Make Oxtail Soup

Well, I seriously doubt that what is being sold as ‘ox tail’ in markets actually comes from an ox. I’m sure it comes from the same steers as all the other beef but it does sound odd to say, “steer tail,” or even “beef tail.” Obviously, it is one of those (pardon the expression) ‘odds and ends’ items and as such one might think it to be fairly inexpensive. This is not the case however, as it is sold at a premium price competing with other choice cuts. Clearly, there is good demand for oxtail.

For beef stock meat, oxtail is clearly the best by far. When cooking in large batches I’ll use bone and sinew, but for smaller pots oxtail is the meat of choice. It takes a full three hours to soften, with conventional stockpot additions. Clove-studded onion is de rigueur. The best thing of all about an oxtail stock is that it requires no further handling; it ready to ladle into bowls without any straining or modification. Continue reading “Make Oxtail Soup”

Delicious Soup Diets for Weight Loss

Many people fail to achieve their weight loss goals because they see weight loss as a tedious boring process that forces them to eat bland food. For weight loss to be effective you need to be creative about your diet, and finding delicious soup diets for weight loss is a way to do this. The road to losing weight shouldn’t be a dark and dreary one because if you stick to bland food items, the time will come when your interest will fade away and you won’t be able to sustain your plan. Embarking on a weight loss program doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to everything that tastes good, because there are ways to cook low-calorie diet food in a manner that’s delicious and appealing to the palate.

Soup diets are very common these days, because soup is a very effective way to satiate hunger without giving you all the unnecessary calories and fat. Soup is liquid-based, and liquid tends to work in filling up your stomach and tricking you into thinking that you’re already full. This is the same principle that works for the weight loss tip of drinking a lot of water. There are times when we think we’re hungry and we end up eating too much when in fact, we’re only thirsty. Drinking water before a meal works in the same way as eating soup before a meal – it satiates hunger and makes us eat less of the meal in front of us. Just because soup can help you lose weight doesn’t mean it has to taste bland. There are several soup diets for weight loss that have been formulated with taste in mind. Continue reading “Delicious Soup Diets for Weight Loss”

What Makes Tofu Shirataki Noodles?

I’m sure you’ve heard about the rave. Tofu Shiratake Noodles seems the next best thing to miracle food. But you’re skeptical. They cannot be all good. They claim to be low in carbohydrates, low in fat, high in fiber and a sure fire way to lose some weight. But are they really that good for you? We took a look at answering the most frequently asked questions about these tofu noodles.

Where do these noodles come from?

These noodles are a stable dietary staple of the Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese populations. It is produced in countries where the main ingredient the voodoo lily is easily grown.

Asians Eat weird things, what are these noodles made from? Continue reading “What Makes Tofu Shirataki Noodles?”

The Vientiane Baguette – A Culinary Journey of Laos

The baguette, a delightful culinary legacy of the French is unavoidable in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Especially in Laos, baguettes are everywhere; sold at stalls, off of bicycles, bakeries, and vegetable markets. Baked in brick ovens using firewood, the baguette in Vientiane is particularly good and true to the old French culinary style. And fresh-a Lao baguette doesn’t have any preservatives so day old bread is usually fed to the pigs.

In Vientiane, a baguette means a sandwich. Traditionally, it starts with a French baguette and can be filled with almost anything. For breakfast, you can have an omelet baguette; for lunch a tuna baguette. But the most authentic is the pate and cheese. Unlike the Vietnamese, the Lao will fill the baguette with 3 types of pork filling: a pate, a luncheon meat, and stewed pork leg. This delectable sandwich is made by smearing on the pate and mayonnaise then toasted and topped with more slices of meat, pickled carrots, daikon radishes, cucumber, cilantro, and Chinese celery. Continue reading “The Vientiane Baguette – A Culinary Journey of Laos”

Pho – The Best Hangover Cure?

Amongst many circles, the Vietnamese noodle soup Pho (pronounced Fuh), is heralded as the best hangover cure known to mankind. What do we say? Pho shizzle.

Pho is a magical soup made of beef, broth and rice noodles. Seriously, its magic. I’ll explain later. It is served in a bowl with thin cuts of well done or rare steak. For the more adventurous sort, tripe (stomach), tendons, liver, chicken hearts, or other risky business can be added. The broth is made from a simmered concoction of which only a level 50 Vietnamese wizard may be privy to the secret.

Pho is typically served with lime, been sprouts, basil, and jalapenos. Sauces like sweet hoisin or spicy siracha can be directly added to the broth. This is where the fun comes in. The best thing about Pho is its “choose your own adventure” aspect. During the course of your soup journey, you can change the flavor of the broth, making it a dynamic experience. Continue reading “Pho – The Best Hangover Cure?”

Fish Salad – A Memorable Dish in Danang

If your Vietnam Tour adventure brings you to Danang, then you’re in the right place. Not only was it an educational and commercial center of Central Vietnam, it also lies within 100 kilometers of the best sites and places you can visit in this country. Several UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the ruins of My Son, Hoi An Old Town and the Imperial City of Hue are easily accessible from this natural transportation hub which you will visit one by one on your booked Vietnam Tours.

