HANOI-STYLE ALASKA SCALLOPS WITH BABY DILL AND RICE NOODLES Serves: 4 Every time I enter Cha Ca La Vong, a tiny landmark restaurant in Hanoi, I know I'm in for a special treat. Owned by the same family for several generations, it serves only one dish - cha ca, which comes to the table on a little charcoal brazier. To enjoy it, one adds the just-cooked fish and wilted dill to the rice noodles and herbs and eats it with mam tom (a pungent sauce made from shrimp sauce and pineapple) or Vietnamese dipping sauce, which I much prefer. In this adapted version, I've found that Alaska Sea Scallops - with their sweet, creamy texture - take on a spectacular flavor when paired with this marinade and dill. Marinade 1  (1 1/2- inch) piece galangal or 1 teaspoon galangal powder 2 tablespoons plain yogurt 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon rice vinegar 1 teaspoon shrimp sauce 2 teaspoons oyster sauce 1/2 teaspoon salt 1  1/2 pounds frozen Alaska Sea Scallops, thawed 2/3 pound dried bun (rice vermicelli) boiled for 4 to 5 minutes, rinsed and drained 1/2 head red leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces 1 bunch Asian basil leaves (about 1 cup) 2 cups thinly shredded cabbage, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, drained 4 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths 3 bunches fresh dill, bottom tough stems removed, cut into 1-inch lengths (about 2 1/2 cup) 1/2 cup whole roasted peanuts 1/2 cup Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (see recipe) 1. Peel the galangal and cut into thin slices. Pound in a mortar until mushy. Using your fingers, squeeze the pulverized galangal to extract as much juice as you can from the pulp. You should have about 3 teaspoons. (You can also use a Japanese ginger grater.) 2. In a mixing bowl, combine the galangal juice, yogurt, turmeric, sugar, rice vinegar, shrimp paste, oyster sauce and salt. Add the scallops and toss to evenly coat them. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes. 3. Before cooking the scallops, set the dining table with a plate of rice vermicelli and a platter of lettuce and Asian basil. Combine the dill and green onions and place on one plate. Put the peanuts and dipping sauce in separate bowls. Provide each guest with a small bowl and chopsticks. 4. Start a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to high. Grill the scallops just until halfway done, about 1 minute on each side. (They will finish cooking at the table.) Transfer to a plate and keep warm. 5. To serve, place a portable gas or electric stove in the middle of the dining table. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a small frying pan low to moderate heat. Add some scallops (do not crowd) and a generous amount (like a cupful) of dill and onions. Using chopsticks or a long-handled spoon, stir gently until the scallops are hot and the herbs are wilted. Invite each guest to assemble his or her own condiments by placing some noodles, lettuce, herbs and cabbage in a small bowl. To eat, top with scallops, peanuts and sauce. When you're ready to eat another bowl, cook the remaining scallops the same way. (This cook-as-you-eat at the table is a Vietnamese dining tradition. If you prefer to have everything cooked in the kitchen, saute the scallops with dill and onions and serve them on a platter.) VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE Nuoc Cham Yield: 1 cup 3 Thai bird chilies (or 1 serrano chili) or to taste 1 garlic clove, sliced 3 tablespoons sugar 2/3 cup warm water 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice 5 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons carrots, finely shredded for garnish (optional) Method Cut the chilies into thin rings. Remove 1/3 of the chilies and set aside for garnish. Place the remaining chilies, garlic and sugar in a mortar and pound into coarse, wet paste. (If you don't have a mortar, just chop with a knife.) Transfer to a small bowl and add the water, lime juice and fish sauce. Stir well to dissolve. Add the reserved chilies and carrots. Set aside for 10 minutes before serving. Note: Nuoc cham is a must at every Vietnamese table, no matter what is served. You can use this condiment for dipping meat, seafood and vegetables, and for drizzling on rice. When serving it with steamed meats (such as steamed chicken), I often reduce the water by half so the sauce is more concentrated. You can often determine a family's roots just by looking at and tasting their nuoc cham. If it's clear and dotted with chopped chilies, the cook is probably from the central or northern regions where a simple and straightforward version is preferred. But if it's diluted with