the perfect dish to make in a hurry. ✪ 2 x 80g Maggi instant noodle packets, plus seasoning powder ✪ 2 tbs vegetable oil ✪ 4 eggs ✪ 2 garlic cloves, smashed ✪ 2 bird’s eye chillies, smashed ✪ 100g bean sprouts ✪ 100g choy sum, cut into 3 cm lengths ✪ 85g fried tofu puffs*, sliced ✪ 1 tbs oelek chilli paste* ✪ 2 tbs oyster sauce ✪ 1 tbs kecap manis Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the noodles and blanch for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain Heat a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil, crack two of the eggs into the pan and fry, sunny side up, until the eggs are cooked but the yolks are still quite runny. Meanwhile, bring a wok to a high heat. Add the remaining vegetable oil together with the smashed garlic and chilli and sauté for 10 seconds, then add the remaining 2 eggs and cook, stirring, until the eggs are well scrambled. Now add the bean sprouts, choy sum, sliced tofu, noodle seasoning powder, sambal oelek, oyster sauce and kecap manis. Toss for 2 minutes. Divide the noodle mixture between individual serving plates, top each with a fried egg and serve. l *Found in Asian grocers cooked.com.au 9
BANGKO K
Pad Thai with egg wrap Serves 2
Pad Thai is so famous – maybe the most famous of all Thai dishes – that initially I was hesitant to discuss it. Then I discovered Thip Samai at 511 Mahachai Road. I am blown away by this place, where pad Thai is the specialty and they make a few different variants. By far the most interesting is the one that comes wrapped in fine egg omelette. Thip Samai is an essential food destination in Bangkok, but you can make the omelette pad Thai at home – it’s not complicated. Be sure to use the right, thin flat rice noodles – definitely not vermicelli! ✪ 2 eggs, at room temperature ✪ 4 tbs vegetable oil ✪ 3 garlic cloves, diced ✪ 3 red Asian shallots*, diced ✪ 10 raw medium-sized tiger prawns, peeled and deveined with tails intact ✪ 1 tbs dried shrimp*, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, then drained ✪ 100g firm tofu, drained and cut into 2cm cubes ✪ 200g flat rice noodles, soaked in water for 20 minutes, and then drained ✪ 6 garlic chives, sliced into 4cm lengths ✪ 90g (1 cup) bean sprouts ✪ 2 tbs crushed roasted peanuts ✪ ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes, for sprinkling ✪ 2 coriander sprigs, to garnish ✪ Sea salt to taste
*Found in Asian grocers 10 cooked.com.au
SAUCE ✪ 125ml (½ cup) Tamarind Water ✪ 4 tbs fish sauce ✪ 2½ tbs *liquid palm sugar or shaved palm sugar (aka jaggery, see glossary on p.21) TO SERVE ✪ 1 lime, cut into wedges ✪ 90g (1 cup) bean sprouts ✪ 4 garlic chives, cut in half ✪ 4 red chillies, sliced and mixed with 2 tbs fish sauce (optional) Combine the sauce ingredients together with 80ml (1⁄3 cup) water in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until the palm sugar dissolves, then transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Beat the eggs together in a bowl and season with a pinch of salt. Set aside. Add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil to a hot wok and heat until smoking. Add the garlic and shallots and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the prawns and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the dried shrimp, tofu, noodles and sauce. Toss for 2 minutes, then add the garlic chives and bean sprouts and toss for another minute. Transfer to a mixing bowl and cover to keep warm. Set aside. Wipe the wok clean and place back over a medium–high heat. Add the remaining vegetable oil, ensuring it coats the surface of the wok evenly. Taking hold of the handle with one hand, pour in the beaten egg, and then quickly swirl the wok in a wide circular motion, coating the sides of the wok and creating a very thin crepe-like layer of egg. Cook for 1 minute, or until the egg ‘crepe’ is set. Spoon the cooked noodle mixture into the centre of the wok and scatter over the peanuts, then fold over the sides of egg ‘crepe’ into the centre to cover the noodles and form a parcel. Flip the egg-wrapped pad Thai over in the wok to briefly seal the folded ends, and then slide it onto a serving plate. Garnish with the chilli flakes and coriander sprigs and serve with lime wedges, bean sprouts, garlic chives, and a mixture of chilli slices and fish sauce.
