What is that delicious lemongrass condiment at Pho Ao Sen?
We've never had/seen it before and it was a revelation. Finely sliced lemongrass that may be deep fried and them mixed in a chile/shrimp paste. We were eating straight out of the jar it was so good. But also great in pho. Our server said it's made by the boss. We bought an 8 oz tub for $5 to go. Is there a name for this delicious goo? Are there other versions worth trying?
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I usually hear everyone else refers to it as Ớt Sa-tế (satay chili sauce). The version that Andrea has on her website is very similar to how I make mine, except I use paprika instead of the chili sauce for coloring - you just have to remember to add paprika last and add it after you turn off the stove, then the color will stay bright. My shallot: garlic ratio is something like 5:1, sometimes I don't add garlic at all. I fry my lemongrass before I add the shallot.
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twocents
Aug 6, 2012 12:59 PM
I believe it is something similar to this recipe:
http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2007/07/lemongrass-chil.html
I rave about it myself in this thread:
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re: twocents
Ah, that does sound similar---still no common name though! The diff is that at PAS, the lemongrass is finely sliced so that the end product looks like saffron filaments after it's cooked down. It's what convinced us to buy some---I can imagine the labor involved in slicing lemongrass so fine. At first we thought they were tiny anchovies. Plus the goo was perfectly balanced, which is no small feat. There's some heat but it's not overwhelming. I thought I detected the same flavors in my sis's Bun Bo Hue, and I'm glad to know that my senses are still working.
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