In Vietnam, when you go eat snails (oc), you don’t just eat sea snails or what the French call escargot.
You eat an assortment of seafood such as crab, shrimp, clams and squid. Eating snails is part of the nhau culture. It includes a lively atmosphere, often with friends and families that come together after work.
Together they sit on small flimsy plastic stools around a knee-high tables. Seafood is often served in small portions so patrons can sample more items from the menu.
They fill their bellies while sipping on cold beer, served in a cup with one large piece of ice that threatens to smash your teeth at every sip.
The scene is fun and boisterous, and you usually end the night with a stained shirt from the splatter of amazing sauces.
One of the dishes served in these snail eateries is Oc Xao Me. These are sea snails quickly stir-fried in a sweet and sour tamarind sauce, topped with fried garlic and Vietnamese coriander (rau ram).
This dish comes together quickly, especially when using frozen periwinkle sea snails that are readily available in many Asian supermarkets.
If you can’t find periwinkle sea snails, use whatever sea snails that are available. This sauce works well for any type of sea snails or shell fish.
Recipe below. Enjoy!
Periwinkle Escargot with Sweet & Sour Tamarind Sauce (Ốc Xào Me)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
Description
A Vietnamese street food favorite. Periwinkle sea snails tossed in a tangy, savory-sweet tamarind sauce make. Easy to make and full of flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs periwinkle sea snails/escargot
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 2 oz tamarind seedless tamarind pulp
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 10 large garlic cloves (peel and mince finely)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon MSG (optional)
- Vietnamese coriander (optional)
Instructions
- Clean the periwinkle: Gently scrub the shell and soak in water for 10 minutes. Rinse well and drain dry.
- Prepare the tamarind pulp: In a small bowl, combine hot water and tamarind pulp and let it soak for 15 minutes. Strain mixture through a sieve and discard pulp. Set tamarind liquid aside.
- Make fried garlic: In a large skillet, heat up a large skillet with vegetable oil. Add garlic and fry until golden brown. Remove fried garlic and set aside. Remove all oil except a thin layer.
- Make the sauce: Add tamarind juice and season with sugar, fish sauce and MSG (optional).
- Add periwinkles and toss with sauce. Cook for 3 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and thickened.
- Finish: Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with fried garlic and Vietnamese coriander.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