JAK ARTA
Avocado & chocolate smoothie Serves 4 Having avocado in a sweet scenario might sound unusual but being Vietnamese, I grew up with the concept and don’t find it strange. We had plenty of avocado shakes and avocado ice cream as kids and I still enjoy the rich, buttery texture that avocados give to sweet snacks and desserts. The main difference between this Indonesian version and a Vietnamese avocado shake is the addition of chocolate condensed milk. Yes, you heard right. Chocolate. Condensed. Milk. It’s wickedly good.
✪ 4 tbs chocolate sweetened condensed milk* ✪ 3 ripe avocados, stones removed ✪ 4 tbs sweetened condensed milk ✪ 250ml (1 cup) full-cream milk ✪ 1 cup crushed ice Pour the chocolate sweetened condensed milk into a squeezy (chef’s) bottle. In a blender, blitz the avocado, sweetened condensed milk, full-cream milk and crushed ice together until smooth. Squeeze the chocolate sweetened condensed milk around the inside of four tall glasses to coat. Pour the avocado smoothie into the chocolate-coated glasses and serve.
*There is a chocolate condensed milk sold in Indonesia called Nestlé CAP NONA. If you can’t find this, simply mix cocoa powder with condensed milk to make your own. cooked.com.au 11
On tour with Luke On Luke Nguyen’s tour for Street Food Asia he spoke to locals, tried hundreds of dishes and uncovered back-street gems. Here, we get the inside scoop on his trip.
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How long were you on the road? Filming takes around six weeks, but that’s the short part of it. The research and pre-production takes months of talking to locals and trying everything – it’s a great experience and a lot of fun. I knew Saigon back-to-front anyway, but for Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, I had to make multiple visits and try hundreds of dishes. I love the address details you give, “Look for this number on that street, then opposite lies a tiny alleyway, home to the best pho in Saigon”. How do you find these hidden gems? A lot of it is being on the ground and speaking to locals. They’ll say, “Visit this stall, it’s where my grandma used to go.” I want people to travel to a city and try 10 of those dishes on a street food crawl – you’ll feel like a local and will have explored the real city. I also want to show local people where to eat. If I’m in Saigon, I want the Saigonese to try it out, so you have to mingle with the locals to find those authentic places. How do you overcome the language barrier? People may be hesitant about the language, but here the language is food because it’s all there in front of you. The beauty of street food is it’s one big open kitchen – it’s a cooking lesson, it’s theatrical, and you’re immersed in the local way of life. Sometimes when you’re waiting in line, you start to converse with the locals and learn more about the dish. That was the case in Thailand when we happened upon a hugely popular pork stall in Bangkok. We were lining up for ages with a guy who spoke very good English and he was able to fill me in. What was one of your highlights of the tour? Meeting up with one of my old chefs from Red Lantern, Gade. She was one of my superstar chefs but then she moved back to Bangkok, so I asked her where she would you go on the weekend and she said the floating market. Normally I’d think the floating markets were too touristy, but this one was a three-hour drive from Bangkok, and it was where the locals went. We went out there and sat on the edge of the water, where all these small boats were lined up, cooking the best seafood – it was squishy and exciting, and it was such a great experience! Any lowlights? We have lowlights all the time – although not when we’re filming; that’s why we do so much research beforehand. One particular disappointment was a market in Saigon. It took me two hours to find it, but then the food was underwhelming – I loved the adventure of finding it, but because the food let me down I didn’t want to share it with viewers.
So there were plenty of places you ate at that didn’t make the cut? Yes, hundreds, and that’s the secret to the show – I want to share the absolute best places. In Jakarta, there are a million places serving nasi goreng, but I don’t recommend your average one. I show you the best nasi goreng gila (see p.24), which means crazy fried rice. It’s called crazy because it has more than 20 different ingredients. It was the same for satay sticks. I must have eaten at 45 satay places in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, but I only show one and it had to be bloody good: the best char flavour and the best sauce. Every place and every dish has to have a story. It’s not just about the food, but the people and the history behind it.
“ In Jakarta, there are a million places serving nasi goreng, but I don’t recommend your average one. I show you the best nasi goreng gila, which means crazy fried rice. It’s called crazy because it has more than 20 different ingredients.” I know this is like choosing a favourite child, but what were the standout dishes of this trip? I’ve tried a million pad thais, so I ummed and ahhed about showing one. We’ve all tried it, but a local said to me, "Go check this one out in Bangkok." This place was heaving with people. All the woks were outside in the street, with the flames jumping high. Their style was a very wet pad thai, with a bright orange prawn butter sauce, which was, like, wow. It just blew me away. In Jakarta, I loved the sambals. There’s a dish that translates as smashed chicken that’s first poached in stock, then fried until crisp. They then smash it up in a mortar and pestle to break up all the bones and serve it with sambal – I loved the theatre behind it. Is there anything you wouldn’t eat again? There are ingredients that I probably wouldn’t want to eat again, such as chargrilled bat. I’ve tried it and I wouldn’t order it myself, but if offered it would be rude not to eat it. I think it’s important to try things that are out of our comfort zone. l cooked.com.au 13
SAIGON SECRETS Luke Nguyen navigates the twists and turns of Saigon’s streets to show us the best and most authentic dishes in the city. Soak up the history and character of the region with this 24-hour touring route.
