Jasmine tea with Mekong honey, bee pollen and kumquat juice // Royal Jelly with Honey - Saturday, May 24, 2014

Dish of the day: Jasmine tea with Mekong honey, bee pollen and kumquat juice // Royal Jelly with Honey

Where it’s found: In the Mekong Delta, Vietnam; the ingredients can be purchased at grocery stores and for royal jelly, at health food stores.

Breaking it down: See the names above (pretty straightforward)

Another busy Saturday of teaching (7:45am to 9:15pm with a couple hours for breaks), but it went really well.  I love teaching here, despite the chaos sometimes involved with traveling between places.  I consider myself very fortunate to have this opportunity.

Today’s dish actually hails from the future, when I went to the Mekong Delta (May 26-27), however, I have lots of dishes from that trip, so I’ll treat you with a “taste” of the trip before those are posted  ;)

Sitting at a table overlooking the Mekong River, myself, Patrick and three others we met on our trip got to taste-test hot jasmine tea with Mekong honey, bee pollen and a squeeze of kumquat juice (a small citrus fruit, similar to a lime, except sweeter). We drank our tea with a plate of snacks, including sticky peanut bars (somewhat similar to brittle), crystallized, candied ginger as well as dried banana chips with honey glaze.  Following our tea, we were allowed to sample the royal bee jelly, which is quite plain and bitter on its own, but with a drop of honey to sweeten it, is quite nice and smooth.  We learned how royal jelly is an incredibly healthy supplement that can be taken daily (a teaspoon-full) to help your health, energy, youth and is also often used in dieting.  Although they took the opportunity to try and sell us the products as souvenirs, it was still a very interesting and yummy experience, especially sitting outdoors amongst bamboo palms along the water and gorging on sweet tea and snacks!

Holding the baby bees. Not the beeeeez!

Bánh tráng cuốn - Friday, May 23, 2014

Dish of the day: Bánh tráng cuốn

Where it’s found: My favourite spot for it is at a small shop on Nguyen Thuong Hien Street (between Vo Van Tan and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai) that specializes in bánh tráng trộn and cuốn; Also, it’s found all around HCMC at street vendors (often they will have both bánh tráng trộn AND cuốn)

Breaking it down: Thin orange-coloured rice paper, thai basil, quail eggs (inside the roll and another full one on the side), asian-style mayonnaise, chili dried and shredded beef, shrimp, fish or squid, green onion, fried shallots and peanuts

I had quite a full day of teaching, running from a private lesson, to the kindergarten (aka sweatville, Vietnam), to a private language school and then to a café for a final private lesson (10am-9pm with short breaks between for travel and meals)! But, I still had to try something new.  How could I not?

My dish of the day, Bánh tráng cuốn can be best described as rice paper rolls (roll= cuốn) with bánh tráng trộn (rice paper salad) filling, minus the thai green mango.  It costs about 15,000vnd ($0.75).  They also added some asian-style mayonnaise, so it was soft and moist inside.  The outside was only slightly chewy because they used fresh rice paper wrappers (unlike some bánh tráng trộn/ cuốn vendors).  Once they roll the filled rice paper, they use scissors to cut it into bite-size pieces to make it easier to eat.  They also threw in a quail egg and topped it all off with some herbs, shredded dried fish and peanuts. It’s definitely considered a “junk food” here. I paired it with a healthy avocado smoothie to round out my lunch though. And wow, is it ever addictive! 

My favourite place to get it, which I just recently stumbled upon, is on a small street called Nguyen Thuong Hien Street, close to my language school.  It’s a cross between a small shop-front and a street vendor, except they have multiple people working there, each with their own job, like an efficient factory-line.  They far surpass street vendors because they serve the cuon in plastic containers, not plastic bags, their ingredients are very fresh and they have a super-amusing machine that they insert in their banh trang tron that blows air to mix it all together, instead of the traditional method of using a plastic glove and mixing it with your hands. Vietnamese street food of the future!

The young Vietnamese girl who lives in my house even saw me with it and begged me to get some for her next time I’m there.  Will do, Mushroom! It’s definitely popular among school-kids, as the vendors often congregate around schools.

