Vietnamese Food

[guppymo]

Hehe, most of you who heard of Vietnamese noodle soup propably would immediately think of Pho. Well, today allow me to introduce you to another type of noodle soup - Bun Bo Hue - this is a specialty noodle soup from Hue, a city in the central of Vietnam.

I made this last weekend for dinner, it's broth has a subtle fragrance of lemongrass, and the best herb/green to eat with this is shredded lotus blossom

[chefzadi]

WOW! Thank you for sharing! It looks delicious. Vietnamese cuisine is a gaping hole in my culinary education. I'm looking for to more posts from you.

Can you give us the recipe? Please?

[LindaK]

guppymo, this is most unkind. No recipe, no address for running out right now and ordering some? I'm a soup nut (almost every day for lunch, sometimes for dinner) and pho is easily near the top of my Top 10.

Vietnamese food is probably my favorite Asian cuisine but aside from spring rolls and a very inauthentic ginger chicken recipe, my repetoire is nul. I would especially want some info on how you prepare the broth--that's one of those things that distinguishes Vietnames food for me. A good pho is ambrosial, but your Bun Bo Hue looks like stiff competition.

[guppymo]

Oh, I am sorry to not include a recipe. I wasn't sure of the interest level in learning something like this. Here is the recipe. Let me know if you are not clear on any ingredient.

1 lb ham hocks

6 stalks lemongrass, crushed and sliced thin

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoon of mam ruoc (shrimp paste)

1 teaspoon black pepper

4 ounces boneless sirloin

4 ounces boneless pork loin

16 ounces rice noodles, cooked

1 cup bean sprouts

4 sprigs Thai holy basil (regular basil ok)

4 sprigs fresh mint

4 sprigs fresh cilantro

4 teaspoons sambal oelek or hot chili sauce

4-8 fresh Thai red chili peppers (amount optional)

1 lime, cut into quarters

Bring 2 1/2 quarts

water to a boil; add ham hocks and lemongrass.

Skim constantly for 10 minutes then cover the pan, reduce heat and simmer for

1 1/2-2 hours.

Strain the broth, reserving ham hocks if you desire them.

Delute the shrimp paste in 1/4 cup of cold water and set aside for 10 minutes

Add nuoc mam,shrimp paste solution, sugar, salt and pepper, sirloin, and pork loin to the broth and

simmer for 10-15 minutes or until meat is cooked and tender; remove meat.

Thinly slice meats into small pieces.

To serve, place a portion of noodles in serving bowl, top with some bean sprouts,

pork, beef, and some ham hock (if using), and ladle the broth over; add herbs,

chili sauce, chilies, and lime juice to taste.

[touaregsand]

My interest level is HIGH, EXTREME. Pho is a family favorite. My Korean parents worship the broth. They would be most pleased if I added something new to their appreciation of Vietnamese food. So far they adore not only pho but the sandwiches I bring them, spring rolls, summer rolls, charcuterie, etc... MORE, please more!

[guppymo]

My interest level is HIGH, EXTREME. Pho is a family favorite. My Korean parents worship the broth. They would be most pleased if I added something new to their appreciation of Vietnamese food. So far they adore not only pho but the sandwiches I bring them, spring rolls, summer rolls, charcuterie, etc...  MORE, please more! 

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Touregsand, oh are you Korean ? My wife loves eating kimchi chigae, she always orders it everytime we go to a Korean restaurant. Do you know of any good recipe ?

I will scavenge my computer for pictures of Vietnamese food I cook and recipes. In the mean time we had steamed fish for dinner tonight. I think this is similar to the Chinese steamed fish.

I bought a live tilapia and had them killed and scaled

Next I shredded 1/3 cup of ginger scallion

Steamed the fish for 15 minutes

Right on the 13th minute I heated 1/2 table spoon of sesame oil + 1 table spoon of peanut oil

When the fish was ready I put it on a plate, scattered the shredded ginger/scallion along its body.

Then poured the heated oil into a bowl with 1 table spoon of soy sauce.

