Grilled fish pie speciality in Hanoi

History
Chả cá Lã Vọng (grilled white fish drenched in florescent yellow oil) was created by the Doan family during the years of French colonialism.

The history of the Doan family is as colorful as the dish it’s famous for. In the mid-1800s, the family began allowing Vietnamese soldiers, who were trying to oust the ruling French, to hide in their house. They served their guests their special fish dish, cha ca La Vong. To raise extra money to fund their rebel-hiding activities – and provide a cover for the house’s mysterious comings and goings - the family opened a restaurant serving o­nly cha ca La Vong.

Recipe

• White fish fillets (must be either cá quả - seabass or cá lăng - catfish family), clean the cod skin and cut into bite-size chunks 
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying Fresh dill 
• Roasted peanuts 
• Spring onions (scallions), cut into bite-size pieces 
• Fresh basil, stalks removed, leaves chopped 
• Fresh coriander (cilantro), stalks removed 
• Lime, cut into quarters 
• Prepared Shrimp paste sauce (shrimp paste, sugar, lime or vinegar and hot chili)

How to prepare (1:56) and eat (3:06)

Step 1: stir grilled fish with spring onions and basil
Step 2: take fresh beehoon (vermicelli) into your bowl
Step 3: add on top grilled fish and spring onion and basil
Step 3: add peanuts and fresh cilantro
Step 4: add shrimp paste sauce and mix the whole thing together
Step 5: EAT! :D

Most popular yet authentic eateries

Chả cá Thăng Long

Address: Chả cá Thăng Long 21 - 31 Đường Thành - Hoàn Kiếm - Hà Nội

http://chacathanglong.com

I have been here quite often and often brought my overseas colleagues here too and they love it. Service staff is quite attentive and friendly, although they don' speak English that well. A conventional grilled fish dish with Hanoi beer is the best choice ever.

Chả cá Lã Vọng
Address: số nhà 14 phố Chả Cá, Quận Hoàn Kiếm

I went here with my Japanese colleagues long long time ago and haven't backed there since then so it's not fair to give any comment. But since this is considered the original restaurant, it should be fine to give it a try. A side note, this ancient house is pretty small and narrow (probably that's the reason why I havent come back ^^).

Yum Yum!!! ^^

Vietnamese hot pot in Singapore

A traditional rural dish, lau mam has become a much-appreciated specialty in southern Vietnam. To be authentic, it must include Chau doc, a fish sauce made from freshwater fish. Other ingredients may include fish, pork, shrimp, eel or beef, with at least 10 – and sometimes up to 24! – different kinds of vegetables, which might include water lily, eggplant, bitter melon, straw mushrooms, bean sprouts, chilies, etc. Lau mam is ladled into bowls with noodles… delicious! 


Ingredients:
- 300gr salted fish sauce (mắm cá sặc)
- 200gr belly pork meat
- 300gr catfish.
- 200gr prawn 
- 200gr cuttlefish
- 1,5gr citronella
- Spices: chili, garlic, onion, 3 eggplants, sugar, fish sauce, pepper powder
- Veggie: Kang Kong, bean sprout, spring onions, banana flowers, etc.


Address: Quynh Giao restaurant, Joo Chiat Road


Yum Yum!!! ^^

Vietnamese spring rolls in India

It’s relatively unexplored territory when it comes to the gastronomic tale of the times, but Vietnamese food is steadily growing in popularity as a tantalising, low-calorie blend of flavours. Says grand master chef Hemant Oberoi, “Vietnamese is certainly the nouvelle cuisine of Asia or Mediterranean cuisine.”


The food could be classified into three categories — north which is traditional and reflects a Chinese blend, central that reflects monarchy and the other areas portraying food that is modern with a French and Indian trend. The textures are well-arranged and the flavours are always fresh with herbs like mint, cilantro, lemon grass and red chillies in a range of cold soups, main course and grills. You have the cha gio (small spring rolls) of prawn, crabmeat, mushrooms and vegetables wrapped in thin rice paper and then fried. “A must-try is Pho, the soup meal that includes noodles, vegetable and chicken...it’s a healthy meal alright!” adds Oberoi.

