Chef Huys Banh Tap Spiced Pork On Shrimp Crackers Food

CHEF HUY'S BANH TAP (SPICED PORK ON SHRIMP CRACKERS)

Steps:

• Slice the pork as thinly as you can, cut each slice in half and place in a deep bowl.
• Peel the rough outside husks off the lemon grass and chop the tender inside very finely. Add to pork.
• Add sugar, nuoc mam, garlic and 2 tablespoons of oil to pork, mix well, cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
• When ready to serve, heat 2 cups of oil to the point that a bread cube browns quickly and rises to surface. Lower heat and drop in a prawn cracker. If the oil is hot enough (it should be just below the smoking point), the cracker will puff and swell and rise almost immediately to the surface. Remove and drain on absorbent paper. Proceed with rest of prawn crackers. The crackers must be removed as soon as they have fully expanded or they will curl up too tightly to spread the pork on them. This sounds complicated; in fact, it's a lot of fun.
• In a wok or frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and saute scallions over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until brown. Remove, drain on absorbent paper, and set aside.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Raise heat and saute pork over high heat until brown. Remove, leaving behind as much oil as possible.
• To serve, arrange shrimp crackers on platter. Top each cracker with a few slices of spicy pork and garnish each cracker with browned scallions and chopped peanuts.

FIRECRACKER SHRIMP ROLL WITH CRAB AIOLI

Steps:

• Combine mayonnaise, crab, garlic, salt, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and tarragon in a bowl for the crab aioli. Stir to combine and refrigerate until needed.
• Remove tails from shrimp and keep chilled until ready to use.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Whisk buttermilk, hot sauce, chipotle pepper, cayenne, black pepper, and salt together in a bowl.
• Mix flour, cornmeal, paprika, and salt together in a shallow dish for the breading.
• Slice partway through each sandwich roll, splitting it open. Scoop out some bread from the top to make room for the filling.
• Toast rolls in the preheated oven until crisp, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Soak shrimp in the buttermilk mixture for about 5 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Spread crab aioli generously over both sides of each roll; top with sliced lettuce.
• Toss shrimp in the breading to coat; shake off any excess. Fry shrimp in the hot oil until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and immediately transfer shrimp onto the rolls. Sprinkle cayenne pepper on top.