Donal Skehan explores the markets of Vietnam

While travelling through Vietnam recently, making Food Network series Follow Donal, the 28-year-old Irish cook and presenter felt a strong sense of connection with his family, many of whom are fellow foodies (his parents own a fruit and veg distribution company and he credits his grandmother for his love of cooking).

         Scroll down for recipies

Then there are his blog followers – of course, for them, Skehan’s only ever a few clicks away.

In fact, it was starting a blog, back in 2007, that launched his career.

It rapidly took off, with book deals and presenting work soon following.

“I’m always connected in some way, because essentially, my career is based on a hobby I was passionate about,” explains Skehan, who also co-presented Junior MasterChef with John Torode in 2012.

“It’s a weird sort of crossover between your hobby and your work life. When I eat a nice meal, I will take a picture of it – it’s hard to find the line between whether that’s work, or something you just love doing.”

While the self-confessed “home bird” does miss his three-year-old dogMax and family when he’s away (though his parents send him regular photo updates on his pooch), he loves nothing more than exploring new countries.

“My first stop, whenever I land in a new place, is to try to get to a food market,” says the cook, who was once in a boy band called Streetwize, one of the acts vying to represent Ireland in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest.

“I always think it’s the best way of soaking up the atmosphere of a new culture.”

Making FollowDonal gave him plenty of opportunity to do just that.

“The series is all about travelling in Vietnam and learning about new cultures and food,” he explains. “The aim was to bring people watching along on the trip, and give an authentic insight into a new country and culture.”

Exploring for Skehan also means not being “precious or nervous” about trying new foods.

“In one market, they had these big platters of pig’s feet and livers and all sorts of things which look off-putting,” he recalls. “They slice up the meat very thinly, poach it in a wonderful bone broth then serve it with noodles, a really hot and fiery chilli sauce and lots of herbs.

It is possibly one of the best things I had out there. It was gorgeous.”

Fancy following Donal yourself?

Here are three recipes from the series to try at home...

• Follow Donal continues on the Food Network.

BANH MI SANDWICHES WITH PORK, PICKLED VEGETABLES AND HERBS (Serves 6)

                       (Photo from PA Photo/Food Network)

Ingredients

For the pork:

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2.5cm piece root ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1/2tsp white peppercorns
• 2 large handfuls of fresh coriander leaves and stalks
• 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
• 2tbsp fish sauce (preferably Vietnamese)
• 1tbsp honey 500g pork fillet, well trimmed and cut on the diagonal into long, thin slices
• Groundnut oil, for brushing (if necessary)

For the pickled vegtables:

• 1tsp sea salt
• 2tbsp caster sugar
• 3tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 small red Thai chilli (bird's eye chilli) finely sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and pared into ribbons
• 1 cucumber 

For the chilli and coriander mayonnaise:

• 1 mild green chilli, halved and seeded
• 1 small handful of fresh coriander leaves
• 120g mayonnaise
• Squeeze of lime juice

For the sandwiches:

• 6 small crusty baguettes
• Few dashes of Asian seasoning sauce (Maggi Liquid Seasoning works well) – optional
• 3-4 iceberg lettuce leaves, shredded
• 1 mild red chilli, thinly sliced – optional Spring onions sliced diagonally, to serve

Method

To prepare the pork, bash together the garlic, ginger, peppercorns, coriander leaves and stalks and spring onions in a pestle and mortar until you have a smooth paste. Add in the fish sauce and honey and mix through. Place the pork in a bowl and add three quarters of the paste, reserving the rest.

To make the pickled vegetables, dissolve the salt and sugar in the rice vinegar and then fold in the carrot and cucumber ribbons and chilli. Set aside for at least 20 minutes at room temperature.

To make the chilli and coriander mayonnaise, blitz the mayonnaise with the chilli and coriander. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the lime juice, then chill until needed.

When the pork has marinated (overnight if possible), thread the slices onto skewers and set aside on a plate.

Cook the pork over a high heat on a barbecue or a lightly oiled cast-iron griddle pan for two minutes on each side until cooked through and sizzling. Baste with the reserved marinade to create a sticky coating.

To assemble the sandwiches, split open the rolls and slather one side of each one with the chilli and coriander mayonnaise and sprinkle the other with a few drops of Maggi Liquid Seasoning (if using).

Add the shredded lettuce followed by the drained pickled vegetables. Top with a warm pork skewer and scatter over the slices of chilli, if using, and spring onions.

