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Over the years, the ways that food is grown and prepared has changed.  The way I eat today is different from the way my grandparent’s ate but there are still some similarities.   I will discuss two ways that show how our diets are similar and two ways how they are different.

            One way my current diet is similar to my grandparents’ is that we both eat at home with our families at the dinner table.  In my house, I sit down at the table with my mother, my father and with my two sisters.  My parents believe sitting at the table for dinner as a family is important because it helps to have better understanding and respect toward each other.  For example, at dinnertime my parents and my sisters and I shared laughter and exchanged stories about our events of the day.  According to my mother, at my grandparent’s house the family joined each other at the dinner table.  My grandparents keep up with the family tradition by having dinner with four of their daughters that still comes over from time to time.

            The second way my current diet is similar to my grandparents’ is that we used the same condiment sauce to put flavor on our food.  It is called “nuoc mam” (fish sauce).  I used the fish sauce to add flavor to the food to make it tasteless.  For example, I can use it in chicken, beef, pork and fish, etc.  Beside for cooking, it can also be used as a dipping sauce in a small bowl place on the table next to any of your meal throughout the day.  One day I decided to watched how my mother prep her steak, she used 1/2  teaspoon of nuoc mam (fish sauce) and a dash of black pepper and 6 slices of onion into the frying pan-it smell really good and taste great.  According to my older sister named Kim who was raised by my grandparents in Vietnam used the fish sauce in their food for flavoring and dipping also. 

            There is a dish called “Pho bo” (beef noodle soup).  My bowl of Pho is prepared differently from my grandparents.  Nowadays, I can go to the Asian Supermarket in my neighborhood to buy an instant Pho bo.  It comes in difference flavor ranging from chicken, seafood and veggies.  The instant Pho is pre-made in a plastic bowl that contains two small packages, one has mixed spices and the other is mince beef with bits of vegetables.  However, the fresh Pho does taste much better, but I don’t have the time and effect so the quick fix of instant Pho comes in handy.  The preparation is short: boil water, add hot water into the bowl of soup and covered for three to five minutes then add hoisin and hot sauce for more flavors.  My grandparents Pho on the other hand are made from scratched, the food product they used are all natural unlike mine.  For instance, their cows grazed on grass in the countryside, the vegetable are grown in their farm or the neighbors.  My grandparents Pho is done with a lot of patience and ingredients.

Here is the recipe of the home-made Pho:

Boil 10 cups water

1 yellow rock sugar

1 full tablespoon fish sauce

2 onions

½ Gingers

1 bunch of fresh chopped basil

1 Ladle of fish sauce

1 teaspoon of Star Anise  

8 bone marrows

Prep for the bowls:

1 pound fresh banh pho noodle

1 pound of beef (thinly sliced)

3 scallions cut into small rings

1 cups of cilantro

¼ ground peppercorn

Prepare the Pho broth:

Use the big pot of cold water to clean the bone marrows first to get rid of the filth, when it is done then the cooking begins. Add the large onions, ginger, star anise, the ladle of fish sauce in the pot.  Let the stove remained on high flame until it boiled then lower the flame to medium.  Let it cook for four hours and then serve to your guests or your family.

Optional of garnishes to put in your Pho:

2 handfuls of Bean sprouts

Sprigs of spearmint

1 bunch of cilantro

Sliced thinly red hot chilies

All of this is time consuming and love they put in their pot to make this wonderful delicious soup dish.

            I think the way of my grandparents eating habit has an impact in my life, however I can learn a lot from them by eating more natural food.