Healthy Eating: 3 Reasons Why You Should Start Eating Vietnamese Food

In a recent article on CNN, Annie Corapi has positioned Vietnamese food at the top three healthiest ethnic cuisines which believed to be “light, nutritious, and incredibly yummy” . To make things clear, I have got a small talk with chef Bay to find out 5 reasons (according to our health-conscious chef) we should all have more Vietnamese dishes on our tables.

1.    To keep your look younger!!!

Meat is not the main attraction in Vietnamese Cuisine, we love vegetable, we love salad. First- time visitor to Vietnam can be surprised by a huge number of authentic salad selections in this country. One of the most famous vegie dishes all over Vietnam is the (green) mango salad which is marinated with fish sauce (not salt) and mint. Such dish is full of vitamin E, a very useful element to fight free radicals in your body (one of the major causes of pre mature ageing).

My favorite mango salad will help me stay young forever!!!

2.       To aid your digestion!!!

Vietnamses cooking style employs a wide range of “traditional flavourings” (including cilantro, mint, Thai basil, star anise, and red chili) to remedies all sort of aliments; and cilantro and mint are already proved to support the function of liver as well as relief from indigestion.

In the past, Vietnamese farmers’ experience indicate that a bowl of soup (full of herb) is the best medicine to find of bloating 

3.       To lose weight… (Chef Bay’s favorite part)

"This cuisine, prepared the traditional way, relies less on frying and heavy coconut-based sauces for flavor and more on herbs, which makes it lower in calories," – said Chef Bay.

A giant bowl of Vietnamese Sour Clam Soup (Morning Glory soup for example) contain less than 300 calories each and probably 0g of fat per serving, which mean you could eat one every day together with a small bowl of rice for lunch/ dinner as part of your diet program.

A giant bowl of Vietnamese Sour Clam Soup (Morning Glory soup for example) contain less than 300 calories each

Danger: Almost Vietnamese dishes are healthy to be eaten, please be careful with Vietnamese traditional dishes for Chinese New Year (Banh Chung, Gio Thu, Thit Dong). Such dishes are prepared for the below 10 degree Celsius weather will contain a large amount of fat and calories to maintain the flow of energy during for Vietnamese People.

 

The ugly truth about MSG in food – better to avoid it!!! [TIPS]

The controversial cooking ingredient  

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a popular flavor enhancer to be added to many Asian dishes, processed meats, and canned food.
According to Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is generally “safe”. However, over the years, the FDA has received many reports of reactions to food containing MSG – known as MSG symptoms:

• Headache 
• Flushing 
• Sweating 
• Facial pressure or tightness 
• Numbness, tingling or burning in the face, neck and other areas 
• Rapid, fluttering heartbeats (heart palpitations) 
• Chest pain 
• Nausea 
• Weakness 

(Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D)

Ugly truth about the use of MSG in many Asian restaurants 

I used to work in 3 Chinese restaurants back in Switzerland for 4 years from 2008; and I have leant a simple trick to sell more and more drink in the restaurant => add a lot of MSG to the dishes, that will make the customer feel very very thirsty (I try to eat those dishes myself and you probably can predict the outcome). I come back to Vietnam, do some sort of travel and try many dishes all over the country (I am sort of food tourist). Again, I recognize in Vietnam, we use the same trick to force our client to buy more drink.

Add a lot of MSG to the dishes will make customers feel thirsty

TIPS from my own experience 

1. Do not use MSG for your cooking, use seasoning powder instead – still giving flavor.
2. If you “have” to eat out, ask the chef not to put MSG in your food.
3. If you feel the taste – slightly salty & sweet – by the middle of your tongue => you are having MSG in your food.
4. Many “Pho” restaurant use MSG (excessively) to make the soup taste better without spend lot of money on buying pork/ beef bones. Check the water of your “Pho” soup, if it clear but still taste good => they do put MSG. The “Pho” with opaque soup are safer to each.

Be careful with clear-soup "Pho"

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Stewed pork in clay pot with eggs

 I still love and think stewed pork my mom cooked is the best

Although many people hate rain because the road becomes dirty and you need to wear a big ugly raincoat when you want to go out, I still say I LOVE RAIN. Hey, I am not a romantic person and I have other reason for such love: I love foods that my mom usually cooks in a rainy day. During my childhood, I was so happy and eager for the lunch or dinner when it rained because I knew my mom would prepare stewed pork, fish or chicken in a clay pot which are both delicious sweet, salty, spicy and soft.

Delicious sweet, salty, spicy and soft.

