Viet World Kitchen

Asian Culinary Forum: Putting Asian Food Center Stage

We can name various kinds of pastas and breads but what about varieties of rice and tea? I surely don't have all the answers, and for years have been looking for ways to gather people to share information and learn from one another. That’s precisely the aim of a new project that I’m involved in, the Asian Culinary Forum (ACF).

It's been a dream of mine and a number of fellow Bay Area food professionals to put on an annual Asian food conference. What? There isn't one? No, there unfortunately isn't. To our knowledge, when ACF debuts this year at the Ferry Building in San Francisco, it'll be the first of its kind.

A non-profit, volunteer-based organization, the Asian Culinary Forum builds public education programs to foster better awareness, deeper understanding, and greater appreciation of Asian cuisines. Asian food is popular these days and there just aren't enough opportunities for learning and discussion. Indeed, Asian food should take center stage more often.

We're launching in July and then our big event is scheduled for October. Brief details include:

Chef Panel Discussion, “Are You What You Cook?,” Monday, July 21, 2008, 6:00–8:30 pm, Ferry Building, 2nd Floor, San Francisco

• Features San Francisco celebrity chefs and authors, including Charles Phan (Slanted Door), Eric Gower (Breakaway Cook) and more discussing cooking and creativity.
  Registration just opened and seating is limited so reserve a space.
  

1st ACF Weekend Celebration and Symposium, “Asian Food Beyond Borders,” Friday, October 10 to Sunday, October 12

• We’re extremely excited about this weekend-long event, as it will be an amazing showcase of Asian food culture. Choose from cooking classes, special tours, discussions with world renowned chefs, authors, researchers, and much much more. The list of participants include celebrated author Madhur Jaffrey and Martin Yan, the chef, TV show host, and author.
• For details check out the ACF website and sign up for our mailing list to receive updates on registration and other upcoming events.
• Save those dates!

As you know, Asia is huge and its cuisines deserve more attention. If you can, join us at Asian Culinary Forum events. If you can't, please pass the word along to others who may be interested.

Fish Sauce Taste Off

When I was in Singapore last month, food expert Christopher Tan (foodfella.com) and I had a long conversation about different kinds of fish sauces. I'd tasted it in a number of dishes in Singapore and was surprised to see it so present in the food. Yes, the beloved Viet condiment is used in many cuisines, and it's just not in that of Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.  I mentioned that Knorr has been buying and bottling tons of nuoc mam fish sauce from Phu Quoc island off the coast of Vietnam -- where the best fish sauce is made. (Okay, I'm biased!) Chris, who has a well-tuned palate and amazing passion for food, said he was preparing for a fish sauce tasting in Singapore and would get some.

In preparation for the event, Chris asked me to decipher this fish sauce label from a Knorr bottle. The label basically touts it's purity and well-balanced flavors -- a lot like a fine wine. It also says to users that it's just for dipping sauces and table uses. It's too good to be cooked with. The price is rather low -- 12,000 Vietnamese Dong (75 cents), which is probably for one of the small tableside-sized bottles. Click on the thumbnail image to view a larger one.

So how did the Vietnamese fish sauce stand up the others? Chris just sent these remarks and  results:

China - Swee Huat Yu Lu from Shantou
Very salty, otherwise unremarkable. A bland fish sauce more suited to cooking or adjusting the seasoning of a sauce/gravy with, or for light dips.

The Philippines - Florence Patis
Salty flavour, though aroma has slight sweetness. Very simple taste. Very short aftertaste has a slight flatness from sodium benzoate.

Thailand - Tiparos nam pla
Both sweet and salty in the initial taste - it contains added sugar - but overall much better balanced than the above two sauces, with stronger and more rounded anchovy notes.

Vietnam - Thanh Ha Chanh Hieu Phu Quoc nuoc mam, 40 Dam
Easily the most complex of all the sauces we tasted. Beautiful colour. The salt hits you first, but then the fish flavours come forward. Rich and smooth feel in the mouth.

