Buzz
1. Crispy Fried Carp
Bringing the rustic countryside flavor, the familiar fried fish dish recalls peaceful childhood memories like no other. The fish is cleaned, marinated with rich spices, fried in abundant oil releasing irresistible aromas. Hardly anyone can resist the crispy skin, evenly flavored fish meat, wrapped with fresh and cool raw vegetables, rice paper, then dipped into a bowl of well-prepared savory fish sauce.
Despite sounding elaborate, this dish is simple and easy to make, perfect for gentlemen to show off and invite their female counterparts to enjoy this on March 8th. Let's explore how to make this dish together!
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Carp (large size): 1 fish.
- Garlic chili, herbs, cooking oil, delicious fish sauce, sugar.
Instructions:
- Step 1: Clean the fish, score it on its body for oil absorption and crispy frying. Then let the fish drain thoroughly.
- Step 2: Heat the pan to fry the fish without sticking, then pour oil to cover the fish, place a chopstick into the oil, when bubbles surround the chopstick, it means the oil is hot enough, then fry the fish. To prevent oil splashing, you can add a little salt to the oil pan before frying the fish.
- Step 3: After one side of the fish is golden brown, slightly curl the fish edge, then gently flip the other side of the fish. Wait for the fish to be evenly golden brown and emit a delicious aroma, then turn off the heat. Remove the fish to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil on the fish.
- Step 4: Make fish dipping sauce: 3 tablespoons of delicious fish sauce, 1 small spoon of sugar, add garlic chili and you have a delicious fish dipping sauce. After completion, arrange the fish on a plate and garnish with herbs to add visual appeal.
Meaning of the dish: Fish is a nutritious dish, providing protein and beneficial fats for the body. Therefore, this dish is a wonderful wish for health and interesting love from the cook to the ladies on March 8th!
2. Vinegar Mixed Salad
3. Dried Squid Mango Salad
4. Rolled Shrimp with Mustard Greens
5. Beef Pho Rolls
Women often avoid oily fried dishes to maintain their weight. Hence, we cannot overlook the Beef Pho Rolls, which are fresh, easy to eat, nutritious, and incredibly simple to make, making them a perfect choice for men to showcase their culinary skills.
Soft pho noodles, flavorful beef, fresh green herbs all blend harmoniously with the sweet and tangy dipping sauce. Just as simple as that, and you'll earn a perfect score in the eyes of the ladies!
Preparation time: 30 - 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- Pho rice noodles: 1 kg
- Fresh vermicelli: 400g
- Beef tenderloin: 400g
- Onion: 1 bulb
- Seasonings: fish sauce, pepper, sugar, cooking oil
- Assorted herbs: cilantro, culantro, bean sprouts, mint, lettuce
- Ginger, lime, garlic, chili, dried shallots
- Step 1: Preparation. Wash fresh herbs, soak them in clean water with a little salt for about 15 - 20 minutes, then drain. Peel and finely chop ginger and garlic. Peel and slice the onion into thin slices. Clean the beef and slice it thinly, marinate with cooking oil, salt, ginger, mix well, and let it marinate for about 15 - 20 minutes.
- Step 2: Heat cooking oil in a pan, sauté garlic until fragrant. When the garlic is fragrant, quickly stir-fry the beef with onion. Use high heat and stir quickly to keep the beef from releasing water. Once the beef is cooked to medium rare, remove it from the pan and place it on a plate.
- Step 3: Arrange the pho noodles on a plate, place lettuce leaves underneath, lay a few strands of vermicelli, fresh herbs, beef on top, then roll tightly by hand.
- Step 4: Prepare the pho dipping sauce: mix 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lime juice, 5 tablespoons of water, chopped garlic, chopped chili, stir well. After completing, place the pho rolls on a plate, pour the dipping sauce into a small bowl, and decorate to make it more appealing.
Meaning of the dish: While the exterior of the pho roll may seem simple, the filling inside is rich in beef flavor and the fragrance of various herbs. Just like women, although they may seem fragile on the outside, they are imbued with deep love and strong will inside. Cooking this dish, men want to send women wishes of luck, success, and admiration for their noble sacrifices for the family.
6. Fresh Mango Shrimp Salad
On this International Women's Day, making mango salad is something the ladies absolutely adore. With this dish, women can indulge without worrying about gaining weight, as it helps effectively reduce excess fat. The recipe for this salad is also incredibly simple. Just a few steps, and you'll have a mouthwatering bowl of mango salad.
Preparation time: 15 - 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 green mangoes
- 1kg shrimp
- 200g pork belly
- 50g fresh shrimp
- Dried shallots, lime, cilantro, garlic, chili
- 100g peanuts
- Fish sauce, sugar
Instructions:
- Step 1: Peel and julienne the mangoes. Rinse the shrimp and pork belly. Roast the peanuts until golden brown, remove the skin, and crush them into small pieces. Slice the dried shallots thinly. Finely chop the garlic. Rinse the dried shrimp, boil them, then grind them into a paste.