Sweet and Sour Beef Pasta Stir-fry - Thursday, May 22, 2014

Dish of the day: Sweet and Sour Beef Pasta Stir-fry

Where it’s found: At the Sân van dóng Tao Đàn (Tao Dan swimming pool) poolside cafe (just south of Reunification Palace)

Breaking it down: Tube pasta, sweet and sour tomato sauce (made from pineapple, tomato and sour tamarind), onions, sliced beef, pepper

Today we went to our local public pool for a swim and then grabbed some lunch.  I had no idea what I was ordering, but it ended up being tube pasta with sweet-and-sour tomato sauce with fried onions and beef.  It was quite tasty, although I had been hoping for more veggies! 

Banh it ram - Wednesday, May 21

Dish of the day: Banh it ram (Vietnamese rice flour dumplings on a fried disk, filled with mushroom and ground pork)

Where it’s found: Co Do Restaurant (367 An Duong Vuong St., Ward 3, District 5, Ho Chi Minh city); also found at many Vietnamese restaurants (not street vendors)

Breaking it down: Banh beo, a thin steamed rice disk (see this post) on top of a crispy, fried disk; topped with minced, dried or fresh shrimp, onion or herbs; dipped in fish sauce

Although they aren’t the healthiest of Vietnamese foods, the top being made of glutinous rice flour, the bottom being fried batter and the fish sauce being full of salt, banh it ram are definitely snack-worthy because of the interesting smooth & crispy texture combo. Maybe just one each? And if eaten alongside a veggie-packed salad or soup, it all balances out, right?

Vietnamese Lotus Salad with Pork and Shrimp (Goi ngo sen tom thit) - Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Dish of the day: Vietnamese Lotus Salad with Pork and Shrimp (Goi ngo sen tom thit)

Where it’s found: Co Do restaurant (367 An Duong Vuong St., Ward 3, District 5, Ho Chi Minh city); also found at many Vietnamese restaurants (not street vendors)

Breaking it down: Julienned lotus stem, carrot, celery, large shrimp, thinly sliced pork tenderloin, peanuts, chili, cilantro, mint leaves, fried shallots; A dressing made of: fish sauce, white vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, salt/pepper; served with crunchy rice crackers on the side

What happens when you crave salad, but also want full flavour and enough protein to fill you up? You order Vietnamese Lotus Salad with Pork and Shrimp (Goi ngo sen tom thit).  This salad is eaten with crunchy rice crackers, which you use to scoop up the salad. Served on a large banana leaf and garnished with an artistically-crafted carrot flower, the presentation was beautiful too.  A definite must-try when you’re in Vietnam, especially to balance out all the pho noodles and rice dishes (com tam)!

Kem (ice-cream) - Monday, May 19, 2014

Dish of the day: Tropical ice-cream (Kem)

Where it’s found: Pinky’s (148 Le Thi Rieng, District 1, HCMC, Vietnam)

Breaking it down: Ice-cream (strawberry, coconut, pineapple, orange and lime), whipping cream, some sweet syrup, sprinkles, orange and chocolate wafer sticks and a cute umbrella for decoration

Today, Patrick and I finally checked out the notorious oddity, Suoi Tien Buddhist Theme Park (and Water Park), a place that left us scratching our heads in a mixture of intrigue and confusion.  Half the time, I wasn’t quite sure what I was looking at or why it was there.  Yet, for that reason, it’s also amusing – it’s an amusing amusement park.  See giant Buddha statues, a plethora of interesting temples, ornate palaces and pagodas, a 4D theatre, a Harry Potter-themed haunted castle (why it was there, I don’t know, but hey, I’m not complaining – I love HP!), a snow castle, an alligator farm, a roller coaster, ferris wheel and other small rides, a morbidly creepy (but fun-to-try-and-make-sense-of)  Buddhist hell called “The Unicorn” and so on.  There were also myriad bizarre scenes and statues throughout the park, ranging from stone-age humans making fires to Vietnamese people riding oxes to giant animals and representations of Buddhist symbolism. 

The highlight was definitely the water park, which has a jaw-dropping, yet bizarre backdrop of a giant Buddha on a mountain.  We spent a couple of hours in the wave pool, going down their dragon water slides and playing a bunch of random activities, such as water polo, paddle-board racing and other games reminiscent of the American tv show “Wipeout”! It’s a very kid-friendly water park as well, as there are lots of fun climbers and slides for children.