Vietnam - Knorr Nuoc Mam Cham
A lot of people liked this. Like a sweeter version of the Thanh Ha, and to me even oilier on the lips. Long aftertaste. Would be peerless as a dipping sauce base.

Myanmar - Fish Sauce (label's all in Burmese, but there's a prawn-shaped logo on it, so maybe prawn brand?)
Very interesting - earthy, mushroomy notes in its aroma, and a murky cola colour, but the taste, though salty, was quite mild, with some of the funky, leaf-mould nuances that you taste in some Burmese dishes. Would work well in braised dishes containing mushrooms, or in claypot rice, I'd wager.

Korea - Sandlance Fish Aekjeot (label is totally in Korean, so don't know the brand name)
Meant primarily for making kimchi, apparently. This had good colour and was very smooth, but it smelt sulphurous, like pungent salted-egg yolks, and hence was almost universally face-wrinkling.

I've done personal tastings myself but not for a crowd. Sounds like fun! If any of you are tasting new kinds of fish sauce, let us know!

Eek! The Year of the Rat is near!

It's coming on February 7 -- The Year of the Rat.  Though we tend to think of the rodents in disparaging ways, they're highly valued for their courage and enterprising ways.  They're known to be clever, bright, sociable and family-oriented.  (Rats reproduce with abandon and perceived to be rather lusty creatures!) Their interested are diverse and they are very nimble, able to adapt and react to changing conditions.

(In Vietnam, the cuter mouse is the animal associated with this astrological sign. However, since most Asians celebrating the Lunar New Year go with the Chinese preference, I'm using the rat. The animals are close relatives.)

Those attributes will either warm the cockles of your heart or conjure up images of the Brookdale Institute in Killer Rats, a 2003 movie (see the trailer). Just kidding...

Actually, some of the dear people in my life are rats, and this is THEIR year. They should feel extra special having accomplished another full cycle of life. Famous rats you may know include: Alyssa Milano, Cameron Diaz, Charlotte Bronte, Daryl Hannah, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lauren Bacall, Margaret Mitchell, Margot Kidder, Mata Hari, Olivia Newton-John,  and Stevie Nicks.

In general, rats were born in: 1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008.  Remember because the Lunar calendar shifts around, people with January or February birthdays may be on the cusp.

Rats are in a generally unspoken part of the Vietnamese culinary repertoire. They are eaten in Vietnam, as they are  in other parts of of Southeast Asia and India. They are a protein source. In fact, at BackwoodsBound.com, you'll find typical American recipes for squirrel and the raccoon.

In 2004 when the Bird Flu was scaring people from eating chicken, rats were fetching quite a pretty penny in Cambodia. People of my parents generation recall eating rat. Apparently, the country rats were tastier than city ones.

Enough about rat as food. I'm somewhat superstitious so I always look around for some forecast of the coming year. Here's a little fortune telling that's not so weird and hokey:

Your fortune in the Year of the Rat (Asiaone.com)

Hopefully, the economy and presidential elections won't be so grim!

Half-hatched Duck Eggs: Hot Vit Lon

Vietnamese people partake in many foods that may be considered reviling to those who are unfamiliar with them. One of such foods is hot vit lon -- fertilized duck eggs that are partway incubated. I call them half-hatched duck eggs. They are a delicacy in Vietnam, as well as a nutritious food that my mother says is a great restorative for women who've just delivered.

Contrary to current beliefs, hot vit lon (pronounced "hoht veet lone") are not traditional aphrodisiacs in Vietnam. They're a food for noshing (often with liquor, if you're a man) and perhaps, for weak and recovering women. Many Filipinos are crazy for hot vit lon, which they call balut (pronounced "bahloot"). The eggs are a super popular Filipino street food, and there are Filipino aficionados who claimed that the eggs are a sex stimulant.

I have not had one since I was a kid in Vietnam but started thinking about hot bit lon when prompted by Quan, who emailed asking how the eggs are cooked and eaten. I remember eating them with my siblings, tapping on the egg shell with a spoon and then breaking the membrane underneath to sip at the flavorful liquid, which was broth like. Then we ate the solid stuff, which basically was the embryo. I don't recall beak, bones or feathers, but they can be in there, depending on the age of the egg. We didn't eat the hard white albumen. It was a kind of weird dare and that was it. It wasn't as positive of a food memory for me as my first bowl of pho.

