Vietnam Culinary Discovery – Days 3 & 4, Hanoi – Halong Bay – Hanoi

December 21, 2014December 21, 2014 ~ culinaldi ~ Leave a comment

Monday 1st December, 2014

This morning Kylie and I are up early to pack our overnight bags for our trip to Halong Bay and check out of our accommodation in Hanoi. It’s never a dull moment on our trip as Kylie points out that the sliced papaya on the breakfast buffet is captioned as “Watermelon Margarita” … if only my parents had made up exotic cocktail names for fresh fruit when I was younger, I might have eaten more of it.

Lost in translation ... Papaya is also known as "Watermelon Margarita" in Vietnam — Lost in translation … Papaya is also known as “Watermelon Margarita” in Vietnam

Being Monday morning, everyone seems to be out on the roads on their motorcycles trying to get to work or school. At first glance, the traffic in Hanoi seems to be utter chaos, but the more you look and concentrate, all the drivers seem to be doing an elaborate dance around each other, all aware of everyone’s movements and changing direction with impeccable timing.

With motorcycles being the primary mode of transportation in Vietnam, you see incredible things being carried or tied to the back of them – crates of chickens, bundles of baguettes, gas cylinders and even water buffalo!

Have water buffalo, will travel ... the things you can transport on your motorcycle in Vietnam — Have water buffalo, will travel … the things you can transport on your motorcycle in Vietnam

Our trip to Halong Bay is approximately 170 kilometres from Hanoi which in Vietnam equates to a four hour drive, although being accustomed to driving in rural Australia the maths doesn’t really compute in my mind until you comprehend the speed restrictions and the volume of traffic. Most of our journey passes through the Red River Delta agricultural area so there are lots of beautiful market gardens, fields and pottery villages to capture our attention. To break our trip we stop at the Humanity Centre which houses a school and workshop to enable students with disabilities arising from the effects of Agent Orange, to support themselves and their families by selling their own art and other handmade souvenir items. Time flies being in a shopper’s paradise but it’s impossible to resist the call of Vietnamese coffee available from the onsite café.

My favourite time of the day ... Vietnamese drip coffee with sweetened condensed milk — My favourite time of the day … Vietnamese drip coffee with sweetened condensed milk

En route to Halong Bay, our guide Giang is notified that all cruises in the area have been temporarily suspended by the Vietnamese Government since the previous day due to significant storm activity in the area, so we continue onwards with our fingers crossed that the bay will be re-opened shortly. Good fortune is on our side for just as we near the port of Hon Gai, the gateway to Halong Bay, Giang receives a call advising that all cruising operations have been given the all clear to recommence.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Excitedly grabbing our overnight bags, we walk along the long jetty to a small boat that will transfer us out to the larger junk boat that we will be cruising on for the next 24 hours. We spend the next hour checking out our accommodation and keeping out of the wind and rain that seem to have set in for the rest of the day.

Overnight cruise on a junk – Halong Bay, Vietnam

As soon as we set off for Halong Bay, we retreat up to the main cabin for a delicious lunch consisting of multiple courses. The flavours of the fried fish dish evoke wonderful memories of my Baba’s cooking when I was much younger and I’m almost tempted to ask for a recipe to replicate at home.

Halong Bay cruise cuisine, Vietnam Culinary Discovery

Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Vietnam’s greatest natural wonders, consisting of approximately 3,000 small limestone islands and formations. Late in the afternoon, our junk boat arrives at Bo Hon Island and we trek up to Hang Sung Sot, also known as the Cave of Awe to see the famous rock shapes illuminated with coloured lights inside the caverns.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Cave of Awe, Halong Bay, Vietnam

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Junk boat cruising, Vietnam Culinary Discovery

