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Around the World in 12 Dishes: Vietnam: Beef Pho and Banana Coconut Che

Have you entered the amazing giveaway for Hispanic Heritage Month yet?


This month we are exploring Vietnam with Around the World in 12 Dishes. Since I wrote the introduction post on the Around the World in 12 Dishes blog, I will not repeat myself here. However the past few days I have been thinking about what I really want Hazel to get out of these experiences. I review many multicultural books, participate in multicultural blog hops for the various heritage months and cook a dish from a different country each month. Hazel is five and a half. She is not ready for the capitals and history of the countries. She is not ready to hear about the governments and how they differ from ours. She barely understands what we tell her about ours. I want her to learn about other cultures now so it is ingrained in her throughout her life that people live in different ways, but that is all right. It is all right to be different and we are still all humans and should be treated with respect. Learning about another culture and how others live helps us understand one another and helps build that respect for others. This is why I focus so much on other cultures, countries, etc. This is why I try to find many books to share stories as well as some non-fiction ones to show her pictures of the countries. We may not travel much or far, but she will know something about the greater world out there from what we do at home. Now onto our Vietnam experience. Some of the books I found most helpful in sharing Vietnam with Hazel are the following.

I love reading her some of the legends and folktales as well as some books to give her an idea of what life is like there. For example we found out that many Vietnamese families in the cities buy their breakfast which is often soup like the one we made. They buy it since it takes so long to make and there is not enough time in the morning.

We decided to make Beef Pho and Banana Coconut Che. This was our Vietnamese dinner the other night. For the most part everyone liked both. We found the soup to be a bit bland and Hazel decided she liked fresh bananas better than the che.

Beef Pho or Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup adapted from A Kid's Guide to Asian American History


1 cup bean sprouts
1 bunch fresh basil leaves
3 scallions
8 ounces banh ho, rice sticks
1/2 inch slice peeled fresh ginger
1 pound eye round beef roast -- we used the beef already sliced for a stir fry
2 tablespoons oil
1 package of pho and 10 cups of water or 5 cups of low-sodium beef broth and 5 cups of water -- we used 8 cups of beef broth and 2 cups of water
Optional: Vietnamese fish sauce (we did not use this since I couldn't find any)

1) Place the banh ho in a pot of water to soften for 10 minutes.
2) Rinse the bean sprouts in a colander and set aside in a bowl.
2) Rinse the basil leaves and set aside. I actually found it was better to chop them a bit.
3) Rinse and chop the scallion into small pieces and place in a bowl.
4) Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the noodles and cook for 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set a side.
5) Chop the ginger into very small pieces. 
6) Slice the beef into very thin slices (or cut smaller if using presliced like us--I waited until after we cooked it to slice it.)
7) Heat oil in a frying pan. Cook the ginger and beef in the oil for about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and place in bowl.
8) Heat beef broth and water to a boil in pot. (If using pho mix, stir it in after water boils.) 
9) Remove from heat and stir in bean sprouts, noodles and beef. I added the toppings of basil and scallions now as well instead of just topping bowls. I found the broth really needed some more flavor.
10) Enjoy!

Hazel loved cooking the ginger and meat!! She also asked to add the basil.

For dessert we had banana coconut che. Foods of Vietnam by Barbara Sheen describes che as somewhat thinner than soft ice cream and a thick liquid that can almost be sipped through a straw. It is sold in shops, markets and street vendors and can come in many different flavors.

Banana Coconut Che adapted from Foods of Vietnam
3 tablespoons tapioca pearls -- we used powder since we already had it
3 cups of water
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup coconut milk
pinch of salt
1 lb. bananas cut into thin, round slices (this was about 2 large bananas)

1) Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add the tapioca and stir well. I used a whisk since we were using the powder. The tapioca will stick together. Cook until it thickens, about 10 minutes.
2) Mix the coconut milk, sugar and salt together in a separate bowl. This is also when we sliced the bananas.
3) Stir the coconut milk mixture into the tapioca mixture. Cook until the sugar dissolves. Add the banana slices and cook 3 minutes.
4) Let che cool to room temperature. Serve in individual bowls or glasses and top with crushed ice. We did not top it with ice.