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Vietnam’s biggest city moves at a frenetic pace. It’s hot, humid and high energy, with a buzz of activity that begins at sun up and amplifies once the sun goes down. Scooters, motorbikes and taxis travel the streets in a disorderly fashion, and the only way you can reach your destination is by latching on to a flock of foolhardy locals – there’s safety in numbers, you see. Saigon’s 24 districts offer a staggering array of street food secrets, tucked away in back alleys, buried within
the throngs of outdoor markets, and at local hole-in-the-walls you’d never hear about unless you had an inside tip. As his second home, the place his family came from before moving to Australia, Luke Nguyen has a special affinity with the city. Its stories are a part of his story – Saigon runs through his veins. Join him as he scouts out the fresh flavours at the core of Vietnamese cuisine, plus a few French-influenced dishes along the way.
Vietnamese coffee
EARLY TO RISE
WARM UP TO COOL DOWN
“The locals all have their favourite food haunts and one of mine is Co Giang Street in District 1,” Luke says. “I like to come here early, when it’s still a little calm, and breakfast on bun thit nuong, which consists of honey-marinated grilled pork, springy rice noodles, herbs, vegetables, spring rolls and peanuts,” he says. Even at an early hour, Co Giang Street buzzes with activity and the aromas of its food stalls are intoxicating. The steamy heat that enshrouds the city should wake you up quick smart, but if you’re in need of some help seek out a heart-starting Vietnamese coffee, offering the twopronged attack of caffeine and sugar from syrupy condensed milk. In Luke’s opinion, introducing coffee was one of the best things the French did for Vietnam; the country is now one of the largest coffee producers in the world.
When you think of Vietnamese food, the first thing that probably pops into your head is pho. Luke’s favourite pho is down an alleyway in District 1, at a family run stall called Pho Ngoc. “Coming here is like being fed by your grandmother,” Luke says. “The atmosphere is warm and the pho is indescribably good.” A dish as iconic as pho prompts a few questions, such as where this magical, soupy meal came from. Luke explains that while its exact origins are unclear, there is speculation that it was created in North Vietnam in the early 20th century. “Both Chinese and French cooking influenced the dish, which may have been derived from the French beef stew pot-au-feu,” he says. A lesser-known Saigon soup dish is bun mam, which has an umami-packed anchovy broth topped with roast pork, seafood and eggplant. It’s one of Luke’s top picks, and his preferred place to eat it is at the bustling Ben Thanh Market.
Bun thit nuong breakfast
Banh xeo
Mini pancakes
GOLDEN SNACKS As you wander along Co Giang Street, fragrant, turmericstained fried goods will call your name. If it’s a bite-sized snack you’re in search of, the mini rice-flour pancakes banh khot are a top grazing option. “You eat them with fresh herbs, wrapped in lettuce leaves and dipped in nuoc cham (see p.21),” Luke says. “They’re often cooked in a special cast-iron griddle pan over high heat, which leaves the outside texture crispy while keeping the inside creamy and soft.” If something more substantial is in order, go for banh khot’s big sister ban xeo. Literally meaning ‘sizzling’, the key to a crispy ban xeo is a hot pan with plenty of oil. A flour, turmeric and coconut cream pancake batter is layered with pork, prawns, crunchy bean sprouts and cooked mung beans, and then folded over and served with herbs, lettuce and dipping sauce. “It’s one of my all-time favourite things to eat,” Luke says. “I just love it.”
Anchovy noodle soup
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GET ROLLIN' A favourable by-product of French colonialism in Vietnam is banh mi, which involves a fluffy baguette stuffed with fresh chilli, coriander and veggies such as cucumber, carrot and daikon, drizzled with soy sauce and sometimes a bit of chilli oil. It’s one of the tastiest sandwiches you’ll find. You could happily eat banh mi for lunch everyday in Saigon and Luke shares enough options that you might want to. Feel like fish? Go for the fishcake baguette at Co Giang Market. In search of something meatier? Fortunately for you, most banh mi in Saigon is served with pork. Try the chargrilled-pork pattie baguette with ‘secret sauce’ at Hem 39 Nguyen Trai, which according to Luke is one of the best in town. Or, track down Luke’s personal favourite at Banh Mi Huynh Hoa on Le Thi Rieng Street, but be sure to arrive right on opening time (3.30pm) to avoid the queues. If you’re sticking around Co Giang Street, you’ll find a shredded pork baguette that will do just fine.