Hiking is thirsty work and as the sun sets it’s time for a glass of red wine and a few rounds of cards while the onboard chefs are busily preparing the evening banquet. A couple of hours later our card tournament is put on hold to make way for another eight course meal: Pumpkin Creamy Soup, Russian Style Salad, Grilled Oyster “Huong Hai” Style, Fried Tiger Prawn with Green Bay Sauce, Huong Hai Fried Spring Rolls served with traditional fish sauce, Roasted chicken with honey, Steamed fish with tropical spice, Steamed rice, Stir-fried seasonal mixed vegetables and crème caramel. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to photograph the latter dishes as my mobile phone was commandeered for musical entertainment. I think the kitchen staff may have had a lot of time on their hands as most of the plates were decorated with elaborate cucumber designs but needless to say, the meal was absolutely delicious.

Halong Bay cruise cuisine, Vietnam Culinary Discovery

Tuesday 2nd December, 2014

Good Morning Vietnam! Our day started with a light breakfast before heading to Dao Titop, a small islet, to climb the four hundred-odd steps to the top and capture the stunning views of Halong Bay from the lookout. Although the rain had abated temporarily, the stone steps were wet and slippery, so it was slow going in some places but the spectacular vistas that greeted us at the peak made the steep climb seem trivial.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

After taking a breather and as many photos as our mobile phones could manage, we made our descent back towards the boat and spent the rest of the morning packing our things before enjoying a leisurely brunch before arriving back into port.

Driving back towards Hanoi, we passed through the same rice paddy fields and villages as the previous day, but Giang had our driver pull over to allow us to visit a large garden and smell the fragrant coriander, mint and other herbs for ourselves. Everything was green, ordered and abundant as we wandered through the narrow pathways between allotments. A local farmer in a traditional conical hat was working in her small field of lettuce, getting ready for the next day’s market. The small field next to her also contained lettuce, but the allotment was beautifully decorated with Vietnamese mint around its perimeter.

Market gardens, Vietnam Culinary Discovery

Lettuce and Vietnamese mint, Vietnam Culinary Discovery

Coriander, Vietnam Culinary Discovery

Market gardens, Vietnam Culinary Discovery

Local farmer harvesting lettuce, Vietnam Culinary Discovery

Arriving back in Hanoi mid-afternoon, Kylie and I are in desperate need of some rest and recuperation after our early start to the day. As this is the last night in Hanoi and after talking up my enjoyable Cau Go Restaurant experience, Giang has booked us a table for the evening and another set menu to enjoy. With spectacular views of the city and Hoan Kiem Lake, we enjoy another delicious dinner of Shrimp and squid salad with mixed vegetables, Deep fried egg tofu with lemongrass and chilli, Deep fried squid in tamarind sauce, Boiled vegetables with chef’s sauce, Stewed pork in traditional pot with egg, Minced pork soup with vegetables, Steamed rice and Fried Banana.

Cau Go Restaurant, Hanoi, Vietnam

http://caugovietnamesecuisine.com/

There have been a lot of banquet-style restaurant dinners for the first couple of days of tour, however Hanoi is famous for its delicious and plentiful street food which we are going to immerse ourselves in tomorrow.

Disclaimer: All entries regarding the Vietnam Culinary Discovery tour within this blog reflect my own personal insights and experiences throughout my holiday and I was solely responsible for meeting all travel expenses incurred.

Vietnam Culinary Discovery – Day 2, Hanoi

December 19, 2014 ~ culinaldi ~ Leave a comment

We had a lot of fun enjoying our lunch that we had prepared during the morning cooking class at the Hanoi Cooking Centre and didn’t realise that it was well after 1pm. Our scheduled afternoon activity included an escorted tour of Hanoi with our local guide, Giang, who was patiently waiting for us to finish our meal.

The first stop for the afternoon was the Temple of Literature, where I had visited the day before. The number of graduating students seemed to double from the previous day and the site was extremely busy. This visit was rather short but it was nice to have a local guide explain the significance of certain monuments that I had casually bypassed previously. The tortoise stele structures shown above are inscribed with the names and details of the scholars who had successfully passed their examinations and had gone on to become mandarins.