But perhaps, the most memorable experience you can have in this fabulous city is a taste of their exotic dish called “Goi Ca” or fish salad. You might have heard of this when you have booked your best Vietnam Tours package and you might even have a taste of it back in your accommodation. But if you have tasted a fish salad that features sliced tomatoes all mangled with lettuce leaves that are already flaccid; and served with a few slices of tuna and some small prawns all swimming in mayonnaise, then you haven’t tasted the real thing! Fact is you have tasted the commercial offerings which you can safely call the “Westernized” version. If you want to taste the real Vietnam Goi Ca, then go to Man Thai Beach along Son Tra Peninsula in Danang. Continue reading “Fish Salad – A Memorable Dish in Danang”

Soup’s On

Every country has its traditional trademark soup, be it Vichyssoise (the French chefs can duke it out as to who created it), Asian Pho, Russian borscht or all-American chicken noodle. Commercial soups made their appearance with the invention of canning in the late 19th century,. Dr. John T. Dorrance, a chemist with the Campbell Soup Company, created condensed soup in 1897, changing the way Americans viewed soup and its convenience. Still the largest manufacturer of ready-to-eat and canned soups, founder Joseph A. Campbell, a fruit merchant from New Jersey, and his partner Abraham Anderson, an early icebox manufacturer, started the company in 1869 producing canned tomatoes, vegetables, jellies, soups, minced meats and condiments. It wasn’t until nearly 30 years later that they first introduced condensed soups to the American public, which met with enthusiastic success as homemakers could add to the new concoction or simply try to pass it off as homemade.

Currently, Campbell’s Tomato (the first soup introduced in 1897), Cream of

Mushroom, and Chicken Noodle (introduced in 1934) are the most popular soups Continue reading “Soup’s On”

How to Eat Pho – A Primer For First-Time Diners

When it comes to pho, a Vietnamese would have the distinct advantage of knowing how to eat it. Regardless of whether he or she grew up in the homeland or in an immigrant household overseas, he or she would have a mother or a grandmother who made this heart-filling noodle soup for breakfast each day, cooked using snippets of a recipe and with memories of how it is done in their own mother’s kitchen. Or at the very least, he or she would have a mother who would herd the family to a restaurant every so often whenever they feel the urge. Eating pho is natural to a Vietnamese.

A non-Vietnamese will not have the same experience. Aside from having to deal with the chopsticks, pho will always look and smell foreign to anyone who did not grow up eating it. When faced with a steaming bowl of this noodle, and especially if it is your first time to sample the national dish of Vietnam, you may have a challenge on your hand. Here are some tips.

Simple Process of Enjoying Pho Continue reading “How to Eat Pho – A Primer For First-Time Diners”

Vietnamese Coffee With Naturally Low Caffeine, The Hottest New Trend in Coffee

With the emphasis nowadays on health and fitness, cutting down on caffeine seems to be one of the most often tried and rejected.

Most people would like to cut down on caffeine, but find the taste of decaffeinated disagreeable. Mixing half and half regular coffee with decaffeinated will add a little better taste, but with the emergence of naturally low caffeine coffees… problem solved!

Try Vietnamese coffee with naturally low caffeine, a hot new trend, that is taking the world by storm. If you are a connoisseur or coffee expert, or even a serious coffee drinker, you will already be aware of this exciting discovery. If you’re not, then it is time for you to catch up!

Vietnam is the second largest producer of coffee in the world, after Brazil, so they really know their coffee.

Many of the so-called experts with chains of coffee stores will sell you ‘decaf’ which actually does have a percentage of caffeine, but the majority is removed by chemical processes, which in turn deplete the flavor. These chemical processes entail the use of methyl chloride solution, which is contained in nail polish remover! And they still, unbelievably, are allowed to label it “all natural decaf”. Continue reading “Vietnamese Coffee With Naturally Low Caffeine, The Hottest New Trend in Coffee”

Vietnamese Pho Etiquette

Vietnamese pho is an easy dish to pick up and enjoy. To the casual diner, consuming pho only requires your ability to place your order, and hold chopsticks and spoon in your hands. For those ready for something more, pho etiquette is your next goal. There are specific customs to follow, while other protocols are left to individual interpretation and choice. Here’s a collection of pho etiquette to help you come closer to pho and Viet culture. If in doubt, just remember one thing: showing respect for the elders goes a long way.

I’m assuming you’re already proficient with a pair of chopsticks, so here we go.

“Sitting” Etiquette

Before everyone sits down, look at your table and the arrangement of the chairs. Decide where the head of the table is (or the most important sitting position) and yield to the eldest or most respected person in the group. But it gets more complicated. If there’s a very respected male (regardless of age,) then he may be the one to get “the chair.” If you’re not sure, just do the safe thing: Hang back and let things fall into place. Someone will ask you to sit somewhere, and that’s what you want. Easy. Continue reading “Vietnamese Pho Etiquette”