Do I recommend it? If you live here, then absolutely, it’s worth a visit.  If you’re traveling through, then maybe skip it, unless you are fascinated by Buddhism, appreciate visiting temples or just want to see something outright bizarre. Or if you want to try a new water park and don’t mind venturing further from the city centre, it’s worth it!  You will pay for entrance as well as separate fees for each attraction inside the park, so be prepared with more money than the $4-5 entrance fee.  We brought in our own banh mi sandwiches because we had heard that weekdays have a much lower food selection available.  It was quite quiet, so I suppose they have less staff than weekends and therefore less food stalls.

Suoi Ten is located at: 120 Hanoi Highway, Tan Phu Ward, District 9, HCMC, Vietnam

After a day out, Patrick and I went for kem (ice-cream) at a small ice-cream parlour near our house.  He ordered a strawberry sundae and I got the 4-scoop tropical mixture, which included orange, coconut, strawberry, lime and pineapple.  I didn’t know strawberry was considered tropical... The ice-cream was tasty, but we were hoping for some fresh fruit on top! Cute presentation though, so for around 40-50,000 vnd each, it’s a reasonable dessert. 

Pesto Ravioli with Chicken and Homemade Tomato Sauce - Sunday, May 18, 2014

Dish of the day: Pesto Ravioli with Chicken and Homemade Tomato Sauce;

Leftovers: Chicken and baked potato in homemade tomato sauce

Where it’s found: My kitchen! (Ravioli from Annam Gourmet Food Market -16-18 Hai Ba Trung St., Ben Nghe Ward, Dist. 1, HCMC , Vietnam)

Breaking it down: Pesto ravioli, diced chicken breast, homemade tomato sauce (stewed tomatoes with sugar, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, some beer, a spoon of tomato paste and some garlic), served alongside cucumber balsamic vinaigrette salad (or with green beans and a baked potato, as we did for the leftover sauce).

The main event, including classy wine in a mug ;)

Leftovers!

Sunday dinners with Patrick usually involve cooking or ordering in, then relaxing with a good tv show or movie (and maybe a game of monopoly!)  This Sunday was no different J

Banh Beo - Saturday, May 17, 2014

Dish of the day: Banh Beo

Where it’s found: Nam Giao (136/15 D Le Thanh Ton | Dong Khoi Area, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam); and many other Vietnamese restaurants

Breaking it down: Steamed rice disks with dried or fresh minced shrimp (and sometimes herbs, dehydrated onions or other flavourings) on top; served with fish sauce on the side

While yesterday I featured Banh Bao, today my dish features a similar-sounding, but incredibly different-tasting Banh Beo.  This is considered a starter or a side dish, as it’s a small portion, just a flat disk of steamed, smooth, soft rice cake.  It is just slightly chewy (as rice cakes always are) and is served with fish sauce, which you can spoon over it for some extra flavour.  On top of the banh beo is shrimp, dehydrated onions and other flavourings, depending on the restaurant.  

Banh Bao - Friday, May 16, 2014

Dish of the day: Banh Bao (Chinese Steamed Bun)

Where it’s found: At most convenience stores and many street vendors in Vietnam

Breaking it down: A soft, warm, steamed bun filled with pork (sometimes chicken and/or Chinese sausage), onion, mushroom, vegetable and a boiled quail’s egg)

On the go all day, rushing from private class, to kindergarten, to language school, to private class, I ended up getting a quick breakfast from a street vendor.  

There’s nothing like a warm, freshly steamed banh bao, especially when you get one full of your favourite fillings, such as a pork (or chicken), onion, mushroom, other vegetable and/or mung bean mixture with a boiled quail’s egg surprise thrown in there.  Sometimes they also include Chinese sausage, as it is a Chinese bun after all. The majority of them have tender pork though. The best ones are obviously in Chinatown, but I see them everywhere.  Large ones tend to range from 10,000vnd to 17,000nd ($0.50-0.75), with the higher range meaning you get more ingredients in your filling.  Mini 2-bite banh bao can also be found for as low as 3,000vnd, but they might not necessarily have any filling (or much). 

Tuna and Mozzarella Salad - Thursday, May 15, 2014

Some days I just crave a salad – something with loads of veggies and no rice or noodles.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy rice and noodle dishes (living in Asia, how can you not?) but it can be a bit much sometimes.  Today I wanted something lighter, so Patrick and I made tuna salad, complete with plum tomatoes, olives, romaine and iceberg lettuce, carrots, green pepper, cucumber, shredded cabbage and mozzarella cheese. Complete it with some light balsamic, and it was the perfect salad to fill my veggie craving, but still give me the protein I need.

