July 13, 2007

Vietnamese Potluck Dinner Party

It's pretty rare that people actually cook for potlucks nowadays--especially when it comes to Vietnamese food. Vietnamese food t0-go places offer plenty of catering options, while those in the know pay enterprising homemakers to cook their family recipes.

Bánh ướt thịt nướng and bánh bèo are primarily made of rice flour, which is mixed with water before it is steamed into a think pancake. In the case of banh beo (left), the rice flour is steamed in round dishes that are small and shallow. They are topped with dried shrimp, scallion, and mung beans and eaten with fish sauce. The flavor of the dish is actually very mild and is more a textural play than anything else.




Banh uot is rolled even thinner onto a sheet and then used as a wrapper to encase the grilled pork, bean sprouts, lettuce, and herbs. Think of banh uot as a heavier spring roll with thicker, slightly sticky wrapping. Banh uot is eaten with a peanut-based sauce, which is thick and chunky. The rice flour in both dishes acts as a backdrop for the main attractions of toppings and fillings.

Bê thui is thinly sliced veal, which is marinated with salt and pepper and seared. After the meat has been prepared, toasted rice, sesame, peanuts, shallots, galanga, and shallots are tossed in to give the meat a grainy coating. Jalapenos and Vietnamese herbs (rau thơm & rau răm) are added for color and flavor contrast and the dish is eaten as an appetizer with gingered fish sauce.

Continuing with the beef dishes, we also had bò lá lốt (grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves) and bò kho (Vietnamese beef stew).



The bo la lot pictured above is the two sausage-shaped figures on the right, while the pink meatballs are actually nem nướng, BBQ pork meatballs. Bo la lot primarily tastes of lemongrass and its betel leaves are used for medicinal purposes throughout Southeast Asia. Nem nuong tastes sweet and tangy with its requisite seasonings of sugar, fish sauce, garlic and ginger.

The bò kho (above left) is derived from French boeuf bourguignon (Vietnam used to be a French colony). But if you could imagine replacing all the French ingredients with Southeast Asian ones, you'll have a spicier broth spiked with star anise, lemongrass, fish sauce, and ginger. This was one of the few dishes cooked from scratch, though we did buy baguettes to enjoy it with.

And how do you nhậu (verb that means to eat food with alcohol) without food that makes you cringe. Voila dồi trường, otherwise known as pig intestines.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great work! That is the type of info that are supposed to
be shared around the internet. Shame on Google for now
not positioning this submit higher! Come on over and seek advice from my site .

Thanks =)

Check out my homepage: Adiphene Facts

Anonymous said...

Here are a few of the things that should be thought about when choosing the perfect wedding favor.
With a number of balls in the air, it's unavoidable that at some point, one of them will hit the floor. The best possible way to make sure the marriages does not falls out of the budget is by looking for a wedding planner.

Here is my web blog ... www.topweddingdecoratingideas.com

Anonymous said...

Try an oblong shape and you can create a baseball in the same way.

Almost every wedding reception cake has borders. t stop and just proceed wild with the creativeness convinced that sky
is your limits.

Here is my blog :: cup cake decoration supplies

Anonymous said...

Pinwheels add inexpensive bright decor to the Denver
garden. An example might be where one side of the garden is
mostly large shade trees while the other side is predominately a lower growing flower garden or even a mix
of both examples. But no paradise would be complete without the gentle tinkling
of tropical wind chimes or wind bells.

my web-site :: small garden decoration ideas

Anonymous said...

Yes, you have probably heard about this procedure in the daily newspapers
and you have probably heard about miracle weight
loss changes happened to so many people around you. These free weight loss plans include what foods to take or what
light exercise you should do. Using different products along
with body by vi, life transforming health benefits are
enjoyed along with weight loss and other fitness regimes.


my page ... diets to lose weight fast in 2 weeks

Anonymous said...

Ideally, it is recommended to appoint an interior designing
company in London which has a good standing in the industry and preferably have an in-house manufacturing team
as well. Imagine how your home would look once a fresh approach had been taken the interior design London.
So, the purpose of the office and who is using it will influence the
office design.

My weblog: Free Home Interior Ideas Photograph

Anonymous said...

This text is priceless. Where can I find out more?

Feel free to visit my web blog :: quantrim consumer reviews

Anonymous said...

It's very straightforward to find out any matter on net as compared to textbooks, as I found this piece of writing at this web site.

Review my page is quantrim scam

Anonymous said...

I'm linking this webpage from my private blog . this has all the usefull information necessary.

My website: tips to get pregnant

Anonymous said...

What i do not realize is actually how you're not really much more well-appreciated than you may be now. You're so intelligent.
You realize thus significantly in relation to this subject, made me in my opinion believe it from so many varied angles.
Its like men and women aren't interested until it is one thing to accomplish with Girl gaga! Your personal stuffs excellent. All the time handle it up!

Also visit my site http://news.9o9i.com

Anonymous said...

best electronic cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, vapor cigarette, ecig forum, electronic cigarette, electronic cigarettes