California weather has been perfect this week. We've been blessed with high 70-degree weather and plenty of sunshine..perfect start to the first week of daylight savings time change. This weather got me super excited for all the planned and/or impromptu BBQ sessions I'll be having in the upcoming months with my family and friends. There... Continue Reading →
No Limit Azn Smoked Ribs
We love ribs and wanted to give it the Asian treatment with these No Limit Azn smoked ribs. Ingredients: Ribs Ingredients 1 Full Rack Pork St. Louis Ribs (About 3 Pounds) 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon soy sauce No Limit Azn BBQ Sauce Ingredients 1 cup... Continue Reading →
Braised Pork Spare Ribs with Quail Eggs (Suon Ram Man)
My girls are big fans of pork ribs. We generally smoke and BBQ our ribs, but last week I introduced them to another method for cooking ribs; braising. There are two steps in braising meat. First, you sear the meat on high heat to lock in the juices and to create the beautiful color on... Continue Reading →
Cochinita Pibil
Cochinita Pibil is a popular shredded pork dish from the Yucatan region of Mexico. The pork is wrapped in banana leaves and slowly cooked in achiote paste, lime juice, and orange juice. I first saw Cochinita Pibil cooked in an underground oven on an episode of one of Rick Bayless' cooking show and it looked... Continue Reading →
Vietnamese Pork and Shrimp Udon Noodle Soup (Banh Canh)
When you think of popular Vietnamese noodle soups, what's the first thing that pops up in your head? Pho, right? Well, in Phu Quoc, my parents' hometown in Vietnam, Banh Canh, a.k.a. Vietnamese Udon Noodle Soup is king. This is what I remember seeing most people eat on a daily basis when I visited Phu... Continue Reading →
BBQ Spareribs
Six years ago, I was kinda bored and not paying attention in my economics night class at Mission College with Clayton and Judy and created a blog to record all my favorite recipes. The purpose of the blog was to have a place I can quickly access my recipes and be able to recreate the... Continue Reading →
Broken Rice with Pork Chops and Egg (Com Tam Thit Nuong)
Cơm Tấm, or Broken Rice, is the name of a Vietnamese dish prepared using a Jasmine rice that is crushed into finer pieces during the milling process. You can buy prepackaged broken rice at the Asian grocery store.There are quite a few fantastic Vietnamese restaurants in San Jose dedicated to serving Cơm Tấm. I always... Continue Reading →
Caramelized Braised Pork and Eggs (Thit Kho Trung)
Tết, or Lunar New Year, is the most popular and exciting Vietnamese holiday during the year. A few weeks prior to Tết, Vietnamese shopping centers are flooded with vendors selling beautiful flowers, festive decorations, illegal firecrackers, and distinct Vietnamese specialty food available only during Tết. I hate large crowds but love shopping during Tet. Trust... Continue Reading →
Hawaiian Kalua Pork
I love Luaus. Besides the beautiful Hula Dancing, my favorite attraction at every Luau is the Imu Ceremony. During the Imu Ceremony, a few buff Islanders present the slow roasted pig from a traditional underground oven called an Imu. The crowd claps, cheers, and goes crazy when they see a smoking pig unearthed from the... Continue Reading →
Vietnamese Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon)
Gỏi Cuốn, directly translated to English as Salad Roll, is one of the freshest, simple, delicious, and popular appetizers ordered at Vietnamese restaurants. However, at my house, Gỏi Cuốn is commonly served as a full meal, family-style. All the fresh ingredients are prepared in advance and placed on the dinner table. When it's time to... Continue Reading →