Pipis Wok-Tossed with Chilli & Asian Basil
Luke Nguyenʼs Pipis Wok-Tossed with Chilli & Asian Basil recipe tastes incredible. See ingredients & method below.
When I opened my restaurant more than ten years ago, I cooked pipis almost every night, as they were so readily available.
Nowadays, you’ll be lucky to find them on Sydney restaurant menus as they are scarce. Every time I see them in the markets of Vietnam, I jump at the
chance to buy some and cook them for friends. They are delicious, fun to eat and make a great drinking dish to enjoy with beer.
chance to buy some and cook them for friends. They are delicious, fun to eat and make a great drinking dish to enjoy with beer.
Cooking time
Serves
Difficulty
Ingredients
- 1 lemongrass stem, bruised, then cut into 5 cm (2 inch) lengths
- 500 g pipis
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp finely diced garlic
- 1 tbsp finely diced red Asian shallot
- 2 tsp potato starch or cornfl our (cornstarch), blended with 1 tablespoon water
- 2 long red chillies, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 handfuls Asian basil leaves
Method
- Bring 250 ml (81/ 2 fl oz/1 cup) water to the boil in a saucepan.
- Add the lemongrass and pipis.
- Cover and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the pipis open slightly.
- Discard any pipis that do not open.
- Meanwhile, combine the sugar, fish sauce and oyster sauce in a bowl.
- Mix until the sugar has dissolved and set aside.
- Strain the pipis, reserving the broth. Heat a wok to high.
- Add the oil, garlic and shallot, followed by the pipis, then wok-toss for 1 minute.
- Add the oyster sauce mixture and 3 tablespoons of the broth from the pipis.
- Toss for a further minute, then add the potato starch mixture.
- Finally, add the chilli, pepper and Asian basil and toss to combine.
- Enjoy straight away, with a cold beer.
...And that's it, enjoy!