Food-VietnameseCuisine MVM Mar10

8/11/2019 Food-VietnameseCuisine MVM Mar10

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S o u l o f S a i g o n :

V IET NA MESE CUISINEI N T H E V A L L E Y

LOWELL With head cheese, pigs blood and chicken feet on the menu,Vietnamese cuisine is an epicurean adventure limited only by your own palate

police.

Taking cues from Thai, Chinese and Cambodian cooking, food in the

Southeast Asian country of Vietnam is awash in fresh vegetables, pungent herbs,

stir fries and savory delicacies many New Englanders have never tasted.

If you are willing to eat outside your comfort zone, youll find this healthy

cuisine to be a flavorful and even addicting experience.

In my quest to find the most authentic Vietnamese food in the MerrimackValley, I vowed to stray from my pho roots. This aromatic soup, which simmers

for 24 hours to achieve its essence of anise, cinnamon, ginger and clove, is the

wonton soup of Vietnamese food excel lent, but entry level. Served with rice

or egg noodles, chicken, beef or shrimp, the noodle dish is where the neophytes

knowledge of Southeast Asian fare begins and ends.

After researching the val ley, Lowell became my target. Home to the large st

Southeast Asian population this side of the Mississippi, the immigrant city has

a surplus of diverse Vietnamese dining options run by entrepreneurs longing forthe tangy, fresh taste of home. Many are tucked off the citys main drag and will

never surface in a Google search.

To be certain I wasnt missing the best, I enlisted one of Lowells rising ethnic

chefs, Y Sok Woodward of Rebel Chef Catering for guidance. Where would this

serious foodie, who teaches a course in Vietnamese cuisine, begin? Answer: at the

Hong Cuc Sandwich Shop for the cultish banh mi.

Vietnams famed hoagie, also known as the Saigon sub, is made in many

Southeast Asian bodegas scattered throughout Lowell. But theres a reason theno-frills Hong Cuc Sandwich Shop in the Acre neighborhood churns out 300

protein-packed subs on a crusty rice and wheat flour baguette every day.

by Kathleen Pierce photos by Kevin Harkins

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Text goes here

by Kathleen Pierce photos by Kevin Harkins

This page: Pho 88s Bun Bo Hue (Hue City S oup)

Opposite page: 3 dishes made by Y Sok Woodward

of Rebel Chef Catering.

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Its healthy and convenient. When you are hungry, you love it, says

Chrysant Tran, who opened the deli / mini-mart to cater to her Vietnamese

kin in 1994.

To hang out at noontime in this tight space packed with bright packages

of candy, duck eggs and unusual cuts of meat, is to see customers born

in America, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, India and Spanish-speakingcountries dash in every few minutes to request a classic or a sandwich,

and then walk out with a banh mi wrapped in a brown

paper bag.

They make a half-dozen varieties, including

barbecue beef or chicken, but the classic banh mi

is the original and the best. This stack of Asian-

style ham, American ham, pork and head cheese (a

Vietnamese delicacy culled from choice pig parts) isaided by a smattering of recognizable garnishes such

as cucumber, onion and cilantro. The vegetables and

herbs give the banh mi a bright, clean taste. Pickled

carrots and daikon radishes lend a tangy snap, and

layers of mayonnaise and pork pt (made with a

secret ingredient) remind your taste buds that youre

not in Kansas anymore. There is a boatload of meat

here, and some of the ingredients are curious tothe Western palate, but Woodward reminds me that

diversity is the name of the game. You have to experience different tastes

and textures instead of always saying, I dont get it, she says, digging into

a banh mi spilling out with tri-colored meat and cilantro. People in Lowell

are lucky because they dont have to travel to the location to eat the food,

says Woodward, who was born in Cambodia, grew up in Los Angeles and

now lives in Lowell.

Another thing the banh mi has going for it is the $2.50 price tag. Thatmakes Subway seem high-end.

