D - B r i e f

F o o d

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D - B r i e f

Bangkok, 03 May 2011

Dear Partner,

Half the fun of travelling around the world is enjoying the variety of interesting food on

offer.

This is why in this month‟s edition of D-Brief, we have chosen our three destinations

carefully. Firstly, China, the land of Peking Duck and Dim Sum, both of which have become

world famous. Whereas our second stop, Malaysia, is the multicultural melting pot of Asia

when it comes to food. To round off our food journey, we will introduce you to Vietnam‟s

great range of healthy food options, made by using fresh herbs, vegetables, lean meats

and spices.

For each destination, we recommend selected restaurants and provide you with a delicious

recipe to try at home.

We hope our „Food‟ D-Brief will wet your appetite and inspire new journeys to Asia. Enjoy!

Sincerely yours,

Victoria Sertic

Chief Sales Officer

Diethelm Travel Group

Food is very much a part of any nation‟s

culture, tradition and beliefs, as well as

being heavily influenced by a country‟s

history and geography. The famous saying

„you are what you eat‟ can certainly also

be applied to different nations and their

cuisine. No wonder, half the fun of

travelling around the world is enjoying the

variety of interesting food on offer which

one can normally not find at home.

In this D-Brief issue Diethelm Travel is

taking you to China, the land renowned for

its delicious Peking Duck and Dim Sum.

We look at the less known, more

traditional dishes on offer in China.

Malaysia, on the other hand, is the

multicultural melting pot of Asia when it

comes to food. Here the spicy Thai curry

meets the Indonesian satay and Indian

curries have influenced the Country‟s

cuisine over generations. We explore

typically Malaysian specialities and provide

you with a recipe of “Nasi Lemak”, the

national dish of Malaysia.

To round off our food journey, we will

introduce you to Vietnam‟s great range of

healthy food options, made by using fresh

herbs, vegetables, lean meats and spices.

A short overview of essential herbs used in

Vietnamese cooking and a recipe of the

world famous “Pho” beef noodle soup will

get you started.

Bon appétit!

Vietnam – Herbs & Freshness

Malaysia – Culinary Melting Pot

China – Cuisine of the Emperor

Food

China consists of many different regions

and sub-cultures, hence Chinese food

comes in a vast array of dishes and

specialities. Ranging from costal areas to

the dry centre or lofty mountain plateaus,

Chinese cuisine has a wonderful diversity,

reflecting the cultures of its people and its

varied geography.

Though there is much mix and overlap in

the cuisines of China, the major cooking

types can be categorized into eight

categories:

Sichuan Cuisine (四川菜系 - 川菜) is well

known for its fiery spiciness and strong

flavour. Rice, citrus fruits, bamboo,

mushrooms as well as the indigenous

Sichuan chillies grow abundantly in the

mountainous west of the region.

A world famous representative of the

Beijing Cuisine (北京菜系 - 京菜) is the

crispy and tender Peking Roast Duck; the

cuisine of the northern plains is strong in

oil and flavour. The region, however, is

also known for its wide variety of Chinese

dumplings, pot stickers (Peking Ravioli)

and beef or mutton hot pots accompanied

by buns and noodles.

Shandong Cuisine (山东菜系 - 鲁菜) is

widely cooked in northeast China and

known for its excellent seafood dishes and

delicious soups. The dishes have a strong,

pure taste, often mixing aquatic products

with fresh vegetables.

Jiangsu Cuisine (江苏菜系 - 苏菜) is

characterized by its light taste and

freshness. Attention is paid to shape,

colour combination and the overall

presentation of the food. The region is also

noted for various kinds of snack such as

Sanding steamed bun and dumplings with

juicy crab meat filling.

China – Cuisine of the Emperor

Anhui Cuisine (安徽菜系 - 徽菜) has been influenced

by both northern and southern China. The very fertile

and densely-populated area at the Huai River has

produced famous wild game and fish dishes including

pheasant braised in vegetables and stewed mandarin

fish.

The hills and basins around Xiang provide an

abundance of farming products which combined with

game, fish and bird, are the essence of Hunan

Cuisine (湖南菜系 - 湘菜). Famous dishes include

shark fin in soya sauce, spicy chicken and steamed

soft-shelled turtle.

