Caramelized pork spare ribs recipe

A very simple dish with familiar ingredients can be delicious meal for your family.

Ingredients:
500g pork spare ribs (1.1lb)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced shallot (or white part of spring onion)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp seasoning powder (eg. Knorr - this is optional)
1 tbsp sugar
chopped spring onion or cilantro to garnish

How to make

Chop the ribs into 1.5-inch (4cm) pieces. Soak the ribs in slightly salted water for 15 minutes (or boil for 2-3 mins) to reduce bad smell. Rinse well and drain. 

Marinate with 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp minced spring onion (white part only), 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp seasoning powder. Mix well and set aside for 15 minutes.

Heat a medium sauce pan on medium heat, add in 1 tbsp cooking oil, and 1 tbsp sugar. Wait until the sugar melts and turns into caramel color. Then add the marinated ribs and stir-fry until the color outside changes. 

Add 1/2 cup water (use coconut water for better result) and bring to boil. Cover the lid and cook on medium low for 25 minutes. Then open the lid and continue to simmer for another 25 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Transfer to serving plate and garnish with black pepper, chopped spring onion or cilantro. Serve with hot steamed rice.

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DAI BI PAGODA IN KY LAN MOUNTAIN

 Dai Bi pagoda is located in the southern of Thanh Hoa city, at the foot of Ky Lan mountain. Its another name is Mat pagoda.

Landscape here captivates many tourists visiting here. In 1619, Prince Le Duy Ky became the king, having the title of Le Than Tong. He was the only king of Le Trung Hung dynasty who was choosen to be the king two times (the first time was from 1619 to 1643, the second time was from 1649 to 1662) and reigned the country in 38 years. On occasion of visiting Thanh Hoa, he was attracted by imposing beauty of Ky Lan mountain. Therefore, he ordered to build a pagoda next to the mountain and named it Dai Bi pagoda. The pagoda has a sanctum with three rooms,  being about 200 meters from Kenh Vi. The yard of the pagoda has many stone artifacts such as elephant, horse, and stone stele. According to Vietnamese history, in 1927 March 24th, despite the prohibition of the French colonialists, 200 students in Thanh Hoa came to Dai Bi pagoda to commemorate Phan Boi Chau. In 1945 August 19th, the Vietnamese flag flied on Ky Lan mountain as a signal of a new era of national independence and freedom. Currently, the area of Dai Bi pagoda – Ky Lan mountain has been ranked as the provincial historical monuments by Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thanh Hoa.

Gao Giong Eco-Tourism

Gao Giong Eco-tourim is situated in Hamlet 6, Gao Giong Commune, Cao Lanh District in Dong Thap Province, about 20km from the centre of Cao Lanh city. With a beautiful and charming landscape, Gao Giong Eco-tourim is considered the miniature of Dong Thap Muoi in the western region in South Vietnam.

From Cao Lanh, tourists follow a beautiful stretch of road on Highway 30 to arrive in Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area – the lung of the area of Dong Thap Muoi. The green oasis-like area is divided into four areas with over 70km of canals and 20km of self-contained dikes. The mangrove forest in Gao Giong covers 1,700ha, including 250ha of primitive forest that creates a wild beauty.

Part of Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area seen from above. Photo: Le Minh 

Tourists visit Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area by a sampan. Photo: Le Minh
An observatory in Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area. Photo: Le Minh 
Tourists take beautifull photos from the observatory. Photo: Le Minh 
Tourists discover the cajeput forest using a sampan. Photo: Le Minh 
Peaceful scenery in the cajeput forest. Photo: Le Minh 
The entrance gate of Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area. Photo: Le Minh
Thatched houses in  Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area.
The locals earn their living by catching fish in the eco-tourism area. Photo: Le Minh

Standing on the observatory in the middle of the eco-tourism area, tourists have a birds’-eye-view of an immense area with the distinctive landscape of Dong Thap Muoi that was lively reflected in the famous Vietnamese film, called “Canh Dong Hoang” (Wild Field) by late People’s Artist Hong Sen. The film script was written by writer Nguyen Quang Sang.

On small sampans rowed by gentle women on criss-crossing canals through thick mangrove forests, tourists arrive in a 40ha bird sanctuary, one of the “must-see” destinations in the eco-tourism area.

