Enjoy Vietnamese food like Master Chef of France

(VNF) – You are planning for a trip to Vietnam, and interested in the country's cuisines? If your answer is "yes", then the food list reviewed by the winner of MasterChef France 2015, Huynh Khanh Ly, on her facebook page and Instagram, maybe what you are looking for.

French MasterChef 2015 - Huynh Khanh Ly (source: NDO)

Cao Lầu

According to Ly, Cao Lầu was her "precious specialty from Hoi An". "It is the dish that I have been expecting since I arrived in Vietnam," she admitted, adding one of the reason that make the dish so special to her: "You cannot find it here (France)."

Cao Lau (source: saigonamthuc.vn)

On her blog, Ly gave a very detailed description of Cao Lau: "A slice of roast pork with Chinese spices (the "xá xíu" in the past red color), the rind of pork fried like perfect chips (no bubbles like chicharons), a little soya bean sprouts and salad, and a full-bodied pork juice background. Here, we eat when it's hot. The modest bowl comes smoking, we brew well and we swallowed. Beautiful thick rice noodles, rectangular, white but slightly translucent, great texture."

"Do not be greedy, it seems small but it is the perfect portion. 25,000VND, that is 1 €," she noted.

Chả cá (Grilled fish cake)

Cha Ca (source: vnexpress)

Another cuisine of Vietnam which Ly falls in love with is Cha Ca.

"A gift of Hanoian cuisines world: Cha Ca! Fish, dills, green onion leaves, plenty of freshness from veggies, go together with fine rice vermicelli and fermented shrimp paste. That's what I love in Asia, the optimal freshness," she reviewed.

Ly also compared Hanoian Cha Ca with the fondue of France, distinguishing the dish by commenting that the Cha Ca allows the diners to enjoy it more flexibly according to their taste.

(fondue: a hot dish prepared by keeping a container of either hot oil or meltedcheese over a flame at the table and putting pieces of meat in the oil to be cooked or pieces of bread into the cheese).

Nem lụi (Lemongrass skewer)

Nem lui (photo: bachuaviahe)

Containing a world of greenary and freshness, Nem lụi easily finds a way to Ly's favorite dishes list.

"Roll it in a very sexy-thin-fresh rice paper, with cucumber, salad, juicy star fruit, pickled carrot and green guava, fresh herbs, specially one that smells like fish "rau dấp cá". It creates a nice contrast (because we Vietnamese, love our surf & turf from time to time," Ly wrote.

"Then deep it in nước lèo. It's a sauce made of pork liver, and originally some Vietnamese version of miso paste," she gave serving instruction to the diners.

Bánh cuốn

Banh cuon (source: afamily)

"It's my favorite dish. I've had it in the south, center and north of Vietnam. Here in Huế, it's another dimension. I've never tried it this way. First it's cold, the rice crepe is not so thin, and stuffed with a piece of roasted pork and fresh herbs. So it's chewy, as you just swallowed an inoffensive-looking crêpe when it's actually a disguised piece of meat. It's nice though, it's different. I prefer Hanoi's version : thin hot crepe steamed by the minute, stuffed with minced pork, black shrooms, and garlics," Ly wrote.

Hoi An Chicken rice (Cơm gà Hội An)

Chicken rice in Hoi An (source: Com ga Ba Buoi)

Ly tasted the special dish of Hoi An with her observant eyes of a professional: "the rice to cook the dishes is carefully selected, making sure it is fragant and must be the long grain," she wrote.

Ly also cited the opinions of some diners who related "Hoi An chicken rice" with the Singapore's Hainanese chicken rice "Some say it is similar to Singaporean chicken rice, but it is much aromatic with fresh herbs," Ly noted.

Bánh mì (Vietnamese baguette)

According to Ly, the 'soul' of the Vietnamese banh mi is not the bread but the filling, unlike what the French people often think of.

Yes, from her points of view, we can say that the concept for a standard version of Vietnamese banh mi, must be defined by a leading role played by the fillings, and the supporting role played by the bread.

"Don't try to recreate a banh mi with an amazing bread if the filling is bad. It's not the concept," she wrote.

The 2015 Master Chef of France also highlighted the exciting stuff which can be found inside a Vietnamese banh mi, such as: different kind of meats, sometimes a sunny side up egg (trứng ốp la), fresh herbs (coriander, mint, chives depends), pickled carrots, chili sauce, cucumber.

"It's stuffed and flavorful", she stated.

Ly also commented on the price of Banh mi: "It's cheap. Less than a dollar in Vietnam."

In her latest trip to Hanoi in May 2017, Ly showed her strong love for Vietnamese grilled-pork baguette (Bánh mì thịt xiên).

Recently, on her Instagram, Ly proudly shared a picture of her edition of Vietnamese banh mi, with the caption: “We’re obsessed with banh mì. Come and feel the Vietnamese vibes with us!”

Banh mi, recipe by Huynh Khanh Ly (source: The Hood Paris)

The young lady excitedly revealed what she stuffed inside her product, which seems to be inspired by the blend of both the East and West's culinary cultures: “Banh Mi Love. Duck & chicken, ginger soy sauce, pickles, mint and coriander with house made siraracha mayo (a mixture of Thai-style chili sauce)..and a plenty of Eurasian love."

The veggie Banh Mi by Ly (source: The Hood Paris)

Ly also creates a veggie version of her banh mi, which is made with coriandre egg frittata, pickles, herbs and housemade sriracha.

Both of the two versions of Banh Mi are now available in The Hood Paris (France), rubbing shoulders with the various signature cuisines created by the young talented chef./.

( Phi Yen )