[RD] Backpacking Việt Nam (2019)

[warpus]

Vy's Market Restaurant & Cooking School

The cooking class I had booked ended up being in an open concept set of kitchens adjacent to a restaurant. The first thing we were taught was how to properly shape some dough into a Bánh mì bun.

Later on in the class the buns we had each prepared had finished baking and were ready to be filled with ingredients.

This was a really fun activity and a good way to connect with other travellers. Most of us had travel stories to share, which is what usually went around when we were eating our creations.

 

[warpus]

Next up we learned how to make a Bánh Xèo happy pancake. Each one of us got a pan to try to make our own pancake in.

The batter is made from rice flour, so it behaves a bit differently.. Nothing out of this world, but it was something to get used to. The batter has to be fried at a relatively high temperature, so everything has to be timed just right if you don't want an under or overcooked pancake.

We also each made our own rice paper, after watching a pro do it.

After this part of the lesson was complete we went back to a nearby set of tables and ate our creations.

 

[warpus]

Bánh Nậm

Next up we learned how to prepare a dish that originated in Huế, which if you remember was the imperial city I spent some time in before arriving in Hội An.

Bánh Nậm is a sort of flat rice dumpling. Below you can see our fearless teacher preparing the dough, which is made with rice flour and tapioca.

After the dough is ready you put a bit inside of a banana leaf, along with a minced pork & shrimp mixture and some spices. The banana leaf is then folded into a square or rectangle shape and steamed.

I remember quite liking this dish! Some of the flavours from the banana leaf seep into the filling and the fish dipping sauce adds another dimension to the flavour as well.

Overall I had a really good time at this cooking class! Almost every ingredient and process were explained and oftentimes demonstrated to us. The other students in the group all spoke English from what I remember, so it was easy to chat about this and that while we ate our creations. Our teacher was also fluent in English and had a good sense of humour, but also an apparent dedication to the art and a definite intent to actually teach us something. A great balance overall for a teacher, resulting in fun times all around.

 

[FriendlyFire]

The secret is MSG (joke)
I see they also only give you the one prawn and one slice of pork belly. I like to add in some beef mince and onion. But you can pretty much experiment with fillings

 

[warpus]

Unexpected Food Options

At the end of the class we were given the option of trying a variety of interesting dishes that use ingredients I do not usually consume.

These included spicy snails, a spicy frog roti, a silkworm salad, a pig ear salad, a jellyfish salad, steamed pig brains, and a duck egg embryo.

I tried the spicy frog roti and it was actually pretty good! It was my first time ever trying frog; I thought it tasted like chicken.

I also tried the silkworm salad and the texture of the cooked silkworms surprised me. It was sort of powdery and basically fell apart in my mouth. If you didn't know what was in the salad and ate it with a blindfold on, you'd never guess there were worms in it.

I did not try any of the other dishes, except maybe the spicy snails. One person in our group was brave enough to try the brains, and did not like it at all. He actually said the flavour was pretty good, but the texture.. not so much. We all stayed away from the duck egg embryo and I refused to even look at it.

 

[tjs282]

you'd never guess there were worms in it.

Ahem... caterpillars, technically.

The ones that don't get fried, or boiled alive in their (silk) cocoons, get to turn into moths

 

[warpus]

Ahem... caterpillars, technically.

The ones that don't get fried, or boiled alive in their (silk) cocoons, get to turn into moths

TIL, thanks for the correction

 

[Samson]

Ahem... caterpillars, technically.

The ones that don't get fried, or boiled alive in their (silk) cocoons, get to turn into moths

I think they are a by product of silk manufacture. In south Korea they are sold in paper cups from wheeled hand carts at the side of the road.

 

[warpus]

See, that doesn't look appetizing at all to me still. But now that I know what they taste like, I would not at all be against trying one out of that cup.

 

[FriendlyFire]

I did not try any of the other dishes, except maybe the spicy snails. One person in our group was brave enough to try the brains, and did not like it at all. He actually said the flavour was pretty good, but the texture.. not so much. We all stayed away from the duck egg embryo and I refused to even look at it.

I would be careful eating any raw pig produce in any third world countries due to their antiquated animal husbandry and the risk of getting sick. Generally it should be well cooked.
Duck egg embryo taste like duck, I prefer the century eggs so you didnt miss out on much
Good job eating the frogs probably the most expensive item that they offered, frogs are good eats

 

[warpus]

Evening Phở

After the cooking class I spent some time walking around the old town and taking in the atmosphere again. It really does get a bit magical after dark!