Until now, when I am a chef and serve these dishes for hundreds of guests per day, I still love and think stewed pork my mom cooked is the best. My children also love this dish and always ask for it in a rainy or clod day. I have learnt a lot from my mom’s special recipe and tips from many other moms in Vietnam and such experience help my stewed pork in clay pot with eggs unique.
Stewed pork, fish or chicken is the best when you use a clay pot but it is possible if you use a pan. Follow my guide and spend about one to one and a half hour for this amazing dish.

Ingredient: 

2 tablespoons of canola or coconut oil
 1/4 cup sugar
 2 -3 cloves of garlic, minced
 2 whole shallots, chopped 1 tablespoon minced ginger

chopped 1 tablespoon minced ginger

 1 -2 chili, chopped
 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or change depending on your taste)
 1.5 lbs pork tenderloin, cubed about 1 1/2 inch in size

 Pork tenderloin

 1 pinch salt, to taste
 1 pinch pepper
 4 -6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled (optional)

Hard-boiled eggs

 1/2 cup water

 Cooking method 

 Step 1: Put oil in pot or pan over medium heat, add sugar and cook, stirring frequently till it dissolves.
 Step 2: Add ginger, garlic, shallots, chili, cook for about 4-5 minutes Turn up the heat to high, add pork, stir till the meat has browned a little, then add water.
 Step 3: When it comes to a boil, lower heat to simmer.
 Step 4: Cut hard boil eggs in half and put into pot.
 Step 5: This step is optional, but the eggs will absorb all the sauce and taste heavenly!
 Step 6: Cover the pot and let it simmer.
 Step 7: Wait and wait. Remember: the longer you leave it, the better it taste. But after 30-35 minutes it's normally done.
 Enjoy stewed pork with steamed rice or sour soup and you are coming to the heart of amazing Vietnamese cuisine

 At Cau Go Vietnamese Restaurant we serve various options:

Stewed pork in clay pot
Stewed pork in clay pot with egg
Caramelized pork in clay pot
Ribs stewed in clay pot
Chicken stewed in clay pot with ginger
Chicken stewed in clay pot with lemongrass
Shrimp stewed in clay pot with coconut juice
Shrimp stewed in clay pot with pork
Shrimp stewed in clay pot with star fruit
Hú” fish stewed in clay pot
“Rô” fish stewed in clay pot
“Lóc” fish stewed in clay pot
“Bống” fish stewed in clay pot

The Vietnamese Cuisine - Salted Vietnamese eggplants or “Ca Phao”

Vietnamese eggplant is unique for its crunchy texture, neutral smelling and mild flavor

Vietnamese eggplant is a type of eggplant used widely in Vietnamese cuisine. A Vietnamese eggplant is about 1 to 1.5 inches or 2.5 to 3.5 centimeters in diameter and looks like a small ball. Its color may be medium green, pale green or white with green stripes. Vietnamese eggplant is unique for its crunchy texture, neutral smelling and mild flavor that are perfect for eaten raw without removing the skin. It is rich in fiber, Vitamin B group, cooper, manganese and folate, therefore, pretty good for health and especially who want to lose weight. A natural Vietnamese eggplant has a slight bitter taste that why it is often salted or sautéed with meat and herbs.

Salted Vietnamese eggplant is very popular and even a must in Vietnamese meal during summer time. Its salty, crunchiness, a little bitterness, some sweetness and slight spicy is perfect when enjoyed with steamed rice, vegetables and soup.

A must in Vietnamese meal during summer time

Interestingly, you can prepare this dish at home in a simple way:

Ingredients 

1kg fresh Vietnamese eggplant (you can buy in many local markets in summer)

2 cloves of garlic

3 peppers

Salt
Sugar
Warm water 1 medium glass jar.

Cooking

Place the eggplants under sunlight for 3 to 4 hours then cut the stems and rinse

Cut the eggplants in half and soaked them in diluted salt water for about 15 minutes to help reduce their bitterness and eliminate any toxin contained. Rinse eggplants under running water and drain

Cut the eggplants in half and soaked them in diluted salt water

Dissolve salt in warm water so that sugar is not too salty. Peel and crush the garlic
Place a little salt layer at the bottom of the jar followed by a layer of eggplants and then another layer of salt followed by a layer of eggplants …keep continue until the end. Pour the salt water mixed with garlic into the jar.

After 2 days, your salted Vietnamese eggplant dish is ready to be enjoyed with fish sauce mixed with sugar, crushed garlic and sliced peppers.
For the best taste and combination options of salted Vietnamese eggplants, come and see me Cau Go  to try and ask for the tips.