Though the Hong Cuc is ideal for lunch or a quick pick-me-up, sometimes

a little ambiance is in order.

Pho 88, on the Lowell / Chelmsford line is the next stop. Opened 11 years

ago by Hoang Nguyen, who worked at the famed Pho Pasteur in Boston, this

Vietnamese restaurant is a rare find: great food, with atmosphere to match.

An impressive renovation and expansion has turned this formerly threadbare

establishment, known for magnificent bowls of pho, into an inviting spaceworthy of a romantic dinner or evening out with friends.

Visiting on a Sunday afternoon, the warm, earth-toned dining room is

populated with couples and families of Southeast Asian descent (always a

good sign). Not all Vietnamese restaurants especially those located in the

suburbs dare to serve genuine Vietnamese fare, so Im eager to try the Bun

Bo Hue, a soup named after that countrys central city.

A gutsy bowl of robust flavors, its far from the innocuous chicken pho

I know and love. The broth is auburn, the noodles resemble spaghetti, and

floating on top are slabs of coagulated pigs blood. This is what Im after.

Undaunted, I plunge into the steaming soup with a spoon, and enter a world

of hard-to-pinpoint flavors and foreign cuts of meat. Sliced shank, ground

v ie tnamese c u i s i n e

Above : Th e Ba nh M i Th it S peci al, made at t he H ong Cuc S andw ich

Shop in Lowell. Below: Owner of the Hong Cuc Sandwich Shop,

Chrysant Tran, and her daughter.

Look for Y's Vietnamese Spring

Rolls recipe on page 62



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pork and shrimp, and a softened tendon give this soup a spicy, invigorating

burst. I feel nourished by the broth and not turned off by the tofu texture and

insipid taste of the pigs blood. I appreciate the new tastes, but long for the

warm and friendly pull of pho, a staple they do so well here.

The attentive wait staff at Pho 88 is quick with a pot of jasmine tea when

you walk through the door and eager to help diners decode appetizers such as

Chao Tom (shrimp and sugar cane). This fried and slightly chewy delicacy,

served on reeds of steamed sugar cane, is a fun chew. You dont eat the sugarcane, but gently suck the sweet flavors from the reed between tastes of salty

shrimp.

Another Vietnamese favorite done wel l here is the healthy Bun. These rice

vermicelli dishes come in a variety of toppings from pork to shrimp to spring

rolls. Think pho minus the broth. Buns are always augmented by shredded

lettuce, fresh mint, bean sprouts, roasted peanuts and peanut sauce and are

as approachable as ethnic cuisine gets and appeal to almost all fussy palates.

There are more Vietnamese dining options worth mentioning, including

Pho Da Lat in Lowell and Vietnam Noodle House in Nashua, N.H., but one

of the best ways to truly understand Vietnamese cuisine is to roll up your

sleeves and get busy cooking. When you are ready, Battambang Supermarket

Above : Chao Tom (shr imp and sugar cane ), serv ed at Pho 88 on the

Lowell / Chelmsford line. Below: (L-R) Long Le, Juan Calderon, Hoang Nguyen.

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in Lowell awaits with exotic Southeast Asian vegetables, fish and staples

straight from Saigon.

Because of the nations Buddhist roots, vegetables are omnipresent in

Vietnamese cuisine, and this supermarket abounds with native delights such

as lotus root, bitter melons and fresh taro and ginger.

As part of her cooking class, Woodward leads tours through this colorful

market to help students make easy and tasty Vietnamese recipes such as

spring rolls.Because the filling of a spring roll is bland, the key is the dipping sauce,

Woodward says as she navigates the cluttered fish sauce aisle. When select ing

a bottle of this anchovy, water and salt concoction, dont reach for the least

expensive, she warns. Think of it like olive oil. The cheaper it is, the nastier

it tastes, she says.

The same wisdom should be applied when selecting spring roll skins made

of rice flour. Woodward buys the expensive brand ($2) because anything

less will fall apart. She pauses briefly in front of acrate of duck eggs and explains that baby ducks are

inside and alive.