Originating from the south-eastern coast of China,

Fujian Cuisine (福建菜系 - 闽菜) uses a variety of

seafood, including razor clams, squid, eels and sea-

cucumber. Typically, meals are eaten together with a

large amount of clear soup served in a large bowl.

Guangzhou (Cantonese) Cuisine (广东菜 - 粤菜) uses

very fresh ingredients, mild spices and simple cooking

techniques which bring out the most of dishes like

Dim Sum, steamed chicken and slow cooked soups.

China’s Eight Cuisines (cont.)

Chinese traditional medicine and philosophy also

plays an integral part of Chinese cooking. Yin and

yang, the Confucius school of complimentary pairs, is

based on the belief that problems are caused by an

imbalance of two forces. Related to food, the concept

of yin and yang means that each dish has to have

balance in colour, flavour and texture. Certain food is

classified as yin or cold food, while other ingredients

are said to have yang or warm characteristics.

Examples of yin (cool) food: cabbage, carrots, tofu,

octopus, kiwi, seaweed, milk, green tea, duck

Examples of yang (warm) food: beef, chicken, eggs,

ginger, oyster mushroom, sesame oil, glutinous rice,

chocolate

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners often

recommend a change in diet in order to restore a

healthy balance between the two forces. For

example, should you suffer from heartburn (too many

spicy – yang foods), a Chinese doctor would not give

you antacids, but a list of foods including herbal teas

to restore your yin forces.

Yin & Yang – Keeping the Balance

While travelling through China, you may well

encounter these delicacies:

Stinky Tofu

Stinky tofu seems to be the equivalent to what the

durian is to Southeast Asia: you either love it or hate

it! For this delicacy, fresh tofu is marinated overnight

in brine consisting of fermented vegetables, meat and

milk. The result is a smelly piece of fermented bean

curd, which is eaten fried, steamed or cold with chilli

sauce.

While stinky tofu loses most of its smell during the

cooking process and fans say that it tastes almost

mild, the tofu‟s uncooked smell of rotten garbage or

open sewer, as some people describe it, is certainly

not for everybody.

Century Eggs

Century eggs, also called 100 or 1000 year eggs, can

be found all over China. The delicacy is prepared by

preserving eggs for several months in a mix of clay,

salt, ash and lime which, being alkaline, slowly

Chinese Delicacies

increases the pH level of the egg. The conserved

egg‟s yolk is dark green while the white becomes

dark brown and transparent in colour.

Century eggs give off an ammonia smell, which is

why there is an old myth saying that the eggs were

made by soaking them in horse urine. This is of

course false and the eggs are enjoyed, despite the

legend, all over the country on their own or as a side

dish.

Bird‟s Nest Soup

Bird‟s nest soup is made by soaking nests, collected

from the cave swift bird species, in water. The

soaking process dissolves the salvia the birds used

to build their nests and results in a unique texture.

The gooey soup is believed to be full of rich

nutrients of benefit to the human immune system.

Being one of the most costly animal products eaten

by humans, the nests which are typically harvested

from caves in Southern Thailand and Borneo, sell at

up to 2,000 USD per kilogram.

Chinese Delicacies

China has been perfecting the art of dumpling

making since the Sung dynasty (960 – 1279 AD).

Chinese dumplings may be round or crescent-

shaped, boiled or pan-fried. The filling can be sweet

or savoury; filled with meat or vegetables including

some unusual ingredients such as winter melon.

Recreating homemade versions of dumplings

favourites can be a challenge when you‟re faced

with recipes, but do not know how they actually

look like. Here is a description of different types of

Chinese dumplings:

“Jiaozi”: These semi-circular shaped dumplings with

pleated edges are traditionally filled with meat or

vegetables; however, every family has its own

preferred recipe. The filling ingredients are wrapped

in flour and water dough that is thicker than a

wonton wrapper. “Jaozi” dumplings can either be

boiled, steamed or fried and are served with ginger

dipping sauce at any time of the day.

An Introduction to Chinese Dumplings

Chinese Dumplings

Pot stickers are “Jiaozi” which are pan-fried on the

bottom and then steamed. It‟s traditional to flip

them over before serving so that the browned, pan-

fried side is on top.

“Jjao”: Are dumplings of smaller size which are

wrapped in translucent dough and usually steamed.

These Cantonese style dumplings are served during

the famous Dim Sum meal and usually not cooked at

home. Jjao fillings can include anything from shrimp

to scallops, chicken to tofu or mixed vegetables. The

range of ingredients and shapes is unlimited, with

Dim Sum chefs often coming up with their own

creations.