Then poured that mixture of hot oil and soy sauce a long the body of the fish.

We had a quick delicious meal of steamed fish, some sauteed green leafy vegie, and a bowl of sour bamboo soup.

[touaregsand]

Yes, I'm Korean.

[touaregsand]

Ooh Tilapia! Is it the best most inexpensive fish? I eat it raw too!

[guppymo]

Ooh Tilapia! Is it the best most inexpensive fish? I eat it raw too!

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Very inexpensive. $2.99 / lbs of live tilapia in Boston

[Nathan P.]

That soup looks great guppymo, and I like your satay beard as well (at least I think that is what you are holding). Do you know what the traditional meats are in Bun Bo Hue. I always assumed it was an all beef soup but the last bowl I had (at Com Tam Thanh in San Jose, CA) included a slice of pork shank, some congealed blood I assume from a pig, and a mystery white 'sausage' .

The other Vietnamese soup I am getting into lately is Bun Rieu (i think) a rice noodle soup with a pounded crab chunky meatball like thing, tomatoes and fried tofu. THe last place I tried it also gave me a nice side of shrimp paste and roasted chile paste to add to the soup. This was my first experience with shrimp paste and it really added an interesting depth of flavor and was not as overpowering as I expected.

Since your soup looks so good and you are a good photographer, how about giving us a vietnamese soup lesson with step by step photos. I am sure I am not the only one here who would like to see this.

Nathan

[touaregsand]

In Los Angeles we can get Tilapia sometimes for 99 cents a pound, fresh not live. The flash frozen fillets go for about $2.00-$3.00 a pound, these can be eaten raw as well. The live stuff, I haven't seen too often. Always a premium price for anything live around here.

[torakris]

mouth watering pictures!

We really need to discuss Vietnamese food more......

[SuzySushi]

Ooooh.... those pictures are making me hungry! Thanks for posting the recipes!

I love Vietnamese food, and luckily there are plenty of places to find it (restaurants and ingredients) where I live in Hawaii.

A few years ago, Vietnamese friend served us a dish that I've never seen in a restaurant, fresh rice noodle rolls (not rice paper, but the dough that fresh pho noodles are made from) filled with ground pork. She said it was easy to make, but I lost touch with her before I could get the recipe! Do you know what it's called and how to make it?

[guppymo]

Ooooh.... those pictures are making me hungry! Thanks for posting the recipes!

I love Vietnamese food, and luckily there are plenty of places to find it (restaurants and ingredients) where I live in Hawaii.

A few years ago, Vietnamese friend served us a dish that I've never seen in a restaurant, fresh rice noodle rolls (not rice paper, but the dough that fresh pho noodles are made from) filled with ground pork. She said it was easy to make, but I lost touch with her before I could get the recipe! Do you know what it's called and how to make it?

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SuzySushi,

Do you happen to live on Oahu, Hawaii ? If yes you might want to try "Pho To Chau" restaurant in Chinatown, I think they have the best Pho in the entire U.S. This restaurant only open from early morning 'til 11 am and there's always a long line to around the corner everytime, everyday, pretty amazing !

I am trying to picture what rolls that your Vietnamese friend served you. Could you tell me a little more about it ?

Is it a roll wrapped in noodle or the dough of the noodle ?

Beside fill with ground pork did you eat it with other condiments ?

Just give me a few more descriptions

[guppymo]

That soup looks great  guppymo, and I like your satay beard as well (at least I think that is what you are holding).  Do you know what the traditional meats are in Bun Bo Hue.  I always assumed it was an all beef soup but the last bowl I had (at Com Tam Thanh in San Jose, CA) included a slice of pork shank, some congealed blood I assume from a pig, and a mystery white 'sausage' . 

The other Vietnamese soup I am getting into lately is Bun Rieu (i think) a rice noodle soup with a pounded crab chunky meatball  like thing, tomatoes and fried tofu.  THe last place I tried it also gave me a nice side of shrimp paste and roasted chile paste to add to the soup.  This was my first experience with shrimp paste and it really added an interesting depth of flavor and was not as overpowering as I expected.

