Banh Canh is a thick Vietnamese noodle made from tapioca flour or a mixture of tapioca flour and rice flour. The more tapioca flour, the chewier the noodles. I like to call these the Vietnamese udon noodles.

These banh canh noodles are made by pressing the dough through a potato ricer or spaetzle with large holes and dropping them directly into boiling water.

Who doesn’t love fried calamari? Fried calamari are rings of squid and tentacles deep-fried to a crispy golden perfection. Served alongside lemon wedges, marinara sauce or aioli, this is the perfect recipe to one up grandma at her dinner party.

A traditional soup side dish of kabocha squash and tender pork meatballs. These Vietnamese pork meatballs are soft with a springy texture. When paired with kabocha in a side soup, it’s simple good eating with no fuss. Eat with steamed rice for a complete meal.

When the fridge is running empty or I just don’t feel like cooking, it’s an omelette with all the fixings to the rescue. This is a quick recipe of a Vietnamese-style omelette with dried salted shrimp and chayote squash. Protein and vegetables … all in one pan.