- Step 2: Making the mango shrimp salad. Boil the shrimp until cooked, then peel and devein them, set aside. Boil the pork until cooked, slice it into small thin pieces.
- Step 3: Finally, in a large bowl, mix together fresh shrimp, dried shrimp, pork, mangoes, cilantro, garlic, chili, and peanuts. Add a little fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice. Mix well and transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle some fried shallots on top, and enjoy.
Meaning of the dish: Fresh mango shrimp salad, with its sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, will truly captivate you and become addictive. Presenting fresh mango shrimp salad to women on International Women's Day is indeed a wonderful gift. It demonstrates your care and understanding for her.
7. Chicken Wrapped in Pandan Leaves (Pandan Leaves) Fried
Chicken wrapped in pandan leaves is a popular Thai dish that's very simple and easy to make. The sweet, tender chicken combined with the gentle, fragrant flavor of pandan leaves creates a unique and delicious taste.
Especially, women will love this dish because it's made from chicken thighs, which are not fattening but surprisingly tender and sweet, unlike dry, tough preparations.
Preparation time: 40-50 minutes (chicken should be marinated for at least 1 hour).
Ingredients:
- 300g boneless chicken thigh. 1 bunch of pandan leaves. Coconut water, dried shallots, garlic, peppercorns, sugar, fish sauce, spices.
- Oyster sauce, cooking oil.
- Ingredients for dipping sauce: soy sauce, roasted sesame seeds, sugar.
Instructions:
- Step 1: Rinse the boneless chicken thigh, cut into square pieces for easy consumption.
- Step 2: Prepare the marinade: 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon coconut water, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, ½ teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon sugar, minced garlic, minced dried shallots, a little cooking oil. Mix all to make a thick sauce. Marinate the chicken with the sauce for at least 1 hour.
- Step 3: Rinse the pandan leaves, drain. After the chicken has marinated, wrap it with the pandan leaves.
- Step 4: Heat a pan, add cooking oil, fry the chicken until golden brown, the pandan leaves turn slightly brown, then remove the chicken. Alternatively, you can bake the chicken in an oven at 200 degrees for about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and place it on a plate lined with absorbent paper to reduce greasiness.
- Step 5: To make the dipping sauce, put sugar and water in a small pot, heat until the sugar dissolves, then add soy sauce and roasted sesame seeds. Let it cool. The finished dish is fragrant, tender chicken, infused with spices and especially the aroma of pandan leaves; the dipping sauce is rich and savory. It's an easy-to-eat dish, suitable for snacking with friends, or served with hot rice instead of a savory dish.
Meaning of the dish: Chicken wrapped in pandan leaves is a combination of many different ingredients creating a unique flavor. Women are also like that, containing extremely noble qualities. Though gentle, they are also very resilient, though small, they are not weak... Cooking this dish, men want to wish women always sweetness, gentleness, and ever-increasing beauty.
8. Steamed Red Tilapia with Soy Sauce
8. Deep-Fried Red Tilapia with X.O Sauce
9. Canh rong biển
9. Seaweed Soup
Seaweed soup on birthdays is a unique cultural beauty of Koreans, as this action reminds children of the pain of childbirth, gratitude, and respect for their parents. Unlike the Vietnamese belief where women in the postpartum period eat trotters, minced meat with bitter herbs... to increase milk supply, in the first three months Korean women often eat seaweed soup to have more milk for the baby.
Along with other benefits such as detoxifying the blood, reducing the risk of tooth and hair loss, which is very good for postpartum women, seaweed soup is often the first dish that a mother gives birth to a child. Therefore, the first drops of milk the baby drinks already have the nutrients and flavor found in seaweed soup.
This is a light dish, not too high in calories and fat but quite rich in calcium, iron, protein, and various vitamins as well as essential minerals for the body. It is a delicious soup and very good for health no matter when you eat it during the day.
Preparation time: 25 - 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Dried seaweed: 45g
- Beef: about 150g
- Garlic, sesame oil, pepper, salt, and other spices
- Sesame oil (can be replaced with olive oil)
How to cook:
- Step 1: Soak the dried seaweed in water for about 20-30 minutes. The seaweed will expand and become softer, then rinse and drain, then cut into long pieces about 5cm, do not cut too small. Seaweed has a slightly fishy smell, if you are not used to the fishy taste, you can use a little baking soda to squeeze and then rinse with water. It will reduce the fishy smell of seaweed when cooking.
- Step 2: Wash the beef and then cut it into small pieces, marinate with a little sesame oil, pepper, spices, and sesame oil (if you are not used to the smell of sesame oil, you can use olive oil instead). Then stir-fry the beef, over medium heat.
- Step 3: When the beef is cooked, add the seaweed and stir-fry together. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil. Stir-fry over high heat for about 3-4 minutes or until the beef is completely cooked.
