Dragon Fruit

The fruit I will be reviewing is the "Dragon Fruit". There is a story that goes with this fruit and will tell you how it got its name. According to the legend the fruit was created thousands of years ago by fire breathing dragons. During a battle when the dragon would breathe fire the last thing to come out would be the fruit. After the dragon is slain the fruit is collected and presented to the Emperor as a coveted treasure and indication of victory. The soldiers would then butcher the dragon and eat the flesh. It was believed that those who feasted on the flesh would be endowed with the strength and ferocity of the dragon and that they too would be coveted by the Emperor. In present time dragon fruit grows from a orchid cactus and does not look that appetizing on the outside. But on the inside the fruit can be white, red or magenta . The ones in Vietnam are white and have a milky texture. Its taste a little bit like a kiwi. Here is a picture of it when it is cut and it looks delicious.

Dumpling Noodle Soup

One of my most favorite noodle is Shrimp Dumpling Noodle Soup. I would remember helping my mom make the dumplings while she was checking the Soup. My mom had already prepare the meat for the dumpling so all I had to do was fold them. The noodles and outer layer of the dumpling was smooth and powder before it was cooked. You would need to boil the noodles and the dumpling at an extremely hot temperature for around two minutes for it to be ready. The soup had such a rich taste that it can be serve as beverage and you would never get tired of the taste. As we were waiting for the noodle, dumpling, and the soup to be done, my mom was making the topping for the soup. For that nature taste, my mom would grow the herbs in our backyard. After I help her pick the herb it would leave a minty odor. By now the everything was ready and mom combine the ingredient to create my favorite noodles! First my mom would have the noodle and the dumpling in a bowl. Then she would pour the soup in and finally,added the toppings. After all that, the soup was something like this :


When I was done, the aftertaste would stay with you for the whole day and remind you of wonderful it was.

Fry Rice

We all know about fry rice, but people don't realize how simple it is to make. The beauty about fry rice is that you can put almost anything inside like squid, egg or some leftover meat in the fridge. The more you put in the better the taste. This is an typical plate of fry rice:

In the same way, Lo mien is famous and taste good as well. A question came to me though. Which dish is better? I would like you guys to vote for your favorite dishes.

Egg Roll

One of the most well known dish that everyone knows is the all famous egg roll. In fact most people don't know what really is inside a egg roll. Well I will tell you the ingredient to make it the Vietnamese style. Unlike the spring roll, the egg roll is not just rolled but also boil in oil to give it its crunch texture. The following is needed to make a Vietnamese egg roll:

1 lb ground meat - pork
½ pound peeled shrimp
1 cup of lump crab meat
3 chopped garlic cloves
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
¼ cabbage, shredded
1 medium size jicama shredded
2 ounce dried vermicelli noodles
1 ounce dried black fungus/cloud ear mushrooms
2-3 large eggs
Ground black pepper
2-3 tbsp of fish sauce (depending on taste)
2 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)
Egg roll wrappers – 12 oz package (30-50 rice paper sheets, 10 inch diameter)
Frying oil – vegetable, corn, canola, peanut

If you want to see how these are made, visit the site http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=w-JuQ_Vdjuo

Vietnese Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings with Sauce...
(4 Servings)
Vietnamese chicken wings are one of the delicious dish I have ever tasted! What really give the chicken its taste is the special sauce prepare. Most of Vietnamese meat are marinade and are well seasoned which is why is one of the best food in the world. The material used to make this mouthwatering chicken

Ingredients:
1 1/3 lb middle section chicken wings
some browned sesame seeds
2 slices ginger

---Sauce---
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp salt

Heres a Tip. Try marinating your meat before you cook it for a greater taste. I also encourage you to make your own secret sauce.

Spring Roll

If you are packing your lunch, I suggest you try Vietnamese Spring Roll. Vietnamese Spring Rolls are light and can be packed easily. The spring roll is made up of shrimp, Thai basil, mint leaves, fresh cilantro, rice wrapper and rice vermicelli. Here is a picture to show its deliciousness.









But if you want to see step by step on how to make it the visit the site: (Yes I know it is a huge link) http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2170/2263186073_6dd111305b.jpg&imgrefurl=http://sundaynitedinner.com/goi-cuon-peanut-hoisin-dipping-sauce/&usg=__p_V6mvoPFaPspKsEJoUYvkaOG3o=&h=333&w=500&sz=113&hl=en&start=2&sig2=wnotvGv_XnQeSDOs1Bw1ZQ&um=1&tbnid=jJ4PxI_3Hb8QEM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=130&ei=P1kkSYbjA6XCede1of8P&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dvietnamese%2Bspring%2Broll%2BG%25E1%25BB%258Fi%2Bcu%25E1%25BB%2591%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DG

PhoGa

Vietnam have various food, which is a mixture of Chinese, French and a bit of Thai influences which create one of the best dish in the world. For a original, but a great dish, I propose a bowl of Chicken noodle Soup (Vietnamese Style) called "Pho Ga". ("Pah-Gah") The noodle is basically made up of white slippery noodles,chicken breast meat, lime, orion, cilantro tops and ginger. For those who are not that very imaginative, this is a picture it.
For those who ask "Where can I try this" I recommend going to China town in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There are many shop that make them and also while you are there you can try some more exotic food you never tried.