Dish of the day: Tuna and Mozzarella salad

Where it’s found: My kitchen!

Breaking it down: Canned (or fresh) tuna, plum tomatoes, olives, romaine and iceberg lettuce, carrots, green pepper, cucumber, shredded cabbage, mozzarella cheese, ground black pepper and a light balsamic dressing (or oil-based dressing).

Beef Char Siu Noodle Soup - Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Dish of the day: Beef Char Siu Noodle Soup

Where it’s found: My SamKang (265-269 De Tham, Pham Ngu Lao, D1, HCMC, Vietnam)

Breaking it down: Thinly sliced beef, egg noodles, cabbage, cilantro, green onion and a char siu (Chinese barbequed pork) broth

Before going into my kindergarten to teach, I needed a good and hearty bowl of noodles.  Since Patrick was craving Sam Kang, which is a foreigner-friendly chain serving banh mi sandwiches, rice dishes and noodle soups, we went to the one in the backpacker’s area, the closest one to us.  

As much as I like their banh mi (sandwiches) and Patrick liked their char siu rice dish, the char siu noodle soup didn’t quite live up to my expectations.  The noodles were just like instant ramen noodles and the beef and veggies were lacking in my opinion, at least compared to most local soups that I’m used to having.  However, Sam Kang definitely has some great combo deals with coffees and red rice drinks. In fact, I really recommend trying their red rice drink, which is slightly sweetened and very refreshing! 

Red Pepper Pesto Chicken Pasta - Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Dish of the day: Red Pepper Pesto Chicken Pasta

Where it’s found: In my kitchen! The red pepper pesto, mature cheese and pasta comes from Anna Gourmet Food Market; the chicken and vegetables come from Co-op Mart and the banh (baguette) comes from our wonderful local “bread lady” who works beside Zen Plaza (but plain baguettes can be bought all over, including banh mi sandwich carts).   

Breaking it down: Fresh baguette, chicken breast, sautéed green pepper, onion and garlic, roasted red pepper pesto, shredded mature cheddar, salt and pepper to taste.

Dinner was concocted at home because I had the night off from work, which was a great way to unwind after a busy morning of teaching. We used some gourmet ingredients (well, from Annam Gourmet Food Market) and made roasted Red Pepper Pesto and Chicken Pasta with rustic fresh baguette on the side. We also threw in some mature cheddar, and sautéed onion and green pepper.  Easy and delicious meal!

Vietnamese Beef Salad and Home Fries - Monday, May 12, 2014

Dish of the day: Vietnamese Beef Salad and Home Fries

Where it’s found: Bookworm’s Coffee (4 Do Quang Dau street, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

Breaking it down: Stir-fried beef with green peppers, onion and tomato, in a peppery soy sauce, served with a simple side salad and home-cut french fries.

Although I had to work when I originally thought I’d have a day off, it still ended up being a great day – after work, Patrick and I went with a couple of friends to Bookworm’s Coffee, a great little place where you can eat, drink, play board games or even borrow (or buy) used books.   They even give you a free drink (beer, tea, etc.) if you order a meal there while you play games!

Sunday Chicken Roast Dinner - Sunday, May 11, 2014

Dish of the day: Sunday Chicken Roast Dinner

Where it’s found: The Spotted Cow (111 Bui Vien, Pham Ngu Lao - District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

Breaking it down: Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, meaty mushroom gravy with onions, steamed veggies (broccoli, carrot and green beans), baked thick-cut fries (large hash browns) and chicken meat balls.

Happy Mother’s Day! I got to Skype call my mum back home, which was really nice.  Then at night, I toasted a drink for her from the other side of the world. Cheers to the best mum ever. I love you and miss you – you mean everything to me <3

Because Patrick and I wanted to go watch the final games in the Premier League, we chose The Spotted Cow in D1’s backpacker’s area. Sunday nights there feature a big Sunday (Chicken) Roast Dinner, so we opted for that. British sport, British food, right? And sure, it’s heavy on the carbs, especially with its assortment of 3 types of potatoes (a bit much?), but it was incredibly satisfying. After eating, we finished watching the game, enjoying gin and tonic, a Bloody Mary and an extra special treat, British cider!