The two most well-known types of “Jiao” must be

“Har Gow”, a dumpling filled with shrimp, cooked

pork fat, bamboo shots and scallions, and “Sui Mai”,

pork dumplings. These two favourites are often

served together and therefore often found on the

menu as “Hargow-Sui Mai”.

Ingredients (for 64 pot stickers)

2 cups cabbage, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

250g shrimp, peeled, deveined and finely chopped

500g lean pork, ground

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine, sherry or 2 tablespoons

white wine

1 tablespoon green onion, chopped

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

64 wonton wrappers (usually 1 pack)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup chicken stock

Dipping Sauce

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

Chinese Pot Stickers

Source: Food.com, www.food.com/recipe

Directions:

1. Sprinkle salt over the shredded cabbage and let

stand for 5 minutes, then squeeze out liquid.

2. Squeeze out any liquid from the shrimp.

3. Mix cabbage, shrimp, pork, soy, wine, onion, oil,

ginger and garlic.

4. On each wrapper (keep them covered with a

damp cloth so they do no dry out) place about 2

tablespoons of the mix and seal the edges, use a

bit of water on the edge, try to press out all the

air and ensure they are tightly sealed.

5. In 2 large frying pans heat 1 tbsp oil, fry 16

dumplings for 1 minute or until golden on one

side add 1/4 cup of stock into the pan, reduce

heat to low, cover and cook, without turning until

the dumpling is translucent and most of the liquid

has evaporated. Uncover and, on higher heat,

cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the bottoms

are dark brown, drain put on a platter and keep

warm.

6. Repeat for the remaining 32 dumplings.

7. Mix the dipping sauce and serve with warm or

hot dumplings.

Recipe

The first Quanjude Restaurant was established in

Beijing in 1864. Nowadays, Quanjude Peking Roast

Duck is a trademark and enjoys a high reputation

among domestic and overseas customers. With its

long history, this restaurant is the must-go place for

everybody who wants to try Roast Duck. Address:

Beijing Qianmen Xihe Yanjie, tel.: +86 400 7001 864.

Located in the oldest quarters of Shanghai, Lu Bo

Lang Restaurant is an ideal place to eat within a busy

sightseeing schedule. The restaurant serves Shanghai

Haipai cuisine and snacks from the region are sold in

the surrounding streets. Address: 131# Yu Yuan

Road, Shanghai, tel.: +86 21 6328 0602.

The Xinshijie Restaurant in Kunming serves a local

specialty called “Across the Bridge Rice Noodles”.

According to legend, an officer, who was studying for

an important exam, received hot chicken noodle soup

from his wife everyday. The husband, strengthened

from the soup, passed his exam and gave the soup

its peculiar name, because his wife had to cross a

bridge everyday to deliver the soup. Address: 16#

Yuantong Road, Kunming, tel.: + 86 871 5140 891.

Restaurant Tips

How to Order Food in Chinese

English Mandarin

Restaurant Can Ting (餐厅)

Spicy La (辣)

Sweet Tian (甜)

Sour Suan (酸)

Salty Xian (咸)

Hot Re (热)

Cold Leng (冷)

I would like to have... Wo Xiang (我想要)

Sweat and Sour Pork Tang Cu Li Ji (糖醋里脊)

Roast Duck Kaoya (北京烤鸭)

Xian Mutton soup Xian Yangrou Paomo

(西安羊肉泡馍)

Hot Pot Huo Guo (火锅)

Shanghai Dumpling Shanghai Xiao Long Bao

(上海小笼包)

Across the bridge Rice

Noodles

Guo Qiao Mi Xian

(过桥米线)

Tofu Ma Po Dou Fu (麻婆豆腐)

No seafood. Bu Yao Hai Xiang

(不要海鲜)

No meat. Bu Chi Rou (不吃肉)

How much is this? Duo Shao Qian (多少钱)

The food is delicious! Zhen Hao Chi (真好吃)

May I have the check, please? Qing Mai Dan (请买单)

Malaysia, being a melting pot of people

from all over Asia, is renowned for its

diverse cuisine and primarily influenced by

its three main ethnic groups; Malay,

Chinese and Indian. Malay food is spicy

and flavourful as it utilizes traditional herbs

in combination with Indian and Chinese

herbs such as pepper, cardamom and star

anis. Besides the three main cooking

styles, there are also cuisines that have

developed from the meeting of these

cultures such as Indian Muslim dishes and

the Nyonya cuisine.

