They say in the ancient seaside town of Hoi Ann, that once you have visited, you always return. At the time we smiled at the thought.
Hoi An is gorgeous, nestled on Vietnam's central east coast, lapped by the warm waters of the South China Sea.
A tangle of picturesque houses, alleyways, restaurants and all manner of street vendors, it was easily everyone's favourite.
What but fate would have seen us returning a little over 12 months later and this time, lucky enough to be invited to lead a group of New Zealand foodies to this culinary paradise.
Quite honestly, Vietnam is a very sensory experience but what really drew us to it was the food.
And quite quickly you realise if you like to eat, you've come to the right place.
As a local informed us, Vietnamese love to eat and eat they do, at all times of the day and night, and seemingly they like to snack a fair bit in between as well.
Doubts about hygiene are quickly allayed as locals, it turns out, are obsessed about what they eat and are far more finicky than any tourist.
Granted some of the venues are basic but it's the freshness of everything that stands out.
How else could you be in a fish market, in 30degC heat and barely smell a thing or even see a fly.
It's mind-boggling; it's simple but it works, as it has done for hundreds of years.
In Vietnam you have to go with the flow.
If you manage that, then you're in for a real treat.
Incredible seafood, handmade noodles, fragrant bowls of pho, crispy rice milk pancakes, delicate pastries and perfectly ripe tropical fruit, cut up for you right on the beach.
The choice is easy. I know what I am going to be doing this August.
• Bevan and Monique Smith own Riverstone Kitchen, runner-up Best Regional Restaurant in the 2014 Cuisine Good Food Awards. He is also author of Riverstone Kitchen: recipes from a chef's garden and Riverstone Kitchen Simple. Situated on SH1 in North Otago, just south of the Waitaki bridge, they are open Thursday-Monday from 9am-5pm, and also from 6pm Thursday to Sunday, but closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Seared scallops with roast peanuts, chilli and lime
Serves 4 as a light starter
Ingredients
¼ tsp chilli flakes
¼ tsp salt
2 Tbsp caster sugar
zest and juice of 2 limes
1 Tbsp fish sauce
¼ cup roasted peanuts, crushed
16 nasturtium leaves, washed
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
16 large scallops
sea salt and pepper
calendula flower petals (optional)
Method
Place chilli flakes and salt into a mortar and grind together into a fine powder. Add sugar, lime and fish sauce, muddle together and set dressing to one side. Place nasturtium leaves on a large platter. Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a high heat until oil just begins to smoke. Lightly season scallops with a little salt and pepper and cook for 15 to 20 seconds on one side before quickly turning them over and cooking for a further 10 seconds. Remove scallops from pan and place one on top of each nasturtium leaf. Spoon some of the dressing over each scallop and top with a sprinkle of crushed peanuts. Scatter with calendula petals if using and serve immediately.
Crispy rice pancakes with pork and chicken
Serves 2
Ingredients
250g rice flour
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp white sugar
350ml rice milk
1 cup water
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ chicken breast, cut into small thin strips
½ cup pork, cut into small thin strips
3 spring onions, finely sliced
2 cups coriander leaves
1 cup mung bean shoots
1 cup mint leaves (optional)
2 long red chillies, chopped
Method
Whisk rice flour, turmeric, sugar, rice milk and water together and reserve. Heat a quarter of the oil in a frying pan over a medium to high heat. Once pan is hot, place a few strips of chicken and pork into the pan for a few seconds until meat is almost cooked. Add a quarter of the pancake mixture and cook pancake until it just starts to set. Turn pancake over with a spatula and cook for few seconds longer until golden brown. Remove pancake from pan and place on a serving plate. Repeat for remaining pancakes then serve immediately with herbs on the side and fresh chilli if using.
Fresh spring rolls with seared tuna
Serves 4
Ingredients
¼ cup sweet soy sauce
2cm piece fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
1 large clove garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp fish sauce
100g vermicelli rice noodles
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
200g piece of tuna
sea salt and pepper
16 22cm rice paper sheets
1 medium carrot, cut into fine matchsticks
½ a telegraph cucumber, cut into thin ribbons or long matchsticks
4 spring onions, cut into long, thin strips
2 long red chillies, seeds removed and cut into long, thin matchsticks
2 cups coriander, roughly picked
2 cups mint leaves
1 cup basil (optional)
1 cup Vietnamese mint (optional)
Method
Mix soy sauce, garlic, ginger and fish sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water for 8 minutes before draining and refreshing under cold running water. Drain and set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a high heat until just beginning to smoke. Lightly season tuna with a little salt and pepper and sear briefly on all sides, according to taste. Remove tuna from pan, allow to cool and slice into thin pieces.
Place a large bowl of hot water on a bench with sufficient space to assemble several spring rolls at a time. Dip 2 sheets of rice paper in the water and allow them to soak for 10 seconds before removing and placing on the bench. Snip some noodles off with a pair of scissors and place a small amount in the middle of each sheet, along with some tuna, veges and herbs. Spoon a little soy dressing over the filling. Fold the part of the rice paper sheet closest to you over the ingredients and just enough to almost cover. Fold in each side and roll up firmly. Place spring roll to the side on a damp tea towel and repeat until all spring rolls are made. Slice spring rolls in half and serve immediately.
Happy travels
To find out more about Bevan's Vietnam adventure, visit www.riverstonekitchen.co.nz
