Cooked in Vietnamese style this fish dish is delightfully fragrant and succulent. If you can’t find a banana tree you can find fresh vacuum-packed banana leaves at Asian stores. If there are too many for one occasion they freeze well. Cut 900g (2lbs) of Ling (or a similar firm-fleshed white fish) into 4 large pieces. In a…… Continue reading fish cooked in banana leaves
Tag: vietnamese food
desserts in Vietnam
Before leaving Vietnam it would be remiss of me not to mention the sweet courses which are not necessarily eaten after dinner but often as an afternoon snack. Some of the most popular desserts are chè, a term which describes sweet drinks, soups and puddings. The various ones I tried were multi-textured, delicious and not…… Continue reading desserts in Vietnam
cooking class in Hoi An part 3
In my last post ‘cooking class in Hoi An part 2’ I included the first two recipes we cooked in our day class. But what would Vietnamese food be without it’s salads? The next dish we learnt how to make was a grilled chicken and banana flower salad. Sliced chicken breasts were first marinated in…… Continue reading cooking class in Hoi An part 3
cooking class in Hoi An part 2
Our second cooking class in Hoi An started with a visit to an organic vegetable village where all the gardening and watering is done by hand, the vegetables are fertilised with local river seaweed and the only pesticide used is ground clam shells. From there we went shopping for our ingredients at the local market.…… Continue reading cooking class in Hoi An part 2
secret recipes
On every menu in Hoi An you will find the local speciality of bánh bao vac or white rose dumplings. The recipe remains a secret which is held by one family. The current keeper of the secret is Tran Tuan Ngai whose grandfather first started making these dumplings for his family. He now supplies every…… Continue reading secret recipes
cooking class in Hoi An
Hoi An is a fishing town which lies at the centre of Vietnam. The ancient town remains untouched by war and despite it being a popular tourist destination it is a gem. The Red Bridge Cooking School has a well-deserved reputation for it’s cooking classes. Ours began with a walk around Hoi An’s central market…… Continue reading cooking class in Hoi An
in Viet Nam
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…… Continue reading in Viet Nam
chicken and cabbage salad
Vietnamese food is so simple, clean and fresh and this chicken and cabbage salad (ga xe phai) is no exception. Poach 2 chicken breasts (or 3 thighs) by placing in just enough cold water to cover. Season with a little salt and slowly bring to boil over low heat. Allow to simmer until the chicken…… Continue reading chicken and cabbage salad
vietnamese beef stew (bò kho)
A wonderful combination of spices elevate the humble beef stew to another level. Brown 1 kilo (2 lbs) of diced beef in batches in some vegetable oil and set aside. In the same pot, fry 3 cloves of garlic for a few minutes then add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and continue to cook for…… Continue reading vietnamese beef stew (bò kho)
asian style vegetable omelette
Although inspired by Vietnamese pancakes, this omelette is Japanese in style and the filling is more Thai. For each person allow one egg and ½ a teaspoon of cornflour (cornstarch). In a cup, mix the cornflour to a paste with cold water. In a bowl beat the eggs well and add the cornflour paste with some extra water.…… Continue reading asian style vegetable omelette
michelle picker cooks 