Cafe Sua Da (Vietnamese Coffee)

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a person who abhors a soft consistency in my desserts.  My stance on the matter is that I like having teeth, therefore I like to chew my food.  Pudding and yogurt and custard and the like are just not for me - not without an added granola crunch or creme brulee hardened top.  As a kid, I must have been the only one of my kind to thumb my nose up at applesauce.   So, with that in mind, this month's challenge of picking a Vietnamese dessert was particularly difficult for me. 

A land that favors che (sweet puddings), Vietnam's idea of dessert differs greatly from our western sense of the word.  With typical ingredients including sticky rice, mung beans, coconut, taro and tapioca, it became evident early on that my "beginner" palate just wasn't up for the challenge of starting in such a frighteningly different place.  Had these items been part of a savory menu, I wouldn't have missed the chance to turn them into a meal.  But, dessert?!  Eh.  Not so much.  Not just yet.  

So, I chickened out and picked something that my American mind could better comprehend.  Coffee.  Not that I drink it - or anything caffeinated, for that matter.  But still...it's a more familiar oddity in my life.  So, I went forward with that.  My husband is really the coffee master in our house.  He drinks it regularly and makes it (so I'm told) in a truly special way.  For years, he has tried to duplicate the secret recipe of Thai Iced Coffee that he would get at a favorite restaurant of ours.  In looking at the way he has made their version versus the recipe I found for Vietnamese coffee, I can't say that there is a vast difference in the approach or the ingredients.  Just a name change.  Just as good.  And, though I scoff at Starbucks and snear at Folgers, I must admit that I always sneak a sip of the iced coffee my husband makes...no matter if it is Thai or Vietnamese.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dark French road coffee, medium grind
• 1/2 cup condensed milk
• 3 cups boiling water
• 4 cups ice

Instructions:

1. Divide the coffee grounds evenly among 4 individual filters.  Place the inner screen on the coffee but do not pack it down.  Place 2 heaping tablespoons condensed milk in each of the 4 coffee cups.  Set the individual filters on top.  Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons boiling water into each filter and let the grounds expand for 2 minutes.
2. Fill the filter with boiling water all the way to the rim once.  The water should slowly drip through the filter, about 3 to 4 drops at a time. (If it drips faster than that, the ground are too large.)  The brewing should take 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Fill 4 tall glasses with ice.  Stir the coffee well so the condensed milk is dissolved and blended.  Pour over the ice and serve with a tall spoon.

(The original recipe came from "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" by Mai Pham.)

Bo Luc Lac (Shaking Beef)

After plenty of recommendations from friends urging me to try this dish, I finally succumbed and attempted to make Bo Luc Lac as my first Vietnamese meal for the month.  Similar in flavor to Pad Krapow (a Thai dish that has become a staple in our home), Bo Luc Lac turned out to be as gratifying to eat as it was easy to make. 

Daunting name aside, it has all of the components of a simple stir fry with a unique taste that offers a little more range for a typical family meal.  Of course, there was one omission I made from the original recipe - I chose to leave out the pineapple (we weren't in the mood for a sweet dinner that night).  With that said, I would imagine the meal would have been taken to another level if we had opted to be a little more brave.  Perhaps, in the future, we will find such courage.  Or, perhaps we will save our bravery for a real (gulp) Vietnamese dessert. 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Thai chilies or 1/2 Serrano pepper, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 2/3 lb. beef sirloin steak or flank stead, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 to 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/4 ripe pineapple, cubed (optional)
• 1/2 cup Asian basil, cut in half
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cups watercress, washed, torn into bite sized pieces
• 1 ripe tomato, cut into thin wedges

Instructions:

1. Combine the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and chilies into a large bowl.  Set aside.
2. Place the oyster sauce, soy sauce and beef in a medium bowl and toss to coat meat evenly.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 5 seconds.  Add the beef and quickly stir fry it until just charred on the edges, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add to the bowl with the lime sauce.
4. Add pineapple slices (if using), Asian basil and red onion to the beef mixture.  Spread watercress and tomatoes in an attractive manner on the serving plate.  Arrange the beef mixture and all of its juices on the watercress and serve with rice.

(The original recipe came from "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" from Mai Pham)

Vietnam

Capital City - Hanoi
Currency - đồng
Population - 85,846,997 (2009 estimate)
National Language - Vietnamese
Religion - About 85% of the Vietnamese people consider themselves to be of the Buddhist faith, though not all practice on a regular basis.  The remaining 15% of the populous is made up of Christians (many of whom are Roman Catholic), Cao Dai, and an even smaller margin of Muslims and Hindus.  The communist goverment claims that they allow religious freedom in the country; however, only government-controlled religious organizations are allowed.
Type of Government - Socialist Republic, Single Party Communist State
Leaders - Nguyễn Minh Triết (President); Nguyễn Tấn Dũng (Prime Minister)
Country's Motto - "Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc" which means "Independence - Freedom - Happiness"

Geographical Highlights - The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the easternmost country on the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia.  It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest and the South China Sea to the east.  The land is made up primarily of hills and dense forests.  The northern part of the country consists of highlands and the Red River Delta while the south is divided into coastal lowlands.

