Poppin’ Cans
Canned meat tends to get short shrift. These twists on tradition give it some much-deserved glory.
By Caroline Hwang
Recipes and food styling by Malina Syvoravong
Photos by Yudi Ela Echevarria
Prop styling by Audrey Taylor
Pop-fssshhttt! The sounds that come from breaking the vacuum seal of tinned protein inspire a variety of sentiments. For some it’s a negative connotation—the subjective ick of compressed meat or seafood sitting in water or oil. But for others it’s more positive. Popping a can of meat can be a last-minute save for a busy weeknight dinner, or an economical way of adding protein to a meal. Malina Syvoravong, a Lao American food stylist and recipe developer, has fully embraced the sounds to create these reinvigorated recipes, which draw from childhood snacks, Lao-inspired foods, and family memories.
Glazed fried clams from a can—a snack she used to eat as a kid—get added to a Thai-ish Chex mix for a crunchy and delectable mixture of spicy, sweet, and savory. In kao poon nam pla, a curry noodle soup traditionally made with chicken or fish, Malina uses canned salmon. Her aunt originated the shortcut, which Malina dismissed as “inauthentic,” until she tasted the result and realized it was a brilliant alternative. A dish inspired by her dad’s weeknight meals, Papa’s Mama ramen was originally made with hot dogs, but here she brings in Vienna sausages. It’s a whole new iteration of cooking with canned meats.
Serves 4-6
Kao Poon
Ingredients
1 16-oz. package of rice vermicelli noodles*
*Vermicelli noodles can be made a day ahead! Store in a tightly sealed Ziploc bag or lidded container. The heat of the curry broth will soften the pre-cooked, cold vermicelli noodles, so there’s no need to reboil or blanch the noodles when serving.
For the stock:
1 14- to 15-oz. can of salmon, drained
3 cups fish/seafood stock
1 stalk lemongrass, partially sliced or banged by a mallet (this releases the flavors!)
3-4 makrut lime leaves
4 slices ginger, about ¼-inch, julienned
1-inch nub of galangal (if you can find it, optional)
For the curry:
1-2 Tbsp. coconut or vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. red curry paste
2 Tbsp. shallots, minced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 13.5-oz. can full-fat coconut milk
2 Tbsp. palm or brown sugar
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
For garnish:
1 bundle of watercress, rinsed and dried
¼ lb. green or red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup green beans, finely sliced
1 bundle of dill, plucked into smaller pieces
Fried shallots or French’s onions (optional)
1 lime, sliced into wedges
Instructions
In a large pot, cook vermicelli noodles according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse under super-cold water. Form noodles into small bundles for easier handling. Place on a plate or platter, cover, and set aside until ready to serve.
In a stock pot, lightly simmer the salmon, fish stock, aromatics, and 2 cups of water over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove any scum that forms at the top of the broth, using a fine mesh skimmer. Let simmer on low heat until ready to add to the curry.
Heat a large pot over medium-low heat; add oil then red curry paste. Stir until fragrant. Toss in the shallots and garlic then sauté until soft and translucent.
Pour coconut milk, sugar, and fish sauce into your curry pot and gently stir. Slowly add 1 cup of your salmon stock, salmon meat included. Continue adding stock to the curry until the soup is to your preferred taste and spice level.
To make an individual serving, placeo ne bundle of vermicelli noodles in a deep bowl, and fill with your preferred amount of fish curry. Adorn your noodle soup with a small handful of each garnish. Season with a squeeze of lime, and fish sauce to your liking.
Serves 3-4
Papa’s Mama Dry Ramen
This meal is meant to be a no-stress, flexible, beginner cook–level recipe using whatever fridge, pantry, or frozen goods you might have.
Ingredients
½ cup broccoli stems, quartered and cut into 1-inch bites
2 packs Mama ramen noodles (any flavor works; I used pork)
1 cup frozen peas (or any small, chopped veggie)
4-5 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 hot dogs or 1 can Vienna sausages, sliced into ½-inch pieces
2 eggs
1-2 tsp. crushed dry chili flakes (optional, for extra spice)
2 green onions (root removed), sliced into ½-inch pieces
1 lime, quartered
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, boil 3 cups of water. Add broccoli stems and cook for 1 minute, then add the 2 ramen noodle squares and frozen peas to the boiling water. Let cook for about 2 minutes or until al dente.
Strain noodles and veggies in a colander. Set aside.
Bring medium saucepan back to the stove, get it up to medium heat, and add sesame oil. Once the oil’s hot, add hot dogs or sausages and let sear for about 30 seconds on each side, stirring occasionally.
Crack eggs into the meat and quickly scramble for a few seconds before tossing in the noodles and veggies. Using a pair of tongs, thoroughly mix everything together.
Add one seasoning pack (including the oil part), and toss and stir into dry ramen. Taste to see if it’s to your liking. The seasoning packs tend to be super salty, so start with one. Add the second pack or just half it of it, and your extra chili flakes if you’re feeling spicy!
Toss green onions in at the very end, and serve the noodles with a wedge of lime for a citrus-y kick.
Serves 5-6
Thai-ish Chex Mix
Ingredients
For the stock:
4 cups Chex cereal
1 40-gram can of crispy fried baby clams (Smiling Fish brand preferred)
2 cups shrimp chips or rice crackers
½ cup Koh-Kae coated peanut snacks or unsalted peanuts
¼ cup dried whole red chili peppers, de-stemmed and de-seeded, cut or ripped into ½-inch pieces
1 pack Mama ramen noodles, broken into ½-inch chunks (omit the included seasoning pack)
For the glaze:
1 ½ cups sugar
¾ cup dark corn syrup
3 tsp. fish sauce
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, sliced into chunks
2 tsp. red chili flakes
2 Tbsp. paprika
Instructions
Preheat oven to 250°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Put all the Chex mix ingredients in a large bowl.
In a small saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves completely. This will take about 8-10 minutes and should fully bubble. Remove from heat.
Add the fish sauce and chunks of butter to the glaze; stir until fully incorporated.
Add red chili flakes and paprika to the glaze; stir until fully incorporated.
Slowly pour glaze over your Chex mix and gently fold the ingredients with a silicone spatula; slowly work the syrup from the sides into the middle and pull outwards to coat all the ingredients. Do your best not to break too many Chex mix pieces.
Once the Chex mix is fully coated, gently push it onto your sheet pan. Spread evenly as best you can—it’s okay if it’s not perfect, it’ll melt in the sheet pan.
Bake for 1 hour, rotating your pan every 15 minutes.
After 1 hour, remove from oven and let the Chex mix cool until it hardens (about 10-15 minutes). Break into chunks and serve in your favorite bowl or jar.
Store in a tight jar or lidded container.