Malay cuisine varies from region to region.

While in the north dishes are similar to

Thai cooking, using a lot of coconut milk

and sugar, the cuisine of Kedah, for

example, is spicier and influenced by

Indians who came to Malaysia during the

spice trade. In general, Malay cooking

uses “Rempah”, a traditional spice mixture

as well as hard spices and coconut milk.

Although Chinese cuisine generally is mildin flavour, the local Malay taste hasinfluenced the dishes to be preparedslightly spicier. Nyonya restaurants havebecome more and more popular inMalaysia and this cooking style, combiningChinese and Malay dishes, is characterisedby its sweet, sour and spicy flavours.

Whilst traditional Indian cuisine can beeaten at Indian restaurants all over thecountry, one should not miss out on IndianMuslim dishes such as fish head curry or“Mutabak”, pancakes with a spicy meatmixture, which are favourites in KualaLumpur.

The best thing about eating out inMalaysia is that the Country offers cuisineand restaurants catering to every budgetand taste, ranging from the popular streethawkers, coffee shops to fine diningrestaurants.

Malaysia – The Culinary Melting Pot of Asia

Teh Tarik: In Malaysia, it is common to see

restaurants or street food stalls open all day long.

The “Mamak” stall serves its own specialty – the “Teh

Tarik”. “Teh Tarik”, a mixture of tea and condensed

milk, is poured back and forth repeatedly between

two containers from different angles and height,

giving it a thick frothy top. Doing so, cools the

steamy tea down to an optimal drinking temperature

and also ensures that the tea and milk mixture is

perfectly blended.

If a Malaysian customer wants to order a cup of “Teh

Tarik”, he or she would say ""Teh tarik, kaw kaw

punya!" which translated as "One Teh Tarik, a thick

one please!”

Otak-otak: The southern Malaysian town of Muar in

Johor is a popular destination for “Otak-otak”, a cake

made out of fish meat. The cake is made by mixing

the fish paste (usually mackerel) with chillies,

garlic, shallots, turmeric, lemon grass and coconut

milk. The mixture is then wrapped in a banana leaf,

which has been softened by steam, and then grilled

or steamed to perfection.

Malaysian Specialties

Malacca Chicken Rice Ball: Visitors to the historic city

of Malacca will notice the “Chicken Rice Ball”.

Instead of serving rice in a normal bowl, the rice is

shaped into ping pong sized balls and served with

chicken and the usual condiments. Older chefs argue

that the rice was shaped into balls because it needed

to be kept warm from the time it was cooked until

mealtime. The other theory is that the rice balls

were more portable and easier for labourers working

on plantations to bring to the fields.

Nasi Kerabu: “Nasi Kerabu” is a regional specialty

dish from the state of Kelantan on the east coast of

Malaysia. Traditionally, the rice is tinted bright blue

from petals of flowers called “Bunga telang” (clitoria

flower in English) and normally cooked with a

combination of fresh aromatic herbs and raw

vegetables like bean sprouts, long green beans,

shallots and cucumber. This dish is only prepared for

special occasions as for a large serving of rice,

hundreds of the flower petals have to be sun-dried

and boiled in water to colour the rice.

Malaysian Specialities

Ingredients:

Coconut Steamed Rice

2 cups of rice

3 screw-pine leaves

1 inch of ginger (julienne cut)

5 shallots (sliced)

1 box of coconut milk

Salt to taste

Some water

Spice Paste

5 shallots

2 garlic cloves

1 inch ginger

3 stalks of lemongrass

1 inch galangal

1 inch turmeric

10 dried chillies (soaked in warm

water and seeded)

Nasi Lemak with Rendang

Rendang Chicken or Beef

Chicken or beef

5 tablespoons cooking oil

1 stalk of lemongrass (smashed)

6 kaffir lime leaves (very finely sliced)

6 tablespoons of “Kerisik” (toasted coconut)

1 tablespoon sugar/palm sugar

Salt to taste

2 spoons of concentrated chicken stock or 1

chicken cube for taste

1 box of coconut milk

1 cup of water

Decoration

2 hard boiled eggs (cut into half)

1 small cucumber (cut into slices and then

quartered)

Some Peanuts

Directions

1. Rinse your rice and drain

2. Add the coconut milk, a pinch of salt and water

3. Add the screw-pine leaves, shallot and ginger

into the rice

4. Cook it as you normally cook steamed rice

Preparing the Rendang (chicken/beef)

1. Add in the spice paste ingredients and then blend

them in a food processor

2. Stir-fry the spice paste in oil until fragrant

3. Add the lemongrass and stir for a minute

4. Add the coconut milk as well as chicken (deep

fried or half cook) or beef

5. Put it to simmer on the medium heat. Stir

frequently until the meat is almost cooked

6. Add the kaffir lime leaves, “Kerisik” (toasted

coconut), sugar/palm sugar, salt and stir it well

7. Lower the heat, cover with a lid and simmer until

the meat is tender and the gravy dried up

Serve the rice with “Rendang” and decorate with

hard boiled eggs and sliced cucumbers.

Recipe

Jonker 77 Café, Malacca

Visiting Malacca wouldn‟t be complete without having

a bowl of “Cendol” or “Assam Laksa”. That brings us

to Jonker 88 Café, a self proclaimed museum café,

located in the heart of Jonker Street.

A serving of “Cendol” consist of shaved ice and

scoops of diluted coconut milk with bits of cooked

dough dyed green in colour, red beans and palm

sugar, used as syrup topping. It‟s the perfect dessert

for thirsty tourists who need to cool down after

sightseeing. Another popular dish is “Nyonya Assam

Laksa” which consists of rice noodles served in a sour

fish based soup, usually shredded mackerel.

Precious Old China, Kuala Lumpur

“Precious” is located on the mezzanine floor of

Central Market in Kuala Lumpur. Every piece of

furniture and decoration is either vintage or antique

including a collection of Victorian-style chairs which

were props used for the movie Anna & The King. The

restaurant serves Straits Chinese or Baba-Nyonya

cuisine by Malaysian chef John Locke who comes

Restaurant Tips

Malacca. Locke is of Eurasian descent and has

worked as a chef in Europe as well as for Brunei

royalty. However, at Precious, the emphasis lies on

traditional favourites of the Straits Chinese

communities of Malacca and Penang: fish head

curry, mutton curry, devil curry chicken, beef

Rendang, chicken Pong Teh, beef Semour, Lobak, Ju

Hu Char (shredded cuttlefish & turnip), Kerabu Okra,

fried Assam prawns and Itik Tim (duck soup).

Bijan Bar & Restaurant, Kuala Lumpur

Bijan has been serving a wide range of authentic

Malay cuisine since 2003 and was awarded „Best

Malay Restaurant‟ by the Tourism Board of Malaysia

just one year after its opening. Located at Jalan

Ceylon, it is indeed a quiet oasis in the heart of

Kuala Lumpur.

The warm and serene ambience is perfect to unwind

with fantastic food and exquisite wine. Bijan offers

an amazing selection of authentic Malay Food, with

traditional recipes handed down over the

generations, yet served with a twist and modern

presentation.

Restaurant Tips

English Malay

Restaurant Restoran

To eat nak makan

To drink nak minum, “nak meenom”

Spicy pedas, “pe-das”

Sweet manis, “ma-niece”

Sour masam, “ma-sum”

Salty masin, “ma-sin”

Hot panas, “paa-nas”

Cold sejuk, “sur-juke”

No seafood. Tak nak seafood.

No meat. Tak nak daging dan ayam.

How much is this? Ini berapa?, “eee-ne be-ra-

pa”

The food is delicious! makanan ini sedap, “ma-

ka-nun eee-ne sur-dap “

May I have the check, please? Saya nak bil.

I would like to have... Saya nak…

Cendol Cendol , “Chen-dol”

Pull tea Teh Tarik, “T-eh Ta-rek”

Roti Canai (flat bread, often

sold at Mamak stall)

Roti Canai, “Ro-tee Cha-

nai”

Mamak noodle Mee Mamak

How to Order Food in Malay

Traditionally being an agricultural country

in the tropics with a long coastline, vast

networks of waterways and fresh water

lakes, Vietnam is well-known for its rice

dishes and abundance of seafood.

The rice paddies in the Red River Delta

and Mekong River Delta produce a

generous yearly harvest, which makes

Vietnam the second largest rice exporter

worldwide. Rice is served with every meal

and the Vietnamese are number seven of

the world‟s top rice consumers. The

Country‟s long coast provides plentiful of

seafood, with fish sauce being known as

the essence of the Vietnamese cuisine.

Migration waves to the south during the

course of history and contact with western

cultures during the colonial time, resulted

in the adoption of many new dishes whilst

also maintaining the traditional ones. Stirfried dishes and herb-braised meat dishescan mostly be tasted in the Chinesequarters and the French baguette, alegacy of the colonial time, can still befound in any city.

A tour throughout the Country will maketravellers realize how diversified its cuisineis. Whether it is a simple but very popularbowl of “Pho” (Vietnamese rice noodlesoup) in Hanoi, the imperial cuisine of Hueor the Chinese influenced dishes in Saigon,one can find a balanced and healthycombination of ingredients and herbs inevery recipe. The colours of vegetablesand flavours of herbs used in all dishes arealways balanced in nutrition and matchedin taste.

Vietnam – Herbs & Freshness

One of the most popular dishes in Vietnam, without

doubt, are the freshly rolled spring rolls. While we

have already supplied you with a Fresh Prawn Spring

Roll recipe in our Architecture D-Brief, we would like

to reveal to you in this issue, how “Banh Trang” or

rice paper, used for the rolls, is actually produced:

The translucent wrappers are made out of water,

ground white rice and tapioca starch. Depending on

the mixture, the rice papers will have a somewhat

different appearance and consistency. Traditionally, a

Banh Trang maker spreads the water-rice mixture

onto a cloth stretched over a boiling pot of water.

The rice sheet is then steamed for approximately 45

seconds before being transferred to a cooling and

drying rack made out of bamboo. The wet rice

sheets are placed outside under the hot sun for a

day, before they can be stacked up and sold in small

bundles on the market.

Rice paper is low in fat and calories and thus ideal to

wrap up noodles, fish, meat and raw vegetables in

healthy and nutritious rolls.

How to Make Rice Paper

One cannot talk about Vietnamese food without

mentioning fresh herbs. The frequent and abundant

use of herbs gives the dishes its unique textures,

flavour and freshness. Any dish, from soups, rice and

noodle dishes to sandwiches and spring rolls, is

topped, filled or mixed with fresh herbs. The herbs

are usually served on a separate plate and everyone

helps him- or herself to the herbs they like.

1. Ngo gai (culantro or Mexican coriander) has a

stronger flavour than cilantro and is the favoured

herb to be added to Pho beef noodle soup.

2. Diep ca (fish mint) is a heart-shaped leave that is

known for its slightly sour and fishy flavour.

3. Kinh gioi (Vietnamese balm) is a lemony herb

which is traditionally served with grilled meats.

4. Hung que (Thai or purple basil) is served with

pork blood sausages and has a spicy earthy note.

5. Tia to‟s (purple perilla) leaves are dark purple

and go perfectly with strong flavoured dishes

such as seafood.

6. La lot (wild betel leaf) is used to wrap around

ground beef mixtures and their taste is said to be

rather medical.

Vietnamese Herbs

#1 #2

#3

#6

#4

#5Picture source : kitchenworld.com

Ingredients (serving of 4)

1.5 kg beef knuckle, with meat

600 g beef oxtail

225 g white (daikon) radish, sliced

1-1/4 onions, chopped

35 g whole star anise pods

3/8 cinnamon stick

1-1/4 whole cloves

1 g black peppercorns

5/8 slice fresh ginger root

8 g white sugar

10 g salt

10 ml fish sauce

450 g dried flat rice noodles

150 g frozen beef sirloin

Toppings

Hot chilli sauce

Thinly sliced onion, chopped fresh cilantro, bean

sprouts (mung beans), sweet Thai basil, thinly sliced

green onion, quartered limes

Beef Pho (Beef Noodle Soup)

Source : All Recipes, http://allrecipes.com

Recipe

Directions

1. Place the beef knuckle in a very large pot.

Season with salt, and fill pot with 5 litres of

water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 2

hours.

2. Skim fat from the surface of the soup and add

the oxtail, radish and onions. Tie the anise pods,

cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns and ginger

in a cheesecloth; add to the soup. Stir in sugar,

salt and fish sauce. Simmer over medium-low

heat for at least 4 more hours. Taste, and add

salt as needed. Strain broth, and return to the

pot to keep at a simmer.