History - According to recent archaelogical findings, Vietnam is said to have been inhabited since around 2,000 to 1,400 B.C.E.  Advancements such as wet rice cultivation and bronze casting began around 1,200 B.C.E. and lead to the development of the Dong Son culture.  After this era, the first Vietnamese state was known as Văn Lang.  Following the rule of many Hùng kings, and despite the consolidation of local tribes, the Chinese Han Dynasty took control of the country from 111 B.C.E. for the next thousand years.  Early moves for independence brought only short-lived success.  By the 10th century, Vietnam had finally gained some self-rule, though it was a far cry from total autonomy.  It wasn't until 938 C.E. when Ngô Quyền defeated Chinese forces that Vietnam was fully independent.  The country took on the new name of Đại Việt (Great Viet) and the nation underwent a golden age.  Repelling Mongol invasions and again defending itself from the Chinese, Đại Việt showed its power and new-found strength. 

Between the 11th and 18th centuries, Vietnam expanded southward in a process known as nam tiến (southward expansion), and it eventually conquered the kingdom of Champa and part of the Khmer Empire.  From the 1500's onward, civil unrest and local infighting took hold over most of the country.  Power was divided between the Trịnh Lords in the North and the Nguyễn Lords in the South, which lead to a civil war that lasted for forty years.   From the time of truce forward, it wasn't long before the French colonized and took control over Vietnam.  By 1885 the entire country became part of French Indochina.  The French imposed many political, cultural and religious changes on the Vietnamese in an attempt to westernize them.  Roman Catholicism, in particular, was something heavily introduced to the Vietnamese people during this time.  Despite many attempts to get the French to allow for greater self-government in Vietnam, they did not grant such pleas.  As a result, a nationalist political movement emerged in an attempt to gain independence.  Though the members of this movement fought with great zeal, the real reason France finally lost control of Vietnam was due to its forced surrender of French Indochina to Japan during World War II in 1941.  By the end of the war, in 1945, France tried to regain its control over Vietnam, which in turn lead to the First Indochina War.  Fighting between Vietnam and France lasted until 1954.  Vietnam was then partitioned into Northern and Southern entities. 

Almost as soon as the country became divided into north and south, troubles erupted in the form of another war.  The communist Vietcong murdered landowners and government dissidents were jailed or killed.  Both side of Vietnam were police states living with daily explosions of violence.  The United States intervened and the war lasted from 1959 to 1975, with no real victory achieved.  By 1976 the communist regime merged north and south into the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.  Following this merge, the government completed a mass campaign of collectivization of farms and factories, which in turn caused an economic collapse.  Millions of people fled the country seeking better lives.  Vietnam, despite its obvious weaknesses, invaded Cambodia and ignited another war.  Relations with China also worsened.  In 1986 the govenment sought new leadership with the hopes of revitalizing the economy and the nation's spirit.  This so-called free-market reform known as Đổi Mới (renovation) carefully managed the transition from a command economy to a "socialist-oriented market economy."  Today, despite the fact that the state remains in control of every aspect of the economy, private ownership of farms and companies which produce commodities is encouraged.  Because of this the economy of Vietnam has achieved some growth in agriculture, construction and exports.

Landmarks -

• Thien Mu Pagoda  - Situated in front of the famous Perfume River, the pagoda of Thien Mu was built in 1610 by Lord Nguyen Huang after he heard a story about the appearance of the Heavenly Lady on the exact location. 
• Hoi An Old Town - The old town of Hoi An is a combination of different Asian cultures since it is an old port where ships and traders from different parts of Asia make their trades. It has been preserved in contrast to Vietnam's fast move into the modern world.
• Chu Chi Tunnels - Two hours outside of Saigon, the innerconnected Chu Chi tunnels wind through a maze of countless miles underground.  Housing hospitals, factories and villages under the Earth, civilians and the Vietcong used this elaborate system to protect themselves during the frequent bombings of the Vietnam War.
• Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum - Ho Chi Minh, born Nguyen Tat Thanh, was one of the principal forces behind Vietnam's move for independence.  His body has been preserved in a glass coffin and is on display for all to see.

Interesting Trivia -

• In Vietnamese schools, instead of bells, gongs are used to call children.
• Vietnam has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the Third World.
• Pham Tuan was the first Vietnamese astronaut and the first Asian in space. Pham Tuan flew aboard the shuttle Soyuz-37 in July 1980. He was in space for more than 7 days.