Vietnamese cuisine is all about the beverages and flavorful food choices. All Vietnamese dishes have a unique flavor, and this cuisine is popular globally for its taste and healthy benefits. Commonly used ingredients in its recipes include fish sauce, shrimp paste, rice, bean sauce, fruits, fresh herbs and vegetables. Moreover, ginger, mint, lemongrass, coriander, bird’s eye chili, cinnamon, lime and basil leaves are also added in the food to enhance its richness and taste. The great thing is that; you won’t see a lot of oil or dairy in Vietnamese food as it mostly consists of vegetables and herbs. Hence, it has a lot of guilt-free eating options with several health benefits.
Just like Asia, potatoes are also loved and consumed by a majority in Vietnamese. Therefore, they have introduced a lot of recipes in their cuisine that have potatoes as a main ingredient. Here, you are going to know about a few delicious Vietnamese potato recipes that are hard to resist but super easy to make.
Some Facts About Potatoes
- Potatoes are a rich source of potassium. Therefore, they aid in balancing minerals and fluids of body and in regulating blood pressure.
- Do you know a medium-sized potato contains more potassium as compare to an average-sized banana?
- Potatoes are extremely good source of fiber and they have a higher content of the vitamin C.
Top 3 Vietnamese Potato Recipes To Try Out This Weekend!
Whether or not you have devoured Vietnamese cuisine before, given below are some hard to resist potato recipes straight from the Vietnamese food culture
1. Vietnamese Potato Croquettes
Who doesn’t like a crunchy snack during tea time? Almost everyone does! This is why this potato croquette is worth a try amongst various easy-to-prepare Vietnamese recipes to try. You can also try out some more Vietnamese dishes for esteemed guests with this one.
Ingredients:
- 2 large potatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup corn flour
- 1 small onion – minced
- 3 scallions – minced
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons of lemongrass
- 4 garlic cloves – minced
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 lightly beaten egg
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- Oil for frying
Method
- Chop, boil, and mash the potatoes before sprinkling some salt. Let them stand in a bowl for sometime, meanwhile you can fetch the other ingredients.
- Mix together all the dry seasonings and add them in the mashed potatoes.
- Add in some corn flour and mix thoroughly.
- Now mix in the other ingredients, i.e. fish sauce, minced onions and scallions.
- Once your mixture is ready, take small portions of it on your palm and shape them as patties that are not too thick neither too thin.
- Dip the patties in the beaten egg and coat them nicely in the breadcrumbs, one by one.
- Heat oil and fry the Vietnamese potato croquettes till you get a golden crisp on both sides.
- Drain on paper towels and serve with a dipping sauce of your choice to further enhance the flavor!
2. Vietnamese Stir Fry Potato & Beef
You can enjoy this flavorful dish as a complete meal with steamed rice at any time of the day, lunch or dinner. Just make sure to stir fry the main ingredients separately, and do not overcook the beef if you want the perfect outcome.
Ingredients
- ½ Kg Beef Flank thinly sliced
- 2 Medium Chopped Potatoes
- Tomatoes and Onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons Oyster Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Fish Sauce
- ½ teaspoon grounded black pepper
- Olive Oil
Method
- Place the thinly sliced beef in a bowl and add cornstarch as well as all dry seasoning along with one teaspoon of olive oil. Mix well.
- Cut the Potatoes lengthwise and slice them to a thickness of around 1/8 inch.
- Similarly, slice the onions and tomatoes into thin wedges.
- Heat oil in a pan and add half tablespoon minced garlic. Stir it around till it is fragrant.
- Now, add in the potato slices, pour a little water, and cook until it is done.
- After a little while, stir in the sliced tomatoes and onions and continue to cook the mixture until all vegetables are tender.
- Gradually add in the oyster sauce, mix for a minute and then dish out the potato stir fry.
- In the same pan, heat some more oil and sauté the remaining minced garlic before adding in the beef.
- Toss and stir the beef slices on medium-high heat until it is 80% cooked, and then add the stir fried potatoes in the pan. Tip: avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Toss them together and add fish sauce. Continue cooking and tossing the mixture until the beef is cooked to perfection.
- In the end, you can adjust the seasoning to your liking and sprinkle some black pepper and scallions as well.
Vietnamese recipes don’t require a lot of oil. When it says ‘add oil’; you just have to add 2 tbsps. or less. However, if you like more oil, it’s your own choice.
3. Vietnamese Prawn and Potato Fritters
If you are looking for starchy foods, then these mouthwatering fritters are going to leave you craving for more even after you have indulged a handful just a while ago. That is how irresistible certain Vietnamese recipes are! The best thing is that; it is super easy to make so even if you lazy to cook, it won’t ask for a lot your time and energy. Just make sure that all ingredients are available at hand to save yourself for last-minute hassle.
Ingredients
- Half Kg sweet potatoes
- Half Kg Prawns
- 1 and ¼ cup Rice flour
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 1 cup cold water
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
Method
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into thick slices, about ¼ inch wide and 4 inches lengthwise.
- Place them in a bowl of cold water and leave them in the fridge for an hour as this will add to their crispiness once fried.
- Meanwhile, prepare a smooth, non-runny batter by whisking together all dry ingredients while adding water gradually. Let it rest for half an hour.
- Season the prawns in a bowl with remaining salt and black pepper
- Now, add the prawns and drained sweet potatoes in the batter to coat thoroughly.
- Heat oil in a deep pan and gradually place each spoon full of the batter to form fritters in it. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan otherwise the fritters will turn out soggy.
- Fry the fritters to a crispy golden all over and dish them out using a slotted spoon on a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat the procedure until the leftover batter is used up.
- Serve on a platter sidelined with lettuce and herbs of your choice as well as a dipping sauce to add flavor.
Bottom line
Potatoes are loved by a majority, but some people avoid its consumption because this starchy vegetable is said to cause weight gain. However, this statement is partially not true. On a contrary, you can get a good amount of fiber and vitamin from potatoes without gaining weight, but moderation is the key!
The above-mentioned recipes are great for those who are a bit conscious about obesity but still want to consume tasty potato dishes. Vietnamese recipes are famous for their healthier benefits. So, which one of these recipe are you going to try?