Steve had several helpings and really liked it. Hazel only thought it was ok. That is our Vietnamese experience so far. Around the World in 12 Dishes is hosted by these lovely blogs:
Adventures In Mommydom, Afterschool for Smarty Pants, All Done Monkey, Crafty Moms Share, Glittering Muffins, Kid World Citizen, Mermaids' Makings, The Mommy Talks and The Usual Mayhem

I hope you will take the time to check them all out and check out everyone's great explorations of Vietnam. If you have a Saudi dish or craft or lesson, please share it here as well!! The Vietnamese placemat and passport pages are coming soon for help with extra learning about the country.
For more posts about Vietnam check out:
Lunar New Year and The Golden Slipper: A Vietnamese Cinderella.

Hispanic Heritage Month Blog Hop--Learning about Juan Quezada a Mexican Potter

Today starts this year's Hispanic Heritage Month. The theme this year is Celebrating Hispanic Heritage with Kids. To do this, I turned to books from the library. Anyone who reads Crafty Moms Share regularly knows I love to read books about other cultures and countries to Hazel. We both love to learn about them.  The first book we are sharing this month is The Pot That Juan Built by Nancy Andrews-Goebel. This is the story of Juan Quezada and his pottery.

Exploring Cherries and Japan

Today I am going to share our exploration of cherries and the end of our exploration of Japan. At Hazel's request we have been exploring different fruit. She pulls out her magnifying glass and fruit journal and colored pencils for our exploration. We look at the outside of the fruit and record our observations and then I cut them open and we look at the inside and record our observations. Then of course we taste the fruit. We did this with the cherry.

Sharing Saturday 14-37

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Wow, what a week!! Thank you to everyone who shared last week with us!! There were some amazing ideas. And a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to check out the ideas that others shared!! There was no most clicked post, so we have two categories this week--Autumn and My Favorites.


Autumn Features

1) From There's Just One Mommy: Apple Stamping Craft

2) From Growing Book By Book: Alphabet Learning: Apple Stamping

3) From Rena Klingenberg Jewelry Making Journal: Autumn Jewelry Ideas & Inspiration

4) From From ABCs to ACTs: Dot By Color: Fall Do-A-Dot Printables

5) From Crafty Journal: Preserve Fall Leaves


A Few of My Favorites

1) From Best Toys for Toddlers: How To Make a No-Sew Plastic Bag Tutu

2) From Keitha's Chaos: Lunches Second Week of 3rd Grade

3) From 3 Boys and a Dog: Picture Books About the Ocean: Ocean Animals Study Unit

4) From Crystal and Co: Hand Print Art: E is for Eagle

5) From Enchanted Homeschooling Mom: Gross Motor: Measuring the Lines

6) From Say Not Sweet Anne: DIY Organization for Teens Room

7) From Dabblingmomma: Learning the 5 Senses

Thank you to everyone who shared last week!! I hope you will join us and share again!! If you are featured here, please feel free to grab a featured button to display proudly on your blog. 

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From Your Hostess:
This week we shared the details from our mermaid play date, a fun and simple paper cup owl craft, some easy hair ribbon and bow elastics to make, and a prayer for Patriot Day or 9/11. I had planned to share our cherry exploration and end our exploration of Japan, but I never got it written, so I will share this weekend. Monday starts the Hispanic Heritage Month and there will be a big blog hop and giveaway hosted by Multicultural Kid Blogs, so make sure you check back!!







Now for This Week's Party 


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Patriot Day


Today I am going to just say a prayer and a thank you. Thirteen years ago a tragedy rocked our world. I remember that morning so well and still get chills thinking about it. Although I was not there or even near there and no one I knew personally was injured, the day changed my life. It is a memory I do not share with Hazel. I am thankful I do not have to yet. She is too young to understand--we are all too young to understand. So today I say thank you to all the emergency workers who risked their lives that day and every day and to their families. So thank you to our police officers, fire fighters, EMTs and to all who did something to help another. The blessing in such a tragedy is to see how as a country we step in and help and care. In our society where everyone seems to only look out for themselves, a tragedy like this unites us and puts us back into a place where it is about others. With that I offer this prayer on this sad day.
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Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.


Dear God, Please help us move past the wars and fighting to find the peace we all want and You desire for us. Please be with all the families who lost someone during the horrific events eleven years ago. Provide them with your love and care and peace of knowing loved ones are with You now. Please watch over all the people who were injured that day--both physically and emotionally. Be with each one to help strengthen him/her. Please also, God, help the terrorists who caused these horrific events understand that this is not the way to get what they want. Please help them learn about your love and peace. Finally God, please watch over all the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and armed forces who risk their lives every day for the safety of our country. Please bless America and all of your children. Amen.