Our next leg of the tour to Ba Dinh Square brought us to another significant chapter of Vietnamese history – the Ho Chi Minh Muausoleum, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh Museum.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hanoi, Vietnam

Presidential Palace, Hanoi, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, Hanoi, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh Museum, Hanoi, Vietnam

It was intriguing to visit the simple, unassuming house that “Uncle Ho” lived in during his final years after declaring that the Presidential Palace was too grand for him. A visit to the Ho Chi Minh Museum, which chronicles his life and political achievements, might seem to be tedious for some visitors but Giang piqued our interest by challenging us to find out Ho Chi Minh’s real name in an allotted time of forty minutes. The museum is informative and well-presented but after discovering no less than six aliases throughout three floors of memorabilia, Kylie discovered his real identity surreptitously hidden in a display book and won a Vietnamese coffee for her efforts. I’d like to tell you his name but you’ll just have to go to Hanoi and check it out for yourself.

The last historical site for the afternoon was to Hoa Lo Prison, nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton” by captured US soldiers during the Vietnam War, but originally known as the “Maison Centrale” when constructed by the French in the late 19th century. The prison visit was sombre and some of the chosen methods of torture adopted by the French colonists as recanted by Giang were brutal and disturbing.

Le Tonkin Vietnamese Restaurant, Hanoi, Vietnam

Our afternoon tour concluded on that note and we had an opportunity to head back to the hotel and freshen up for Kylie’s welcome dinner that Giang had arranged for us in the French Quarter. A short drive from the hotel and housed in a beautiful French Colonial building, we arrived at “Le Tonkin” Vietnamese Restaurant to enjoy an eight-course set menu that Giang had selected for the evening – Crab soup, Mixed lotus root salad, Fried eggplant with plum sauce, Grilled beef with pepper sauce, Stir fried prawn with baby corn, Stir fried mixed vegetables, Stewed pork in claypot, Steamed rice in coconut milk and fresh fruit.

Le Tonkin Vietnamese Restaurant, Hanoi, Vietnam

Sitting outside and enjoying the warmth of the evening, dinner was a grand affair with a myriad of dishes arriving at certain intervals. The food was good, nicely presented and in a great setting. This particular restaurant is a chosen location for a lot of tour companies and is popular with a lot of travellers on Trip Advisor.

Our first real day of the Vietnam Culinary Discovery tour was packed full with activities and food but we knew another exciting couple of days on this trip awaited us tomorrow … Halong Bay!

Vietnam Culinary Discovery – Hanoi Cooking Centre, Day 2 Morning

December 18, 2014December 18, 2014 ~ culinaldi ~ 1 Comment

Sunday 30th November, 2014

My roommate and co-pilot on the Vietnam Culinary Discovery tour arrived late last night from Sydney, but we are both looking forward to our first cooking class together at the Hanoi Cooking Centre.

We arrive early at the kitchen and meet four other fellow travellers who will be joining us for the morning over a welcome drink.

Hanoi Cooking Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam

Our first activity is to visit a nearby local market where we start learning about the key ingredients used in Vietnamese cooking and to purchase what is required for our culinary session. We began by looking at the different types of rice at a small stall that looks as though it is also the neighbourhood general store, selling all manner of oils, sauces, condiments and eggs. I’ve been in lots of markets both at home and abroad but as we moved into the meat section, I was struck by the way the ladies were sitting bare-footed and cross-legged on top of the bench, patiently waiting for customers with their sharp cleavers casually lying right beside them.

Market tour – Hanoi Cooking Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam

Moving slowly through the market, our guide explains differing techniques for curing and processing pork meat and encourages us to try samples from a range of vendors. As we head towards the fresh seafood section, we rounded a corner and saw numerous frogs being skinned alive and gutted for sale. Frogs, also called “Paddyfield Chicken” by our local Travel Indochina guide, are plentiful in Vietnam and are considered to be a staple supplement in the Vietnamese diet but that was one protein that I was extremely eager to avoid.