When we got to the States, my mother said that it was hard to find a reliable source so we never had hot vit lon here. We gave it up, and I didn't miss them since there were lots of other great things to eat and obsess about. To digress, Mom loves to tell the story of a Vietnamese American hot vit lon vendor who was making a delivery during the hot summer and his van broke down on the road. He was stuck waiting in the heat for a while. The eggs started hatching and soon, his had a load of ducklings instead of eggs to sell!

Seriously, for those who are curious, here's the lowdown on the eggs:

What are half-hatched eggs?
Half-hatched eggs are basically fertilized duck eggs (a.k.a. fetal duck eggs) that are 16 to 20 days in age. The older it is, the larger the chick and the more pronounced its feathers, bones, and beak. An embryo at 17 days has beak and feathers which are more developed at 20 days. Normally, after being fertilized, a chick hatches after 26 to 28 days of incubation. The taste depends on the breed of duck. Hot vit lon from Muscovy ducks (a leading breed in the U.S.) are considered among the best. You can half-hatch chicken eggs too but duck eggs are larger and more prized.

Who eats them?
Not just Vietnamese and Filipinos, but also Cambodians, Laotians, and Chinese. They're not as popular with  Thais, Malays and Indonesians, but those folks also consume them. Filipinos are the main connoisseurs of half-hatched duck eggs. For an in depth discussion, see this article on the significance of balut in Filipino culture.

Why eat them?
Look, I'm Vietnamese food lover but haven't had one in decades. But there are those who are extremely fond of them. Hot vit lon is full of nutrition (each has about 190 calories and offers 14 grams of protein and tons of B-carotene, calcium and other good stuff) so in circumstances where protein is in limited supply, it's quite a godsend. Eggs in many parts of the world are eaten more than poultry or fowl. A chicken or duck is better as an egg layer than roasted meat on your table. Beyond the nutritional aspects, there's the fun food factor, the memory of home, the nostalgia for foods of the past, the nosh to accompany beer or cognac.

The concept is one that's hard to swallow, but there are people out there for whom a half-hatched egg is the bomb. They may think it's weird that some people eat moldy, stinky cheese like Roquefort. I'm not saying to run out and eat one, but do understand that it's a well-liked food.

Where to buy the eggs:
They're mostly sold at Viet markets but how do you know their age? I'd buy them from the professionals to ensure freshness. For example, go to a farmer's market where there's a big Asian clientele. In Northern California, I've seen hot vit lon sold at the Friday Oakland market and the Saturday Alemany (San Francisco) and Stockton markets.  Look for an egg vendor, who may have signs in Tagalog, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

In Little Saigon enclaves, there may be a hot vit lon store, such as Hot Vit Lon Long An at 8942 Bolsa Avenue in Westminster, California.

For a party, you can even mail order them from Metzer Farm duck and goose hatchery in Gonzales, California!

How to cook half-hatched eggs:
The ones sold in the U.S. at markets are usually uncooked. Treat it like a humongous chicken egg and gently boil it for 20 to 30 minutes. It's enjoyed warmed, not cold.

How to eat the eggs:
Vietnamese people like to eat hot vit lon like you would a soft-boiled egg. Tap the broad end with a spoon, remove some of the shell. Break the membrane and sip the liquid. Then use the spoon to scoop up the solids. Add salt and pepper. Vietnamese people like to eat hot vit lon with rau ram (Polygonum odoratum, Vietnamese coriander), a fresh herb that tastes cilantro but finishes with a bit of heat. The  rau ram herb is suppose to offer heat to contrast with the cold of the egg, a yin-yang kind of thing. Others say that rau ram aids in digesting hot vit lon.

