nakji

I saw both fairly regularly in Hanoi. Cilantro was chopped fine and pre-sprinkled into my soup at the pho place on my street.

I would often find the odd hunk of this when eating green papaya salad in restaurants in Hanoi! Waste not, want not.

I'm glad you're going to try it out - I love turning people on to Vietnamese food, or showing them there's more than just pho and spring rolls. Everything above I made with ingredients I found at a regular supermarket, except for the long beans (which could be substituted with regular beans) and the green papaya. Of course, these are mostly northern dishes, so making southern-style dishes might be a different story.

:swoons: I'm going to look that one up! It's the sort of thing I would be back at the fridge, an hour after dinner, gobbling mouthfuls from the leftover dish, hoping no one could hear me....

Awesome! I'll pick one up the next time I'm on knife street in Hanoi, now that I know what to look for. Most of these dishes are so simple, they don't even have real recipes. The eggplant, for example, is just some sliced long eggplants, fried in a wok in a neutral oil until they get soft. Then I push them aside, add a little more oil and lots of chopped fresh garlic. I let that sizzle until the garlic gets aromatic, then I add soy and honey in about a 2:1 ratio, toss it all together, and it's done. The fish I followed an actual published recipe, so I'm going to mosey on over and check out the eGullet posting rules for that - I think if I reword it, I can post it, but I want to make sure. I'll put it in Recipegullet. My caramel pork recipe is so easy, it kills me every time I show it to someone - they're like, "That's it?", which is exactly what I said to my friend in Hanoi when she showed me. It's more of a method, really. It goes like this: Take about 500g of pork shoulder, and mix it in a dish with one chinese soup spoon of Knorr chicken powder (or fish sauce, if that's to your taste - my Vietnamese friend doesn't like it ), some chopped shallots, and a good grinding of pepper. Set aside. Take a deep pan (one with a lid) and put it on medium heat. When the pan is hot, sprinkle two spoons of white sugar in. Watch as it melts (don't stir), and when it becomes brown and bubbly, add two rice bowls full of water. Then dump in the pork, swish it around, cover it, and let it cook down for about 20 minutes - until the pork is cooked and the sauce is reduced. That's it! If you're interested, I could post a pictorial.

My electronic equipment has finally aligned in in the proper house, and images have been uploaded successfully! I made a Vietnamese dinner for 14 of my closest friends the week following New Year's. As per the menu above, I made: Caramel Pork Fried Fish with Dill - haddock in this case, but catfish usually in Vietnam. Eggplants with honey and garlic Trivia: One of the five words I know in Vietnamese is "eggplant" - it's my favourite vegetable, and it wasn't always visible in the pile at my vegetable lady, so I learned how to ask for it. Spinach with garlic and soy sauce In Vietnam this dish would usually be made with morning glory leaves or pumpkin stems and leaves. I like both, but they're kind of hard to find in Nova Scotia in the winter, and spinach is a worthy substitute. It was a surprise hit with everyone, especially when dipped in the chili-lime-salt dip we had on the table. Fried Rice with pineapple Normally fried rice is served by itself as a lunch dish; steamed rice is served with a meal, but I made this because I knew everyone would enjoy fried rice as a part of the meal. I would normally include Chinese sausage as a part of this, but vegetarians were present, so I left it out. Chicken fried with five spice powder Not so photogenic, but also popular. Tofu and Tomato Summer Rolls I set everything out for these and had volunteers roll them for everyone watching me cook. Kind of a standing appetizer for the meal, if you will. I wimped out and used a packet mix for the peanut sauce, which I regretted since it was too thick for dipping the summer rolls. We spooned it on, instead. Green Papaya Salad I lacked a proper grater, so I had to cut the papaya by hand - has anyone got a papaya grater they could show me a photo of? You could buy it pre-shredded in the market in Hanoi. Whew! I can't believe I cooked it all. It took a long time to prep all the veg, but it cooked up quickly. I forgot to take a picture of the lemongrass tea, but it was delicious. We had Vietnamese coffees and fresh fruit for dessert. I was happy with how it all came out - the only thing I think was missing was a soup to serve with the rice at the end of the meal, like a simple broth with chayote or similar, but didn't think it would be appreciated.

I've seen it on the table in rural Northern Vietnam, used along with chili sauce to dose bowls of pho to one's liking. I've also dipped boiled eggs and raw cucumbers in a mix of msg, salt, and pepper on motorcycle trips there.

