michelle picker cooks

My favourite restaurant so far in Ha Noi is Quán Ān Ngon where hawker-style stands line the walls…..

and my favourite dish seems to be one of the most popular, deservedly so! This Vietnamese pancake (more like an omelette) is incredibly thin and crisp. The filling of bean sprouts, pork and shrimps is only in the very centre and it’s served with fresh lettuce, herbs and rice paper. Unlike those I’ve used in the past this rice paper is so fresh it can be crumpled without breaking. To eat the pancake you place some lettuce, herbs and a piece of the pancake in a piece of rice paper and roll it into a cigar shape. At this point it’s still dry but dipping it into the Nuóc Chám (a dipping sauce made with fish sauce, sugar, garlic, chilli and lemon juice) and putting it in your mouth is enough to make it edible. The combination of flavours and textures are delightful.