Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich, with Ray

Our favorite local Vietnamese sandwich shop changed hands? You would think we'd be on top of these things but Ray knew and we didn't (although Ray is always in the know). We did know they renovated the space last year but that the bánh mì (sandwiches) stayed constant. Today everything has changed! And sadly not for the better. Prices took a sharp increase to $4, the bread is different and the ingredients are sweeter than before. Change is not always good.

Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich, 369 Broome Street btwn Elizabeth and Bowery

Vietnamese vegetable rice noodles

Rice noodles are noodles that are made from rice. These are excellent quality noodles that you will enjoy very much. Please browse some of the recipes below to learn how you can use these noodles to make delicious Thai food. The noodles should be soaked in warm (hot to the touch) water for about an hour or so depending on your preference.

Rice is nice but not only available as grains. It's also made into noodles that are ideal for quick meals. Rice and noodles are the staple starches in the Vietnamese diet, but they have also cultivated a taste for French bread over the years and combine it with beef, cooked Vietnamese style, to make delicious, if somewhat unorthodox sandwiches.

Rice noodles are good used in soups and salads, such as Vietnamese crab soup or pho bo, the famous cinnamon-flavored beef noodle soup, a soup with chicken and coconut milk. There are many types of rice noodle. They are made from rice flour batter, which may be cut into sheets, wide noodles or very thin noodles that are sometimes called rice sticks or vermicelli.

Fresh Rice noodles are ready-cooked and need only to be swished through hot or boiling water to loosen them up, then drained before combining with other ingredients. Wide, ribbon-like fresh rice noodles make the traditional Malaysian dish char kway teow.

Fresh rice noodles will not keep for very long. If not using on the day of purchase, refrigerate. This will make them go hard, but they revert to a soft state when heated. Please purchase online www.indomunch.com in NewYork city.

Vietnam food for Pork Roll or Bi Cuon

4 ounces pork skin
1 lb pork loin (sliced)
1 cup water
1 cup coconut juice
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
20 pieces dried rice paper
1 medium head butter lettuce
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh mint leaves
salt
pepper

Ingredients for Fish Sauce Dip or Nuoc Mam Cham
1/4 cup coconut juice or water
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 red chilli (seeded & chopped fine)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce

TIP: For the dipping sauce, you can add in shredded radish and carrot pickles.

How to make the Fish Sauce Dip: In a pot, bring the coconut juice or water to a gentle boil

Add in vinegar and sugar then allow to cool

Combine the mixture with garlic, chili and lime juice


Stir in the fish sauce then set aside

How to make Pork Roll: Roll the pork skin into a tight bundle then tie with a cook string

In a saucepan, bring some water to a boil

Add in the pork skin and simmer till well cooked (8 to 10 mins) then drain
Cool it then sliced very thinly

Using a saucepan, place the pork loin and coconut juice over low to medium heat

Simmer till it is half cooked

Using a wok, heat oil over medium heat then add garlic

Cook garlic till lightly brown then add in pork loin, saute till well done

Remove from heat, cool down then proceed to shred into thin pieces

In a medium bowl, combine the pork skin, pork, salt and pepper

Rub rice paper with a moist towel paper till paper becomes flexible and soft

Place a bit of the lettuce, basil, mint and pork mixture on the paper

Roll up firmly, cut into halves and place on a serving platter

Repeat till all mixture is used up

Serve with Fish Sauce Dip

Cuisine of Vietnam

Vietnamese cuisine (cuisine translates to ẩm thực in Vietnamese: ẩm: drink and thực: eat) is known for its common use of fish sauce, rice, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables. Vietnamese recipes use many vegetables, herbs and spices, including lemon grass, lime, and kaffir lime leaves.

Throughout all regions the emphasis is always on serving fresh vegetables and/or fresh herbs as side dishes along with dipping sauce. The Vietnamese also have a number of Buddhist vegetarian dishes. The most common meats used in Vietnamese cuisine are pork, beef, chicken, prawns, cockles and various kinds of seafood. Duck and goat are used less widely.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia