Taking a Cooking Class in Hanoi, Vietnam

On December 11, 2019 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Recipes, Vietnam2 Comments

One of our favorite memories of our recent trip to Vietnam was taking a cooking class in Hanoi. This was a true cooking class, not a demonstration, where we purchased the food from a local market, prepped all of the ingredients, and did the cooking ourselves with our chef’s instruction. There were only five of us in the class, making it very intimate and interactive. We created a four course meal, which we enjoyed eating family-style after cooking everything.

Cooking Pork Meatballs and Barbequed Pork

After buying our ingredients, we went to a local house to prepare our meal. Our dinner included Banana Flower Salad (Nộm Hoa Chuối), which we made from banana leaves, a variety of vegetables, and sautéed beef. Our entrée was Vietnamese Grilled Pork With Rice Vermicelli Noodles (Bún Chả), which originated in Hanoi is a famous dish in the region. We made it with both pork meatballs as well as barbequed pork. To accompany the Bún Chả, we made Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls (Nem Rán), which are often served as an appetizer as well. For our dessert, we made Vietnamese Egg Coffee (Café Trứng), which is rich and delicious and is made with egg and condensed milk.

It took about five hours to do our shopping, prepping, and cooking, so we were quite hungry by the time our meal was actually ready. The class is offered in both the morning to create lunch or in the afternoon to create dinner, but we chose to do the dinner class and were glad that we did. Our chef was extremely knowledgeable and shared stories with us while we prepared our meal. It is an experience that we would highly recommend to anyone who visits Hanoi. After completing the class, the chef sent us all of the recipes that we made as well as others, which we are looking forward to cooking and sharing in the near future.

Whisking the Egg and Condensed Milk for the Egg Coffee

Asian Inspired Spicy Barbeque Beef

On May 1, 2019 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Recipes4 Comments

We are always looking for meals that we can cook in a single pot and this one packs a lot of flavor. We chose a chuck roast, but it would be equally good with a beef brisket, but you need a meat with enough fat that it stays tender and juicy. Asian inspired meals can be found everywhere these days on menus throughout the world. We cooked this in a slow cooker, but it could have just as easily been cooked in a roasting pan or Dutch oven pot in the oven at 300 degrees in the same amount of time. It is simple, easy, and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

3 lb Chuck Roast (Pot Roast)
10 oz Package of Mushrooms – cleaned and stems removed
1/2 small Yellow Onion – thickly sliced
10 Fingerling Potatoes – medium to small
1 cup Ketchup
1 cup Light Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Soy Sauce – low-sodium
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 tsp Granulated Garlic
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tbsp Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix the ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of garlic, and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season the roast with salt, pepper, and the remaining garlic, being sure to season all sides. Brown the roast in the pan, about 4 minutes per side. Place the roast into a slow-cooker that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, add the onions and cover with the sauce. Add the red pepper flakes and cook on low for about 3 hours and then add the mushrooms and potatoes. Cook for another hour. Serves about 4 people.

Asian Steak Sandwiches

On August 1, 2018 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Recipes7 Comments

Marinating flank or skirt steak can turn an inexpensive piece of meat into a delicious and tender meal. Cutting it thinly on a bias is also great for sandwiches, which is what we decided to do. Utilizing Asian influences makes this sandwich even more flavorful and robust. In addition to the marinade, we also drizzled it with an sesame-ginger dressing that enhanced the overall experience. Since the steak only needs to marinade for 30 to 40 minutes, it makes for an easy weeknight meal that is both satisfying and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Skirt or Flank Steak
4 Garlic Cloves – minced
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Fresh Lime Juice
2 tbsp Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Chili Paste (Sambal)
1 tbsp Fresh Ginger Root – chopped
Sandwich Rolls
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Asian Salad Mix
Sesame-Ginger Dressing – store bought or home made

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the garlic, ginger, chili paste, soy sauce, lime juice, and sesame oil in a medium bowl and whisk thoroughly. Place the steak in a plastic bag and poor the marinade over the steak, ensuring that the steak is completely covered. Let the steak rest in the marinade for about 30 to 40 minutes. Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat with the vegetable oil. Once the pan is hot, remove the steak from the marinade and place it in the pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and then flip and continue cooking the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest for 10 minutes and then cut across the grain into thin strips. Place the steak onto the rolls, top with Asian lettuce mix, and drizzle with the sesame-ginger dressing.