4/27: Markets and Cooking

Orphanage update:
19 students donated $320 of their Vietnamese spending money. With your additional support, we have raised over $600 so far. Thank you so much, and I am sure the staff and children of the orphanage would thank you as well.

In the morning I took my group of eight students to the fish and vegetable markets.

Fisher woman

Really large net

Fishing net

Really large cuttle fish and squid

Vegetable market

Woman eating

A shop keeper was explaining to me that since I am 51 (though I am really 50, in Vietnam I am 51 because they count the pregnancy as your first year, so when you are born, you are one year old) and she is 55, that she is my "older sister," so I refer to her as "chi" and she refers to me as "am," meaning younger brother. As a math teacher, I love the use of the "less than" sign drawn on her hand.

Fresh lemon grass

In the afternoon my group rode their bikes to the cooking lesson. But first, we were taken on tour to the vegetable market.

Taro root

I really tired vegetable market sales woman

My students at their cooking lesson

Caleb happily showing off his beautiful fresh rolls

Katie driving the boat back to Hoian after the cooking lesson

RED BRIDGE COOKING SCHOOL
CLASSIC HALF DAY TOUR RECIPES & NOTES

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SEAFOOD SALAD WITH VIETNAMESE HERBS IN HALF A PINEAPPLE - SERVES 4

PAN/WOK MIXTURE
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of thinly sliced shallots
100 grams of shrimp (shelled & deveined) & thinly sliced squid
1 teaspoon of thinly sliced ginger
½ teaspoon of black pepper

SALAD MIXTURE
1 cup of grated or sliced papaya, green mango, lotus roots, carrot,
cucumber & onion
2 sliced red chillies
2 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoons of salt
2 limes or 1 lemon
1 cup of mixed mint (Vietnamese & Standard Garden Mint)
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds

1 pineapple – cut 2 sides and empty the middle.
2 pieces of crispy rice paper-toasted on bbq

Add 2 teaspoon of vegetable oil to wok/fry pan and stir in shallots until lightly brown - add shrimp and cook for 1 more minute. Put in squid and 1 teaspoon of ginger, and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes – adding ½ teaspoon of black pepper at the end.

Transfer wok’s contents to a large bowl and add salad mixture (except the mint and sesame seeds), mixing well.

Add the mint & sesame seeds just before serving, toss lightly – (sesame seeds will become soggy & mint will turn black if allowed to stand in mixture too long). Transfer contents to pineapple boat and serve immediately with pieces of crispy rice paper.

FRESH RICE PAPER ROLLS OF SHRIMP - SERVES 4

PAN/WOK MIXTURE
100 grams of Shrimp.
1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
1 pinch of sugar & salt

SALAD MIXTURE
½ cup of grated green papaya (or green mango, bean sprouts)
½ cup of grated cucumber
½ cup of grated carrot
Slices of spring onion
2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lime juice
1 pinch of sugar & salt

Fresh rice paper - as per recipe below.
10 medium sized lettuce leaves - sliced
Chopped fresh herbs - coriander, Vietnamese mint, Vietnamese basil

Pour vegetable oil into wok (medium heat); add shrimp, 1 pinch of salt & sugar, and cook for 1 minute. In a separate bowl add the salad mixture, mixing well. Let sit - while preparing the fresh rice paper.

FRESH RICE PAPER

Rice Batter
1 cup of white rice
Pinch of salt
1 bamboo or kebab stick
Soak the rice in the fresh water for 7 hours. Wash the rice at least 3 times, draining the water each time. This rice should be white, and all water drained away.
Mix 1 cup of the rice with 2 cups of water, and add a pinch of salt. Place in a blender and blend for 7 minutes - then leave for one hour.

Method
Cover a pot of boiling water with a sheet of thin white cotton and secure it using elastic. Using a big soup spoon (about 2 tablespoons) scoop out the batter and pour onto the cotton - use the bottom of the spoon to move the batter around to form a circle. Steam the batter for one minute - then use the bamboo stick to lift the rice paper from the cotton.

Rolling
Place wok & salad mixture, lettuce and fresh herbs on the rice paper. Roll up the rice paper – taking care to tuck the edges of the paper as you roll.

Tips:
1. When removing the rice paper from the pot, flip the paper over, so the top “dry side” of the rice paper is facing down
2. When stacking the rice paper, place a portion of a lettuce or bamboo leaf between each one to prevent them from sticking. This makes it easy to take 1 piece at a time when needed.
3. Fresh rice paper is difficult to buy in most western countries; however dried rice paper, in packets, is readily available - and is a suitable substitute. To soften dried rice paper for rolling – remove contents from the packet and place amongst fresh vegetables or leaves for 3 hours, or immerse in water.
4. Dip rolls into a sweet and sour sauce before eating - see recipe below.