3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

Soak the rice noodles in water for about 20

minutes, then cook in boiling water until soft, for

about 5 minutes. Slice the frozen beef paper thin.

The meat must be thin enough to cook instantly.

4. Place some noodles into each bowl, and top with

a few raw beef slices. Ladle boiling broth over

the beef and noodles. Serve with hot chilli sauce

on the side. Set onion, cilantro, bean sprouts,

basil, green onions and lime out at the table for

individuals to add toppings to their liking.

Hanoi – Bobby Chinn Restaurant

This contemporary restaurant, located in the Hoan

Kiem District of Hanoi, is named after its creator

Bobby Chinn. Whilst Chinn‟s cooking is influenced by

his time spent in San Francisco, the dishes never lack

the fresh and organic ingredients the Vietnamese

cuisine is famous for.

Ho Chi Minh City - Quan An Ngon Restaurant

Located in Ho Chi Minh‟s district one, this popular

restaurant has become a real institution and is always

packed with foodies. Sitting in the courtyard of the

colonial building, you will be able to watch cooks

preparing regional specialities at one of the many

cooking stations. Everything is fresh and delicious!

Hoi An – Brother’s Café

This former police station has been skilfully

transformed into an upscale restaurant which takes

you back to the Indochina of a bygone era. Whilst

sitting outside in the garden by the river, try the local

delicacy “White Rose” (banh bao vac), a light shrimp

dumpling made from translucent white dough.

Restaurant Tips

How to Order Food in Vietnamese

English Vietnamese

Restaurant Nhà hàng / quán ăn

Spicy Cay

Sweet Ngọt

Sour Chua

Salty Mặn

Hot Nóng

Cold Lạnh

I would like to have... Hãy cho tôi…

A bowl of Pho Một bát phở

Skewered pork with rice

vermicelli

Bún chả

Steamed rice pancake Bánh cuốn

Hue Fried pancake Bánh xèo Huế

Grilled fish Chả cá

Dragon fruit Quả Thanh long

Spring rolls Nem

Pineapple Quả dứa

No seafood. Không ăn hải sản.

No meat. Không ăn thịt.

How much is this? Cái này/món này giá bao

nhiêu?

The food is delicious! Món này rất ngon!

May I have the check, please? Tính tiền cho tôi.

Visa & Borders

Laos

• A filled in visa application form, signed by the

applicant (available at the port of entry)

• Two recent photographs

• Visa fee (in cash)

The visa fee depends on the nationality of the

applicant and is usually between USD 30 to 40.

Travellers with passports from the following

countries are not eligible for Laos Visas on

Arrival: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh,

Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d‟Ivoire,

Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Jordan, Lesotho,

Liberia, Libya, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria,

Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka,

Suriname, Syria, Swaziland, Tonga, Turkey,

Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Nationalities from the following countries can

visit Laos for a maximum of 15 days without

having to obtain a tourist visa: Switzerland,

Japan, Russia, Luxembourg and South Korea.

If you plan to enter Laos as a tourist, the most

convenient way to get your Lao visa is by

arriving at one of the international ports of entry

where visas on arrival are issued. Apart from a

handful of nationalities (see on the right),

everyone can obtain a visa on arrival if entering

the Country by flying to the international

airports of Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse or

Savannakhet. Additionally, most land border

crossing including the Lao-Thai Friendship

Bridges in Vientiane and Savannakhet as well as

the Tha Naleng train station in Vientiane and

the Thai-Lao crossing of Houexay offer the visa

on arrival facility.

In order to obtain a visa on arrival for a

maximum 30 days (single entry only), tourists

need to bring the following:

• Original passport with at least 6 months of

remaining validity and a blank page for a visa

stamp

Unbeatable Special

offers – „PASSPORT‟

"Passport" provides you

with exclusive value and

savings, negotiated on

your behalf.

Visit our website at

www.diethelmtravel.com

to read, down-load or

print a copy.

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updates, information and special promotions from

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Diethelm Travel GroupKian Gwan II Bldg, 14/F140/1 Wireless Road,

Bangkok 10330, ThailandPhone: +66 2 660 7000 / Fax: +66 2 660 7027

E-mail: sales@diethelmtravel.com

www.diethelmtravel.com