A traditional soup that is easy to make, featuring two main ingredients, chayote squash, and store-bought ground pork paste. Its light and flavorful broth pairs beautifully with steamed rice, making it an ideal accompaniment to other side dishes for a complete family-style meal.
Read MoreOne of the traditional dishes served during Vietnamese New Year (Tết) and also a staple in everyday home cooking. Ground pork stuffed bitter melon is simmered in a savory broth and served with fluffy steamed rice and other side dishes for a complete family-style meal.
Read MoreHere is quick pork meatball soup recipe that I made with winter melon (bi dao). Winter melon is part of the gourd family. The outside usually has light green specks on them and some varieties have a bit of fuzz on the skin. Winter melon has the texture of a cucumber that cooks up quickly and provides sweetness to soups. Winter melon with tender pork meatballs is a must-have soup for these cold winter days.
Read MoreMalabar spinach, known as Rau Mong Toi in Vietnamese is commonly found in Asian supermarkets. They grow on vines with heart-shaped leaves and white blossoms. They are also known as vine spinach, ceylon spinach or Chinese spinach. The leaves have a mild taste with a somewhat slimy texture when cooked. In this recipe, I’m cooking malabar spinach with ground beef (canh mong toi nau thit bo bam).
Read MoreIt’s chayote season! Lots and lots of chayotes ready for harvest! Here is my quick go-to recipe for a traditional soup (canh) using chayote and minced shrimp (canh su su nau tom bam). Make this soup along side a protein side dish and you have yourself a complete traditional Vietnamese meal.
Read MoreA traditional Vietnamese family meal usually comes with a vegetable soup dish. Not only is it a healthy side dish, but having soup to slurp helps with the digestion of the food in a multi-course meal. One of the simplest traditional Vietnamese soups is mustard green soup or Canh Cai Be Xanh.
Read MoreVietnamese sweet and sour soup (canh chua) is an example of everything that is great about Vietnamese home cooking. It uses a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs to produce a soup of contrasting yet complementary textures and flavors.
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