HOI AN PANCAKES (BÁNH XÈO)

Rice Batter
1 cup of dried rice flour
1½ cups of fresh water
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon of turmeric powder (or curry, saffron or food colour powder dissolved in water)
Mix all together, leave in the room temperature for one hour.
An alternative is to use the batter mix from the fresh rice paper rolls (above)

Ingredients
150 grams of finely cut shrimps, shelled, and deveined (or any other seafood)
2 thin strips of Pork
Vegetable oil for frying
2 thinly sliced spring onions
250 grams of bean sprouts
Topping mix - Mint, coriander, Vietnamese basil, carrot and banana flower
Packet of rice paper

Add the shrimp & pork to the rice batter, and heat a little oil in a small non–stick frying pan. Stir the batter and pour just enough into the pan to create a thin layer – top with a few bean sprouts and spring onion - fry over medium–to-high heat until the bottom of the pancake is crisp. Fold the pancake in half and turn out onto a plate. Repeat this process with the remaining ingredients, adding a little oil to the frying pan for each pancake.
To serve, each person takes a piece of pancake, adds a little topping mix and wraps it in a rice paper. Dip it into a peanut sauce (see below for recipe) before eating.

VIETNAMESE EGGPLANT IN CLAY POT - SERVES 4

Ingredients

2 teaspoons Peanut Oil
1 clove Garlic - finely chopped
2 Tomatoes - quartered, inner section & seeds removed.
1 Lemongrass - finely chopped (keep stalk)
1 Spring Onion - cut into 3 cm pieces
2 Asian (long & thin) Eggplants - cut into 4cm long & 1cm wide pieces.
1 Red Chilli - cut into thin strips
1 ½ tablespoons of Fish Sauce
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 pinch of turmeric
1 punch of pepper
Basil

Method
Put medium sized Clay Pot on heat, add 2 teaspoons of Oil and stir in Garlic till fragrant.
Add Tomato & Lemongrass to the pot (not Lemongrass stalk).
Add 2 tablespoons of water & stir.
Allow mixture to simmer for approx 2 minutes
Next add fish sauce & sugar - mix well.
Add Eggplant
Pour in a cup of water
Add another 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce & sugar - mix well
Add the turmeric, pepper, & lemongrass stalk.
Allow mixture to simmer for approx 7 minutes (until eggplant tender).
Garnish with Basil, Coriander, Spring Onion & Chilli.

Tips
Serve Hot with steamed rice
Lemongrass stalk is a flavour enhancer only - do not eat
You can substitute Turmeric for curry powder or similar

SWEET & SOUR SAUCE

1 tablespoon of water
½ teaspoon of sour chilli sauce
½ teaspoon of tomato puree
½ tablespoon of finely chopped white onion
½ tablespoon of finely chopped pineapple
½ tablespoon of finely chopped tomato
½ teaspoon of crushed ginger
½ teaspoon of vegetable oil

Heat wok with vegetable oil and add all ingredients (except water and sour chilli / tomato sauces) – starting with onion. Fry for a few seconds, then add remaining ingredients. Bring to simmer and serve in a cocktail glass.

PEANUT SAUCE
1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
2 tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of brown sugar or honey
1 pinch of chilli powder
1/4 cup of water or coconut milk

Place all ingredients in a saucepan, and mix over a moderate heat for 10 seconds (add lime juice if necessary)

FISH SAUCE (NƯỚC MẮM)

2 tablespoons of fish sauce – clear or light fish sauce only
1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
1 teaspoon of finely chopped chilli

1 teaspoon of sugar
1 lime or lemon – juice only
1 teaspoon of grated ginger (optional)

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly until sugar is dissolved.
Serve as dipping sauce for spring rolls.

STEAMED OCEAN FISH ON A BED OF MIXED VEGETABLES

200 grams of ocean fish (fillet)
¼ cup of the heart of a banana flower
or fresh paprika flowers
¼ cup of Wood-ear mushrooms or similar
2 tablespoons of spring onions
¼ cup of sliced white onion
¼ cup of sliced pineapple
¼ cup of sliced tomato
¼ cup of sliced carrot
1 cup glass noodles, soaked in cold water

Cooking Sauce
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon of soya sauce
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
1½ tablespoons of sugar

Method
Place the fish and noodles on a steaming tray, put the vegetables on the top and sides of the fish, and then add the cooking sauce on top. Place in a bamboo steamer (or similar) and steam for 15 minutes.

Tip
You can also use a whole fish that contains few bones