Today’s A Journey
through Aesthetic Realms
will be presented in
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
with subtitles in Arabic,
Chinese, English,
French, German,
Hungarian, Indonesian,
Japanese, Korean,
Persian, Portuguese,
Russian, Thai
and Spanish.
Sesban flowers bloomed
bright yellow.
An unexpected noon shower
soddened my blouse.
You visited the rice field
by the sesban shrubs,
and caught a glimpse
of my silhouette.
I didn’t see you were
stealing a glance at me.
How you loved
my sweet singing!
Floating clouds
transported my voice.
Sesban flowers
lavishly blossomed.
I waited until
the end of the season, still
not a tender word spoken.
Pitter-pattering rain
cleanses our feet.
Mangrove trees are
barren of leaves.
At the riverbank,
constant calls for the ferry!
I miss you
since we’re far apart.
It’s been so long; why
you haven’t come to visit?
Sesban flowers now
wither and fall.
You said you loved me
even in my patched blouse.
Scent of
the sesban flowers lingers
like my faithful heart
ever waiting for my beloved.
Sesban flowers now
wither and fall.
Why should I sing when
you’re no longer
listening?
The stream sweeps away
my words.
Scent of
the sesban flowers lingers
The sky sprinkles raindrops;
slippery is
the homecoming road.
Pitter-pattering rain
cleanses our feet.
Mangrove trees are
barren of leaves.
At the riverbank,
constant calls for the ferry!
I miss you
since we’re far apart.
It’s been so long; why
you haven’t come to visit?
Sesban flower season
has passed.
You never once returned.
Sesban flower season
has passed.
I walk alone
with my shadow.
Sesban flower season
has passed.
You never once returned.
Sesban flower season
has passed.
I walk alone
with my shadow.
We’ve just enjoyed
the song “Season
of Sesban Flowers”
by composer Bắc Sơn,
with vocals
by Phương Dung.
This song tells the story
of a faithful lover
in a countryside
that is closely connected
to the sesban,
a small, pretty yellow flower
unique to
the southwestern region
of Âu Lạc.
The sesban flowers
often bloom vibrantly
during every season
of rising tides, adorning
the simple lifestyle
of people there.
Âu Lạc,
a beautiful country
situated in Southeast Asia,
with sub-tropical climate,
is graced by Mother Nature
with green plants
and sweet fruits,
all redolent and
delectable throughout
the four seasons.
Depending on
the weather conditions
and culinary preferences
of each region,
the local people
have skillfully created
many savory dishes.
In our program
about Aulacese
traditional cuisine,
we are pleased to introduce the
specialty foods of a land
known for its freshness
and abundance.
Indeed, at a public lecture
in the United States
in March 1991,
Supreme Master Ching Hai
especially praised
the rich natural resources
of Âu Lạc.
“Âu Lạc is among
the most enriched nations
in this world:
there are mines of gold,
silver, uranium, lead,
zinc, and tin.
Âu Lạc has everything.
There are morals, piety,
harmony, and
four thousands years
of civilization.
It is one of the most
ancient countries
in the world.
Our land has always had
abundant foods and fruits.
I remember when
I was a student there,
there was a great
variety of fruits
when I went to Bình Dương
and Long Thành.
And rice!
Aulacese indigenous rice,
called Tám Thơm,
is the most famous
in Southeast Asia
and in the world.
There are also other
products, dried or fresh,
that are most popular
in the world.”
We are deeply grateful to
Supreme Master Ching Hai
for her
treasured words
and boundless grace
for the nation and people
of peace-loving Âu Lạc.
Today, let us visit
the mild-weathered
southwestern Âu Lạc.
Here, one has the chance
to enjoy a very unique
and savory food of
southern Aulacese people.
That is
the Savory Fermented
Soybean Noodle Soup,
a dish among common folks
that is rich in nutrition
and a favorite
of the residents in
the Mekong River Delta.
We now invite you
to find out how to make
this Savory Fermented
Soybean Noodle Soup.
To prepare enough
for six people, we need
about ½ kilogram
dry rice noodles,
20 grams
shiitake mushrooms,
100 grams
straw mushrooms,
100 grams pineapple,
2 pieces of white tofu,
100 grams aubergines,
100 grams carrots,
and 100 grams okras.
In addition, we need
some garlic, chili,
finely chopped lemongrass,
6 tablespoons cooking oil,
and 200 grams mashed
preserved beancurd.
For spices,
we’ll need about
3 tablespoons vegetable
seasoning powder,
100 grams brown sugar,
and ½ tablespoon
unrefined salt.
Now we’ll boil
the rice noodles.
Let’s turn on the stove
and pour some water
into a pot.
Wait about 20 minutes
for the water to boil,
then put the dry noodles in.
Close the lid, and
cook for about 5 minutes.
Then take the noodles out
and drain them.
We’ll start to cook
the soup stock
for the fermented
soybean noodle soup.
Prepare about
1 ½ liters of hot water
to cook a variety of roots
such as carrots,
daikon radish, loofah,
and jicama.
Put all these ingredients
into the pot and boil
for about 30 minutes.