Grilled pork pattie baguette
Fishcake baguette
THE HIT LIST Crab claws steamed with fresh chilli
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK District 4 is a quieter part of town where you won’t have to contend with a touristy crowd. Luke’s uncle lives here, which is one of the reasons he’s often in the area. “If you truly want to go native, you should head to District 4,” he says. If you’re a seafood fan, there’s more reason to come here still, as Luke’s go-to restaurant is a place called Oc Oanh that lays claim to some of the best fish dishes in town. If you try just one menu item here, it has to be the crab claws steamed with fresh chilli, white pepper and plenty of salt. Pair this with a tall bottle of Tiger beer for the perfect end to your day in Saigon. 16 cooked.com.au
✪ Bun Thit Nuong Intersection of Co Giang and De Tham Street, District 1 ✪ Banh Khot Co Giang Street, District 1 ✪ Banh Xeo Co Giang Street, District 1 ✪ Pho Bo Pho Hgoc, Ho Hao Hon Street, District 1 ✪ Bun Mam Ben Thanh Market, District 1 ✪ Banh Mi Cha Ca Co Giang Market, District 1 ✪ Banh Mi Thit Nuong Hem 39 Nguyen Trai, District 1 ✪ Banh Mi Thit Banh Mi Huynh Hoa, Le Thi Rieng Street, District 1 ✪ Banh Mi Bi Co Giang Street, District 1 ✪ Cang Cua Rang Muoi Ot Oc Oanh, 534 Vinh Khanh Street, District 4
“Saigon. Crazy-hectic and developing at an astounding pace, it’s got an energy and dynamism you can almost smell. I totally love it.” ..
Luke Nguyen.
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““
Behind the scenes in Saigon Street Food Asia photographer Alan Benson shares a few personal pictures from the trip.
“Everywhere you go with Luke people stop and ask for a photo. Although surprisingly in Saigon, Elliott [Alan’s son] was more popular with the locals!” (top-right): “This was at 6am on our first day in Saigon, ready for a big day ahead. We were walking down Co Giang Street in District 1, when this woman selling lottery tickets took a liking to Elliott. He was somewhat embarrassed, but somewhat enjoying the attention. Luke struck up a conversation with the woman.” (right): “On the first day Elliott ate 21 dishes thanks to encouragement from Luke. Here, they’re eating bowls of pho in an area frequented by families on Ho Hao Hon Street. The stall is called Pho Ngoc, and has been running for more than 30 years.” 18 cooked.com.au
““
(below): “Just down the street from Pho Ngoc, Luke and Elliott try anchovy soup. Elliott didn’t know what he was eating until afterwards and he quite liked it!”
(above): “The re are heaps of these stal where rice ba ls along Cô tter is steam Giang Street ed and then We revisited , fried on huge this section hotplates. of street a seco and the wom nd time with an was horr out Elliott ified that he wasn’t with us!”
(above): “It was a stinking hot day, so here we were taking a well-earned break for a coconut juice.” In this photo from left to right are Luke, Alan, Luke’s wife Lynne and Elliott.
me on this school to co ff o k ave ee w he would h lliott took a re here than o erent (above): “E m iff t d n f o ar le ts ink he cals, tried lo lo to trip, but I th ke ” o the book. oom. He sp ooting for in the classr me with sh ed st si as d dishes an cooked.com.au 19
“Street food brings people together, as folk crowd onto their neighbourhood streets to share meals and conversation at their favourite stall. Some vendors operate in the same spot for decades, giving a sense of continuation that can span several generations.� Luke Nguyen 20 cooked.com.au
Betel leaves
Candlenuts
Sambal oelek
AtoZ
of Asian ingredients
Wood ears
For when you don’t know your lap cheong from your nuoc cham… There’s more to Asian cookery than shaoxing rice wine, chilli paste and fish sauce. And stumbling upon unfamiliar ingredients in a cookbook or grocer can make for a head-scratching pastime. Here, we debunk some of the less-known ingredients from Luke’s recipes so you can add them to your Asian cooking pantry.
