May 2021 GCBC: Vietnamese Recipes, Animals

Find the full list of Vietnam activities for kids right here!

Vietnamese Recipes for Kids

(Gỏi Cuốn) (Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls)

Fresh spring rolls are a delicious staple in Vietnamese food. It’s fun and easy to make your own, and kids will love to help assemble them!

1 head romaine lettuce
1 carrot, julienned
1 red bell pepper, de-seeded and julienned
1 large cucumber, julienned
1 bunch fresh mint
1 bunch fresh cilantro
4 oz vermicelli noodles, cooked according to package directions
10 rice paper spring roll wrappers

For crispy tofu:

8 oz extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and dried (put a heavy plate on it with a towel underneath)
3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
3 Tbsp cornstarch

For peanut dipping sauce:

1/3 cup peanut butter
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
1-2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 clove garlic
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Hot water, to thin

PREPARE VERMICELLI. Cook vermicelli according to package directions. Drain & set aside.
PREPARE TOFU. Thoroughly press and dry tofu. Heat 3 Tbsp sesame oil in large pan over medium
heat. Cut tofu into long and thin rectangles. Toss in cornstarch , then fry in hot pan. Flip evenly to
ensure all sides are evenly cooked, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
PREPARE PEANUT SAUCE. In a small pan, saute garlic in sesame oil until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add other ingredients and whisk to emulsify. Add hot water to thin until it is a thick but pourable
consistency. Remove from heat.
PREPARE VEGGIES. Cut all veggies and tear herbs off stems.
ASSEMBLE SPRING ROLLS. Pour very hot water into a shallow dish. Immerse one sheet of rice paper at a time to soften until pliable, about 10 seconds. Move sheet to a plate. Layer veggies, vermicelli, and tofu on the bottom 1/3rd of the sheet. Tuck in the sides, then roll up from the bottom, keeping the roll snug. Lay seam side down on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel until ready to eat. Serve with peanut dipping sauce.

Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich)

Banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich on crusty bread with delicious fillings inside. You can learn to make your own authentic version with simple ingredients from the grocery store right here!

Vietnamese Pho (Noodle Soup)

There’s not much that’s more comforting than a big bowl of pho, Vietnamese noodle soup. It’s simple to make at home – here’s an authentic pho recipe!

Animals in Vietnam

Sixteen percent of the world’s species of animals live in Vietnam – it is a very diverse country! The Vietnamese people are working to protect that incredible biodiversity in 30 national parks and 4 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

Red and Grey-Shanked Douc

These primates live in trees and communicate using touch, sounds, and a variety of facial expressions (including a “play face” that lets other Duocs know they want to have fun). Their name comes from the Vietnamese word “đuốc” which means torch. They live high in the treetops, normally in groups of 4-15.

By Bjørn Christian Tørrissen – Own work by uploader, http://bjornfree.com/galleries.html, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5837350

Phu Quoc Ridgeback

Only 700 purebred dogs of this variety exist in the world, but the ridge of hair must be genetically dominant since mutts across Vietnam share the name-defining trait. This dog is native to an island in Southern Vietnam, Phú Quốc, and has hair along its spine that goes the other direction from the rest of its hair.