Thịt Kho Dưa Giá

Happy March!

...Though it doesn't change the fact that I'm still waaaaaay behind on my posts. In fact, it makes it worse that it's already March and I'm still posting about a small meal I made for Lunar New Year :X

Thịt kho dưa giá is a dish traditionally eaten during Lunar New Year in Vietnam. Of course there are tons of variations of what actually goes into these rolls, but the main attraction are always these:

- Caramelized Pork & Eggs (Thịt kho trứng, the post linked here is actually Caramelized Tofu & Eggs, because I didn't use pork that time). When you make this dish for the sake of having rolls, remember not to simmer away all the sauce because you'll need to use it for dipping!

- Pickled bean sprouts and garlic chives (hẹ)

- Rice paper, any brand will work though I personally prefer Rose Brand (right)

***Picture from Viet World Kitchen.

Pickling the bean sprouts and garlic chives is relatively easy.

- Buy fresh bean sprouts, rinse well.

- Garlic chives, rinse well and cut into 2-inch lengths.

- Optional: shredded carrots

- Submerge all in at least half a gallon of water with about 1-2 Tablespoons of salt, 3-4 Tablespoons of sugar, and at least 4 Tablespoons of vinegar.

- Pickle overnight