On 23/01/2015 2:21 AM, sf wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Jan 2015 23:46:35 +1100, Xeno >
> wrote:
>
>> On 22/01/2015 2:21 PM, sf wrote:
>>> On Thu, 22 Jan 2015 10:28:50 +1100, Xeno >
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 22/01/2015 7:52 AM, sf wrote:
>>>>>
>>
>> It's quite possible but with that name it's definitely Vietnamese. As I
>> said however, Thais do a lot of similar things. The variation will be in
>> the detail. I find Vietnamese food too heavy on a single herb, in
>> particular Vietnamese Mint. Thai food tends to be a blend of flavours
>> and it works much better than the Vietnamese style. The popularity of
>> Thai food over all others here attests to that.
>
> They don't overdo the mint here. If they did, hubby would never eat
> Vietnamese food because he hates mint. Instead, it comes separately
> on a plate along with fresh cilantro (coriander) and bean sprouts.
>>
>>> Maybe he thought it was, maybe I misremembered. I'll ask for
>> > clarification the next time I talk to him.
>>
>> Wouldn't be overly concerned. When we lived in Melbourne, my wife and
>> her friends would congregate at a Pho Noodle restaurant for lunch on a
>> on a Saturday or a Sunday. This one in fact;
>>
>> http://tinyurl.com/l7tcq7x
>
> My friend's son is teaching & researching at the university there. He
> took the job last year and moved his family to Australia. My friend
> visited them over the Christmas holidays. She says they have settled
> in well and seem to love Melbourne.
Melbourne is the most livable city in the world and that's not just me
saying that.
> She was especially impressed by
> how child oriented Melbourne is. Apparently a certain park sets up
> with food trucks, child oriented activities and puts on an early
> fireworks display just for the children on New Year's Eve, so they can
> get home and into bed at a decent hour without missing out on NYE
> festivities.
Wouldn't be the City of Whitehorse at Nunawading, would it? They do that
every year for the kids. We could see the fireworks from our back yard
as we were quite close to where the event was staged behind the
municipal offices. One house was about 700 metres as the crow flies, the
other about 400. Just needed to sit out the back and watch the show. If
you really wanted to be at the event, it was just a short walk.
>>
>> A lot of varieties of Pho Noodles. You should try some one day, if you
>> have a Pho restaurant nearby that is. The Pho Noodles are very similar
>> to Thai Noodles... my wife's friends seemed happy enough with them.
>
> No strictly Pho Noodle shops around that I know of. I'm sure there
> must be a couple somewhere, but I'm not a huge soup fan so I wouldn't
> go. If there was within walking distance - hubby would go for lunch
> but I'd go elsewhere. Thin broth isn't my thing and I hate slurping
> long noodles in a public (any) setting. It's messy and I don't like
> it.
You and I are in agreement on that score. My wife knows to cut noodles a
bit shorter for me before cooking... or break them up when dry as I do.
> What I do like is the broth. If your wife makes Pho or a Thai
> version of it, how does she make the broth so rich and meaty tasting?
> I can't make broth like that, even after simmering 24 hours.
It's what you can't see that she puts in it. Herbs and spices make all
the difference. The good thing about Thai cooking is that there seem to
be no hard and fast rules to the dishes. My wife looks in the larder to
see what she has on hand and if what she wants is not available she will
simply substitute another. You can see this process in action in the
sheer variety of different recipes for the same Thai dish.
>>
>>
>> I left the freeway rush hours behind me when I left Melbourne a few
>> years back.. You are welcome to it.
>
> Thanks, I'll take it. I was raised in the country, hated it, and
> absolutely LOVE city life.
I was raised in the country too and love city life. The trouble is, my
asthma and city life do not get on well together. Otherwise I would
still be living in, or at least near, Melbourne.
>>>
>>> He said he served his bo kho with rice noodles. I was thinking they
>>> were "glass noodles" - but I'm not sure now. I'll ask about that too.
>>
>> They might well have been. My wife uses all kinds of noodles in dishes
>> she makes. We used the glass noodles recently in a batch of spring
>> rolls. We made over 100 of the blasted things.. easier to buy them but
>> you don't get a choice as to what's in them. Speaking of spring rolls,
>> you should try some of these Vietnamese Spring Rolls if you get an
>> opportunity.
>> http://tinyurl.com/mxsz6tv
>
> Restaurants abound here and Asian are a dime a dozen. Along with god
> knows how many Chinese restaurants, (walking in one direction only)
> there is a Vietnamese restaurant and a block after that Thai. Like
> you, I prefer Thai food and am not as fond of Vietnamese although I do
> love bánh mě if they use real Vietnamese bread, the meat is grilled
> over fire and *no* pate for me.
Some of the "items" in Vietnamese recipes are a bit too way out in left
field for me. Have you tried the "chicken feet"? I am told they are
delicious. I haven't got beyond looking at those feet sitting in a bowl
and thinking of where they have been... My wife and her friends love
them.... Pass!
>>
>> The dipping sauce is an essential and enhances the flavour immensely. My
>> wife's friend ran a Thai Restaurant and Takeaway. She made absolutely
>> delightful Vietnamese Spring Rolls. Sadly she has now sold that business
>> and may not get into another food related business.
>>
>
> Okay, you have me interested! What does your wife use in her dipping
> sauce? I'm making pot stickers today and mine will have sesame oil as
> one ingredient.
Sesame oil is one ingredient she uses but it depends on what type of
spring rolls you make and what you have in them. She makes different
types of sauces depending on what she intends to use them for. Just do a
search on Google for "Thai spring roll dipping sauce" and you will get
plenty of different recipes that are easy to make. You will also get the
idea rather quickly that there is no one standard recipe nor are their
standard ingredients.
>
>>> In any case, he wasn't happy with the noodles and thought it would
>>> have been better with rice. That's why I asked how you do it at home.
>>>
>>>
>> I must admit, I prefer that style of "stew" with rice. You might need to
>> make it somewhat less watery so that, when adding it to the rice on the
>> plate at the table, it doesn't drown everything. Nothing worse than
>> drowned rice. I speak from experience! ;-)
>
> Thanks. Drowned rice is fine, but only when done intentionally...
> like the simple Asian style chicken & rice soup with ginger and green
> onion. 
>
Hmmm, not a fan of drowned rice. My wife has (drowned) rice for
breakfast occasionally. Tried it once... you're welcome to it. Also,
rice for breakfast just doesn't gel with me anyway.
--
Xeno.