Its an acquired taste, she says.

Once she finds the ingredients she needs, Thai

basil, mint leaves, mung bean sprouts and jalapeo,

we whisk back to her loft to see how its done.

Before you can say pass the fish sauce, she is

dipping, stuffing and rolling spring rolls with theease of a skilled burrito maker. Her philosophy for

turning these basic ingredients into a healthy and

delicious appetizer is the same mindset that should

be adopted when going on a Vietnamese eating

excursion.

At first, it seems fragile and strange, she says, dunking a sheath of

transparent rice skin into a bowl of warm water, but dont worry about it too

much. Focus on the flavor.

Keeping an open mind and open palate is the only way to experience the

bold flavors of this inviting and invigorating cuisine. Its a journey for the

senses, so dont cut it short.


restaurants

Pho 88

1270 Westford Street, Lowell

(978) 452-7300

Monday - Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

www.pho88online.net

Pho Da Lat Restaurant

1575 Middlesex Street, Lowell

(978) 275-0022

Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday - Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 12 a.m.

www.phodalat.net

Pho Da Lat Restaurant

475 Chelmsford Street, Lowell

(978) 453-3303Monday - Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

www.phodalat.net

T & N Restaurant

109 S. Broadway, Lawrence

(978) 794-8226

Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Vietnam Noodle House

138 Main Street, Nashua, N.H.

(603) 886-4566

Sunday - Wednesday, noon to 9 p.m.

Thursday - Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.

sandwich shop

Hong Cuc

507 Dutton Street, Lowell

(978) 441- 0110

Monday - Sunday 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

markets

Battambang Market

125 Church Street, Lowell

(978) 454 -1128

Monday - Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saigon Market

298 S. Union Street, Lawrence(978) 689-8606

Monday - Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

VIETNAMESE

DINING GUIDE

l m v m

Y Sok Woodwa rd (rig ht) and her mother,

Mom Proeung (left) preparing to make

Y's Vie tname se Spr ing Ro lls.



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Photo: Natural Expressions Photography, Dracut, MA

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Ys VietnameseSpring RollsIngredients:

1 package rice paper wrappers (banh trang)

1 head green leaf lettuce

1 bunch cilantro (leaves and tender stems)

1 bunch Thai basil (leaves only)

1 carrot, julienned into thin strips

1 cucumber, julienned thin

1 package mung bean sprouts

1 package very thin, round rice noodles (vermicelli)

Optional,add fried tofu (chilled) or boiled, peeled shrimp

(chilled)

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook rice noodles for

a minute. Drain and rinse in cool water.

2. Wash and slice vegetables and lay everything out on a

cutting board. Grab a plate for wrapping the rolls. Slice

lettuce leaves into manageable strips, and discard any

that are tough or crunchy. The basil and cilantro leaves

can be left whole or coarsely chopped.

3. Fill a large bowl with warm water, on the verge of hot, tosoften the rice paper wrappers.

4. Submerge a single dry wrappe r in the warm water.

Keep your fingers on the edges and feel the wrapper

as it softens and begins to turn transparent. When the

wrapper is supple, gently lift it out with both hands. It

will get sticky quickly, so take care not to let it fold in on

itself. Place the wrapper flat on the plate.

5. Put a small amount of filler into the wrapper, creating an

oblong mound on the side closest you.

6. Wrap it by taking the edge closest to you and flipping itup over the little mound of filling. Gently roll the filling

until just past the halfway point, then pull the sides in

and roll the rest of the way.

7. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with dipping sauce.

Ys Dipping SauceIngredients: 12cup fresh lime juice14cup sugar

3 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)

1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon minced serrano chilies

Directions: Mix all ingredients together.

Recipe courtesy ofRebel Chef Catering. If interested

in taking a class, please contact:

[email protected]


Food-VietnameseCuisine MVM Mar10

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