EPISODE FOUR  - ASIAN VEG & HERBS 

Eva will be sharing the incredible variety of Asian herbs and vegetables, showcasing flavours and textures you won’t find in a typical European supermarket. 

To begin, is a hearty Crispy Tofu and Mixed Mushrooms, featuring shimeji, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms – staples of Asian cooking. Then, Eva will transform a simple cucumber into a bold and zesty Asian Cucumber Salad followed up by the vibrant flavours of a Prawn and Green Papaya Salad, complete with a tangy, flavour-packed dressing. Finally, Eva wraps up the episode with light and fresh Vietnamese Summer Rolls, highlighting Thai basil, perilla leaf, and edible flowers. 

Dishes you'll learn to cook: 

  • Vietnamese Summer Roll with dipping sauce 
  • Thai Green Papaya Salad with Prawns 
  • Crispy Tofu with Stir fried mixed Asian mushrooms with Pak Choi
  • Asian Cucumber Salad

Eva Pau's Vietnamese summer rolls

Eva Pau's Asian Kitchen airs Wednesdays at 8:30pm on RTÉ One.

Ingredients

Serves 2 - 4

Makes 18-20

Summer Roll:

  • 250g cooked prawns
  • 1 medium carrot
  • Half a large cucumber
  • 1 packet 22 cm Vietnamese rice paper
  • 100g of Vietnamese rice vermicelli (3mm, the thinner the better) or regular Rice vermicelli noodles
  • 1 box of fresh edible flowers (20pcs)
  • 100g Vietnamese Pork Roll (Gio Dac Biet Pate)
  • Bunch of fresh mint leaves
  • Bunch of fresh coriander
  • Bunch of vietnamese perilla leaves
  • 4-5 iceberg lettuce leaves


Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce:

  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Thai sweet chilli sauce
  • Few drops of fish sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Peanut Dipping Sauce:

  • 3 tbsp of crunchy peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp white rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp crushed salted peanuts
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp warm water

Method

  1. First prepare the fillings. Finely slice and julienne the carrots and cucumber into thin strips.
  2. Thinly slice the Vietnamese pork roll and cut into medium sized strips
  3. Cut the cooked prawns into halves.
  4. Soak the rice vermicelli in boiling water for 3 minutes, pour through a sieve, rinse it under cold water and set it aside.
  5. Prepare a large pan / bowl of cold water big enough to soak the rice paper into it.
  6. To start making the summer roll, place a damp tea towel on your chopping board.
  7. Place one sheet of rice paper into the bowl of cold water making sure that the rice paper is completely wet. Then take it out and set it on the damp cloth.
  8. Fill the rice paper with coriander, mint, carrots, cucumber, edible flowers, prawns, pork roll and some vermicelli.
  9. Fold the rice paper in on both sides, it might stick slightly to the cloth. Then fold the bottom up and then roll the filling forward until it is tightly sealed. And keep going until all your filling is used up!
  10. Place the finished summer rolls on a bed of lettuce so that it doesn't stick to the plate. Garnish with edible flowers.
  11. For the sweet chilli dipping sauce - in a small bowl, mix together the rice vinegar, sweet chili sauce, lime juice and fish sauce. You can adjust the quantity as required depending on your taste. For the peanut dipping sauce, combine the peanut butter and hoisin sauce together. Mix it into a paste, then add the soy, vinegar and sugar. Slowly add the warm water to combine the sauce and lastly add in the peanuts and mix well.
  12. The summer rolls are ready to serve with the dipping sauces.

 

Eva Pau's prawns and Thai green papaya salad

I usually use a special Pestle and Mortar which is made from a tall edged terracotta bowl and a massive wooden pestle, perfect for mixing all the flavours together and keeping the sauce and papaya together. However, you can start in a small Pestle and Mortar and transfer. Or you can use a food processor.

Ingredients

Serves 2

  • 80g cooked prawns
  • 1 green papaya, peeled and finely shredded
  • 1 carrot, finely shredded
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 6 cherry tomatoes halved
  • 3 tbsp Fish Sauce
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp of palm sugar syrup
  • 1 small birds eye chili (optional)
  • 2 tbsp roasted peanuts

Method

  1. In a large pestle and mortar, add in the garlic and chilli if using. Crush it for a few seconds.
  2. Then add in the cherry tomatoes, fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar and crush them together for 1 minute.
  3. Add your shredded papaya and carrot into the pestle and mortar and toss with a pair of tongs or chopsticks. Otherwise, mix together the papaya, carrot in a large bowl and pour the sauce from the pestle and mortar and toss together.
  4. Add the cooked prawns and garnish with some roasted peanuts. Ready to serve.

 

Eva Pau's Asian cucumber salad

Ingredients

  • 1 large cucumber
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1 tsp of sugar
  • 3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp of soy sauce
  • 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • ½ fresh red chili deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
  • 5 sprigs of coriander finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp roasted white sesame seeds

Method

  1. Smash the cucumber with the side of your cleaver or a rolling pin and then roughly chop the cucumber into cubes. Smashing the cucumber allows the sauces to seep into the cucumber giving it more flavour.
  2. Place all the chopped cucumber pieces into a sieve over a bowl. Sprinkle with some salt and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes. The salt helps draw the water out of the cucumber giving it a bit more crunch.
  3. Finely chop the garlic, fresh coriander, fresh red chili (if using).
  4. To complete the cucumber salad, pour the drained cucumber into a bowl. Now add the soy, seasoned rice vinegar, garlic, coriander, sugar and chili. Mix well. It can be eaten immediately or kept in the fridge until serving.

 

Eva Pau's crispy tofu with stir-fried mixed mushrooms and Pak Choi

Eva Pau's Asian Kitchen airs Wednesdays at 8:30pm on RTÉ One.

Ingredients

Serves 2

  • 350g Firm Tofu, slice into 1cm thick square pieces
  • 25g plain flour, seasoned with salt
  • 160g baby green pak choi
  • 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 60g white shimeji mushrooms
  • 60g shiitake mushrooms
  • 60g oyster mushroom
  • 1 stalk of chopped scallion to garnish

Sauce:

  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 50ml cold water

Method

  1. Coat the tofu cubes in flour.
  2. Pan fry the tofu, approximately 4 mins on each side until it is slightly golden on both sides.
  3. In a hot pan, add some oil, then add half the garlic, let it flavour the oil for 30 seconds and then add the pak choi. Add 1 tbsp of water and cover with a lid and let it cook on medium heat for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.
  4. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
  5. Now add all the mushrooms into a hot pan with oil, after 2 minutes add the garlic. Stir fry for another 2 minutes until the mushrooms are soft, then lower the heat and add the mixed sauce. Next add the pan fried tofu and let it simmer in the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. To serve, arrange the pak choi around the edge of the plate, add half the mushroom mixture into the centre, then place the tofu on top and the rest of the mushroom mixture on top.. Garnish with some chopped scallion.