What a fun night, I was invited to participate in an evening learning to prepare and then enjoy a selection of regional dished from Hanoi. There were three other eager cooks so Mr Hung gathered us up and we dutifully followed him into the markets for a quick lesson in what and how to buy...
I didn't take my camera so you'll have to take my word about the sights on view...huge live fish in constantly freshened water, massive frogs (farmed I'm told), loads of fresh fruit, veg and herbs, meat of indeterminate cut, meat very easily identified as cooked dog, eggs - free range chicken, duck, goose and egg with baby chicken inside (no, I didn't eat one).
Mr Hung bought what we needed for the nights class and a couple of extra things, some bitter herbs (wild cosmos?) and a frog!!!
My cooking buddy Nick ( a pom who now lives in Auckland) volunteered to try the frog - he's a brave man!
Apparently he'd done the previous Saturday's class too and been game enough to try the 'egg with baby inside'...crunchy!
The menu consisted of Seafood spring rolls (with a twist), caramel pork cooked in a claypot, banana flower salad, and a dessert of black sesame and peanut che. Plus frog and an omelet made with the bitter herbs.
I think I'll just show you the photos...you'll get the picture.
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| frog...in the pan |
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| banana flower salad ingredients |
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| caramel pork ingredients |
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| our culinary captain in action |
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| the pork marinating in fish sauce, garlic, shallots and pepper |
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| Red fruit (no idea of what it would be called in English) used to color rice for Tet |
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| filling for Hanoi Spring Rolls - squid, prawn, fish, caramelized onion and....mayo! yes, mayo! |
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| rolling.... |
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| Mr Hung was made to produce 800 spring rolls every day of his work experience at a large hotel that will remain nameless...so now he's an expert! |
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| baby bananas |
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| slicing the banana flower |
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| banana flower salad ingredients minus bean sprouts and coriander... |
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| sprouts and coriander |
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| slice the prawns lengthwise... |
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| slice the pork...Mr Hung does it quickly...action shot... |
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| mix all ingredients except dressing and peanuts for garnish.. |
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| ingredients for black sesame and peanut che |
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| process the nuts and seeds... |
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| cook with water, sugar, coconut cream and nuts and seeds... |
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| he scared the crap out of us all with this little conflagration.... |
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| banana flower salad and caramel pork |
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| Nick filling the banana flower boat.... |
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| The spring rolls - that had been crumbed! Talk about French influence... |
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| close up of the yummy caramel pork... |
After the class we relocated to the warm and comfortable dining room upstairs to enjoy the fruits of our labors. The spring rolls were so rich it was almost unbelievable, the banana flower salad was crunchy, tasty and refreshing, the caramel pork was my personal fave...tender, sweet and salty and so moreish. I did try the frog...somewhere between fish and chicken but a bit strong for me. The dessert was a warm soup and had a great flavor, however it didn't blow my bubbles but I'm thinking of using the combination of black sesame and peanut in either a cookie or a cupcake...yummy!
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