Visiting the bird sanctuary in the early morning or late afternoon, tourists will be amazed at the animated and noisy scene of thousands of birds hovering above a corner of the forest. The bird sanctuary has now over 200 species of birds, including many listed on the Vietnam and the World Red Books, such as O tac (Otididae), Nhan diem and Giang sen (Mycteria leucocephala) . The area is also the habitat of dozens of water birds, such as Trich mong do, Lesser, whistling ducks, wild ducks, and tens of thousands of white egrets so the area is considered the largest habitat of white egrets in Dong Thap Muoi.

The area is also famous for a plentiful resource of aquatic products, including snakeheads, anabas and That lat(Notopteridae) and especially Rohu from the shallow lake in western Cambodia. Gao Giong is most beautiful in flood season with an immense area covered with the yellow of Dien dien (Sesbania sesban) flower, the red of water-lilies, the violet of Giant Crape-myrtle, the pink of lotus and the green of mangrove forest. All form a romantic colourful natural painting hardly seen anywhere else.

Grilled snakehead, a specailty of Dong Thap Muoi. Photo: File 
Steamed snails with a speacial taste. Photo: Le Minh 
A delicious dish in the area. Photo: File

Visiting the area, tourists will have a chance to learn about the daily life of people in the watery area and enjoy delicious dishes, such as grilled snakehead, sour soup of Dien dien flowers and steamed snails with a special taste.
Established in March 2003, Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area is now a favourite destination of both domestic and foreign tourists to the western region of South Vietnam.

Tamarind crab: specialty of Hai Phong City

Hai Phong is a port and industrial city in northern Vietnam and is a coastal city in northern coastal areas. It is famous for the red flamboyant trees. If you have a chance to visit Hai Phong, you should not miss its specialty: Tamarind Crab.

The main factor makes this dish successful is the freshest crabs. Tamarind crab has amazingly simple and quick recipe. This dish is served as fried crab with sweet-sour tamarind sauce, basil, garlic, and chili. It is easy to do but you ought to remember that the sour of tamarind is quite hard to control ! Are you ready?

Ingredients:
Fresh crabs

Spices: salt, and sugar, cooking oil

Basil, garlic, spinach

Tamarind, chilli, lemon

Steps:
- Put alive crabs onto the fountain, drain and use the old toothbrush to clean them carefully.

- Remove and discard the abdominal flaps, cut the back-fin in half, crack the claws cleverly. Gather crab-roe on a small bowl, add salt, and sugar, then pour lemon juice to reduce the smell of crab.

- Mix the tamarinds with hot water, use a teaspoon to grind them, then filter again to get pure tamarind sauce. Add sugar to balance the sour of tamarind.

- Heat the cooking oil, put minced garlic, stir slightly till its colour turns into brown, add the crabs pieces and mixed crab’s liquid.

- Then put the tamarind sauce into the pan, leave it 4-5 minutes to coat over these crab pieces. After that, transfer them all to a large plate, decorate this dish with basil, spinach, red chili.

So you finally have a very delicious dish to enjoy with you friends and family on this weekend. I hope you will have a good time with your loved ones.

Foreign tourists still ripped off in Vietnam

Not long after a Thai tourist had been forced to pay VND10 million (around US$500) for a 6-kg fish at a fishing village in Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh, Tuoi Tre received waves of reports on similar scams in tourism hotspots all around the country.