- Step 4: Pour water into the pot with the seaweed and beef, then bring to a boil. When the soup boils, season with spices, sesame oil to taste, you can use a Korean beef seasoning packet to make the soup tastier and more authentic. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes.
- Step 5: After 5 minutes, add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic. And continue cooking for about 10 minutes until the seaweed is soft, then turn off the heat.
Meaning of the dish: Seaweed soup in Korean is Miyeok Kuk, considered by Koreans as a dish that brings luck and happiness. Therefore, cooking delicious seaweed soup for her on March 8th will be a gift replacing wishes of peace, happiness, and prosperity for your significant other.
10. Heart-shaped Rice Balls
The dish of heart-shaped rice balls of love will make the meal of the couple on March 8th more exciting, cheerful, and equally remarkable. Through the dish, surely the wife will feel the meticulousness, care bit by bit that her husband has tried to show through the arrangements, as well as the effort to shape each small, lovely, and eye-catching piece of heart-shaped rice.
Your girlfriend will be pleasantly surprised when she is presented with an extremely sweet meal in the romantic candlelight accompanied by roses. A creative suggestion for a romantic March 8th dinner at home is the dish of heart-shaped rice balls.
Preparation time: 30 - 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 250g chicken, 1 cup rice
- 2 bell peppers (red and green)
- 5g white sesame seeds, 1/2 white radish, cooking oil
How to cook:
- Clean the chicken, fry it until crispy with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, shred the chicken. Cut the fried potatoes and white radish into small pieces. Boil the white radish separately until tender. Wash the bell peppers, cut in half, remove the seeds, cut into pomegranate seeds.
- Stir-fry or blanch the bell peppers for easy consumption. Roast the white sesame seeds until fragrant.
- Next, add rice, roasted white sesame seeds, bell peppers to a bowl, mix well. Divide the rice into small pieces, place in a heart-shaped mold, then arrange the chicken and fried potatoes, white radish in the middle.
- This delicious and nutritious rice dish will surely be a great lunch! Looks very eye-catching.
Meaning of the dish: On March 8th, being able to enjoy this dish full of love rice balls from her husband, surely any wife will be surprised and very happy. This dish is both sweet and romantic, expressing appreciation for one's better half.
11. Love Soup
Love Soup made with tomatoes, red bell peppers, and rich chicken broth, combined with traditional seasoning. The vibrant red color of the soup can symbolize the intense love that gentlemen want to express to the women in their families.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 can of tomatoes, 2 red bell peppers
- 1 liter of chicken broth
- Purple onion, minced garlic, chili
- Cooking oil, cornstarch, fish sauce, seasoning
Instructions:
- Rinse the red bell peppers, cut them in half, remove the seeds, and grill. When cool, cut into small pieces. Peel and finely chop the purple onion. If you don't like garlic, you can omit it, but the dish will lack flavor.
- Heat cooking oil in a pan, sauté the purple onion and minced garlic until fragrant, then add the grilled red bell peppers and canned tomatoes, stir well, season to taste. If you like it spicy, you can add finely chopped fresh chili.
- Once all the ingredients are seasoned, pour the chicken broth in. To thicken, you can add a little dissolved cornstarch. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes.
- The love soup can be enjoyed on its own for breakfast or with a little seasoning to make a dipping sauce for bread, both are delicious options for breakfast.
Meaning of the dish: The love soup with its attractive color and flavor will convey meaningful wishes for International Women's Day to the women you cherish.
12. Love Jelly
Love jelly is a dessert greatly beloved by women. The challenge for men is to make this dessert special, containing their heartfelt emotions. Heart-shaped molds or heart-shaped toppings added to the jelly will create that exquisite touch.
Jelly, among its many benefits, improves cardiovascular health, aids digestion, detoxifies, and lowers cholesterol levels... It's also perfect for weight loss. We can make various dishes using jelly powder, such as jellies or puddings.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 21g gelatin powder
- 500ml rose wine
- 100g white sugar
Instructions:
- Take 125ml of water in a cup. Sprinkle gelatin powder over the water surface, let the gelatin soak slowly (about 5 minutes). Take the remaining 125ml of water, 100g sugar, and 500ml of rose wine in a pot, heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved (do not boil).
- Add the gelatin mixture and stir until smooth and the gelatin is completely dissolved. Pour the mixture into jars until full, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set the gelatin. After that, use a knife or cookie cutter to cut the jelly into small heart shapes, prepare one or more hearts for each jar (as desired).
- When the gelatin has set, use a sharp knife to make a deep slit in the gelatin near the front of the jar. Then turn the heart upside down, press it into the slit just made, and gently push the heart down to the desired position using a bamboo skewer or knife tip. Use the skewer to create random deep holes in the gelatin and push pomegranate seeds into the positions (similar to sprinkling red confetti).
Meaning of the dish: Love jelly expresses affection, appreciation, and heartfelt gratitude from men, husbands, and sons to the women they love the most.