I've not posted photos because frankly, I don't eat them. For graphic details, see:

• YouTube video of Anthony Bourdain eating hot vit lon in Vietnam.
• 2003 blog posting from the Wily Filipino is full of juicy, tantalizing detailed instructions on how to eat the eggs. 
• Wandering Chopsticks has photos and description of eating hot vit lon as part of her his outing at a Little Saigon food court in Westminster, CA.

Our Holiday Menus

The holidays are full of fun, frolic, and potentially fright if you’re dealing with stressful travel or social situations. Whatever that happens in the next two weeks, there’s plenty of good food to be had. I’d like to know how you’re celebrating Christmas and New Year -- what you’re eating and drinking, specifically. It doesn’t have to be pure, 100% Vietnamese food.

In fact, that’s never how my family has celebrated Christmas. We’re Catholic so we go to mass on Christmas Eve and then come home, take off our nicey church clothes, and eat for a few hours. In Vietnam, we attended midnight mass and went home for Reveillon, the French term for a holiday dinner. We’d open our gifts when the clock struck twelve that evening. Once we arrived in the U.S., we got lazy and went to mass earlier, but never gave up the gift opening time. We actually moved it up!

As a kid, my friends thought that I cheated by not waiting until morning to rip into the wrapped gifts. They also didn’t understand why we made dozens of yule log cakes (buche de Noel cake) to gift to friends, family and neighbors. On Christmas Eve, we had roast goose or turkey with stuffing featuring  sticky rice and chestnut. It was and continues to be a delectable mash-up of wonderful food.

For many years I made Christmas Eve dinner for my parents but next Monday, my mother and I are doing it together. I’m also going to enlist my nieces and nephews, who are old enough to handle knives well. Mom is roasting Cornish game hens stuffed with the aforementioned dressing with a little cognac in there for good measure. (As always, my sister Tasha will seek out the crusty bits of rice for herself.) My mother will also make a creamy corn and shiitake mushroom soup, our modern take on the Chinese canned cream corn soup.

As for me, I’m in charge of the deep-fried cha gio imperial rolls. We’re in Dungeness crab season where I live so fresh crab meat will be mixed into the shrimp-pork-jicama-and-cellophane noodle filling. Lots of fresh lettuce and Vietnamese herbs and nuoc cham sort of make cha gio our salad course. We’ll also roast cauliflower because it's simple and something tasty that I picked up this year. My mother loves sweet potatoes so I’ll have to figure something out for them. We need a green vegetable so it’ll be green beans. For dessert? Assorted cookies and small pastries that I’ve baked and whatever that my mom has around that she wants to tantalize us with. Here's a recap of our menu:

Creamy Corn and Shiitake Mushroom Soup
Cha Gio Imperial Rolls with Lettuce, Fresh Herbs and Nuoc Cham
Roasted Cauliflower with Indian Spices
A Sweet Potato Something (perhaps with Ginger and Tangerine Peel)
Stir-fried Green Beans
Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Sticky Rice and Chestnut Stuffing

Fresh Fruit
Assorted Homemade Sweets

My father will have lots of wine flowing to make sure we sleep well on December 24.

What will you be feasting on?

Let us all know. It can be as simple as posting your menu as a comment below. Add a link to a photo, if you want to make our mouths water more! Or email me a photo of your holiday spread and I’ll post it here.

Mystery Lao Spice

Since we were so successful with identifying "bass leaves" as ivy gourd, we may be able to figure out what this spice is. Does anyone know?

Pat Tanumihardja of ediblewords.com came across it in Seattle, where a Lao farmer had used it in a sausage stuffing. Pat didn't taste it. It looks like Sichuan peppercorns but it's got a 3-point configuration like star anise (which has 8 points).

Also, what does it taste like and how can one use it?

Thanks!

Restaurant Raid in Chicago

We all know that fresh is best when shopping at Asian markets and patronizing Asian delis and restaurants. We poke, paw and sniff the wares to ensure that they've been recently made. If they're warm and soft, we know they're good. But health departments suspect that such practices aren't hygienic.

Last year, in California, the health and safety of leaving banh chung sticky rice cakes and banh trung thu moon cakes and banh tet (special sweets for the Mid-Autumn festival) out at room temp because the focal point of a legislative debate. The governor passed a law allowing such heritage foods to slide by.

