Amidst all the packing,sorting out things to dispose and pack for safe-keeping,I had one event at the back of my mind-dear DK’s AWED-Vietnamese.
I didn’t wana miss her event so I went looking for a lovely recipe and got plenty of them but as luck would have it,I landed up with this one-‘an easy-to-prepare-dish’ -as usual.This is not much of a recipe but tasted really great. Hopefully next month I will come up with an exotic one….
Before I go on to the recipe,let me share my earliest memories of Vietnam.No,I have never visited that place but read a lot about it.My school emphasised on reading books other than those included in the curriculum and the library hour each week was as important as any other subject.It inculcated in us the pleasures of reading and broadening our views / knowledge on various subjects.There were the Enid Blyton’s series which we literally fought to borrow and a host of classic literature,journals and stuff.
Amongst these,I chanced upon a book based on the Vietnamese war.I don’t remember the name but the story really moved me.It was about a happy family separated by the war and all the sufferings they underwent.That was my first exposure to Vietnam and the horrors the people had undergone.Even now it brings tears in my eyes.
Anyways,after that I used to read about Vietnam in some magazine or the other and catch up with the happenings.What was once a war-struck country is now slowly gaining its popularity as a tourist destination. It is a land of mountains, fertile deltas,lush forests with exotic fauna, rivers, enchanting caves, heavenly waterfalls and beaches.What was once looked upon through the lens of war is now an exotic holiday spot.
Coming to the cuisine,it has Chinese,French and Thai influences.Rice/noodles is the mainstay .The cuisine is very ‘light’, makes use of fresh herbs, including lemon grass, basil, coriander, parsley, laksa leaf, lime, and chili. Tropical fruits like bananas, pineapples, coconuts, lychees, melons, mandarin oranges, grapes, and other exotic fruits find a place in this wonderful cuisine.
Here is the recipe for banana in rich coconut sauce-a quick dessert
You need:
Sugar-To taste
Salt-a pinch
Bananas-peeled ,sliced diagonally
- In a pan heat the coconut milk and add the sugar and salt.
- Bring to the boil and simmer till it reduces a little [Thickens]
- Remove from the heat and stir in the banana slices.
- Put it back on the stove and boil for a few seconds in low flame to coat the bananas.
- Serve hot or cold.
Don’t use very ripe bananas cos they get a little mushy when cooked in coconut milk.Use the ripe but firm variety.This is kinda different from the usual banana milkshake and I loved it chilled.