Shrimp, Pork, and Jicama Turnovers

Name: Shrimp, Pork, and Jicama Turnovers
Yield: makes 12 pastries
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon canola oil; 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2 ounces ground pork, coarsely chopped to loosen; 3 ounces medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped into pea-sized pieces (2 1/2 ounces net weight); Scant 1/4 cup finely diced jicama; Generous 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon sugar; 1 heaping tablespoon chopped scallion (green part only); 1/2 pound Simple Flaky Pastry (page 113); Canola or peanut oil, for deep-frying

December 9, 2011

Certain childhood treats stick with you, and for me these crisp turnovers are a tasty reminder of our life in Saigon. Sister Thien, our cook, and a family friend whom we called Uncle Thu, would make the dough and fill it with this delectable mixture of shrimp, pork, and jicama. Although they were hot right out of the oil, I could barely wait to dive in. My piggishness often led to a burned tongue. These are not easy to find abroad in expatriate Vietnamese enclaves, and I wasn’t able to rediscover the flavor and texture from my youth until I made them myself. For a baked version, substitute this filling for the one in the empanada recipe (page 111). Note that in the central region of Vietnam, bánh quai vac is the name of unrelated rice-or tapioca-based dumplings.

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