RST, an avid Chowhounder, just alerted me to the fact that one of his favorite Vietnamese restaurants in Chicago was just  raided by the health department. Here's RST's blow-by-blow account:

I saw the most upsetting thing today!  Went to Dong Ky for a late lunch-this is the restaurant closest to my house and my go-to for a quick meal.  Food usually comes out freakily fast; today, I was engrossed in a book and didn't realize that almost 20 min had passed since I gave my order.  Looking up, I saw that several tables were also patiently waiting.  Waiters and the owners were calm but obviously stressed out over something.  Soon a lady in hairnet and a white lab coat and a ream of papers walked out and I realized that the place was being inspected.  The inspector was upset about something and was scolding one of the ladies who own the place.  Shortly afterwards, the inspector's supervisor (or that's what I assume he is) walked in to mediate the problem.  Apparently the inspector had confiscated all the rice cakes, all the buns, sweets etc sitting on the counter on account of their being sitting at room temp (!!!) and while she was inside inspecting the kitchen, the staff had quietly packed them off in plastic bags to be hidden in a neighboring store and this infuriated the inspector.  Those bags were promptly brought back as both sides quietly tried to resolve the problem.  Still, all those rice cakes, sweetmeats etc had to be destroyed, thrown into garbage bags right there and then to the horror of all the Vietnamese in the house.  These are cakes and buns that have millennially been served at room temp and sold just like this in markets all over Vietnam.  They are also displayed the same way in virtually all of the other shops all throughout Argyle Street!!!!  I don't know what perverted strain of zealousness (or cluelessness) made this inspector insist on poking her thermometer into every bun and insisting that they should either be refrigerated or kept in a warmer!!!  Among the goodies thrown out (before my eyes) were banana cakes, leavened rice cakes, stuff that could have sat out for days without harm.  Meatball stuffed buns were also all thrown out-if they do this here-they would also have to throw out all of Chiu Quon's buns for staying out (granted, inside bakery cases) at room temp.  Also thrown out were com ruou, fermented rice balls sitting in a pool of the sweet wine exuded in its making-how could the woman have known that the thing is fermented already and have no chance of going bad under normal circumstances. 

Curiously for all the chowhounding I do (i.e. the time I spend in restaurants), this is actually the first time I have actually seen an inspector in action.  If such a thing could happen here, I wonder how many times over this misdirected zealousness has been applied throughout the city at eateries of widely diff ethnicities!!!  It is this kind of blindered over-regulation (that we hear about, anecdotally, here and there, now and again, from small restaurateurs) that leads to the impoverishing of our food horizon!

In California, a Vietnamese-American state legislator took the opportunity to spearhead the public/legal debate.  Here are links to pertinent info on AB 2214:

• Asemblyman Van Tran: Press release on AB 2214
• Official info from the governor's office: AB 2214 Fact Sheet

Hope this information helps those of you in the Chicago/Illinois area. Good luck!

Moon Cake Madness

A full moon means different things for different people. In the West, there are some who link full moons to spikes in crime, suicide, mental illness, disasters, accidents, birthrates, fertility and werewolves. Vietnamese, like their Chinese brethren, look forward to next Tuesday's gigantic full moon -- the biggest and brightest of the year -- as a marker of Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the most important holidays of the year.

Instead of crime sprees, we go on shopping sprees. (Yes, we do love and know how to shop!) At Vietnamese and Chinese markets and bakeries, people are  on mad hunts for a number of holiday 'must haves,' one of which are moon cakes that are sold in boxed sets of four. At first look, the little beauties resemble ceramic objects. However, cut into one and you'll see that the very thin, embossed dough encases a filling that varies from smooth lotus seed to red bean paste, green tea, to my favorite -- a mixed nut, sweetmeat and meat filling. Regardless of filling, in the center there's a yellow-orange egg yolk (duck or chicken egg) that serves as a fitting reminder of the moon. You may think this gross, but combining the sweet and savory lends extra complexity to foods and is a marker of many Asian sweets.

