Today’s A Journey through Aesthetic Realms will be presented in Aulacese (Vietnamese), with subtitles in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, (Mongolian,) Persian, Portuguese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish and Thai.

O splendid village festival! Spring sunlight blossoms on rosy lips Blooming smiles and flowery dresses Her face glows, her lips shining Bright spring day mesmerizes hearts evermore Village festival stirs excitement everywhere She’s going to the village festival. The village communal house is bustling Joyful laughter evokes loving sentiments Amid a stream of beautiful people in colorful costumes a young maiden with sparkling onyx eyes as if looking for one among the young men at the festival

Fine-looking like the lovely bamboo grove waiting for her at the communal house’s gate Smile as enchanting as sunlight Spring sunlight blossoms on rosy lips Her singing is gentle, her figure graceful Each lyrical line a sweet sound of spring Life is as beautiful as the song she offers We meet to celebrate a flourishing nation. O splendid village festival! Spring sunlight blossoms on rosy lips Blooming smiles and flowery dresses Her face glows, her lips shining Bright spring day mesmerizes hearts evermore

Village festival stirs excitement everywhere She’s going to the village festival. The village communal house is bustling Joyful laughter evokes loving sentiments Amid a stream of beautiful people in colorful costumes a young maiden with sparkling onyx eyes as if looking for one among the young men at the festival Fine-looking like the lovely bamboo grove We meet to celebrate a flourishing nation. Fine-looking like the lovely bamboo grove We meet to celebrate a flourishing nation.

You’ve just enjoyed “Going to the Village Festival,” a folk tune from northern Âu Lạc, with vocals by Thu Hằng. This song describes the lively early springtime atmosphere and the excitement of attending the village festival, a traditional custom and charming aspect of northern Aulacese people.

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.

In a previous broadcast, we found out about the vegan thang noodle soup, a northern Aulacese specialty. Today, we’re pleased to introduce another type of noodle soup, also originating from northern Âu Lạc. Presently very popular throughout all regions of the country, this dish is the vegan riêu noodle soup, with a rich aroma and flavor from ingredients that are close to nature and simple living. Please enjoy.

Attention, everyone! This year the village festival has a cooking contest. Young ladies of the village, whoever prepares the best dish will be awarded ten stacks of highest quality flowery brocade. Attention, everyone!

Sister Mai, this year our village hosts a cooking contest. Are we going to participate?

Maybe not, sweetie. The entries are probably delicacies made from expensive ingredients. Please help me pick the tomatoes.

Yes, sister.

O Mai!

I think brother Tân is coming over.

Brother Tân?

Mai, I’m bringing over some straw mushroom for you.

Straw mushroom! Is that right?

The best kind. (Really?) Are you going to participate in this year’s festival contest?

Probably not, brother.

The vegan riêu noodle soup you prepared for my parents last week; they keep praising it!

Really?

Why don’t you give it a try? Let me know if you need any help.

All right, I’ll participate then.

Let me go help the village elders prepare the festival. I’ll see you there later.

Yes.

Hot soy milk, anyone?

O mister, I’d like to buy a jug.

Now, please go to Auntie Quân and buy for me a medium fiber melon, one white radish, one carrot, some water spinach, herbs and mint so I can prepare the vegan riêu noodle soup.

Oh! Vegan riêu noodle soup? Love it!

O sister Mai, I already bought the vegetables and washed them all!

Thank you, sweetie. Now, help me boil some water to warm up the noodles.

Yes. Please give me the lid. O sister Mai, the water is boiling!

We’ll warm the noodles. Now, add two liters of water into the pot. Then help me chop the fiber melon, carrot and white radish to cook the broth. We’ll use this broth to make the vegan riêu noodle soup.

How long does it take to cook this broth, sister?

We boil it for about half an hour, and it’s ready. While waiting for the broth, help me wash 18 straw mushrooms. (Yes.) And 6 tomatoes.