Acacia seeds
Mam nem
Som moo
Acacia has a long history of being used in South-East Asian cuisine. These seeds, harvested from the acacia or wattle tree, can be eaten raw, roasted or steamed. Add them to a salad or eat as is as a snack food.
A sauce made from fermented salted anchovies. Usually sold in bottles and widely used as a condiment in Vietnamese cooking. It is punchier and more pungent than fish sauce.
A Vietnamese celebratory food – like a sausage – made from fermented raw ground pork and shredded pork skin. It can be eaten as is (it has a sour taste), cooked or grilled. A fiery staple in Indonesian and Malaysian cooking. In its simplest form, sambal oelek is ground chillies, salt and vinegar. Other flavour variations include adding shrimp paste, fish sauce and ginger. Used as an accompaniment or in soups, stir-fries and sauces.
Betel leaves
Jaggery
Mam ruoc
These heart-shaped leaves are picked from a creeper plant and are widely used throughout South-East Asia. The betel leaf can be eaten raw or in cooked dishes, but it’s most popularly used as a wrapper for salad and fish.
A popular sugar used across South-East Asia. It is traditionally made from palm tree sap, but also comes from sugar cane juice. Jaggery has a saccharine, caramel flavour similar to brown sugar and is slightly salty.
A Vietnamese fermented shrimp paste with a strong smell, used for dipping sauces, soups and stews.
Candlenuts
Kerupuk
Beware about eating raw candlenuts: in its uncooked form, the nuts are slightly toxic and taste bitter. Nuts are ground into pastes and used to thicken and add texture to curries and other dishes.
Indonesian crackers made from starch, with prawns added for flavour. Much like other prawn crackers, kerupuk can be eaten as a snack or crushed and sprinkled over dishes to add texture.
Gai lan
Lap cheong
Also called Chinese broccoli. The crisp, thick stems and dark green leaves can both be eaten, but peel the stems first to remove the outer layer. Found in Asian grocers and some major supermarkets.
A cured, wind-dried sausage, which must be cooked before eating. It has a slightly sweet flavour and is often paired with rice dishes. Lap cheong is easily found in Asian supermarkets – just look out for the vacuum-sealed packs.
Nuoc cham A key sauce in Vietnamese cuisine. Nuoc cham is used as an accompaniment or dipping sauce, and found in everything from salads to noodle dishes. It is made from fish sauce, white vinegar, sugar, garlic, lime juice and chilli – the perfect blend of hot, sour, sweet and spicy.
Perilla leaves A strong-scented herb from the mint family that is added to salads, stews or simmered dishes. The perilla leaf is large and delicate, with a jagged edge. Leave are available in green or purple, and are also called shiso.
Sambal oelek
Wood ears A Chinese mushroom also called black fungus. It’s typically found dried, so mushrooms need to be soaked for about 20 minutes before use. Like other mushrooms, wood ears have a deep, earthy flavour.
Water spinach Also known as morning glory, with a similar flavour and texture to common spinach. It can be stir-fried, steamed and even deep-fried.
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JAKARTA
top ten
The vibrant capital of Indonesia is full of character, a melting pot of people, architecture and cuisines. Take on its heaving streets and you’ll find some mind-bendingly good food. “Sambals, peanut sauces, salads, deep-fried snacks and outrageous sweets… these are just some of its key elements,” Luke says.
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Chicken satay skewers with spicy peanut sauce Sate Ayam Satay skewers cooked over smoking-hot coals are synonymous with South-East Asian travel. And who can resist that flavour-packed peanut sauce? Luke hunted down a hard-to-find satay spot, deemed by locals to be the best, in his travels for Street Food Asia. Feeling intrepid? Check it out for yourself: Sate Ayam Dankambing, 21 Jalan Kayai Maja. Or, try Luke’s version at home.
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Spicy fishcakes Smashed grilled in banana chicken with leaves green chilli Otak Otak sambal Another street food snack common in Indonesia and Malaysia are these fragrant, banana-leaf-wrapped fishcakes. Flavoured with a heady mix of spices that includes turmeric, kaffir lime and chilli, these are a great grab-and-go bite if you’re in Jakarta. Luke tracks them down in Chinatown, but he also brings back a recipe inspired by the experience that is, “the perfect dish for a barbecue.”
Ayam Penyet Jakarta has lots of big, glitzy malls, and because they’re so popular street food stalls set-up nearby to catch the foot traffic. On a tree-lined street outside of the entrance to a trendy mall called Citywalk Sudirman, Luke found one of his favourite food carts in Jakarta – and one of his favourite dishes from his Street Food Asia trip. Made up of crispy fried chicken, vibrant-green chilli sambal, and sweet and creamy coconut rice, it’s easy to see what’s to like.