I always keep a small bag on hand for enhancing soups, spaghetti bog sauce, stew, etc. I add it at the end of cooking, along with salt or sugar to adjust the seasoning. Doesn't it add a bit of gloss, as well - or is that just me? I may have told this story elsewhere on eG., but when I first moved to Korea, the teacher I was replacing was showing me how to make some basic Korean dishes. We were making kimchi jigae, and we got to the end, where it was boiling furiously, and he pulled a small bag out of the cupboard, and said "At the end, you put in a big spoon of this powder," and I said, "You mean a big spoon of MSG?" and he looked at it with horror and dropped it on the counter - "MSG?????" This was also the same guy who took me to the market and held up a persimmon and said triumphantly, "What do you think this is?" I, of course, said, "It's a persimmon." And he was shocked - "You don't think it's a tomato?" he asked, severely disappointed. "Did you think it was a tomato?" I asked, and he deflated and said, "I made a pot of chili with them the first week I was here!"

I've really enjoyed reading this blog, and hearing all of your ideas about healthy eating. Miz Ducky, I especially enjoy your love of asian dishes. I was hoping to see some bun bo hue in your blog, but the Vietnamese feast was an acceptable substitute One thing I've really been struck by, coming home to Canada for the first time in three years, is how much North American cooking these days seems to rely on pre-packaged foods. Having lived in Vietnam and Korea, where a lot of the convenience foods I grew up on were unavailable, I started making things from scratch, and incorporating more fresh vegetables into my diet. Now I can't even look at the frozen veg here! While I've always struggled with my weight, this year, I've vowed to focus on cooking real food using mostly vegetables. Since I live in Tokyo, I walk everywhere, so that takes care of exercise - and learning to make traditional Japanese bentos for lunch means I can eat healthy, portion-controlled lunches while saving money. I hope I'm as successful with my lifestyle changes as you have been. Keep up the good work, and keep that lizard brain down! I look forward to following your progress, especially if you continue with a full-time blog.

This is great information. So would it stand to reason that if I prefer a French roast for my coffee (toasty!), I'd prefer the Belgian style of chocolate? I also couldn't believe how grainy and dusty Hershey's tasted when I popped a bit into my mouth this Christmas. But, as in the case of cakewalk, it still didn't stop me from eating them.

Sorry to hear about your granny, Ce'nedra. Nom Du Du is green papaya salad - at least in the north, it is. No idea what they call it down south. I don't think there's an asian shop in town that has a butcher, I'm afraid. The ones we do have just carry frozen or shelf stable goods. I found a shoulder roast at a smaller supermarket and had them chop it up for me - yay labour saving. The meal came off great, and as soon as my camera and my laptap orbit back into the same location, I'll upload the pics. The lemongrass tea was a hit with the designated drivers and pregnant ladies. I added a bit of lime juice and chopped mint to it as well. It's very refreshing.

It says, "mi ring", which I'd say is close enough.

I love the first simple meal after all the indulgences of the Christmas season. I love feeling hungry again. A simple plate of pasta can remind you that simplicity can be satisfying as well.

I'm visiting Halifax for the holidays. I'm going to try my luck at Pete's Frootique (I feel silly just typing that) as I hear they have a butcher's counter. Hopefully they'll be offering different cuts of meat. I'm cooking a Vietnamese dinner for 14 on the weekend. Menu is: Summer rolls as finger food when people come in, and Lemongrass tea as a beverage. Caramel pork Tofu and tomato Spinach cooked in the style of Morning Glory Eggplants with Honey and Garlic Catfish with Dill Nom Du Du (if I can find the green papaya) Five Spice Chicken Steamed Rice (for me), Pineapple Fried Rice (for everyone else) Ice cream and fruit for dessert, Vietnamese coffees.

Now that I'm back in Canada, finding the right meat to cook Vietnamese dishes for my family has been a real headache for me. All I can find in the supermarket is loin, loin, loin. I want shoulder! I found a pork rib roast, but it was pre-brined, if you can believe that! I need to find a real butcher. Do you have one near you that can get you better meat? It makes a real difference, I can tell you.

This brings to mind the great Simpsons quote, when Marge comes across a spice rack: "Look at this adorable spice rack. Eight spices! Some must be doubles." (emphasis mine)

Gorgeous, Ce'nedra! I love how the duck is looking up at us with accusing eyes from the pot. It seems like he's saying "Don't look at me like this! No!" I see jujubes and chestnuts in your stuffing, but what else went in? This dish reminds me a lot of one I had in Korea on several occasions, but the duck was baked in a clay pot, and served with a mustard-style dipping sauce. I love Cambodian cuisine, and it's not really something that's easy pretty much anywhere I've ever lived. I learned to make amok at a cooking class in Phnom Penh (one I highly recommend, if you're in the neighbourhood!). It's similar to a Thai curry in the use of curry pastes and coconut milk, but the chilis used in the paste are dried. I have the photos from the original course that I could post in another thread, if anyone's interested. They look much better.

