Vietnamese Sautéed Corn with Dried Shrimps (Bap Xao)

Vietnamese Butter Sweet Corn with Dried Shrimps (Bap Xao)

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Vietnamese Sautéed Corn with Dried Shrimps (Bap Xao)

Vietnamese Sautéed Corn with Dried Shrimps (Bap Xao) is a fun street food snack in Saigon. Each bite is filled with sweetness from corn, slight saltiness from dried shrimps and richness from butter.

Prep Time25

Cook Time5

Total Time30

Course: Appetizers and Side dishes

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keyword: bap xao, corn and dried shrimp

Servings: people

Calories: 115kcal

Author: Sophie

Ingredients

1/4 cup dried shrimp
2 ears of sweet corn
3-4 stalks of scallions
olive oil
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place dried shrimps in a bowl and add enough water to cover the shrimps. Soak them until soft to the touch (about 20 minutes or more depending on your dried shrimps).
While soaking the shrimps, separate corn kernels from the cobs and discard the cobs. Slice scallion thinly and keep the white part separated from the green part.
When the dried shrimps have been reconstituted and softened, pound them lightly or roughly chop into smaller pieces.
Place a skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add dried shrimps pieces and sauté briefly. Once the shrimps are heated through, add a teaspoon of fish sauce (or to taste), mix to combine and then transfer to a clean plate.
To the same skillet, add a tablespoon of butter. Once butter has melted, add the white part of scallion and cook for a few seconds until fragrant. Add corn kernels and 1/4 teaspoon of salt (to taste) and sauté for a couple of minutes or until corn kernels are fully cooked.
Add dried shrimps back to the pan and add the green part of scallions. Stir fry everything briefly together until flavors are combined. Taste and adjust seasoning to your likings. Transfer to serving plates and serve hot.

Notes

When soaking dried shrimps, use room temperature water/tap water if you have time. If you are in a hurry, use warm water to shorten the soaking time. Do not use hot/boiling water because hot water will extract too much flavor out of the shrimps.

If you cannot find dried shrimps, I think you can use fresh shrimps. Chop them into small pieces and dry roast in your skillet to reduce water content and concentrate the flavors. Season with fish sauce to taste. Then proceed to use the toasted shrimp pieces to substitute for dried shrimps in this dish.

You can enjoy Bap Xao as a snack or a side dish/appetizer. Some people like to sprinkle some crispy fried shallots or drizzle some sriracha on top when serving. Please feel free to add these toppings if you want.

Nutrition