Family Meal Plan: Vietnamese Glass Noodle Salad + Quick Rainbow Radish Pickles + Hibiscus Ginger Party Punch

Vietnamese Glass Noodle Salad with Quick Rainbow Radish Pickles

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills

• boil :

  to cook a food in liquid heated to the point of gas bubbles and steam forming (boiling point is 212 F at sea level).

• drain :

  to pour excess liquid from food into a container if reserving the liquid, or into the sink or trash if not saving it.

• marinate :

  to soak food in a seasoned liquid to add flavor and tenderize it before cooking.

• peel :

  to remove the skin or rind from something using your hands or a metal tool.

• pickle :

  to preserve or flavor a food by covering it with a salty and/or sweet liquid brine.

• prep :

  to prepare ingredients for a dish before cooking; for example, washing, thawing, cutting, grating, measuring, squeezing, straining, or marinating them.

• soak :

  to immerse a hard food for a certain amount of time in a liquid to soften it.

• squeeze :

  to firmly press or twist a food with fingers, hands, or a device to remove its liquid, like shredded potatoes, frozen and thawed spinach, or tofu.

• steep :

  to soak a food, like tea, in water or other liquid so as to bring out its flavor.

• strain :

  to separate liquids from solid foods or remove bigger food particles from smaller particles using a perforated or porous device like a strainer, sieve, colander, or cheesecloth.

• whisk :

  to beat or stir ingredients vigorously with a fork or whisk to mix, blend, or incorporate air.

History of Glass Noodles!

• Glass or cellophane noodles are transparent noodles made from starch, like canna (canna lily), mung bean, potato, sweet potato, or tapioca starch. They may be thin and round or wide and flat. 
• Glass noodles most likely originated in China over one thousand years ago and are present throughout Eastern and Southeast Asian cuisines. Asian cooks discovered a way to extract starch from beans and tubers to form the noodles.
• In China, glass noodles are often made from mung bean starch and are called Chinese vermicelli, bean threads, or bean thread noodles.
• Vietnamese glass noodles are called "miến" (mee-en). "Miến gà" (chicken noodles) is soup, and "bánh gối," which means "pillow cake," is a deep-fried dumpling filled with pork, mushrooms, and glass noodles. 
• The noodles are dried after they are produced and must be soaked to reconstitute them before cooking. They cook faster than other dried noodles. Soaking them in hot water is usually enough preparation.
• With the influence of Asian cuisine, Hawaiians use glass noodles in some of their dishes. They call the noodles "long rice" because they are pressed through a ricer to make them. Their "chicken long rice" is often served at Hawaiian feasts called "luaus" (loo-ows).
• Glass noodles are used in fillings for dumplings and spring rolls or in salads, soups, and stir-fries. They are mild and easily absorb the flavors surrounding them. The noodles are naturally gluten-free.

Let's Learn About Vietnam!

• The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is in Southeast Asia. Its government is a Unitary Marxist–Leninist one-party socialist republic. China is on Vietnam's northern border, Cambodia and Laos border it to the west, the Gulf of Thailand is southwest, and the South China Sea borders it on the south and east. The country is long, narrow, and shaped like an "S." At its most narrow point, it is only 30 miles wide.
• Vietnam's total area is 331,699, and the population in 2019 was over 96 million. Hanoi is the capital city, and Ho Chi Minh City is the largest. 
• The national language is Vietnamese, and French is spoken as a second language by many older, educated residents of former South Vietnam due to French colonial rule. Minority groups may speak different languages in various parts of the country. English is also frequently taught in schools.
• The Vietnamese language has six different tones. The meaning of a word will change with a change in tone. This makes their language somewhat challenging to learn.
• Vietnam has been under the rule of other countries throughout its history, first under China from 111 BCE until 939 CE, when an independent dynasty appeared. The French colonized Vietnam in 1887. Then, in 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared independence from France. However, France claimed power again during the First Indochina War, but Vietnam was victorious in 1954. The Vietnam War began soon after, and the country was divided into communist North Vietnam and anti-communist South Vietnam. After the war, which the North won in 1975, the country was reunified as a socialist state.
• Vietnam exports the most black pepper and cashews in the world and is the second-largest exporter of rice and coffee.
• There are several floating fishing villages in Halong Bay on the northeastern coast of Vietnam. Boats and houseboats are tied together, where people live, work, shop, and go to school, so inhabitants rarely have to put their feet on land.  
• Due to the narrow streets and expensive cars and taxes, Vietnam has about 50 million motorbikes on the roads every day. Some people have two motorbikes, one for work and one for pleasure. 
• Popular sports are football (soccer), table tennis (ping-pong), volleyball, badminton, and martial arts. 
• Vietnamese cuisine consists of five basic tastes (elements): bitter (fire), salty (water), sour (wood), spicy (metal), and sweet (earth). It is known for its fresh, healthy ingredients, and rice is a staple, as it is in many Asian countries. Spring rolls, "pho" ("fuh"), a dish with noodles, broth, herbs, and meat, and "banh mi," a sandwich on a baguette filled with meat, cucumber, cilantro, and pickled veggies, are three well-known Vietnamese dishes found in the United States.

What's It Like to Be a Kid in Vietnam?

• Family is very important in Vietnam, and children may live with their parents and grandparents, and maybe even aunts and uncles. 
• Since children make up almost a quarter of the population, schools are overcrowded, and the school day may be either a morning or afternoon shift six days a week. School uniforms are required. Primary school is required from ages six to eleven, and after exams, it is determined whether a student will go on to a secondary school or a vocational school. 
• Kids who live in rural parts of the country may need to help with crops or livestock, and you might see them leading or riding domesticated animals, like water buffalo. 
• Sports they participate in include soccer, badminton, tennis, karate, swimming, and cycling. In addition, kids may play group games like Cat and Mouse or Dragon and Snake or board games like "O an quan."
• Kids may eat similar things for breakfast and lunch, such as pho, spring rolls, or banh mi, although they may eat oatmeal or pastries for breakfast in the cities.