I don't have a real recipe - I just watched a Vietnamese friend make it a couple of times. Take some fatty pork, like pork shoulder, and cube. Maybe 200g or so? Enough for two people, anyway. Marinate in a splash of fish sauce and chopped shallots for 30 min or so, with some ground fresh pepper. If you don't like fish sauce, you can use Knorr chicken powder. Take a hot pan and melt two tablespoons of sugar until it turns brown, and begins to bubble. Add a rice bowl of water (carefully). Add the pork, stir, cover, and cook until it reduces, maybe 30 minutes. That's not a great recipe, I'm sorry, but as long as you don't let the sugar burn, and you use a good fatty piece of pork, it turns out.

Yum, lots of holiday food! Boiled ham, roast beef, steak au poivre - every time I look at this thread, I get new ideas. It was a snowy day in Nova Scotia, and I was longing to be back in Southeast Asia. I put together a few dishes from my travels - not a true balanced dinner, but enough to give everyone a taste of what I'm missing. Chili lime salt - a classic Vietnamese table dip. Just the smell brings me back to Hanoi, even though the limes are different here. Kroeung- Cambodian curry paste, for - Amok - a steamed fish curry, meant to be steamed in banana leaves. Try to find those in Halifax in winter. I used parchment paper instead. Finished! Can you see my pen marks on the paper? Caramel pork, my favourite. Mango salad, to my Mum's recipe. Very light, without any oil. Chicken satays. All with a nice German Gewurtztraminer, which went well with the spice, I thought. No Tiger beer to be had. It's no substitute for the beach, though. *sigh

I finally got this book for Christmas, and tried my first recipe today. I made the orange blueberry muffins, and they were well received. I really liked the instruction to rub the sugar with the orange zest, which gave a lovely smell to the muffins. I look forward to tackling more recipes from this book. I'm home for my mum's birthday for the first time in 5 years, so I've asked her to choose a recipe out of the book for her birthday cake.

I got two books I've been waiting for: "Washoku: Art of the Japanese Kitchen" by Elizabeth Andoh, and "Baking - From My Home To Yours" by Dorie Greenspan. Also, a new thermal bento set for hot lunches, and assorted bento accesories, including a veggie punch shaped like a goldfish.

Last month, my husband and I took a weekend trip to Hakone to see the fall colours, and to try to achieve "boiled octopus". We had a great time, and happened across a great tonkatsu place for lunch in Gora. There was a line-up outside, and the small shop held only eight seats around a counter. The cook was wearing a butcher coat, and a sticker on the otherwise discreet facade of the building proclaimed some sort of affiliation with what looked like a pork production board. Through the window, I could see one woman hand slicing cabbage. It seemed like a good sign. We waited 40 minutes (which seems to be something of a rite of passage in the Tokyo area - the longer you wait, the better it must be!) for our turn at the counter. We amused ourselves by watching steam come out of the sewer grates. When our turn came, we went in and took our seats. No one spoke, and I knew I was in the presence of greatness. The pork steaks, taken from the refrigerator, were thick and fresh. The chef took his time with each one as we watched, dipping it in egg, then flour, then panko. The ladies of the shop offered green tea as we waited, along with a tofu dish.... We ordered rosukatsu (what cut is that, anyway?), and were not disappointed. The hirekatsu was out of our price range, at 2,500 yen. The sauce was not your standard Bulldog, but was obviously handmade and sooooo flavourful, I'd love to make it myself. Anyone have their own recipes for homemade tonkatsu sauce?

Oh, wow, I love Dum Aloo, and that looks like a spectacular one. Care to post the recipe specifics? I haven't cooked at home in a week, as it's my last week in Tokyo, and I've been clearing out the apartment, and going to "forget the year" parties. I'll be back home in Nova Scotia tomorrow (!) and near a working oven for the first time in two years, so I'm looking forward to cluttering up this thread again. And baking! Dinner tonight was a few bites in an izakaya, and then clearing out the fridge at home with the last handful of black olives and a wedge of cheese.

For $200, it should do the dishes afterwards, as well! I love minimal-tool cooking. What about something simple, like takikomi-gohan? Asian food is a rich source, since most kitchens in Asia lack an oven, although they do have the luxury of an element of some sort. Or you could do fajitas nicely on a Foreman grill, just marinate and grill the meat, and have toppings on the side - a great idea for a floor party, tequila optional! (if you're on an American campus, and the students are underage).

I can take my plastic trays back to the supermarket. I assume they recycle them. I often keep them for myself, however, and use them as small serving trays or prep trays (after they've been washed, of course!) I find the chicken meatball (tsukune) tray is great for freezing individual bits of squash for my bentos! We went over to a friend's house for a thanksgiving potluck a few weeks back, and he had painstakingly saved and washed his conbini bento trays. At the end of the party, he made take-home bentos for everyone from all the dishes we had brought. Everyone got a little taste! It was great to get home and polish it off the next day.