MM Bon Appétit

Bắp xào translates to “stir-fried corn”, this dish is a beloved street food in Vietnam- especially amongst students.

I have fond vivid memories of rushing out of elementary school with my friends after a long day of classes to buy bắp xào and other snacks from street vendors who were waiting for us right outside the gates. We could able to smell the incredible aroma of this dish before even making it out of the school.

The common version of this dish that is sold by most street vendors in Hồ Chí Minh city includes tiny dried shrimps that provide a slight crunch and umami kick. You can usually find them in the dried or frozen section of Asian grocery stores. If you can’t, you can replace with minced regular shrimp. We have also made this dish with bacon bits instead for friends with allergies and it turned out equally as amazing. To make a vegan version: you can use vegan bacon bits or omit entirely and use vegan fish sauce or replace with soy sauce.

This simple dish is incredibly easy to make but is packed with flavors. You get sweetness from the corn and beautiful umami flavors from the shrimps (or bacon) and fish sauce, made even more amazing by the freshness of green onions and creaminess from the butter.

If you’re using fresh corn, separating the kernels will be the step that take the longest. The rest comes together in a few minutes. If you’re using canned corn, this dish should only take you less than 10 minutes!

INGREDIENTS FOR BẮP XÀO

• Corn - Ngô/bắp: In Vietnam, you might find this dish made with ngô/bắp nếp - waxy corn or a mix of that type and yellow sweet corn.
• Dried baby shrimps (tép khô), bacon bits, or vegan alternative
• Green onion - Hành lá
• Unsalted butter - Bơ lạt
• Vegetable oil - Dầu thực vật
• Fish sauce - Nước mắm: arguably the most important seasoning sauce in Vietnamese cuisine. Made from fermented anchovies, it is salty and incredibly umami. Non-vegan Vietnamese recipes without fish sauce are very rare. The best nước mắm comes from Phú Quốc or surrounding islands off the coast- Southwest of mainland Vietnam. Our favorite brand available outside of Vietnam is Red Boat (U.S.).
• Bouillon - Hạt nêm: think broth, but in solid form. Bouillon is an amazingly easy way to bring that umami flavor to your food. We use it instead of salt in many of our dishes. You can usually find chicken, pork, or mushroom bouillon. In Vietnam, Knorr is the most common brand. However, we have only been able to find Knorr in powder form in the US and France, not granules. Instead, we use Totole brand chicken or mushroom bouillon. The quantities on our website are based on the granule-type so if you use powder, adjust to your taste.
• White granulated sugar - Đường cát trắng

DIRECTIONS FOR BẮP XÀO

1. If you are using whole corns: shuck and cut the kernels from the cob. See video for details instructions.If you are using canned corn: drain and rinse.
2. Chop green onion into ~0.5cm pieces.
3. Heat vegetable oil on medium in a large pan.
4. Add the corn and sauté for 1 minute.
5. Add the bouillon powder, sugar, fish sauce, and shrimps/bacon bits, and sauté for 1 minute.
6. Add butter and stir to melt, then mix well to coat the corn.
7. Taste and add more bouillon powder or fish sauce, if needed.
8. Turn off the heat, mix in the chopped green onions, and stir to combine.
9. Serve immediately with some sriracha!

RECIPE VIDEO