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Fried tofu with chilli and soy Tahu Gejrot Cirebon Luke has travelled widely in his work as a chef and television presenter. In a rare event, this is a dish from his travels for Street Food Asia that he had never tried before. Tofu puffs are coated in a tasty paste of palm sugar, chilli, garlic and shallots, and then simmered in tamarind water, vinegar and kecap manis – a must-try if you’re in Jakarta. Not Indo-bound anytime soon? Never fear, because Luke has got the recipe for you to try at home.
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Sweet martabak
Crazy fried rice
Martabak Manis
Nasi Goreng Gila
Jalan Pecenongan Raya 65A. That’s the address you need to scout out this moreish sweet martabak when you’re in Jakarta. Luke describes it as being, “essentially a fat, porous pancake or crumpet.” Golden and crispy on the outside, and moist and spongy in the middle, once cooked, it’s topped with chopped Toblerone, sometimes Nutella, grated cheese and plenty of margarine. This is not for those on a diet.
Nasi goreng is probably Indonesia’s best-known dish. But on the Jakarta leg of Luke’s journey for Street Food Asia, locals informed him he had to try the ‘gila’ version of this dish – gila meaning crazy. So, what could be crazy about rice? This style is ‘crazy’ because of the many ingredients in its mix. We’re talking sausage, shredded chicken, meatballs, vegetables and even corned beef in a bizarre, Western twist. Jalan Sabang is home to the nasi goreng gila stall, but Luke was so fascinated by the concoction that he came up with a recipe for you to try at home.
Cool down with cendol With its hazy, humid heat and temperatures soaring upwards of 30°C, in Jakarta, you’ll constantly be searching for ways to cool down. Cendol, a dessert with strands of green riceflour noodles, shaved ice, jackfruit, avocado, chocolate syrup and condensed milk, is one of the best. Luke tried it in South Jakarta with local blogger ‘The Hungry Doctor.’ 24 cooked.com.au
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Corn fritter and vegetable salad Pecel Jakarta’s Dutch-influenced old town or Kota is a quaint place to visit for its historic buildings, monuments and sculptures. It also has some great street food, including this dish found near the town square. These crispy corn fritters come with an aromatic peanut sauce flavoured with tamarind, galangal, shallots, kaffir lime and chilli, and a crunchy salad of snake beans, water spinach and bean sprouts. Want to impress your friends with an exotic lunch? Try Luke’s take on the dish.
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Silken tofu with ginger syrup Tahwa One of Luke’s all-time favourite Asian desserts, this silken tofu sweet is cleansing, elegant and subtly flavoured with ginger syrup. It’s found across Asia and in Jakarta you’ll find it in the Gang Gloria Market in Chinatown, which Luke describes as “a cool market with a buzzy yet nostalgic vibe.” Look for the old guy with the big-old pot strapped to the back of his bicycle.
Recreate the Gang Gloria Market’s silken tofu with ginger syrup
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Deep-fried whole fish with tomato sambal
Wok-tossed Hakka noodles
Ikan Cobek
In a modern food court called ‘Food Fighters,’ a popular hangout for younger locals, you’ll find stalls decked out in Nintendo-inspired artwork serving everything from lattes to Mexican food, burgers and waffles. Of this trendy offering, it was a noodle place called Mie Chino that Luke was told to check out. “A young guy runs the place and he has just four dishes on his menu,” Luke says. Of these, this was the standout, and with simple ingredients and just three minutes of cooking time required, it’s also an ideal weeknight meal.
Spicy sambal is a staple of Indonesian cuisine, but there’s no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to sambal-sided dishes. There are a variety of types to be found in Indonesia, and often the relish will have been developed specifically for a particular dish. This one involves a tonne of red chilli, both the long and small bird’s eye varieties, pounded with candlenuts (see p.21). It’s a perfect match to the simply marinated fried fish.
Mie Goreng Hakka
Soak soybeans overnight, then grind them and strain off the liquid before using food-grade gypsum powder to solidify the soy milk. Can’t find gypsum powder? Cheat by buying your soy milk ready to go, and then set it using agar agar powder instead. When the tofu is set, pour over ginger-infused sugar syrup.
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Bangkok’s best bites for AU$2s or les
“It’s been said over and over that Bangkok is one of the best places in the world for street food and I absolutely agree,” says Luke. Not only will you want to scour its streets for the delicious factor attached to local delicacies, but also for the fact that you can pick up sweet and savoury plates for AU$2 or less. Luke includes exact coordinates for the following great-value dishes, so the next time you’re in Bangkok be sure to seek them out.