The Chef of Vietnamese Cuisine

Welcome to Cau Go Vietnamses Cuisine – my lovely working place!
My name is Dao Thi Bay, Sous Chef of Cau Go Restaurant.
I have been working for this restaurant since the first day of its operation and until now, I am very happy that my foods has made thousands of patrons delighted and since my first post on how to cook authentic Vietnamse food, I have received encouragement and compliment from followers. I rarely talk to my guests as my job is always in kitchen but luckily thanks to blog, I can share with you the beauty of Vietnamese dishes.

Since I was a little girl, my mom taught me how to cook various type of food. My mom said every woman in a family should be a chef who keeps warmth, health and happiness by making Vietnamese traditional dishes in right way as it should always be. At that time, I considered Vietnamese cuisine was just a must for any girl to learn, remember and practice in a certain way. I record all cooking lessons from my Mom in a precious cook guide and still refer to it during my work at Cau Go.

 I record all cooking lessons from my Mom

Gradually, I did enjoy my cooking stuff and so in love with the feeling when my family members enjoyed meals together in satisfaction. When I had a boyfriend, sometimes I cooked for him and the moment when he smiled like a kid while enjoying my dishes was just so sweet and unforgettable. Vietnamese cuisine has another meaning to me: Love & Happiness which are priceless in life.

Family members enjoyed meals together in satisfaction

Encouraged by family and recommended by my close friend, I went to Saigon for professional cooking courses when I was 20 years old. From that time, I have told to myself: Vietnamese cuisine is my destiny. I have refined my cooking skills specializing in Vietnamese cuisine over 2 decades in Saigon as a the chef in Cuc Gach Restaurant, a famous Vietnamese cuisine restaurant in Saigon. Interestingly, I found that even with the same recipe, no two chefs make the same dish. Vietnamese cuisine is magical and each chef is a wizard, not just an artist as many people say. Across Vietnam, there are thousands of different specialties but for me, what is most important is focusing on the essence of Vietnamese cooking. Innovation & creativeness are so important for a chef and I always look for something new upon the base – my cooking knowledge.

Vietnamese cuisine is magical

At Cau Go restaurant, I have created a menu that reflects Vietnamese cuisine at its finest. I want to create a menu that does not focus on just northern or just southern food, but one that encapsulates all the cuisines of Vietnam including the culinary hubs of Hanoi, Hue and Saigon. I really appreciate the importance of traditional Vietnamese cuisine, but I still incorporate movements in contemporary Vietnamese cuisine to create something that is at once familiar yet unique.

After all, Vietnamese cuisine in me is not just my own happiness but also bring wonderful experience to my beloved patrons!

The Vietnamese Cuisine - Vietnamese beef soup with lemon grass to drive the cold away

I cooked a simple soup Vietnamese Beef Soup With Lemon Grass

It has been really cold and miserable these last couple of days in Hanoi. Most of the time, I would recommend my guests at Cau Go Vietnamese Cuisine to have the restaurant’s specials such as “Goỉ Tiến Vua” or “Crab soup with “đay” vegetable” for dinner . But tonight, I wanted share something else. I wanted to let our guests experience something mum used to make, so I cooked a simple soup of Vietnamese Beef Soup With Lemon Grass (which I carefully place in my Cau Go’s Menu). I often recall my mother making this soup; it would not only warm up and nourish the body but heart and soul as well. It's something that I always love having during this weather and it's something that always bring back fond memories.

It would not only warm up and nourish the body but heart and soul as well

 Recipe 

1 stalk fresh lemongrass or 1 tablespoon dried lemon grass
Tip: If you are using fresh lemon grass, simply remove the outer leaves and upper two-thirds of the stalk, then chop. If you are using dried, it must be soaked for 2 hours, then drained and chopped fine. 

Fresh lemon grass

1 dash fresh ground black pepper

2 teaspoons fish sauce (nuoc mam)

1 clove garlic,

Clove garlic

chopped 6 ounces fatty beef chuck, sliced paper thin

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 shallots or 2 scallions, slice white part of

Shallots

3 cups water

1 1/2 beef bouillon cubes

1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped (Chinese parsley)

Coriander

2 scallions, green part only,chopped

(Care for market visit with Cau Go’s chef to pick the best of those ingredients above, inbox a message to www.facebook.com/caugovietnamesecuisine ) 

Method 

1.Sprinkle the black pepper, 1 teaspoon of the fish sauce, and chopped garlic over the meat; mix well and allow the meat to absorb the flavors for a few minutes.

Allow the meat to absorb the flavors for a few minutes

2.Heat the oil and fry the shallots over a high flame.

Fry the shallots

3.Add the lemon grass and fry for about 1 minute, then add the meat.

4.Cook until all traces of redness are gone.

