This beloved noodle soup features a clear, savory broth made by simmering pork and/or chicken bones, and dried shrimp and squid to add a depth of umami seafood flavor. It can be served with three types of noodles, customized with a wide range of toppings, and served in two different ways.
Read MoreHere’s a cheat version of Vietnamese sweet coconut purple sticky rice using a rice cooker. There’s no need for overnight soaking and no need for a steamer with the perfect size holes. All you need is what you probably already have, a rice cooker.
Read MoreIf you've ever been to a Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant, chances are you tried the salt and pepper chicken and fell in love with it. Who wouldn't? It's crunchy fried chicken coated in a seemingly boring yet flavorful salt and pepper mixture.
Read MoreBraised to soft gelatinous perfection with plenty of delicious broth, this sweet and savory pork belly and egg dish is childhood comfort food. Enjoy with steamed rice for the ultimate taste of Vietnamese home cooking.
Read MoreVietnamese Shaking Beef is seared cubed steak sauteed with garlic, onion, butter, and a soy marinade. The beef goes onto a bed of lettuce, watercress, tomato and/or cucumbers, and served with an optional lime-salt-and-pepper dipping sauce.
Read MoreBanh Bao (“wrapping cake”) is a fluffy Vietnamese steamed bun with a savory filling. The most common filling is ground pork, onions, mushroom, Chinese sausage and a hard-boiled egg. Other varieties include vegetables such as peas, carrots and jicama.
Read MoreGrilled lemongrass pork chop is my go-to item when I pack lunch for my husband to take to work. I pack the pork chops with steamed white rice and fresh vegetables such as lettuce or sliced cucumbers. Sometimes, I add kimchi and a fried egg if I'm feeling nice. When he reheats the pork chop in the microwave at work, I've been told that he's the envy of his coworkers ;-)
Read MoreIt's starting to feel like Summer! The weather is finally warming up. The birds are chirping. The kids are playing outside and the neighbors are walking around half-naked. More importantly, the garden is blooming. The other day, I harvested my first Opo Squash (Bầu). I'm so proud of it because it's the first ever Opo Squash that didn't die as soon as it got started. Opo Squash, also known as Calabash Gourd or White Gourd, grows on vines and can grow up to the size of a baseball bat if you let it. Not only can you use it as a lethal weapon, Opo Squash can be used in a traditional Vietnamese side dish, Opo Squash and Shrimp Soup (Canh Bau Tom).
Read MoreWhen I was pregnant with my daughter, I had the appetite of a million elephants. I indulged in all my favorite food. You can't finish that? Let me help you out. At the time, I was working close to Oakland Chinatown. That meant plenty of cheap and satisfying Vietnamese Sandwiches (Bánh Mì). Pregnant me didn't order just one sandwich. I usually ordered two and both were easily finished in one seating. After I was done, I would order another one, as a snack, for my grueling 15-minute waddle back to the office.
My favorite Bánh Mì? It was hands-down the roasted chicken sandwich (Bánh Mì Gà Nướng). Oh, how I love thee.
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