Hanh phi (Vietnamese fried shallots) are used to top sticky rice (like in the photo above), added to salads, or cold noodle dishes. They taste milder than regular onions and lend a smokiness and crunch to many dishes. While you can buy them already fried and bagged at some Asian grocery stores, I usually make them fresh when I need them. You can also make larger batches and store them in the refrigerator.
When my aunts dug up shallots from the yard, they left behind a whole bunch of smaller ones. Not one to waste any food, I decided to fry them up.
Hanh Phi (Vietnamese Fried Shallots)
You'll need:
As many shallots as you'd like
Oil for frying
Clean shallots, removing roots and stems, and peeling the outer skin. Slice thinly.
Deep-fry in hot oil until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Hanh phi may be added to rice, noodle, and salad dishes. Any extra may be stored in a tightly closed bag in the fridge or stored in the oil used to fry the shallots.
Then just sprinkle on top of salads or soup or rice or anything you wish.
Enjoy!
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1 year ago today, best of 2007 recipes from fessenjan (Persian pomegranate and walnut-glazed) roast duck to pho bo (Vietnamese beef noodle soup).
2 years ago today, cheap rolls at Sushi House Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar in Alameda.
oh thanks for sharing the recipe on this. I normally buy this on the asian shop close to our city. but nothing beats the home-made one! love it
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorites!!!
ReplyDeleteI swear you can eat this anytime...mmmm i love, love, love cooking with shallots!!!
thanks sooo much for sharing this!
I love hanh phi :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't love peeling shallots :-( Just looking at that lovely pile of shallots made me feel teary! So I have jars of the store-bought stuff.
BTW, do you find the home-grown shallots to have more flavor? My aunt once gave me some of her home-grown garlic-- oh, my. They were POTENT!
Dhanggit,
ReplyDeleteI have a bag from the store too, but it just doesn't taste the same. Too many preservatives, I think.
Kimberly Tia,
Haha. I don't think I've ever met anyone that excited about fried shallots. :)
Nikki,
Homegrown were much stronger. Normally shallots don't affect me like regular onions but these made me cry. They tasted so good though!
Aaaaaaa, the labor, the labor of it all! I don't like peeling little itsy-bitsy things. I guess other people aren't lazy like me. Teehee. Also, onions and such make me cry too. (Excuses, excuses.)
ReplyDeleteI hear that if you breath through your mouth, the sulfuric compounds (?) don't make you tear as much. But I always forget until it's too late.
ReplyDeletei must applaud you for doing this at home. i just buy it. frying things in my place is such a hassle!
ReplyDeleteOhmygawd! The peeling, the peeling. . .I admire your tenacity!
ReplyDeleteTS,
ReplyDeleteI hate peeling little things too. Worse is the crying. But sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do.
Nikki,
I will have to try that. But most likely, like you, I won't remember until after I've already started crying.
Lan,
You don't need a lot of oil to fry this. Just a little bit. But yeah, I hate the way the oil seems to linger in the air afterward. Then I crank up my air purifier.
JS,
Haha. You're just like TS! If you both hate it, who does it then?
Hey, do they stay crispy in the fridge? How long can I store them for?
ReplyDeleteJeannie,
ReplyDeleteIf you fry out all the moisture, they should stay crispy. They keep for a really long time. Months and months.
WC, will you also post the recipe for the xoi bap? I love this dish but haven't been able to find the recipe anywhere! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLisa,
ReplyDeleteOne day! Xoi bap is my favorite xoi, but my aunt gives me plenty so I've been lazy.