On my walk back to my homestay I walked past an inviting looking restaurant/bar that was showing some football/soccer on TV. I googled them, found the reviews to be fairly solid, so I stepped in for a beer or two. Turns out the game wasn't live.. but that was fine by me, as I had already ordered a drink and a bowl of phở.

The phở tasted a bit bland at first, but the more the flavours mixed in with the broth the better it became. I remember really liking the taste of the broth right at the end.

This restaurant/bar had a lot of different kinds of art on the walls. Here's a painting that was hanging close to where I was sitting

 

[Birdjaguar]

That painting is so appropriate for Vietnam. Having lemons and making lemonade.

 

[warpus]

That painting is so appropriate for Vietnam. Having lemons and making lemonade.

I got the impression that the Vietnamese people got over that particular war by looking to the future. I am basing this on just under a month of anecdotal observation so take it with a grain of salt.. but the younger generation especially seem to have embraced western culture and media, including American celebrities and pop culture. The older generation on the other hand seem to focus moreso on working hard and providing for their families, with a focus on entrepreneurship. American tourists are welcomed the same was as any other western nationality from what I saw. I got the sense that the colonization by the French and the subsequent war of independence left deeper wounds.. but that again is an outsider's observation and guess.

I think it's important to note that from a Vietnamese point of view the American war happened in between colonization by the French in the late 1800s, a war of independence which began in 1946, and a war with China in 1979 that lead to a set of conflicts and border clashes until 1991. If you throw in the 1,000 years of Chinese domination that lasted until about 900 AD it hints at a national psyche with a focus on a unified struggle against a superior outside force. So on one hand you will see these themes echoed at Vietnamese museums and memorials, referring to colonialists and imperialists.. but on the other most people seem to just want to use the current stability to propel their families forward.. and the youth just wants to wear jeans and listen to Beyoncé (or whoever).

 

[Birdjaguar]

Thanks.

 

[FriendlyFire]

The issues between Chinese and Vietnamese have existed for a long time. The worse was the genocide / ethnic cleansing that occurred in Cambodia by the then allied (pro-us) government.
Once you unleash that ethnic hatred it is hard to put it back into the bottle. The Chinese communist didnt help matters by regular border clashes, annexing that island and then carrying out a large scale border incursion
VM were just as horrendous with their purges, disappearances and corrupt rule.

At least the embracing of capitalism and the introduction of western ideas is going to take root in the younger generations.

 

[warpus]

Cycling to An Bàng Beach
Saturday, March 16, 2019

My homestay included a free bike rental for the duration of my stay, which I decided to take advantage of on my fourth day in Hội An.

My destination was An Bàng beach, which is one of many beaches in the area and lies about 4km from the old town.

The first 15 or so minutes were a bit hairy as I had to navigate city streets and share the road with other vehicles. It all went fairly smoothly overall, although I did not really get the hang of turning left. As soon as an intersection light turned green cars and motorcycles would approach from the other direction, blocking the way. This would continue until the light turned red again. The idea was to find an opening and just go for it, which I was a bit anxious about for obvious reasons.. I ended up following the lead of other vehicles turning left and did not really get stuck anywhere longer than just a couple minutes. So it went well overall, but I definitely felt out of my element..

Eventually you end up on a straight road with rice fields on both sides. This was by far the most relaxing part of the ride, although you of course had to pay attention to all vehicles around you as well.

 

[warpus]

Breakfast at the Beach

I found a Bakery & Café a two minute walk from the beach where I bought a club sandwich and an iced coffee for breakfast. This place was obviously targeted at tourists, but the sandwich ended up being incredible. I can use that word with certainty here even though over two years have passed because that's the word I used to describe it on social media (as well as "out of this world"). The bread was freshly baked and all the other ingredients were perfect. I was very happy with my breakfast and really enjoying my time eating through the Hội An food scene.

I liked the club sandwich so much I couldn't resist ordering the BLT right after.

I gave the bacon two thumbs up. Bacon outside of North America can be hit/miss, but they got it right here.

 

[warpus]

An Bàng Beach

 

[Birdjaguar]

Um! what a nice beach.

Next stop @Zkribbler 's house

 

[warpus]

Um! what a nice beach.

It was really nice indeed! Apparently it was one of CNN's top 100 beaches in the world in 2016, coming in at #86.