International Vietnamese chefs Chau Tan Hai and Dao Thi at Blue Ginger, the Taj Palace, New Delhi, present their favourite recipe…

Crispy Taro Prawns

Ingredients:

Prawns — 80 g

Taro — 100g

Salt — 10g

Butter — 20g

Tang mein flour — 40g

Baking powder — 5g

Dark soya — 10ml

Sugar — 10g

Lemon juice — 25g

Chilli flakes — 10g

Five spice powder — 5g



Method:

1) De-shell, de-vein prawns and keep the tail intact.

2) Peel the taro, slice it and steam it for 20mins with a plastic cover. Water shouldnot go in the taro. Now, make a tight dough of the steamed taro.

3) Heat water and mix with the tang mein flour, make a hard dough out of it.

4)Mix the doughs with butter, salt and five spice powder. Knead it well and add baking powder.

5)Make small ball of the dough, flatten it and cover the prawns with it.

6)For the sauce, mix soya sauce, sugar and lemon juice together. Add the chilli flakes.

7)Deep fry the prawns slowly in hot oil.

Yum Yum!!! ^^

Vietnamese eateries in Singapore

Two sides of Little Vietnam in Singapore

Little Vietnam in middle-class Joo Chiat Road is the face of Eurasian and Peranakan history during the day, but once the sun sets reveals a world of neon-lit bars, lithe bar girls and drunk locals

Read more: Little Vietnam in Singapore | CNNGo.com http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/play/little-vietnam-singapore-322798#ixzz0y0XkdS00

Vietnamese eateries worth trying

Phuc Vu Cac Mon An Viet Nam, Vietnamese Favourites; a stall within Eastern Wind Foodhouse at 82 Joo Chiat Road
Quynh Giao Quan An Viet Nam, Vietnamese Delights at 149 Joo Chiat Road
Long Phung Quan An Viet Nam at 159 Joo Chiat Road
Trang Tiem An Vietnam, Vietnamese Favourites at 169 Joo Chiat Road
Quan An Vietnam; Vietnam Eatery at 233 Joo Chiat Road 

Yum Yum!!! ^^

Vietnamese food: A mini-glossary

From the smart banh mi shops of Manhattan to the busy pho emporiums of Southern California's Little Saigon, Vietnamese food is hot. 

And sometimes, in our neck of the woods, it's very hot, especially if it comes from a restaurant specializing in the spicy dishes of central Vietnam . But don't worry if hot's not your thing; there's plenty that's soothing and mild, too.Some of the best cooking in and around Dallas at the moment is happening in Vietnamese restaurants, whether a searingly spicy seafood hot pot from an amazing spot in Garland, or a refreshing bun cha Hanoi (rice vermicelli and grilled pork dressed up with fresh herbs and pickled vegetables) in Richardson. And there's so much in between: whole baked catfish blanketed in crunchy shallots and scallions; springy goi cuon summer rolls; silky crêpes filled with earthy mushrooms and shrimp; bright, tangy salads of sliced rare beef; layered, icy parfaits for dessert. And snazzy drinks, such as fresh, fizzy soda lemonade; lightly sweet young coconut juice with silky slices of coconut; and strong, sweet Vietnamese coffee, made in a drip pot on your table. 

If you're a newcomer to Vietnamese food, cracking the code might seem intimidating, but once you jump in and start tasting, it's hard to stop. 

Pho (pronounced "fuh") is a good place to start, and most of the Vietnamese restaurants in the area offer it. Usually the soup features rice noodles, beef broth and beef; it can be topped with a wide variety of cuts. (There's also chicken pho with egg noodles.) Most pho houses offer some kind of super-combo (often No. 1 on menus), including slices of rare or raw beef, well-done flank and brisket, tendon, tripe and sometimes meatballs and more. If any of that is challenging, choose from a long lists of combos with different cuts. Bowls marked "medium" or "regular" are usually pretty big; "large" are often gigantic. 

Order one, and it will come with a platter of herbs, lime wedges, sliced jalapeños and bean sprouts known as a rau song. Taste the broth first – it should be rich, beefy and aromatic. Then tear up some of the herbs and add them to the soup to taste, squeeze in some lime, drop in a handful of bean sprouts, add jalapeños if you dare. You can also squeeze in some thuong ot – the red chile sauce on every table. Or you can put some in one of those little saucers and dip pieces of meat in it as you go. Good luck finishing! 