Though the Mid-Autumn Festival (called Tet Trung Thu in Vietnamese) has been celebrated for a thousands of years in China, the practice of gifting and eating moon cakes during this holiday supposedly date back to the Yuan Dynasty (1280 AD - 1368 AD), when secret notes stuck into moon cakes were sent around to get the Han Chinese to rise up against the Mongols who controlled their country at that time.  (More on the legend . . . ) The Vietnamese fought off Mongolian invaders twice so it's no surprise that moon cakes are appreciated in Vietnam too. Of course, a millennium of Chinese domination impacted Vietnamese culture quite a bit.

Making Moon Cakes

Most people buy their moon cakes (called banh Trung Thu or banh nuong in Vietnamese) but yours truly learned to make them at home. Asian shoppers may be crazily selecting moon cakes but my over-achieving mother would go into a frenzy making her annual mega batch of 6 dozen (72!) cakes. My father was her collaborator and was skilled at cutting up the lime leaf into tiny hair-like strands.

I used to get moon cakes from Mom but she 'hung up her gloves' three years ago and handed her well-worn wooden molds over to me. Since then, making moon cakes has become one of my annual culinary rituals.  Every summer since then, I’ve looked at my calendar and checked online to see when Tet Trung Thu is. Then I work backwards to prepare the moon cakes. First and foremost is salting the eggs, which take a good month. From there on in, it’s a matter of getting organized, assembling and prepping the ingredients, and getting ready for the actual day of making moon cakes. It's a lengthy commitment but well worth the effort.

Whether or not you make your own or buy moon cakes at the store, appreciate the process it takes to produce these ancient treats. The most thrilling and scary part of making the cakes is whacking them in the wooden molds. It’s a precise order and there’s no pussy footing. The whacking is done with gentle confidence,  lest the cake pop out of the mold entirely. Catching the cake at the end is always satisfying. 

If you're wondering, no I don't make six dozen each time. A dozen is good enough for me.

Buying and Eating Moon Cakes

When a moon cake is good, it’s wonderfully chewy with a delicate filling that's aromatic and flavorful, a perfect compliment to hot, fragrant tea like jasmine. When a moon cake is bad, aack (!), it's heavy and leaden, and weighs you down after just a few morsels. I suppose it's like a poorly crafted American fruitcake that gets offered to guests who politely demure.

So avoid ones that look heavy, oily or worse, are leaking oil. Ask when they were made to ensure freshness. Also pay mid to high-level prices to get good ones.

Moon cakes are not meant to be chomped on. Each one is shared because it is considered a precious and special once-a-year treat.  People enjoy them as small cut wedges with hot tea. The idea is that you nibble, sip and admire the moon. One cake offers four generous servings or 6 to 8 moderate servings. Use a sharp knife and the scalloped edges as your cutting guide.

If tea isn't your thing, here's my tip: Enjoy moon cake with sips of Mei Kwei Lu Chiu -- rose-petal sorghum liquor. It's sold at Chinese markets.

Mid-Autumn Festival -- Sept. 25

One week from today, on Tuesday, September 25, remember the moon. For the upcoming holiday, called Tet Trung Thu in Vietnamese (Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival in English) the moon will be at its biggest and brightest this year.

That night, you may be inspired to croon like Dean Martin, “When the moon hits the sky like a big pizza pie, that’s amore.” For many Vietnamese people, that glorious moon won’t signal a cheesy pizza, but rather a moon cake – an ancient sweet of Chinese origin that goes back to the Yuan Dynasty (1280 AD-1368 AD). We savor tiny wedges of moon cake with fragrant tea as we gaze at the moon, thinking of family, friends, and the blessings we’ve had throughout the year. The roundness of the moon also embodies unity, harmony and family so this is a holiday of reflection.

The annual celebration occurs on the 15^th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar (usually in mid to late September every year). It began during the Xia and Shang Dynasties (2000 BCE-1066 BCE) in China as an agricultural harvest holiday. Vietam, heavily influenced by Chinese culture (they were there for a good 1,000 years), celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival too. Among all the Viet celebrations, Tet Trung Thu (pronounced “teht troong too”) is second to Tet Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year) in terms of importance.   

