Vietnamese food has vibrant colors and aromas.
Vietnamese food, famous for its color and flavor, shows influences from other Asian cultures and from French cuisine. Vietnamese food has a balance between flavors -- sweet, savory, spicy, sour, citrus and fresh. Fresh condiments, including lemongrass, fresh chili, lime juice, mint, basil and fish sauce, accompany most Vietnamese dishes. A Vietnamese meal could include a bowl of pho, a beef noodle soup, and a Vietnamese chicken salad.
Instructions
Pho
1. Make a base broth for the pho. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large stockpot. Cover the beef bones and beef chuck with water in a second pot. Bring this second pot to a boil; boil the bones and meat vigorously for five minutes. Remove the meat and place into the 6-quart pot of boiling water. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer the stock for at least 1 hour. Remove one piece of chuck; let it cool, then slice it thinly.
2. Toast the peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon and cloves in a small frying pan over low heat. Place the spices on a piece of cheesecloth and tie it closed to make a bag. Place the bag in the broth. Add the fish sauce, onions, ginger and shallots to the broth. Add the salt. Cook the broth for at least two hours: the longer you cook it, the more flavor will develop.
3. Rice noodles cook very quickly.
Soak the rice sticks in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain them. Boil a medium pot of water. Place the noodles into the boiling water. Cook them for about 10 to 20 seconds, until they're soft but still chewy. Place the noodles in a bowl and top with the sirloin. Bring the broth to a rapid boil. Ladle two to three cups of hot broth over the rice noodles and beef sirloin. Add the sliced chuck. Garnish with the cilantro, scallions, bean sprouts, basil, lime wedges and chilies as desired.
Vietnamese Chicken Salad
4. Vietnamese cuisine uses lime juice as a condiment.
Bring the stock to a simmer. Cut the chicken breasts into thin diagonal strips. Cover the pan; poach the chicken in the stock for about five minutes. Turn the heat off and let the chicken sit in the pot for another 5 minutes. Drain the chicken, allow it to cool, then shred it.
5. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the scallions, cabbage, carrots and mint.
6. Pour the lime juice and soy sauce into a stainless-steel bowl. Whisk in the sugar and salt. Toss the dressing with the salad. Top with the chopped peanuts.
Tags: lime juice, boiling water, cool then, fish sauce, five minutes, Place noodles, Vietnamese food