A good pre-pho starter is goi cuon, translated variously as summer rolls, spring rolls or salad rolls. They're stretchy rice paper wrappers filled with pork, shrimp, rice vermicelli, lettuce, chives or scallions and other herbs. Dip them in nuoc cham (fish sauce) or peanut sauce. 

And when you're ready to branch out, don't worry. One thing the restaurants in this story all have in common is servers who are happy to explain the dishes. When language is a barrier (which is often the case), they'll grab another staffer who's more comfortable speaking English. Don't know what to do with that rau song (various dishes come with rau songs, with different combinations of lettuce and herbs) or that plate of what look like hard, translucent tortillas? If no one jumps in to explain, just ask – sometimes ingredients you wouldn't expect should be wrapped into lettuce leaves or rice paper. Once you show an adventurous spirit, many servers will be happy to suggest other specialties. 

After months of dedicated wrapping and dipping and slurping, here's the best of what I found, in no particular order. As it happens, most are in and around Richardson and Garland. One note of caution: Vietnamese restaurants are often closed on an unexpected day of the week, frequently Wednesday, so do call ahead and check. Most are BYOB. 

Of course, we're eager to hear your own favorites – there are so many Vietnamese restaurants around the area that I'm bound to have missed some good ones. 

Best in DFW: Vietnamese
Map: Best Vietnamese restaurants
 
BANH MI (bahgn mee). Long sandwiches on crisp French bread that may include pâté, cold cuts (or sometimes grilled meats), mayonnaise, cilantro, sliced cucumber and pickled cucumber and daikon. 

BANH TRANG (bahgn chahng). Stiff, circular rice paper sheets that appear on the table with certain dishes, such as nin hoa, grilled pork skewers. Dip a sheet in the bowl of warm water provided, set it on a plate, fill it with vegetables from the rau song and pork, and roll it up – it becomes stretchy and sticky enough to hold together. 

GOI CUON (goy kwun). Translated variously as spring rolls, summer rolls or salad rolls, these appetizers are stretchy rice paper wrappers filled with shrimp, pork, rice vermicelli, lettuce and chives or scallions. They come with dipping sauce. 

NUOC MAM (nook mahm). Fermented fish sauce similar to Thai nam pla. 

NUOC CHAM (nook chum). A sauce made with nuoc mam and other ingredients, often served with goi cuon. 

PHO (fuh). Meat and noodle soup, most often featuring beef broth and rice vermicelli topped with various cuts of beef. Unlike most Vietnamese dishes, which are served family-style, pho is for one person. 

RAU SONG (zhao sung or zao sung). The platter of raw vegetables (and sometimes lime wedges) that accompanies many Vietnamese dishes. It might include lettuce, Vietnamese herbs, cilantro, mint, bean sprouts, shredded banana flower, sliced jalapeños and more. Tear the herbs and add them, along with other vegetables, to taste. 

THUONG OT (tung uht). Hot chile sauce, such as Sriracha. The most popular brand, from Thailand. You'll often see it on Vietnamese tables alongside a house-made version, usually in a squeeze bottle. Squeeze some into pho to spice it up, or use as a dip for the meat.


Ready cooked Recipe for Chicken and Beef Noodles:


























Vietnamese Rice Paper for both fresh spring rolls and fried spring rolls here:

Yum Yum!!! ^^

Hochiminh style of mixing dipping sauce

I found this video, very short and concise. After watching, I'm sure you can make the dipping sauce immediately.




Yum Yum!!! ^^

Dipping sauce for Hanoi style spring rolls

It's interesting that the way Hanoian makes the dipping sauce for spring rolls is different from Hochiminh style.

Garlic, Chilli, Pepper Powder
Main Ingredients and respective proportion: 1 spoon of dipping sauce, 1 spoon of sugar, 1 spoon of vinegar, 5 spoons of warm water.

Tips: just apply the same ratio of 1:1:1:5 no matter how many servings you are preparing.

Steps:
1. Prepare the sauce with above ratio using warm water.
2. Taste testing to make sure it fits your taste
3. Chop garlics well to make sure chopped garlics will float in the dipping sauce. Add garlics after dipping sauce tastes perfect.
4. Add pepper powder and chilli at last
Very simple, isn't it? In Vietnam, there is a very famous fish sauce brand, Phu Quoc fish sauce. This is one of the perfect fit to make dipping sauce.

Now dipping sauce is ready. Enjoy your meal!

Yum Yum!!! ^^