Vietnamese Cuisine
March 30th 2009 00:09
Category: No Category
Vietnamese Cuisine a Variety
In the past couple of years I have come to appreciate and indeed enjoy the variety of foods found in Vietnamese cuisine. We have a Vietnamese restaurant about 45 miles from where I live, in a town I have to go to about once a week, it's called Pho's, and is run by a couple of women, and a son, or grandson, I'm not sure which, and these women work their butts off. Even the cook is a woman, something rarely found in an Asian restaurant, especially Chinese or Japanese (or so I've observed).
Because finding authentic, flavorful Chinese cuisine has become so difficult in this area, it all tastes the same, same heavy sauces, same flavor regardless of dish, with the slight exception of whether you want it spicy or not, it all tastes the same, bottled sauces, sweet & sour pork or chicken as a side dish, not even made correctly, just some pieces of pork or chicken, deep fried, served on the side with the obligatory sweet reddish sauce, yuk!
So, since I love the flavors of Asia, they are fresh, flavorful, with herbs and spices rarely used in American cooking, such as loads of garlic, ginger, soy, cinnamon, basil, cardamon, and many, many more. I love the blending of these flavors, and the way they are cooked.
Vietnamese cuisine has everything from deep fried fish to stews and soups, served with a variety of noodles or rice. Their soups are usually served with vermicelli, their stews with egg noodles, and then just plain steamed white rice with other dishes.
I love the simplicity of these flavors. Then, you get on the side, with some dishes, fresh lettuce, fresh mint and basil, along with a mixture of bean sprouts, carrots, or other fresh chopped veggies, all to be added as you wish to your dish, or you wrap your chicken, pork, beef or fish in the lettuce leaf with a sprig of basil and mint, add a couple of sprouts, some sauce and roll, you then bite into the most delicious food, the well cooked meat, the rice, as a base and the mouth watering flavors of fresh mint and basil. Add one of the sauces served at the table, be careful most are very hot, and you have a taste out of this world.
We, Jerry and I, had dinner at Pho's Friday night, it was the first time Jerry had eaten there. He bravely tried a chicken dish, with rice, while I had shredded pork with vermicelli with egg rolls cut up in the soup. Jerry didn't relish eating there, and he didn't love the chicken, which after a brief taste I had to agree wasn't their best dish, but I encouraged him to try warping some of the chicken and rice in a piece of lettuce, with some mint and basil, and see if that changed the flavor, it did but he still preferred the Chinese near home. I suspect if he had a different dish he might enjoy it more.
One of my favorites is the rice crepes, stuffed with veggies, chicken, beef and shrimp. Served fresh veggies to wrap it in it is one of the best meals they make. During cold weather, their soups are the best, loads of flavor, and have one of the soups made with lemongrass and you will have a spicy flavor to warm the cockles of your heart.
As for Jerry, I haven't given up on him yet, I think if he gets the right dish at the right time I'll be able to convert him to Vietnamese cooking, it might take a few tries to get him back, but I can be persistent, and he does like sushi, so all is not lost. If you like sushi you can learn to like almost anything.
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Comment by GlenB
Raw Fish
There was a large influx of Vietnamese refugees migrating to Oz in the seventies.
My favourite is the rice paper rolls. they are like a spring rolls, but not fried, they are served cold with dipping sauce.
Comment by Janice M Cali
I and Me
Just Writing
I, too, love the rice paper rolls. The ones with shrimp are probably my favorite, although the beef is really good too. The dipping sauce is a favorite too. I usually add whatever is leftover, if any, to whatever main dish I'm having, they all go together so well.
I look forward to the day I can visit Australia, my sister and her husband loved it.
Janice