Vietnamese

Hello Global Kitchen fans! Sorry it's been so long since I've blogged; I've been busy, busy, busy!!! Fortunately, a large chunk of that has been cooking and traveling, so my neglected blog will ultimately benefit...

I wanted to share with you my amazing evening of cooking that I had the other night! I had the opportunity to cook with a wonderful chef who was teaching me how to make authentic Vietnamese dishes like the ones that she grew up with. It was DELICIOUS! It's funny, I have never traveled to Vietnam (although it's high up on my list!), but my father has. He was in the Vietnam war, and instead of telling horrific war stories, he talks about how amazing the food was there. Seriously-- I have never heard a bad war story from him- only food raves!

Vietnamese food certainly has a great reputation. When people think about Vietnamese cuisine, they think "fresh" because of the tons of fresh vegetables and herbs in the dishes. Vietnamese cuisine is mainly influenced by Southern China in the north (with lots of wok, stir fry, soy, black pepper,etc) and South East Asian countries in the south (chilies, coconut milk, curries, etc.). The southern and central regions of Vietnam are fertile farming regions which produce the abundance of fresh produce and herbs that make Vietnamese cuisine so distinctive.

The dishes that I am sharing with you are Bun (Vietnamese herb noodle salad), Ca Kho To (fish in caramel sauce-- sounds weird but is GREAT), Ca-Ri Ga (my favorite- chicken curry with potatoes, carrots and peas), and Cafe Sua Da (a sweet Vietnamese coffee drink), and rau thơm which is a plate of herb condiments served at every meal.

If you've never tried Vietnamese food, you will be pleasantly surprised. It is unique and tasty. As they say in Vietnam, "Ăn ngon miệng!"

My Recipe Links:
Cafe Sua Da
Ca-Ri Ga
Bun
Ca Kho To
rau thơm

Photo: Ca-Ri Ga by Sommer Clary