Vietnamese Sauteed Corn with Dried Shrimps (Bap Xao recipe) is a delicious street food in Saigon. Every bite is brimming with corn’s sweet flavor and dried shrimps, and a richness that comes from butter.
From humble ingredients, the Bap Xao delights me with its deliciousness. Its corn kernels are soft, sweet, juicy, and succulent. They are cooked briefly with butter to create an incredibly smooth and delicious mouthfeel. Then, you get dried shrimps, which have an umami-smooth and savory taste to offset the sweetness.
Ingredients
In order to make the Bap Xao for this recipe, you’ll need freshly picked fresh corn, cob as well as dried shrimps as well as butter and scallions..
For the best outcome For the best results, select freshly cut corn, with large and even kernels. I prefer sweet corn due to its sweet and juicy flavor. It is possible to cook hominy with this recipe.
Dry shrimps (” tom kho” in Vietnamese) are shrimps that have been dried in the sun and shrunk to a smaller size. They are usually added to stock to provide an umami-like flavor (such like the one I use in my bun thang recipe) or are used as a snack dish.
There are dried shrimps available in Asian supermarkets. I typically keep them in the fridge or freezer to preserve the freshness. Dried shrimps (left) and reconstituted dried shrimps (right)
I’ve seen recipes that include dried shrimps along with the corn straight. But, I don’t believe it’s a good idea because the shrimps will be hard and chewy when you cook the dish that is served.
We must soak the dried shrimp in water in order to make them more supple and soft before lightly pounding (or cut roughly) the shrimps. So, the taste will more pleasing and their umami flavour will blend well with various ingredients of the recipe.
Substitution to Dried Shrimps
In the event that you do not have dried shrimp available or can’t find it, I believe you could make use of fresh shrimps. Chop them into smaller pieces, then dry roast in your skillet to lower the amount of water and enhance the flavor. You can use the shrimp pieces that you have toasted to replace dried shrimp in this dish.
Making Vietnamese Sauteed Corn with dried Shrimps
It’s quick and simple to prepare Vietnamese Sweet Corn with Dried Shrimps. It is important to have all the ingredients ready prior to cooking.
After that, dried shrimps are sauteed and then seasoned by the fish sauce to enhance the taste. Following that, we’ll mix sweet corn in butter and then stir fry shrimps, corn and scallion until the flavors have been melded. That’s it.
You can take pleasure in BapXao as an appetizer or as a side appetizer or dish. Some prefer to sprinkle crispy shallots fried in oil or drizzle a bit of Sriracha over the top before serving. You are welcome to include these toppings if you would like. The exact measurements and recipe are on the recipe card that follows.
VIETNAMESE SAUTEED CORN DRIED SHRMIMPS (BAP XAO TOM KHO RECIPE)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried shrimp
- 2 ears sweet corn
- olive oil
- Three to four stalks of scallions
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the dried shrimps in the bowl, and add water to fill the shrimps. Soak them until they are soft to the feeling (about 20 minutes or so depending on the dried shrimp you've got).While the shrimps are in the water remove the corn kernels from cobs, and then discard the cobs. Cut scallion in thin slices with the white portion separate from the green portion.
- After the dried shrimp have been softened and reconstitued the shrimps, you can pound them lightly or chop them to smaller chunks.
- Set a pan on medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Once the oil is hot then add the shrimps that have been dried and sauté briefly. When the shrimps are cooked to their desired temperature the oil, add a teaspoon fish sauce (or according to your preference) and mix until well-combined and then transfer the dish to an unclean plate.
- In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. After butter has been melted then add the white part of the scallion. Cook for a couple of seconds until it becomes fragrant. Add corn kernels, and 1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste) and cook for a few minutes or until the corn kernels are cooked.
- Return dried shrimps to the pan. Add the green portion of scallions. Stir fry the ingredients briefly until the flavors have merged. Check the seasoning and adjust it according to your preference. Transfer to serving dishes to serve warm.