Being a local market, there were people riding through the narrow pathways between stalls still seated on their motorcycles, almost like a drive-through arrangement! As we progressed through the market, we needed to be mindful of where we were walking, where we were going and who was coming up behind us.

Market tour – Hanoi Cooking Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam

Our education in herbs, fruits and vegetables continued as we toured through the rest of the market and bought all the ingredients we needed for the day’s lesson. So did we try any local specialities? Our host came across a stall selling silk worms for eating and explained how it was prepared, then asked if we wanted to try it back at the kitchen. To my surprise the group consensus was affirmative!

Hanoi Cooking Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam

Back in the kitchen, we said goodbye to our first host and hello to our chef who would be guiding us through an exotic menu of Caramel Fish with Galangal, Lacy Spring Rolls with Crab, Prawn and Taro, Squid and Pomelo Salad and Rice Dumpling Steamed in Banana Leaf.

The first order of business was to watch our chef demonstrate the preparation of the marinade for the fish dish and then head back to our allotted stations and replicate the same procedure.

Caramel Fish with Galangal, Hanoi Cooking Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam

Our hosts obviously knew how Australians like to cook because as soon as we started preparing our food, orders for local Vietnamese wine and beer were being taken. I initially ordered a red wine after being told that it was quite good but unfortunately it was just the opposite. Thankfully for us, the beer and wine were free-flowing so I switched to white wine and was pleasantly surprised how good it was. Vang Dalat wine is produced in the south of Vietnam and has hints of lime and banana on the nose, and a dry, mineral, tropical fruit taste on the palate. A great tasting and refreshing wine, although I was also surprised to learn that it was actually made from common Red Flame seedless table grapes that we typically purchase from our supermarkets.

Vang Dalat White Wine

Once the fish was marinating in a mixture of fish sauce, finely sliced shallots and galangal, it was time to head back to the front bench and watch how to prepare the filling and rolling technique for the spring rolls.

Lacy Spring Rolls with Crab, Prawn and Taro, Hanoi Cooking Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam

With the spring rolls finished and set aside, our chef took a detour from the menu and began to fry the silk worms that had been purchased at the market. I don’t know whether it was the wine or safety in numbers, but I grabbed a set of chopsticks and tried one and … it didn’t taste like chicken but something akin to a mixture of crunchy peanut butter and seafood. I even went back and tried another one or three.

Tastes like peanut butter and seafood ... Fried Silk Worm, Hanoi Cooking Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam — Tastes like peanut butter and seafood … Fried Silk Worm, Hanoi Cooking Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam

We finished off the preparation of the main course by browning the fish in a frying pan and adding the caramel sauce and chilli, before transferring everything into small claypots and baking in the oven for an additional ten minutes. While the fish was cooking, we started preparing the ingredients for next dish. Kylie, my tour companion and I made a fabulous team chopping, peeling and shredding all the components required to assemble our Squid and Pomelo salad.

Caramel Fish with Galangal, Hanoi Cooking Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam

With a glass of wine in hand, we were summoned back to the front bench where our chef explained how the preparation of traditional dishes such as Bun Rieu Cua or Vietnamese Crab and Tomato Noodle Soup were often used as a test by future mother-in-laws for their son’s prospective brides. After learning the secrets to making the best broth, we were each given a bowl to try and needless to say, it was absolutely delicious.

Crab Noodle Soup, Hanoi Cooking Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam

While consuming our soup, our chef gave us a bit of a break by demonstrating and preparing the Rice Dumpling dessert on behalf of the group, so that all that remained was to thank our hosts for a fabulous morning and head upstairs to the dining room and enjoy all the dishes that we had prepared for lunch… and a little bit more wine.