FOOD CORNER Lao Sour And Spicy Soup - Dtom Jeaw Pla Dtom Jeaw Pla is a rustic and spicy fish soup which is easily made. It pre- sents humble countryside charm with fresh essence of fish and a delicious silky broth with a scent of lemongrass, a distinctive Lao herbs.

Ingredients: - 400 g Tilapia fish fillet, - 2 tablespoon fish cut into wide stripes. (or Pla Ra) - 2 long eggplants - 2 stalks of lemongrass. - 3-4 cloves - 120 g oyster mushrooms. - 10-12 red Thai chilies - 1 cup lemon basil - 3 - 1/4 cup spring onions, Rustic and spicy fish soup - 1 banana chili. finely chopped - 5 cups of water. - 1/4 cup saw coriander - 1+1 teaspoon roughly chopped Preparation: - Grill the eggplants, garlic, banana chilies, red chillies, shallots over a charcoal grill or in the oven. - Peel the grilled eggplants, chillies, shallots and garlic and put in a small bowl. - Add a small teaspoon of salt, crush the mixture of grilled ingredients until they are all finely minced and become a homogeneous . Set aside. - Place water in a pot and start heating. Pound the lemongrass stalks and add them to the pot. - Add a teaspoon of salt and some fish sauce. - When the water boils. Add the fish and avoid stirring. - Add the mushroom and boil until the mushrooms and fish are done. - Add the paste and lemon juice. Stir well. - Turn off the heat before adding the chopped spring onions and saw cori- ander. Add basil. - Serve with noodles or vermicelli. FOOD CORNER Handmade Rice Noodles Filled With Pork And Mushroom. This homemade dish is quite popular across Vietnam, especially in Hanoi. It can be served as breakfast, lunch, and even dinner. As its name indicates, "Banh Cuon Nong" is best served hot.

Ingredients: - 12 tablespoons vegetable oi, plus - 1 bunch Vietnamese mint, - 2 garlic cloves, diced - 2 Lebanese (short) cucumbers - 4 red Asian shallots, diced - 250 ml dipping sauce - 300g (10 ½ oz) minced pork - 2 red bird’s eye chillies, sliced - 4 fresh black fungus thinly sliced - 1 teaspoon fish sauce Batter Banh Cuon - Vietnamese - ½ teaspoon sugar - 200g (7oz) rice flour traditional homemade cuisine - 1 bunch perilla, leaves picked - 60g (2oz ½ cup) tapioca flour - 2 handfuls bean sprouts - ½ teaspoon sea slat Preparation: - Put the batter ingredients in a mixing bowl with 600ml (20 ½ fl oz) cold water. Whisk to a smooth batter, then allow to rest for 20 minutes. - Heat a wok over medium heat, then add the 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. Fry the garlic and for 30 seconds, or until fragrant, then add the pork, mushroom, fish sauce, sugar and a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir-fry for 4 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and set aside. - Brush a round tray with vegetable oil and place it on your bench next to the stove. Heat a thin 20 cm (8inch) non-stick frying pan over low heat and brush with oil. Pour 3 tablespoons of the batter into the pan, turning the pan quickly in a circular motion to cover the base with a thin layer of batter – the thinner the better. - Cover the pan with a lit and cook for 45 seconds. - Remove the lid and slide the thin noodle sheet onto your oiled tray. Scoop 1 tablespoon of pork mixture onto the noodle sheet, then fold over to form an open-ended roll. Transfer to a plate. - Repeat this process using the remaining batter and pork mixture, adding more oil to the pan as necessary. - Top the rolls with the herbs, bean sprouts, fried shallots and cucumber. Drizzle with the nuoc mam, garnish with the chili and serve. Recipe: Luke Nguyen FOOD CORNER Pho - Beef Noodles Soup Find Vietnam in a bowl! This fragrant soup, in principle, is a rather simple dish: a clear, aromatic beef broth, with chewy rice noodles. There are 2 main types of Pho: Pho Tai (Pho featuring lightly cooked beef), Pho Chin (Pho featuring boiled beef, or some dried beef). Ingredients: - 4 pounds beef soup bones - 1/2 cup chopped cilantro - 1 onion, unpeeled and cut in half - 1 tablespoon chopped green onion - 5 slices fresh ginger - 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts - 1 tablespoon salt - 1 bunch Thai basil - 2 pods star anise - 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges - 1/4 cup hoisin sauce (optional) Vietnam In A Bowl - 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce - 4 quarts water - 1/4 cup chile-garlic sauce - 1 (8 ounce) package dried rice noodles - 1 1/2 pounds beef top sirloin Preparation: -Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). -Place beef bones on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven until browned, about 1 hour. -Place onion on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven until blackened and soft, about 45 minutes. -Place bones, onion, ginger, salt, star anise, and fish sauce in a large stockpot and cover with 4 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer on low for 6 to 10 hours. Strain the broth into a saucepan and seaside. -Place rice noodles in large bowl filled with room temperature water and allow to soak for 1 hour. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and after the noodles have soaked, place them in the boiling water for 1 minute. Bring stock to a simmer. -Divide noodles among 4 serving bowls; top with sirloin, cilantro, and green onion. Pour hot broth over the top. Stir and let sit until the beef is partially cooked and no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges, hoisin sauce, and chile-garlic sauce on the side. Recipe by: Allrecipes