Children, Lanterns and Legends

As a harvest festival, the holiday typically occurs after the field work has been done and all that’s left to do is harvest the rice. It’s a moment of rest for hardworking farmers and peasants, who take  pause to lavish attention on their children. In the past, during the growing season, adults were intensely laboring in the fields and their children were left to fend for themselves. At this time of the year, the focus turns to the kids and parents spend their respite having fun with their families and friends.   

Echoing the glow of the moon, tons of lanterns are present during the holiday. Children traditionally parade and dance on the streets all the while carrying colorfully lit lanterns. I have fond memories of stretching over the balcony railing of our home in Saigon to watch the lanterns pass by. They were made of cellophane glued on bamboo frames. Lit inside with a candle, they often caught on fire and we’d stare and laugh in shock and amazement at their fleeting beauty. It was a frequent holiday hazard that permanently put the smell of burning cellophane in my olfactory database.

Hoi An, a quaint tourist town in central Vietnam puts out huge displays of silk lanterns during this holiday. They're conveniently lit by electricity, which makes me miss the adventure of the old ones. (Note that in Malaysia and Singapore, this holiday is called the Lantern Festival.)

There are also many legends that are dragged out and retold. The Chinese have the story of Chang Er, a woman who took the immortal pill and became so lightweight that she floated to the moon. My favorite is a Vietnamese story about a man named Chu Cuoi who discovered a magic banyan tree whose leaves possessed healing powers. He uprooted the tree and planted it in his yard. When he tried to harvest leaves from the tree, the tree uprooted itself. As the banyan lifted off the ground, Chu Cuoi grabbed onto the roots and went upward with the tree, eventually landing on the moon. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, people try to make out the shadow of Chu Cuoi and the magic banyan tree.

In a different telling of the story, Chu Cuoi sought to protect the sanctity of the healing tree by forbidding anyone from urinating at the foot of the tree. His wife, Chi Hang, forgot his rule and did her business at the tree. It uprooted and she hung on for dear life, only to end up on the moon as her punishment for desecrating the magic tree.

Legends are never neat and tidy. Nevertheless, it’s good to note that across cultures, we’re all looking for that man or woman in the moon. Next Tuesday is a perfect opportunity to do so.

Related links:

For more on the children's focus of this holiday, check out these Youtube videos:

• Lantern dance (From Vietnam, note the popular star lanterns)
• Chu Cuoi story (From Vietnam, kitschy set)
• Little Saigon TV coverage of 2006 Tet Trung Thu show for kids

Other info:

• Detailed retelling of Chu Cuoi children's story (non-urination version
• Mid-Autumn Festival history and background (lots of Chinese information)
• Lantern popularity for 2005 Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam

Pat's Asian Grandma Cookbook: Call for Recipes

My friend Pat Tanumihardja just signed a contract for a neat project -- The Asian Grandmothers Cook Book.  Based in Seattle, Washington, Pat has written for Saveur magazine and regularly contributes to the Asian Northwest Weekly. She's looking for good recipes to include and asked me to help with outreach.

If you're interested, here are the details from Pat herself:

The Asian Grandmothers Cook Book will be a compilation of recipes from all over Asia -- including India and SE Asia -- that have been passed down from generation to generation. I envision it as a way to preserve traditional recipes for future generations of Asian Americans. It will be published by Sasquatch Books (sasquatchbooks.com) and is scheduled for release spring 2009. I'm looking for recipes that fit into any of the following categories, whether you got them from a grandma, aunt or mom:

• Soups
• Appetizers/side dishes/snacks
• Main dishes
• One "wok" meals
• Healing/Comfort food
• Celebrations
• Serving Accompaniments
• Sweets and Drinks

I'd also love to hear the stories behind why these recipes are special and/or favorites and the grandmas, aunts and moms who passed down these recipes. Please contact me at pat@ediblewords.com if you have questions and/or would like to contribute some recipes!