Crispy vermicelli Traditional and tasty, this dish is known locally as mee krob, and Luke’s favourite stall has been supplying it to the area for more than 60 years. “It normally involves two people to cook,” Luke says. “One deep-fries the noodles in a massive wok, the other looks after the lovely thick, sweet, sour and spicy sauce. The dish is then garnished with chillies, bean sprouts, herbs, fresh-shaved coconut and lime juice.” Aroy! 50 Thai baht (AU$2) from Mit Ko Yuan, Dinso Road
Sweet coconut rice cakes These are basically Bangkok’s version of poffertjes. A special castiron pan is used to create mini pancakes topped with sweetened coconut cream, corn, taro and spring onion. A must for sweet tooths in Thailand. “Sweet, savoury, gooey, crunchy and chewy all at the same time, they’re a good pick-me-up while you walk the streets of Bangkok,” Luke says. 15 Thai baht (AU$0.50) from Phetchaburi Soi 5
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Dry rice noodles with roast pork & crackling An old-school street snack that’s harder to stumble on than most. Originating in the ancient capital of Sukothai 400 kilometres to Bangkok’s north, this rice-noodle dish is loaded with bean sprouts, roast pork, peanuts and crispy pork crackling, and seasoned with chilli, vinegar, sugar, coriander and lime. “You order with your preference of noodles; either sen lek (medium sized) or sen lee (thin). Both types are springy and nicely al dente. The noodles can be served either dry, as I have them, or in clear stock,” Luke says. 40 Thai baht (AU$1.50) from Soi Wat Sangwech, Phra Athit Road
Crispy fish & green mango salad This bright, spicy salad packs a flavourful punch that will please even those not big on fish, as it’s not in strong focus in this herb-laden mix. “For me, it represents everything about Thai cooking I love,” says Luke. “The salty/sour/spicy/sweet notes are in perfect balance.” 50 Thai baht (AU$2) from Soi 5, Phaya Thai
Thai chicken biryani This Thai-style biryani will take you places – India, Malaysia and Persia, to name a few. Spiced-jasmine rice topped with crispy fried shallots comes with a side of marinated chicken, hotted-up mint sauce and cucumber slices. A wonderful marriage of flavours. “When you eat this, you almost feel like you are no longer in Bangkok. You could be in the Middle East. I love how food has that power to transport you somewhere else,” Luke says. 50 Thai baht (AU$2) from 178 Tanee Road, near Khao San Road cooked.com.au 27
Rice noodles with pineapple and coconut milk Pineapple and coconut are fresh summer flavours appetising on their own. Mix them with madeto-order noodles, sugar, lime juice and green and red chillies, and you’ve got a flavour bomb that will leave you wanting for more. “The noodles soak in all the sharp, sweet, creamy, fresh flavours; this dish looks rich but it’s actually light and cooling,” Luke says. 50 Thai baht (AU$2) from Somsong Pochana, Phra Athit Road
Red pork with rice, crackling & orange egg The star of this dish is the roast pork cooked over charcoal, which is what this 60-year-old stall specialises in. “The crackling is always spot-on, the meat is always juicy and their sauce (made from peanuts, sesame oil, tapioca flour, palm sugar and fermented soybeans) is consistently perfect,” Luke says. “You order a plate of their pork and it comes with rice, crackling, Chinese sausage, lots of chopped bird’s eye chilli, spring onions, cucumber, a soft-boiled egg and that lovely thick sauce.” 50 Thai baht (AU$2) from Si Morakot, 80–82 Soi Sukon 1 28 cooked.com.au
Wafer-thin sweets For the skill that goes into creating these taco-like Thai sweets, you’re getting more than great value. Over its 600-year history the Thais have gotten it down to an art. Small, super-thin discs of batter are spread on to a hotplate for the base. Once crispy, they’re topped with egg white and coconut sugar whipped to resemble meringue, or a mix of dried shrimp, grated coconut and fine threads of egg yolk called ‘foi thong’. A must try. 40 Thai baht (AU$1.50) for 10, from Golden Buddha Temple, Soi Sukon 1
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Flying
wantan
Eat like a local in
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the bustling metropolis at the heart of Malaysia. It’s an incredibly diverse city, with ultra-shiny shopping malls in one district in contrast to chaotic outdoor bazaars in another. Although escaping the humidity in air-conditioned centres might be tempting, for an authentic taste of KL follow the tips ahead.