Eat soon, while the pork is still warm and the lettuce and pickled carrot are still nice and cold.

STICKY BANANA AND SESAME COCONUT PANCAKES (Serves 4)

                  (Photo from PA Photo/Food Network)

Ingredients

For the pancakes:

• 100g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 300ml milk
• 2tbsp melted butter

For the caramel sauce:

• 75g butter
• 100g golden syrup

For the banana filling:

• 8 bananas, peeled and halved lengthways
• 2tbsp caster sugar
• 25g butter
• 1/2 lime
• 4tbsp sweetened condensed milk
• 4tbsp coconut flakes
• 1tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

To make the pancake batter, put the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre.

Crack the eggs into the middle, then pour in a little of the milk and half of the butter.

Start whisking from the centre, gradually drawing the flour into the eggs, milk and melted butter. Once all the flour has been incorporated, beat until you have a thick smooth paste, then gradually beat in the rest of the milk.

To make the caramel sauce, put the butter and golden syrup into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about three minutes until the sauce thickens.

Remove the pan from the heat.

Coat the bananas in the sugar and melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the halved bananas and cook on both sides until golden.

Transfer to a plate and add a squeeze of lime juice.

Wipe out the frying pan and put over a medium-high heat, then smear with a little of the remaining melted butter. Add a ladleful of the batter and swirl the pan until the batter completely coats the base.

Cook the pancake for one to two minutes on one side, then flip over, turn the heat down to low and top with two pieces of the caramelised banana and drizzle a tablespoon of the condensed milk over each one.

Sprinkle the coconut flakes on top and wrap up into a parcel to enclose the filling. Flip over and cook for another couple of minutes, turning every 30 seconds or so. Transfer to a plate and keep warm while you cook the remainder – you’ll have enough ingredients to make four in total.

Put each pancake parcel on a warmed plate and cut into small squares, then drizzle over a little of the caramel sauce and scatter over the toasted sesame seeds. The remainder of the caramel sauce can be served separately.

VIETNAMESE CRISPY CHICKEN SALAD (Serves 4)

        (Photo from PA Photo/Food Network)

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 4 large garlic cloves, not peeled
• 1 thumb-sized piece root ginger, not peeled
• 1tsp coriander seeds
• 1 star anise
• 1 green chilli, roughly chopped
• Grated zest and juice of
• 1 lime
• Good handful of fresh coriander leaves and stalks
• 1tbsp fish sauce (preferably Vietnamese)
• 8 boneless chicken thighs, well trimmed (skin on)
• 1tbsp sunflower oil

For the dressing:

• Finely-grated zest and juice of 1 lime
• 3tbsp fish sauce (preferably Vietnamese)
• 2tbsp caster sugar
• 1 small red Thai chilli, very finely chopped (remove the seeds if you don’t like the heat)

For the salad:

• 50g fresh beansprouts
• Good handful fresh mint leaves
• Good handful fresh coriander leaves
• 200g Chinese cabbage leaves, trimmed and finely shredded
• 2 large carrots, cut into fine julienne (on a mandolin is best)
• Good handful of salted peanuts, roughly chopped

Method

To prepare the chicken, place the garlic and ginger on a grill rack and place under a hot grill to char on all sides. Leave to cool, then peel and roughly chop before putting into a pestle and mortar.

Toast the coriander seeds and star anise in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until they become aromatic. Tip into the pestle and mortar and add the chilli, lime zest and coriander. Bash to a paste, then mix in the lime juice and fish sauce.

Smear the paste all over the flesh side of the chicken thighs, then arrange on a plate and cover with clingfilm. Chill for at least four hours (or preferably overnight).

To cook the chicken, heat a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sunflower oil to the pan, then place the chicken thighs in it, skin-side down. Reduce the heat to very low and cook for 20- 30 minutes until the skin is nice and crispy. Don’t touch them while they are cooking or shake the pan, just leave them alone and you will produce the most fantastic crisp skin and succulent flesh.

When you can see that the chicken thighs are nicely browned, and the flesh is almost but not quite cooked through, turn them over and cook for another five to six minutes, until completely cooked through and tender. Transfer to a carving board and leave to rest for at least five, and up to 10, minutes.

Meanwhile, mix all the dressing ingredients together and put to one side until needed. Put all the ingredients for the salad into a large bowl, except the peanuts, and toss lightly to combine, then toss to coat in the dressing.

To serve, divide the dressed salad onto plates and then quickly carve the chicken into slices and pile on top. Scatter over the peanuts to serve.