Where Vietnamese food is refined and occasionally involved, Hmong food is more rustic -- it's the difference between Paris and Provence. So while this stew looks a little like Vietnamese pho, it's far simpler to make. It does call for a few unusual ingredients, but these can either be skipped or substituted. The result is a light, aromatic stew where the squirrel provides the meaty base note to an array of bright flavors. Each bite will be different, but wonderful. If you don't have squirrels handy, rabbit or chicken thighs are good substitutes.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot such as a Dutch oven. Pat the squirrel pieces dry and brown them over medium-high heat in the oil. Remove them as they brown and set aside.
Add the garlic, lemongrass, galangal, ginger and chiles and stir-fry over high heat for 90 seconds.
Return the squirrel to the pot and add the chicken stock, lime leaves and fish sauce. You want the broth to cover everything by about an inch. If it does not, add some water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the meat wants to fall off the bone, between 1 hour and 2 hours. Remove the meat and shred it off the bones. Return it to the pot.
Add the bok choy and the snow peas and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste and the ground Sichuan pepper.
You can serve it as-is in bowls, or over some steamed rice in a bowl. Garnish with the cilantro, green onions and mint.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 321 kcal
Carbohydrates: 12 g
Protein: 39 g
Fat: 13 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Cholesterol: 127 mg
Sodium: 590 mg
Sugar: 5 g
Reviews
Rick on 2026-05-24 (5 stars): really good. made with 3 fox squirrels. I appreciate this recipe because it includes ingredients that, while hard to find, make the difference.
Kris Fleetwood on 2024-05-14 (5 stars): Second time making this and it came out perfect this time! Followed the recipe except for a few necessary substitutes: Used wild mustard greens I foraged since the store didn't have any bok choy or chard, used water for stock, and used lemongrass paste and ginger paste instead of a lemongrass stalk and minced ginger. Used one arbol chili pepper. Came out great!! So flavorful and quite a bit spicy, but not too much. Highly recommend!
Andrew H. on 2020-01-26 (5 stars): Wonderful!
Kjell Hedström on 2020-01-21 (4 stars): Great recipe and it was pretty easy too. The spice level was a bit high for the kids but I added some carrots and this pulled out some heat over time
Gilbert Randolph on 2018-01-04 (5 stars): I just tried this recipe, but added beaver meat and used beaver stock that I made. I also added some mushrooms and poured it over pho noodles. Amazing! Thanks for this really creative recipe. It's great to learn how to cook exotic proteins in something other than gravy.
Thai vang on 2017-11-21 (3 stars): Hank .. i am hmong too.. and i live here in South Sacramento and a line cook at the lotus casino.. im also a hunter and squirrels is one of my all time favorite dish as a kid and now.. i know of a few dish if you would like to try..?
john on 2013-09-17 (4 stars): Im hmong, and this looks pretty good. I use all the ingredients except for the bok choy, snow peas,and chicken broth. I use water only but just enough to cover the meat then slow boil it till it starts to get thick. Usually the final result are sticky fingers from the squirrel meat. Every hmong hunter knows what im talking bout sticky.
Andrew Bogan on 2013-02-04 (5 stars): This recipe inspired me to hunt squirrels for the first time since my first hunting trip as a child decades ago in the mountains of Colorado. What a terrific way to prepare a squirrel! The kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass, both of which I grow in my garden, are great flavors for squirrel meat, which is surprisingly delicious. I also made a pot with rabbit (for the non-squirrel eaters) and that was very good, too. I recommend using pheasant stock, if you have it, in place of the chicken stock since it has richer flavors.
It is great to see the Hmong getting some recognition here in America for their great tradition of hunting and their excellent cuisine. More Americans should be aware of and appreciative for the Hmong's efforts in the CIA's Secret War in Laos in support of America and at great peril to themselves. Thank you.
Phil Pedon on 2013-01-10 (5 stars): Not only was that the best squirrel dish I have ever had it was one of the best stews I have ever had. My wife, who , as she says " doesn't do rodents" even liked it. Thanks for sharing this and the history behind it. I look forward to checking out your other recipes.
