Hanoi Food Market

I have been around a couple of food markets in Hanoi, but none were as extensive as the one we were taken to during my cooking course courtesy of Old Hanoi restaurant. There was definitely an ‘eclectic’ mix of spices, meats, vegetables and a few things in between…

Chicken plucked and ready to go. Vietnamese eat all parts of the bird, including the head and feet.

Vietnamese and Western bananas – slight size difference!

Pig trotters; a staple of any Vietnamese pregnant woman – apparently they help to produce good quality breast milk.

A bit of beef filleting going on – it is very common to see meat left out in the open air throughout the markets. I asked Anh, our chef, why it wasn’t refridgerated and she told me that every morning it was brought from locals who had dissected the meat earlier that morning, and therefore it didn’t need to be put on ice or refridgerated.

Huge beef loin!

Pig intestines.

Pig hearts and a few livers in the top left corner.

Caged birds, not sure what sort, but I got the impression it wasn't for pets.

A huge selection of different types of rice, beans and lentils.

Massive bucket of snails, not something I'll be dipping into!

Close up.

Selection of fresh fish Catfish – this is the same fish we used for our Steamed Catfish in Lotus Leaf and Tamarind Sauce recipe.

Not sure of name of these fish, however I thought it was a shame they did not have room to swim about, even if they weren’t going to be around much longer!

Chickens to be sold as pets for laying eggs.


So as you can see, the food of Hanoi reaches far and wide, and these were just a few selection shots from our tour. I noticed that duck eggs were as common as chicken eggs, and also bird eggs (quite small) were available easily. If only I had a kitchen and a Vietnamese translator!

Thai Condiments

Soy sauce or Tomato Ketchup?!

While soy sauce in Asia is abundant in their cooking, it is generally not served as a condiment on the table, and I’ve even been told that it is the Thai version of our tomato ketchup – i.e. it should not be put on everything, regardless of whether you agree or disagree! However, I always believe that everyone has different tastes, and I can never get enough of the stuff, so if you’re asking my opinion, go right ahead…. Other condiments that regularly appear on the table include:

• Salt
• Chilli flakes
• Mixed pickled chilli
• Lime wedges (brought out with dish, whether soup, noodles or rice)
• Nam Prik

Nam Prik is a great addition to all types of soups, but I have also seen locals put it over rice and noodle dishes. It has for me now become a bit of a rough estimation that I recall from memory, but I’m sure you can Google for the right amount of ingredients if so desired! Recipe's do vary but this is my favourite.

Don't be put off by the quantities of garlic and chilli – whenever I serve it to a Nam Prik virgin, they’re always a bit skeptical about adding it to their soup, but it really does make all the difference.

Nam Prik

Serves 4:

4-5 garlic cloves

1-2 small red chillies (1 tspn chilli flakes will do if you do not have fresh to hand)

4 tbspn fish sauce

3 tbspn Chinese cooking wine (available from bigger supermarkets and Asian food stores)

1 lime - juiced

Peel and chop the garlic sideways into round slices, and the same with the chilli (it is fine to leave the seeds inside). Put all the ingredients together into a small bowl. Add around a tablespoon to your soup – but start small, and add more as you go if necessary.

You can also keep Nam Prik for a week or two in the fridge.