While waiting for
the soup stock to cook,
let’s go to the garden
to gather
some fresh vegetables
to enjoy with our savory
fermented soybean
noodle soup today.
This is water spinach.
We’ll gather some.
Hi, Uncle!
Hi, dear! This is a banana flower
from my garden;
it’s a gift for you.
Thank you, Uncle.
This is a banana flower.
We’ll use it to make
shredded banana flower
salad.
This is water lily.
Hi, Auntie!
Hi, dear.
This water lily is for you.
Thank you, Auntie.
Nymphea, like lotus,
grows in ponds,
canals, or swamps.
Nymphea is also called
water lily; it produces
nourishing gas,
filters waterways,
and helps
aquatic life flourish.
The water lily’s stem
is crisp, its flower emits
a soft scent;
these parts of
the water lily are very
popular ingredients
in many Aulacese dishes.
For the savory fermented
soybean noodle soup,
besides water lily,
we can also use
the sesban flower.
This yellow flower grows
in southern Âu Lạc
and was featured in the
opening song “Season
of Sesban Flowers”
on today’s program.
These are mint leaves
and other fresh herbs.
We’ll use some of each.
30 minutes have passed.
Our soup stock
must be ready by now.
Let’s return to our soup.
We’ll take these roots out.
When cooking soup stock
for the savory fermented
soybean noodle soup,
if you don’t have roots
like carrots, daikon radish
and jicama,
you can substitute with
other roots or vegetables.
Now we’ll
pour this soup stock
into a separate container.
Next,
put a pan on the stove
and add about
2 tablespoons cooking oil.
When the cooking oil
is hot, we’ll stir-fry
a little garlic for flavor.
Add pineapples,
straw mushrooms
and shiitake mushrooms.
We’ll stir-fry evenly
until the ingredients
absorb the oil.
When mushrooms shrink,
put them in a bowl.
Next, put 2 tablespoons
cooking oil in the pan
to stir-fry aubergines.
When the cooking oil
is heated, we also
put in a little garlic.
When the garlic
turns golden,
put aubergines in.
Stir-fry until
they absorb oil evenly
and give off an aroma,
then set them on a plate.
Finally, pour in
the remaining cooking oil;
stir-fry the garlic
until aromatic.
When the garlic
turns golden,
add lemongrass,
chili and mashed
preserved beancurd.
Stir the mixture well
until it has a nice aroma.
Next,
pour the soup stock in.
Now, put all the ingredients
and seasonings in.
Stir them evenly.
Close the lid.
Cook for about 15 minutes.
The ingredients
are cooked now.
Put the okras in,
and cook for
a few more minutes
until the okras
are just about done,
then turn off the stove.
Our noodle soup
is now ready.
Hi Sister.
You just came, Sister?
I picked some fruits
from the garden
for you here.
How delicious!
Thank you, dear.
What are you cooking,
Sister?
It smells so good
even from far away.
I just finished making
the fermented soybean
noodle soup.
What’s the main ingredient
for this noodle soup,
Sister?
The main ingredient
for the savory fermented
soybean noodle soup
is fermented soybean.
But I used
the white preserved
beancurd instead.
Because preserved
beancurd has a rich taste,
many people like it better.
Besides,
this preserved beancurd,
you can easily find
in Asian supermarkets.
What kind of
fresh vegetables can we
use with this noodle soup?
Savory fermented
soybean noodle soup can
be eaten with vegetables
such as water lily,
water mimosa,
sliced water morning glory,
shredded banana flower,
and fresh herbs.
You seem to like this
noodle soup very much,
don’t you?
Oh, yes.
I like this noodle soup
because it has a rich taste
with all flavors:
sour, hot, salty, and sweet.
Besides, my noodle soup
also has the rich taste
and aroma
of preserved beancurd.
This dish
is very easy to make,
and the ingredients
are easy to find.
Also, we use lots of
fresh vegetables
and roots to cook,
so it’s very nutritious.
Help me set the table
so everyone can enjoy,
before it gets cold.
You can do like this.
First, we place the fresh
vegetables and herbs
at the bottom of the bowl,
a few of each.
Then we place
the rice noodle on top,
and pour the soup over it.
And here’s our savory
fermented soybean soup,
delicious and nutritious.
Aromatic, delicious,
with accessible and
inexpensive ingredients,
and easy to make:
for years
the savory fermented
soybean noodle soup
has been relished and
popular, from the cities
to the rural waterways
of southern Âu Lạc,
a region well-known
for their year-round
abundance of fresh
vegetables and fruits.
This in turn makes it
very conducive for those
choosing the gentle,
compassionate vegan diet
– a diet that’s good
for our precious health,
helps us develop
our noble love, and
especially contributes
to minimizing effects
of climate change
on our beloved Earth.
Thank you for watching
our program featuring
a traditional dish from
southwestern Âu Lạc
called Savory Fermented
Soybean Noodle Soup.
Please tune in
to Supreme Master
Television
for more on
Aulacese specialty food
and traditional cuisine
in future broadcasts.
Coming up is
Vegetarianism:
The Noble Way of Living,
after Noteworthy News.
With warmest regards,
we say farewell for now.