5.Add the water, bring to a boil, and add the beef bouillon cubes, remaining 1 teaspoon fish sauce, and salt.

6.Immediately before serving, bring the soup to a boil.

7.Pour into bowls and sprinkle with the chopped coriander and scallion.

Chopped coriander and scallion

The Soup doesn't call for hot chilies, but you can slice a couple into thin rounds and toss them in.

Care to drive the cold away? come and see me at Cau Go Vietnamese Cusine, 7 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem, order Vietnamese Beef Soup With Lemon Grass.

Care to drive the cold away

The Vietnamese Cuisine - Fresh Spring Roll

Vietnamese fresh spring rolls are a healthy alternative to deep fried rolls with a perfect combination of valuable herbs, shrimp and noodles. Follow our chef's instruction below and try to roll it !

Vietnamese fresh spring rolls are a healthy alternative to deep fried rolls

Step 1: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add onions, garlic and ginger. Stir for 2 minutes. Remove from pan and place in a bowl to cool. Add shrimp to pan and stir until shrimp is pink and cooked through. Remove from heat, set aside to cool.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet

Step 2: Slice shrimp in half lengthwise.

Step 3: Work with spring roll wrappers one at a time. Dip a wrapper in a shallow plate or bowl of water, making sure it is completely covered. Immediately transfer wrapper to a cutting board or plate.

Dip a wrapper in a shallow plate or bowl of water

Step 4: Place 3 shrimp halves, cut-side up, near the center of the wrapper, in a straight line. Place a lettuce leaf to the side of the shrimp.

Step 5: Add your choice of herbs on top of the lettuce such as basil, mint and cilantro leaves. Sprinkle shredded carrots over the herbs.Add thinly sliced, peeled cucumber slices.Drizzle a bit of the garlic mixture over your ingredients

Step 6: Add a pinch of rice noodles, looping them around so they fit over the lettuce and don’t hang off too far.

Step 7: Fold one side over the top of your ingredients until it reaches about halfway. Fold the opposite side over so it meets in the middle and gently press the rice paper together. Pull up the edge by the lettuce and gently roll, pinching and tucking the wrap with your fingers as you go, toward the shrimp. When you reach the shrimp, pause and add a scallion (optional) into the roll for decoration. Then, continue rolling until the rice paper folds over itself into a taught roll.

Step 8: Serve with Vietnamese Spring Rolls Dipping Sauce.
Vietnamese Spring Rolls Dipping Sauce Recipe: Stir vinegar, fish sauce, water, brown sugar, green onion, garlic and red pepper until sugar is dissolved. Cover and store in refrigerator.
Let’s get cooking!

The Vietnamese Cuisine - Deep fried tofu

When I talk with my Western friends at Hanoi about meatless meals, the conversation always comes around to Vietnamese tofu. I find two ways of thinking: (1) 50% hate it and are sure it is always tasteless and (2) the rest want to like it, but aren’t really sure how to work with it to make it delicious. 

I’m here to help!!! 

There are many different kinds of tofu and ways to prepare it. You can buy it anywhere from soft as custard to extremely dense; it can be fermented, pressed, deep fried, dehydrated, etc. You can even make it yourself as I always do at my word place – Cau Go Vietnamese Cuisine restaurant. In such case, we (me and my buddy chefs) can easily create the tofu with exceptional level of softness while preserving its subtle and sweet flavor. 

 For me, tofu is best understood as a food with a long history throughout Asia. As I talk about with my foreign visitors to Hanoi, it is not a meat substitute; in fact in many traditional dishes from China, Korea, etc. tofu is served with meat. But back to the point: Today, I’m not going to teach you a bunch of ways to cook tofu. I’m going to teach you one basic method for making deep-fried Vietnamese tofu with a crispy, browned crust that is our signature dish here at Cau Go restaurant. It is easy to do, take just minutes, and the results are far superior to simply cutting up cubes and throwing them in your stir-fry. 

Deep-fried Vietnamese tofu is our signature dish here at Cau Go restaurant.

Step 1: Buy Good Tofu 

Don’t panic if this doesn’t work for you, but if you live in a big city, there is a good chance that there is at least one store that is making fresh tofu every day. For example, in Hanoi, you can find good tofu branded “Lang Mo” at many super markets. When I walk into Big C super market in the afternoon, I can buy a pack of extra-firm tofu for about $1.50. (If you want to recommend other market for good tofu in Hanoi, please add them in the comments below.)

You can find good tofu everywhere in big city like Hanoi

 Step 2: Cut Your Tofu 

Open the package, drain out the water, and cut your tofu into cube about 3 centimeter each dimension. That will give you a nice ratio of exterior crust and interior softness. 