Many foreign tourists visiting Vietnam have continued to be disturbed by local beggars, street vendors, and even worse -- ripped off by taxi drivers and restaurants. A local vendor inviting foreign tourists to buy goods at Thua Thien-Hue city-based Dong Ba market, Photo: Tuoi Tre Not long after a Thai tourist had been forced to pay VND10 million (around US$500) for a 6-kg fish at a fishing village in Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh, Tuoi Tre received waves of reports on similar scams in tourism hotspots all around the country. Huynh Cong Hieu, for instance, a tour guide working for the company Saigontourist, said a foreign visitorhad told him that he was ripped off by a taxi driver, who charged him VND900,000 ($43.2) for a route of less than 2 kilometers - from Ben Thanh Market to Saigon Port, last December. “The tourist had since been frightened by the taxi drivers, and had to ask me to hail a taxi for him, to avoid being overcharged again,” said Hieu. Cao Tri Dung, director of Da Nang-based Vitours travel agency, said one of his Japanese partners had been taken around downtown HCMC downtown for 45 minutes, while he only needed to travel from Ben Thanh Market to Suong Nguyet Anh Street, only 1km away. “The driver then charged him VND300,000 ($14), ten times higher than the real cost,” said Dung. Similarly, Hung, a freelance tour guide, said he once witnessed a foreign backpacker being forced to have his shoes polished by two shoeblacks in Hanoi. “Upon receiving the shoes which had been sparsely polished, the foreign man paid the two VND10,000,” recalled Hung. “However, the shoeblacks then became aggressive and repeatedly insulted him, forcing him pay them VND100,000.” For her part, Bui Viet Thuy Tien, director of Asian Trails travel agency, said many of her customers had complained that they were upset by the fact that they still had to pay for the food at high prices that would not be out of place at a European restaurant, though they were traveling in Vietnam. Some tourists said they had to buy the iced coconuts from the street vendors at $2 each, which is five times higher than the normal price. While tourists said such a rip-off is quite acceptable since they bought the fruits on the street, they said it indeed irritated them to be similarly overcharged in large restaurants. “Tourists have been introduced to Vietnamese foods that are delicious, nutritious, and cheap, but what they really experience in the country is totally the opposite,” said Tien. “Many tourists complained that they had to pay as much as $70 for a meal for two in a restaurant in HCMC,” said Duc Tuan, a freelance tour guide. Meanwhile, Le Dinh Tuan, CEO of Viet Excursions, said his tourism boat carrying foreign tourists on excursions in Ha Long Bay have repeatedly been disturbed by women carrying children stepping on board to beg for money. They would not get off the boats until they received some money, said Tuan, adding his companies have received a huge number of complaints about this. “We have reported the issue to the management board of Ha Long Bay, as well as the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Quang Ninh, but nothing has ever changed,” lamented Tuan. “Thus, we have decided to stop sending tourist boats to Ha Long as of this April.”

Intriguing lemongrass and chili chicken

Lemongrass chili chicken is a familiar dish in Vietnam cuisine with tender chicken meat pieces and the intriguing flavor of chili and lemongrass. This is a really great choice for your family's meals.

To make this delicious dish, you have to prepare following ingredients:

Ingredients:

500g chicken
2 tbsp minced lemongrass
2 tbsp minced garlic

3 tbsp fish sauce
1½ tbsp sugar
1-2 tsp diced red chili
½ tsp salt
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 tbsp vegetable oil
chili flakes or corriander to garnish

How to make?

Mixing  the followings for the marinade
1 tbsp minced lemongrass
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 tbsp fish sauce
1½ tbsp sugar
1-2 tsp diced red chili
½ tsp salt (if to be served with rice)-

-Add in chicken and mix well. Let marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.

-In a large pan on high heat, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp minced lemongrass and 1 tbsp minced garlic and fry until fragrant. Then add in the marinated chicken and stir well until the chicken is no longer pink.

- Cover the lid and cook under medium heat for 5-10 mins depending on chicken type and size. - Open the lid and stir for another 2-3 minutes.

- Add in onion wedges and stir for another 1-2 minutes until onion turns quite translucent.

- Transfer to a plate, garnish with more chili flakes or corriander.

- Served with hot steamed rice.(or with beer as drinking food).

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Summer holiday: Exploring the beauty of Co To

With convenient location and charming beauty, Co To Island is an attractive tourist destination for tourist during the summer holidays.

Co To is island district of Quang Ninh province, about 80km far from Ha Long. Co To is famous for many charming beaches, the stretch of white sand and the trees around the coastal.

With the fresh and cool air, Co To is an ideal destination for tourist to take a rest, relax, camp or have fun with your friends. In addition, you not only go swimming but also visit the forest, lighthouse, and Ho Chi Minh monument, the port or natural coral reefs…

It takes you about 2 hours to reach Co To Island by boats from the port of Cai Rong, Van Don, Quang Ninh. From Cai Rong, there are usually 2 turns to reach Co To. In particular, there is the ship of the army that is so big with fast speed on Monday morning.

If you come from Hanoi, you can take the bus from the bus station Ha Dong, My Dinh, Luong Yen to the Cai Rong town (Van Dong- Quang Ninh). Then you continue to travel by ship to Co To.

Taking a rest at Co To, you can enjoy fresh air of the beach and the charming beauty and immerse in romantic space of the party night at sea.

Do not miss the chance to enjoy here!

Here are some of nice pictures in Co To island!

In the morning on Co To island.

At sunset on Co To beach

Hồng Vàn beach

Romantic love road in Co To

romantic space of the party night at sea