Bánh Canh Cua Giò Heo - part 2

The pork broth is very plain as it is, because I have not seasoned it. But first, I need to make the shrimp balls and the crab chili paste. The soup would not taste right without these two main ingredients. I made the shrimp balls myself. They tasted okay but the texture was not quite on par with what I had anticipated. I would have liked it to be more chewy. It turned out too soft. :/ I was very happy with the soup though!! ^_~

If you are allergic to crustacean like my nephew, you could substitute shrimp balls with slices of pork meat. I added the crab paste to his bowl anyway [he can tolerate a small amount of shrimp/crab, apparently]. 

Crab Chili Paste recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup diced white onion
• 1 tablespoon chili paste
• 1 tablespoon corn cooking oil
• 1 can of store bought crab meat paste

Directions:

1. In a frying pan, add the oil. Turn the heat on medium. Once the oil is warm, add the onion. Stir constantly until the onion is golden in color.
2. Then, add the crab meat paste. Stir, mix the onion and the crab meat paste. Smells good huh?
3. Now, add the chili paste. Mix thoroughly again. Let it simmer for another  2 - 5 minutes then turn off the heat.

* The crab meat paste has this orange/red color to it. That's what gives the soup the color. 

Home made shrimp balls recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 bowl (15-20) shelled and deveined shrimps
• 2 table spoons diced white onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 1/2 table spoon black pepper
• cooking oil

Directions:

1. Cut the shrimps into cubes. Process the shrimp. 
2. In a cooking large bowl, add the processed shrimp, white onion, salt, fish sauce and black pepper. Integrate all the ingredients together and mix.

     To fry:

1. Pour the cooking oil into a frying pan. Turn heat to low-medium. 
2.  Use a spoon, scoop the shrimp into the pan. Shrimp cooks quickly, so watch the heat and turn the shrimp over as it turns golden brown.
3. Once both sides are cooked to golden brown, put the shrimp on a plate to cool.

Cooking the Bánh Canh (from part 1):

1. Bring a pot filled with water (1 gallon) to boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Mix.
2. Drop the Bánh Canh in. The Bánh Canh is done when it turns clear and start floating to the surface.
3. Drain the Bánh Canh out into a bowl.   

Bánh Canh Cua Giò Heo continues....... broth to finish:

Ingredients: To thicken the broth.

• 3 table spoon tapioca flour
• 3 table spoon cold water

1. Remove the radish, onion, bones and feet from the broth (see part 1). Strain the broth into another pot, once more. 
2. On medium heat, let the broth comes to boil. 
3. Season the broth by adding 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon fish sauce and 2 tablespoon sugar. Mix 
4. Next, stir the tapioca flour in cold water and add it directly to the broth. Stir vigorously.
5. Add the crab chili paste. Stir vigorously.
6. Add the cooked Bánh Canh. Stir gently to mix. Seaso again to taste. 

Bánh Canh Cua Giò Heo is best served hot. To serve, scoop the Bánh Canh Cua Giò Heo into a small bowl, add pieces of fried shrimp and paired it with chopped sawtooth coriander (can be substituted with cilantro), chopped scallion and chili (if you like it spicy). Enjoy!