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Maggi goreng
Flying wantan mee with roast pork
Pimp up your instant noodles Malays love a good packet of Maggi instant noodles, but they don’t eat them in the ways you might be familiar with from your university and share-housing days. Classic street food dishes such as Maggi goreng, which is loaded with garlic, chilli and sticky-sweet kecap manis sauce, make for inspiring midweek eating (see p.9). And if you’re heading to KL, don’t miss the ‘flying wantan’ guy next to Seapark Market, who after blanching the noodles for your order of wantan mee adds a little theatre by throwing them into the air and skilfully catching them in his sieve.
Bone-broth soup
Go big on bone-broth soup The Malays quite literally go ‘big’ on bone-broth soup. The inventiveness of Malaysian cuisine has produced a popular dish called ‘sup gearbox,’ which involves a bowl of flavourful broth topped with a giant beef hock, and a straw stuck into the bone so that you can suck up the marrow. Another broth-based dish that’s much loved in Malaysia is bak kut teh, which roughly translates to ‘meat-bone tea’. This rich pork stew includes a medicinal mix of spices such as angelica root, lovage and solomon’s seal that can be hard to track down individually, but your local Chinese grocer should stock a preprepared spice mix for the dish if you want to try it at home. cooked.com.au 31
Order a plate of popiah This southern Chinese-style spring roll is the ideal balance of sweet, spicy and fresh flavours, combining soy sauce, sambal chilli, and veggies such as shredded turnip and carrot in a delicate crepe-like skin. It also has great texture thanks to roasted peanuts, fried breadcrumbs and shallots. It’s the ideal light meal to tide you over after hours of exploring KL’s steamy streets, and it makes for a fun alternative to standard spring rolls or rice paper rolls when entertaining at home. Luke’s favourite spot to eat popiah in KL is the SisterS Crispy Popiah stall in Imbi Market. Why? Because they cook their own skins, which not everyone does, and if you’re making them at home he recommends you do the same.
Take to the streets, day and night If you want to eat like the locals do in KL, make for the street markets. By day, Imbi Market buzzes with natives who come here for dishes such as kaya toast with half-boiled eggs – a classic Malaysian breakfast that includes sweet-white bread topped with thick slabs of butter and coconut-pandan jam (aka kaya jam), softboiled eggs for dipping your toast, and Hainan tea to wash it all down. If you want to beat the crowds, you’ll need to get here early. Imbi Market is chock-full of people by 7am. At night, SS2 Market in Petaling Jaya is Luke’s top pick. Here, you’ll dig into dishes such as salt-baked chicken cooked in a parcel inside a wok. This method of cooking captures all of the flavourful juices and seasonings, and traps moisture in the meat to ensure it's super tender. 32 cooked.com.au
“From early in the morning until late at night, Kuala Lumpur has a collective stomach that doesn’t rest. It’s my kind of place.” Luke Nguyen. cooked.com.au 33
10 Luke Nguyen recipes you can’t stop clicking
Hue pancake
Wok-tossed mud crab
This savoury pancake has its origins in central Vietnam. It’s small, crispy and served with a sweet hoisin sauce.
Shellfish loaded with herbs and spices is ideal summer fodder. Just add riesling.
Chargrilled pork neck with vermicelli noodles
Soft rice paper rolls with prawn and pork
This popular southern Vietnamese dish is perfect for Sunday barbecues.
Rice paper rolls are a great snack to put out at parties.
These are the 10 most popular Luke Nguyen recipes on Cooked.com.au. They're your favourites, and you've got really great taste.
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Slow-braised beef ribs
Lyonnaise salad
These warmly spiced ribs will tear at the touch of a fork.
Lighten up with this bright and crunchy Lyonnaise salad, complete with smoky bacon.
Quy Nhon fish cakes
Khmer beef skewers
Quy Nhon is home to hundreds of varieties of fish cakes. Luke’s version can be eaten as an entrée, tossed in salad or stuffed in a crusty roll.
French colonisation has strongly influenced the food of Cambodia. These beef-brisket skewers served in a warm, crunchy baguette are just one example.
Petit lemon meringue tartlets These bite-sized sweets are just the thing for the season’s many events.
Kaffir lime and lemongrass crème brûlée Try this exotically flavoured and fragrant take on a French classic for your next dinner party.
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“When I travel, my top priority is hitting the pavement in search of interesting things to eat, making sure I do this at a slow pace with my ears, eyes and nose on constant red alert.� Luke Nguyen.
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