Culinary Vietnam (10 page)

3
Toss the dressing in a bowl with the chicken, carrot, onion, and cabbage, and transfer to a serving plate or dish. Garnish with the scallions.

*
After slicing, rinse briefly in hot water and then again in cold water to remove the “hot” taste.

The People and Flavors of Hanoi

One could explore and taste the food in Hanoi for years and not yet experience all there is to offer. International and Vietnamese restaurants abound, and the street-side choices are endless. The French influence still holds more sway here than in other parts of the country, but a more global awareness of food seems to be creeping in. The most well-known dishes from Hanoi are Pho, Bun Cha, Cha Ca, and Banh Cuon, but there are countless other specialties waiting to be discovered. Pho, a beef soup with rice noodles, is often consumed for breakfast and has become the national dish of Vietnam. Granted, in the south you are served more condiments and a wider variety of herbs to go with Pho, but in Hanoi it is all about the broth. Here, it is rich and aromatic, taking more than twenty-four hours to prepare, and its flavor is subtly complex—certainly a legacy from the French cooks. Bun Cha, grilled pork slices and patties served in a warm, slightly sweet and sour fish sauce broth with rice vermicelli and an accompanying plate of herbs and lettuce, is the quintessential street food of Hanoi. Banh Cuon is a square or round sheet of fresh rice noodle wrapped around various fillings, from ground pork and/or mushrooms topped with fried shallots to char-grilled beef, herbs, and lettuces called Pho or Bo Cuon, like the vendors on the north side of Truc Bac Lake have offered for the past several years. Cha Ca, a special fish dish that was originally conceived at the Cha Ca la Vong restaurant many years ago, has become so popular and is offered by many clones of this still-operating establishment that several blocks of the street where this dish is widely available are named Cha Ca street. Another great place to sample a variety of inexpensive, tasty, and authentic Vietnamese fare is the Com shop.
Com
means rice but can also refer to a meal. These are the diners of Vietnam, where you can point at any number of offerings and create a plate accompanied by rice that will satisfy and fill you for a few dollars at the most.

Green Mango Salad with Grilled Beef

Goi Xoai Voi Bo Nuong

1/8 cup finely minced lemongrass, about 2 medium stalks

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon chile paste with garlic (optional)

10 to 12 ounces sirloin, strip, or chuck steak, sliced about 1/4 inch thick

2 green mangoes or unripe mangoes (about 1-1/2 pounds), peeled and sliced about 1/8 inch thick, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, inner membranes removed, and cut into 1/4-inch-wide julienne

1/4 cup

Basic Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

mixed with the juice of 1 lime and 1 or 2 well-crushed or finely minced serrano or Thai chiles

About 24 Asian basil leaves

1/8 cup chopped cilantro

2 to 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced, with the rings separated and then sautéed in some vegetable oil until golden brown and crispy 1 scallion, cut into 2-inch sections and julienned

Serves 4 to 6

I have enjoyed versions of this salad at several different contemporary restaurants around Vietnam. The green mangoes used there are a special variety that is meant to be eaten green; however, I have had good luck with using regular mangoes that are a bit under ripe, and the added sweetness is a nice addition to the salad. You could also substitute tart apples or even jicama.

1
Mix the lemongrass, shallot, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and chile paste, and marinate the beef in this mixture for 30 to 40 minutes. Grill the beef over medium-high heat, let rest a few minutes, and then slice across the grain into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
NOTE:
You may also use 1/2 recipe Marinade for Grilled Meats in place of the above marinade ingredients.

2
Toss the mango and bell pepper with the dipping sauce mixture, then add the basil, cilantro, and beef. Place on a serving dish and garnish with the fried shallots and scallion.

Banana Flower Salad with Dried Beef and Squid

Nom Hoa Chuoi Bo Muc Kho

1 banana flower (about 1 pound)

Vinegar

2 ounces dried squid

3 ounces dried beef (jerky)

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 (2-inch) section lemongrass, chopped

1 tablespoon rice or distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup lime juice

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground black or white pepper

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/4 cup coarsely chopped Vietnamese balm, cilantro, or Asian basil

1/4 head red or green cabbage, sliced into thin strips

1 small-to-medium red onion, peeled and sliced into thin strips*

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly julienned

1 cup sliced fresh pineapple (1/2-inch-wide and 1/8-inch-thick strips)

Serves 4 as a main dish or 6 to 8 as part of a larger meal

Dried squid is often hawked by street vendors with a pushcart on the streets of many Vietnamese cities. The squid is usually toasted slightly on a flame, then either put through a roller or pounded to tenderize it before it is eaten as a snack. My friend Khai, the chef of his family’s Dzoan Restaurant in Saigon, first introduced me to the idea of a salad using both dried beef and dried squid. I added the banana flowers, as I feel the sharp astringency contrasts nicely with the richness of the dried meats. Use a firm banana blossom that is tightly closed. If you cannot find banana flowers, increase the cabbage accordingly and still enjoy this salad. The addition of pineapple lends an extra sweetness, but you can also omit it.

1
Cut off the banana flower stem, slice it in half lengthwise, and then remove whitish core. Cut into 2-inch lengths, then julienne about 1/4-inch wide. Immerse the pieces in boiling salted water for about 10 to 15 seconds and then immediately rinse in cold water until cool. Sprinkle with a little vinegar and set aside.

2
Toast the squid directly over a stove burner on high until a slight color change develops. Pound the squid slightly with a kitchen mallet to tenderize, taking care not to break it up; slice into thin slices.

3
Thinly slice the dried beef similar in size to the squid slices.

4
Crush the garlic and lemongrass together in a mortar and pestle until a paste is formed. Mix the paste with the vinegar, lime juice, sugar, pepper, fish sauce, and herbs. Toss the dressing with the cabbage, onion, beef, squid, bell pepper, pineapple, and banana flower stem and transfer to a serving plate.

*
After slicing, rinse briefly in hot water and then again in cold water to remove the “hot” taste.