I’m done washing the mushrooms and tomatoes.

The straw mushrooms brother Tân gave us are very good!

Are they grown by brother Tân himself?

Yes. Straw mushrooms are not only delicious, but also very nutritious. The broth cooked from mushrooms is aromatic and has a sweet and cooling taste.

Is the broth almost ready, sister?

Yes, it’s ready.

The broth is done already.

Oh really? What to do with the mushrooms and tomatoes?

We can stir-fry to add to the soup stock. Please help me prepare salt, sugar, seasoning and annatto seed oil.

Yes.

Now we’ll pour in a little oil, a teaspoon of fried minced garlic, then the mushrooms and tomatoes.

Here are the salt, sugar, seasoning and annatto seed oil.

We’ll add salt, sugar, seasoning and a little annatto seed oil. Mix well and stir for a few minutes. Now, we’ve finished stir-frying mushrooms and tomatoes.

Now what do we do next, sister?

We’re going to make soybean curdle. Help get me 3 ripe tamarinds. I’ll cook them to extract the juice.

Yes. Here are the tamarinds.

You soak the tamarinds like this for them to mix with water, then remove the skin and seeds. Now, put the pot of water on the stove, and help me pour in about 1 liter of soy milk.

Oh, this is the soy milk you bought this morning!

That’s right. It’s the fresh, unsweetened soy milk.

The soy milk is boiling, sister.

Now, we’ll pour the tamarind juice in and add a teaspoon salt. The soy milk will form curdle.

Oh, the soy milk has formed curdle already, sister!

This soybean curdle is very nutritious and good for our digestion. Now, we’ll pour the vegetable broth, stir-fried mushrooms and tomatoes in with the soybean curdles, then bring everything to a boil. We've now finished the soup stock for vegan riêu noodle.

O Mai!

I’ve just cooked the vegan cinnamon ham. I know you and your sister like it, so I’ve brought you some.

Thank you, Auntie. I’m preparing the vegan riêu noodle soup. It’ll taste better with vegan cinnamon ham.

Oh! So you are making vegan riêu noodle soup for the festival contest this year? (Yes, Auntie.) All right, then go in to get ready for the festival on time, sweetie.

Yes, see you later, Auntie! Now, help me prepare the split water spinach, mint, green onion, lemon and chili pepper. (Yes.) I’ll cut the vegan cinnamon ham.

I’ve prepared everything to eat with the vegan riêu noodle soup. Sister, how come sometimes I don’t see you use vegan cinnamon ham for vegan riêu noodle soup?

It’s because today we cook for the village festival, so it has to be really special.

I see. What is vegan cinnamon ham made of?

Vegan cinnamon ham is like the regular vegan ham, but with cinnamon powder. A few slices of vegan cinnamon ham added to a bowl of vegan riêu noodle soup will make it more tasty.

Really?

So, we’ve finished making the vegan riêu noodle soup. Help me prepare it for the festival contest, all right? (Yes.) Put the straw mushrooms, tomatoes and soybean curdle on top of the noodle. Then pour the soup on. Place a few slices of vegan cinnamon ham on it. Add some green onion. The vegan riêu noodle soup is often served with split water spinach, mint, herbs, lime, and chili pepper.

Like this, sister?

Attention, everyone! Now is the cooking contest. Young ladies, please bring in your dishes. Attention, everyone!

At this year’s village festival cooking contest, the prize goes to the vegan riêu noodle soup from Miss Mai!

Like the simple and natural beauty of flowers in the wild, the vegan riêu noodle soup reflects the rural life, unpretentious and affectionate, in a countryside abounding with fresh fruits and green vegetables in all seasons. Simple to make and with easy-to-find ingredients, the flavorful vegan riêu noodle soup is well-loved and a wonderful choice for the compassionate vegetarian way of life.

Thank you for watching our program featuring a traditional dish from northern Âu Lạc called Vegan Riêu 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. So long for now.