Why 'XO, Kitty' has the best relationship in the 'To All the Boys...' franchise
Kitty Song-Covey (Anna Cathcart) might have just usurped Lara-Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter (Noah Centineo)
2023-05-20 17:00
'Not all heroes wear capes': Internet hails baseball umpire Aiden Wiles who pulled child from terrifying dust storm
A young baseball umpire bravely rescued a child from a dust devil storm during a 7 and under Mother's Day baseball tournament
2023-05-16 17:31
Fake AI porn leads to real harassment in US high schools
When Ellis, a 14-year-old from Texas, woke up one October morning with several missed calls and texts, they were all about the same thing: nude images...
2023-11-22 09:36
When Elon sparred with Christine: 3 takeaways from their on-stage interview
Elon Musk sat down in April for an on-stage interview with Christine Yaccarino, the advertising executive he named as Twitter's new chief executive on Friday
1970-01-01 08:00
Jim Harbaugh's attorney kinda, sorta denies sign-stealing allegations for him
Michigan is in hot water again under Jim Harbaugh, this time for allegedly stealing signs. Here is what Harbaugh's attorney had to say about these allegations.
2023-10-20 21:13
New Modern Warfare 2 Ads Feature Steve Aoki & Pete Davidson
Call of Duty seems to be continuing its history of celebrity appearances with both Steve Aoki and Pete Davidson featuring in new advertisements.
1970-01-01 08:00
The dish that defines me: Alex Outhwaite’s Vietnamese bun cha
Defining Dishes is a new IndyEats column that explores the significance of food at key moments in our lives. From recipes that have been passed down for generations, to flavours that hold a special place in our hearts, food shapes every part of our lives in ways we might not have ever imagined. I got my first job in Hanoi as an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher and taught a kindergarten class at the weekends. The school had a mix of Vietnamese and other EFL teachers, so I was able to make a lot of really great friends who were very keen to educate all of us foreigners on the best local food. On my first day at the school, they took me to a bun cha stall nearby that was really, really popular and it was always full. They served it with strips of pork belly, which is uncommon. Quite often, you’d have to wait a little while to get a seat, but it was always worth it. Once, I saw a bride and groom dining there in their wedding outfits! My favourite thing about bun cha is the smell of smoky meat coming off the open-air grill. It would fill the air around you while you sat and waited for your food to arrive. That delicious smell is what I miss the most when I try to make it for myself in the UK but it’s really hard to recreate indoors. The way my Vietnamese friends taught me to eat it was to pour the nuoc cham – a sauce made from fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and water – all over the dish and mix it all up, but I know other people just dip the meat in it. I’m sure there’s no one correct or incorrect way to do it, but the sauce is so delicious, why wouldn’t you want to soak the whole thing in it? I spent one year in Hanoi and moved back to my parent’s house in York, where I grew up, in 2011. By this time, I’d done a few embarrassing TV adverts and little acting jobs in Hanoi, and I went on to do quite a lot of presenting work on little local channels and corporate videos. Then I came across a Sainsbury’s magazine, I think, that was running a competition by the British Herb Association, which I’d never heard of before. They were looking for people to cook a recipe using British-grown herbs. I decided to try making a bun cha at home by adapting a recipe by New Zealand-born US chef Bobby Chin. I’m sure I butchered it and Anglicised it (all those terrible things) because I’d never made it before. But I did use some fresh British herbs, coriander and mint that my parents grew in their garden, which was quite sweet. I filmed myself making it and submitted it for the competition, and in the end, I was invited to take part in the final. I’d really like to highlight that I am not a chef. I like my food and I enjoy cooking, but I’ve never pretended to be a chef. Anyway, I went to London and participated in the cook-off against two other ladies and was judged by Masterchef’s John Torode. Of course I’d seen him on TV quite a lot – he was fairly intimidating, to be honest. He was very friendly off-camera, but he plays a part when they’re rolling. I remember he came up to me and said: “Oh, you obviously much prefer cooking in your own home than in a professional kitchen.” I said: “Well, yes, I’m not a professional.” He was very complimentary about my dish, although he did highlight that there was a lack of smokiness in the meat, which was a very fair point. But I won the competition somehow and that’s how it linked me to getting my first proper TV presenting gig. I saw an advert for a TV channel in Mumbai that was searching for a presenter who could also cook, so I sent off my details and a video of me making bun cha in the competition. A couple of days later, they got in touch with me and seemed quite pleased by my enthusiasm. I was flown out to Delhi just two weeks later. It seemed too good to be true, but I started presenting on a show called Quest, which was initially only broadcast in Mumbai on Travelxp. It’s now an international channel that broadcasts in about 30 countries. The show had me visiting chefs and families around India and learning about “forgotten dishes” that people were rediscovering and cooking. It was an incredible opportunity and I feel very fortunate to be able to do what I do. Maybe I should be thanking Sainsbury’s magazine. But it’s bun cha and Hanoi that I have the most love for. When I make it now, I have this image in my mind of the place that I would go with my teacher friends and I’m doing my very best to emulate that flavour. I’m sure if I went back now and tried the authentic version again, I’d think: “God, I’m just butchering it.” But you know, I’m doing my best. Alex Outhwaite is a travel TV presenter. She has hosted several travel shows, including ‘The Wanderer’ on Prime Video. Read More It’s easier to make baklava at home than you might think Get set for Wimbledon with top pastry chef’s strawberry recipes Pinch of Nom: Healthy eating doesn’t have to cost the earth
2023-07-17 13:30
Biden Debt-Bill Signing Set to Unleash Tsunami of US Debt Sales
President Joe Biden’s signature of legislation suspending the federal debt ceiling has given the Treasury Department the green
2023-06-05 05:00
US inflation is believed to have slowed sharply in June in a further sign of easing price pressures
U.S. inflation is expected to post its lowest level in more than two years in a report being released Wednesday — a slowdown that, if sustained, could lead the Federal Reserve to halt its interest rate hikes later this year
2023-07-12 12:01
Chelsea reject second Man Utd bid for Mason Mount
Chelsea have rejected a second offer worth £50m from Manchester United for Mason Mount. A new bid is expected shortly.
2023-06-21 21:05
Air Canada sued by Miami-based Brink's in relation to $17 million gold and cash heist
Air Canada has been sued by Miami-based transport and security services provider Brink's, which alleged the airline of
2023-10-12 05:39
European Gas Holds Gains as Australia LNG Strikes Escalate
European natural gas prices held gains as escalating strikes in Australia add to concerns about supply disruptions from
2023-09-14 14:38
You Might Like...
Musk Says Twitter to Purge Inactive Accounts and Followers May Drop
Dollar on back foot after weak ISM; Aussie awaits RBA
Curator of Africa-themed Venice Biennale denounces Italy's denial of visas to 3 Ghanaians
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe 'really saddened' by Sycamore Gap tree felling
US House Speaker Johnson unveils a two-step stopgap bill - media
Fortnite Mobile Gets Age Restrictions, Removes V-Bucks Purchasing
Internet hails Angelina Jolie as she calls for an 'immediate' ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war
When Does Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile Launch in the US?