water and lime juice and sweetened with sugar, one can surmise that the cook is from verdant South. Although it will keep up to two weeks in the refrigerator, nuoc cham is best when freshly fresh. I prefer the intense flavor of the small, tiny Thai bird chilies but any hot chilies will do. From Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table (HarperCollins) © 2000 by Mai Pham THAI GREEN MANGO SALAD WITH GRILLED ALASKA SALMON goi xoai ca Serves: 4 Inspired by one of the most memorable dishes I had in Saigon, this mouthwatering salad features the lovely juxtaposition of sweet and sour mangoes against the smoky grilled salmon. Green mangoes are a special type grown to be eaten when they're green and tart. If you can't find them at Asian markets, substitute with Granny Smith apples. 2 tablespoons minced lemongrass 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped shallots 1 teaspoon fish sauce 2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 teaspoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon brown sugar 2 (8-ouce) Alaska salmon fillets, skinless 1/3 cup Chili-Lime Sauce (see recipe) 1 green mango (about 1 pound), peeled and into thin strips (about 1/2" x 2") 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 1/4 cup Asian basil leaves, cut in thirds 2 tablespoons fried shallots 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped peanuts Combine the lemongrass, shallots, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar in a bowl and stir well. Add the salmon fillets and marinate for 20 minutes. Grill or pan-sear the salmon in an oiled skillet over high heat until just done, about 4 to 5 minutes depending on thickness. Transfer to a plate to cool. Using a fork or with your fingers, break the salmon into large bite-size pieces and set aside. In another mixing bowl, combine the 1/4 cup Chili-Lime Sauce (or more as necessary) and mango and toss gently several times. Add the salmon, cilantro, basil, fried shallots and peanuts and toss gently. If you like, serve the salad with the remaining sauce on the side. CHILI-LIME DIPPING SAUCE nuoc mam chanh Makes about 1/2 cup This spicy and limey dipping sauce is guaranteed to add zip to your steamed or grilled foods and even salads. If you have a mortar and pestle, put it to work. This is the one dish that benefits greatly from the pounding of fresh chilies. Make sure to use fresh lime and gently scrape the segments and pulp into the sauce. For a real authentic touch, add about a cup of thinly cut strips (about 1 1/16-inch wide) of cucumber to the sauce. Serve the sauce and the cucumber with fried or grilled fish or rice. 1 - 2 cloves garlic 3 Thai bird chilies, chopped or to taste 3 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons fish sauce 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice with some pulp and segments 3 tablespoons water 1. Place the garlic, chilies and sugar in a mortar and pound into a paste. Transfer to a small mixing bowl and add the fish sauce and lime juice. Set aside for 15 minutes for the flavors to develop. This sauce will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Copyrighted © Mai Pham, Lemon Grass Restaurant, Sacramento, California ALASKA BLACK COD WITH GINGER-LIME SAUCE ca chien nuoc mam gung Serves: 4 1/2 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 pound Alaska Black Cod fillet, skin-on, cut into 4 pieces 6 small cloves garlic, uncut 1 cup Ginger-Lime Dipping Sauce (see recipe) 1. Seed the cucumber and cut into long, thin strips about the thickness of angel hair pasta. Add the cucumber to the sauce and set aside. 2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook the black cod pieces until they're golden and just done, 2 to 3 minutes depending the thickness. Halfway into the cooking, add the whole garlic cloves and cook until they're soft. Remove the fish and garlic and drain on paper towels. 3. Arrange the fillets in a serving dish. Scatter the garlic cloves on top. Pull out the cucumbers from the sauce and neatly place it on the fish. Drizzle the sauce on top and serve the remaining on the side. GINGER-LIME DIPPING SAUCE nuoc mam gung Makes about 1 cup 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 2 to 3 Thai bird chilies or 1 serrano chili, chopped 3 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons minced ginger 1/4 cup fish sauce 2 tablespoons lime juice 3 tablespoons water Place the garlic, chilies, sugar and ginger in a mortar and pound into a paste. Transfer to a small mixing bowl and add the fish sauce, lime juice and water. Set aside 15 minutes before serving. Copyrighted © 2005 by Mai Pham, Lemon Grass Restaurant, Sacramento, California Top of Page