Optional Step 2.5: Soak Your Tofu in Hot, Salted Water Bring some well-salted water to a boil and pour it over your tofu. Let this stand for about 15 minutes, then drain. Such technique is the main key to create the crispy and crunchy ” Deep fried tofu” of Cau Go restaurant. 

Cut your tofu into cube about 3 centimeter each dimension

Step 3: Dry Your Tofu 

What we need to do is get the surface of your tofu dry. Put down a clean dishtowel. Lay the tofu out in a single layer on said dish towel. Put another clean dishtowel on top and pat well, all over, to remove as much surface moisture as possible. This is what is going to allow it to brown. It will also reduce dangerous and unpleasant sputtering when you put it in the skillet. 

Lay the tofu out in a single layer on said dish towel

Step 4: Deep Fry Your Tofu 

The optimum pan for this job is a big cast-iron skillet. It holds a ton of heat, and develops a lovely non-sticking surface. We are going to cook this over very high heat, so you probably shouldn’t use a non-stick pan as it might damage the coating or even be dangerous. Otherwise, the flat bottomed skillet works better because it allows the tofu to stay in contact with the hot surface for longer periods of time. Cook on one side until it is deeply golden brown, then flip (preferably with a slotted spatula). If you are doing cubes, it becomes impractical to get all 6 sides of every piece, so instead you’ll just toss them every minute or so and hope to get most of them. When both sides are done, remove to a plate and, depending on what you are going to do with them, possibly season with a little sea salt. Done. 

The optimum pan for this job is a big cast-iron skillet

 So again, the keys: buy good tofu, get it really dry, fry in a hot skillet with a decent amount of oil, don’t crowd the pan, and cook until it is really brown. Care for a taste, come to see me at Cau Go Vietnamese Cuisine, 7 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi!

Care for a taste, come to see me at Cau Go Vietnamese Cuisine, 7 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi!

The Cau Go Restaurant - The Introduction to a corner of the Old Hanoi

A unique place in Hanoi for exploring truly authentic Vietnamese cuisine and colorful culture while overlooking the full length of Hoan Kiem Lake, The Huc Bridge and Ngoc Son Temple – the spirit of this charming capital

Located on Cau Go Street, a prime ‘Vietnamese food hall’ in Hanoi Old Quarter, Cau Go Vietnamese Cuisine Restaurant is always the priority of both local and international gourmets. Local people come here to seek out a very Hanoi in the old times and revived themselves in these Hanoian memories while international guests desire to discover a pure Vietnam of many faces: cuisine, beauty, culture and some pieces of history.

A pure Vietnam of many faces: cuisine, beauty, culture and some pieces of history

Naturally, every corner of this restaurant reflects ‘Old Hanoi’ from its traditional wooden setting and decoration to a menu shown on Do paper which made from the bark of the Do tree by Vietnamese artists in the late 1800s and Vietnamese food setting in ceramic dishes. Step in to the restaurant, get-away from busting life outside, you will be warmly welcomed by a friendly staff with beautiful Hanoian smile who will introduce his/her name so that you can call him/her anytime for help. From all seats, you can enjoy beautiful soft music and amazing view over the lake and busy streets below that you can’t find in any restaurant elsewhere. However, the nicest seats are over the lovely balcony and large terrace where you can take in all the sights and sounds of Hanoi; for these privileges, you should make reservation in advance.

Perfect place to get hold of all the sights and sounds of Hanoi

Although Vietnamese cuisine is offered in thousands of restaurant in Hanoi, Cau Go Vietnamese cuisine served it the best with both popular dishes as well as lesser-known regional dishes by the best cooking staff in Vietnam. Our foods represent a great balance of a variety of fresh herbs, vegetables and meat, as well as a selective use of spices for the secret charm of Vietnamese cuisine. Moreover, a full list of both Vietnamese traditional healthy drinks, cocktail, mock tail and international wine is served for your wide selection and delight.

A great balance of a variety of fresh herbs, vegetables and meat

The restaurant itself is a wonderful place for your exploration. Take your time to learn about Vietnam in the old times via precious pictures on the wall or valuable books in a small open library on the sixth floor. At Cau Go Vietnamese Cuisine Restaurant, Hanoi – the Heart of Vietnam seems to be all covered in your eyes with interesting contrasts – old in new, traditional in modern.
Whether you are a truly Hanoian or just a visitor to this charming capital, you should come to Cau Go Vietnamese Cuisine Restaurant once to experience perfect relaxation, to savor the best authentic Vietnamese cuisine and to take a truly Hanoi in your heart…