Since your soup looks so good and you are a good photographer, how about giving us a vietnamese soup lesson with step by step photos.  I am sure I am not the only one here who would like to see this.

Nathan

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Nathan,

Thanks ! Okie, the next time I cook some soup I will take more pictures for the step-step instructions.

Yeah, Bun Rieu is from the North. But the shrimp paste in Bun Rieu is still more overpowering than the one in Bun Bo Hue. I am ok with it but there are still some Vietnamese who can't eat Bun Rieu...like my mom :)

[guppymo]

That soup looks great  guppymo, and I like your satay beard as well (at least I think that is what you are holding).  Do you know what the traditional meats are in Bun Bo Hue.  I always assumed it was an all beef soup but the last bowl I had (at Com Tam Thanh in San Jose, CA) included a slice of pork shank, some congealed blood I assume from a pig, and a mystery white 'sausage' . 

Nathan

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Nathan the real tradition Bun Bo Hue from Hue only has beef shank in it. But growing up in the south - Saigon - we like to eat it with a lot of herbs/greens (Southern Vietnamese eat lots of fresh herbs and vegetable), we also added some pork shoulder and the little white "sausage" is called "Cha Hue" or "Hue sausage"

[guppymo]

Suong Kho (Pork rib)

This southern dish is among the Vietnamese people's favorites. It goes well with hot jasmine rice or sticky rice.

1 lbs. chopped pork ribs (can be found in various Asian markets)

1 Tsb. vegetable oil

1 Tsb. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground chili pepper (paprika)

1.5 Tsb. fish sauce

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. minced shallot

Black pepper (to taste)

[Toliver]

Oh, I am sorry to not include a recipe. I wasn't sure of the interest level in learning something like this.

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Dude! Look where you're posting We all want recipes, new dishes, interesting restaurants. Thank you for creating this discussion. It will be an invaluable resource.

Since your soup looks so good and you are a good photographer, how about giving us a vietnamese soup lesson with step by step photos.  I am sure I am not the only one here who would like to see this.

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I agree. I think this would make a great eGCI class, too!

guppymo, can you discuss what makes vietnamese food different than the other asian cuisines? How is it different than Chinese, Thai, Korean, Japanese, etc? Are the ingredients drastically different? Are the cooking methods different? I know it has something in common with the others, but I am more interested in what sets it apart.

I am looking forward to more dishes/recipes!

[petite tête de chou]

Vietnamese food RULES!!!!

[guppymo]

guppymo, can you discuss what makes vietnamese food different than the other asian cuisines?  How is it different than Chinese, Thai, Korean, Japanese, etc?  Are the ingredients drastically different?  Are the cooking methods different?  I know it has something in common with the others, but I am more interested in what sets it apart.

I am looking forward to more dishes/recipes!

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Toliver,

Sorry, I am not a food writer or someone who can write as well as others. I am sure there're websites or books out there that talk about this.

I am just someone who loves cooking home meal :) So I will just post recipes and pictures as I go along.

Thanks,

GP

[guppymo]

Let's eat "Banh Xeo" (Vietnamese crepe) today.

I was about to type up the recipe for this but you can find it here

[Jake]

Guppymo, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for starting this thread and adding your pictures and recipes. I adore Viet food and would love to cook more at home. Please keep the posts coming!

[kiliki]

Those pictures are amazing. I am going to make that soup-Thanks for the recipe. Vietnamese is probably my favorite type of food though I rarely make it because you can get such inexpensive delicious Vietnamese food here in Seattle.

[Pan]

Toliver,

Sorry, I am not a food writer or someone who can write as well as others. I am sure there're websites or books out there that talk about this.

I am just someone who loves cooking home meal :) So I will just post recipes and pictures as I go along.

Thanks,

GP

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I was actually thinking of asking whether you had a restaurant. Your dishes and presentations are impressive!

[guppymo]

Pan, oh thanks !

I just like cooking and love to add some extra touches to the dishes for the people I love.