Pho Ap Chao with Golden Lava Sauce
Pho Ap Chao with Golden Lava Sauce
Ingredients
For the Protein
- 1 pound large shrimp
- 6 garlic, cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or as needed
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, for sauteing shrimp
For the Golden Lava Sauce
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons water, for caramelization
- 3 tablespoons Chinsu Phu Quoc Fish Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinsu Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 cup water, for sauce base
For the Vegetables
- 4 baby bok choy, cut into bite-sized pieces, stems and leaves separated
- 2 carrots, sliced diagonally into bite-sized pieces
- 4 tomatoes, quartered
- 2 Chinese celery, stalks and leaves, cut into appropriate sizes
- 1/2 onion, small, thinly sliced (optional)
For the Slurry
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
For the Pan Fried Noodles
- 1 pound XL dried rice noodles
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, per noodle cake, as needed
- 1 tablespoon water, per noodle cake, for steaming
Instructions
- 1
Prepare all ingredients: Mince the 6 garlic cloves for the protein. Cut the 4 baby bok choy into bite-sized pieces, separating the thicker stems from the leafy greens. Slice the 2 carrots diagonally into bite-sized pieces. Quarter the 4 tomatoes. Cut the 2 Chinese celery stalks and leaves into appropriate sizes. If using, thinly slice the onion. In a separate bowl, prepare the slurry by combining 1 cup water and 3 tablespoons cornstarch, mixing until smooth.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Cook the shrimp: In a large pan or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of neutral cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the 1 pound large shrimp and 6 minced garlic cloves. Season with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Remove the cooked shrimp and garlic from the pan and set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Make the Golden Lava Sauce: In the same pan (or a clean one), add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons water. Caramelize over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture turns a dark amber color. This should take about 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the sugar.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Continue the sauce: Carefully add 3 tablespoons Chinsu Phu Quoc Fish Sauce, 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, and 2 tablespoons minced garlic to the caramelized sugar. Stir well. Then, mix in 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon Chinsu Hot Sauce. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Cook the vegetables: Add the harder vegetables first: the sliced carrots, baby bok choy stems, Chinese celery stalks, and any optional sliced onion to the simmering sauce. Cook for 3-5 minutes until they begin to soften. Next, add the 4 quartered tomatoes to the pan and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 6
Thicken the sauce and finish the stir-fry: Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir, then pour it into the pan with the vegetables, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Return the previously cooked shrimp and garlic to the pan. Add the leafy greens of the baby bok choy and Chinese celery. Toss all ingredients together to coat them in the sauce and cook the greens until just wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Soak the noodles: While preparing the stir-fry, submerge the 1 pound XL dried rice noodles in a large bowl of room temperature water for about 20 minutes, or until the noodles are soft and elastic when gently pulled without breaking. Drain well.
⏱️ 20 min
- 8
Pan fry the noodles (per cake): Heat 1-2 tablespoons of neutral cooking oil in a non-stick pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add enough soaked noodles to form a cake that is about 1 inch high. Use a spatula or another flat utensil to press the noodles down firmly so that all of them touch the surface of the pan. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the pan and immediately cover it to steam the noodles for 2 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Crisp the noodles: Remove the lid and continue to cook the noodle cake over medium to medium-high heat for approximately 8 minutes, or until the bottom is crispy and golden brown. Carefully flip the noodle cake and cook for another 2 minutes on the second side until it also becomes crispy. The center should remain chewy. Repeat for the remaining noodle cakes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 10
Serve: To serve, place a pan-fried noodle cake on a plate. Top generously with the golden lava stir-fry mixture. Enjoy immediately!
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Pho Ap Chao with Golden Lava Sauce
For the Protein
- 1 pound large shrimp
- 6 garlic, cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or as needed
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, for sauteing shrimp
For the Golden Lava Sauce
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons water, for caramelization
- 3 tablespoons Chinsu Phu Quoc Fish Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinsu Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 cup water, for sauce base
For the Vegetables
- 4 baby bok choy, cut into bite-sized pieces, stems and leaves separated
- 2 carrots, sliced diagonally into bite-sized pieces
- 4 tomatoes, quartered
- 2 Chinese celery, stalks and leaves, cut into appropriate sizes
- 1/2 onion, small, thinly sliced (optional)
For the Slurry
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
For the Pan Fried Noodles
- 1 pound XL dried rice noodles
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, per noodle cake, as needed
- 1 tablespoon water, per noodle cake, for steaming
Instructions
- 1
Prepare all ingredients: Mince the 6 garlic cloves for the protein. Cut the 4 baby bok choy into bite-sized pieces, separating the thicker stems from the leafy greens. Slice the 2 carrots diagonally into bite-sized pieces. Quarter the 4 tomatoes. Cut the 2 Chinese celery stalks and leaves into appropriate sizes. If using, thinly slice the onion. In a separate bowl, prepare the slurry by combining 1 cup water and 3 tablespoons cornstarch, mixing until smooth.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Cook the shrimp: In a large pan or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of neutral cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the 1 pound large shrimp and 6 minced garlic cloves. Season with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Remove the cooked shrimp and garlic from the pan and set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Make the Golden Lava Sauce: In the same pan (or a clean one), add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons water. Caramelize over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture turns a dark amber color. This should take about 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the sugar.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Continue the sauce: Carefully add 3 tablespoons Chinsu Phu Quoc Fish Sauce, 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, and 2 tablespoons minced garlic to the caramelized sugar. Stir well. Then, mix in 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon Chinsu Hot Sauce. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Cook the vegetables: Add the harder vegetables first: the sliced carrots, baby bok choy stems, Chinese celery stalks, and any optional sliced onion to the simmering sauce. Cook for 3-5 minutes until they begin to soften. Next, add the 4 quartered tomatoes to the pan and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 6
Thicken the sauce and finish the stir-fry: Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir, then pour it into the pan with the vegetables, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Return the previously cooked shrimp and garlic to the pan. Add the leafy greens of the baby bok choy and Chinese celery. Toss all ingredients together to coat them in the sauce and cook the greens until just wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Soak the noodles: While preparing the stir-fry, submerge the 1 pound XL dried rice noodles in a large bowl of room temperature water for about 20 minutes, or until the noodles are soft and elastic when gently pulled without breaking. Drain well.
⏱️ 20 min - 8
Pan fry the noodles (per cake): Heat 1-2 tablespoons of neutral cooking oil in a non-stick pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add enough soaked noodles to form a cake that is about 1 inch high. Use a spatula or another flat utensil to press the noodles down firmly so that all of them touch the surface of the pan. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the pan and immediately cover it to steam the noodles for 2 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Crisp the noodles: Remove the lid and continue to cook the noodle cake over medium to medium-high heat for approximately 8 minutes, or until the bottom is crispy and golden brown. Carefully flip the noodle cake and cook for another 2 minutes on the second side until it also becomes crispy. The center should remain chewy. Repeat for the remaining noodle cakes.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Serve: To serve, place a pan-fried noodle cake on a plate. Top generously with the golden lava stir-fry mixture. Enjoy immediately!
⏱️ 2 min