Sunday, November 27, 2011

Ben Thanh Market, Ho Chi Minh 2002 a quick bowl

Not my picture
When in Saigon you will most probably be taken to the famous Ben Thanh Market to shop and see an example of the many large markets through out Vietnam. When I was there in 2002, the market still had no prices on items and you had to haggle to get a good price. Of course that changed by the time I went back to the market in 2010; they have fixed prices so that it is easier for the tourist crowd. One area you do not see too many tourists is the small food booths. It is not the cleanest eating area but I like it for a quick bowl of soup.

Trying to take picture of bug crawling over noodles


It tasted great even though the noodles came with bug foot prints

Tet 2003 in the village


    Tet is a very important celebration in Vietnam; a combination of Christmas and New Years eve in which the country basically stops to participate with family and friends. It is celebrated at the lunar new year and lasts about 10 days. People travel back to their family villages to prepare and enjoy the holiday. I will focus on the making of the rice cakes that my wifes' family makes for the holiday. The whole family takes time to prepare the rice cakes that will be eaten over the last days of the holiday.

Most are savory but there are sweet ones too

Most being made here were savory with pork and mung bean








I love them fried a few days later, crispy

Had to add Tet decorations in the home


Sister-in-law did a lot of the flower
A meal we had at a relatives house, very good
Year of the Pig

Party in the family village 2002

Prepared food ready to serve
In any real discussion of Vietnamese cooking it is good to remember that most of the Vietnamese start out like any North American, by eating the food of his people / family. It is a special treat to be able to taste the cooking of the average Vietnamese family. I have the privilage of being married to a Vietnamese wife, as such I get to taste the simple but very tasty food found in their family home.






The chopping of the meat on a old door

Cooking the pork skewers, very tasty
Back in 2002 we had a reception in my wifes' family home in Northern Vietnam in a provice near Ha Noi. Not a large party but it had 600 hundred people over two and a half days. It went late into the night and started up a few hours after. The cooking was done by relatives and they cooked constantly as people just kept on comming. It was loud and it seemed all of Vietnam was invited.
Modern kitchen appliance?

Making some tea

Modern kitchen on the septic tank

Stir-frying

The pork was marinated and the fat left on to keep it juicy. The taste was so good a simple tasty preparation and a cooking over a open fire; made for a delicious crispy meat. I could eat it for days. I often did as they would cook extra for eating later. In 2002 the family did not have refrigeration so the meat was hung up until it was reheated for eating the next day.

Preparing for the feast, in their version of a sink





Pounding spice

Chopping all the meat

Pork reading to be cooked


cooking something good