When I was a kid, Mom used to make Bò Kho Sả Ớt for me all the time. She braised the tender and flavorful beef over low heat for a long time and the mouth-watering smell of the fragrant lemongrass and fish sauce spread throughout our house. When it was time to eat, the succulent … Continue reading Vietnamese Braised Lemongrass Beef
Category: Vietnamese Food
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 Chinese BBQ Pork (Xa Xiu / Char Siu)
In my house, I always stress the importance of eating veggies. I do this all the time to the girls, without trying to be annoying of course. Why? Because it is healthy for you and it helps you POOP! The girls have bought into this belief and blame lack of veggies for any bad poops … Continue reading Chrysanthemum Soup (Canh Tan O)
The entree ain't as good without something on the side, ya know? Every time I hear these beautiful rap lyrics from Fabolous, I think about Rau Muống Xào Tỏi, the perfect Vietnamese side dish. Fabolous might be talking about something else in the song, but it makes me daydream about delicious, nutritious, and tasty Rau … Continue reading Stir-fried Water Spinach with Garlic (Rau Muong Xao Toi)
In 1990, my parents became really religious after my grandfather died and started following Caodaism religiously. My dad started reading countless Cao Dai books and spent most of his days listening to Cao Dai teachings on his cassette player. My parents met some people from a Cao Dai temple and started taking us to the Cao … Continue reading Fried Lemongrass Tofu (Dau Hu Muoi Sa Chien)
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 Braised Pork Spare Ribs with Quail Eggs (Suon Ram Man)
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 … Continue reading Vietnamese Pork and Shrimp Udon Noodle Soup (Banh Canh)
I follow many foodie accounts on Instagram and about a year ago, a few ladies prepared this baked salmon dish and made spring rolls with their family and friends. The pictures looked super mouth-watering and were ridiculously easy to make. The dish also includes some of my favorite toppings on fish. I think that the … Continue reading Oven Roasted Salmon Spring Roll Party
This post lists out the steps to quickly create your own Nuoc Mam Dipping Sauce, Scallion Oil, and Pickled Carrots and Daikon. These condiments are often served with many popular Vietnamese rice dishes, sandwiches, and vermicelli bowls.Nuoc Mam Dipping Sauce Ingredients1/2 cup fish sauce1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup lime juice, with pulp1 can Coco Rico 2 … Continue reading Vietnamese Condiments
Over the years, I've posted about Chicken Pho and Vegetarian Pho, but not a Beef Pho. The wait is over. Finally, the Beef Pho recipe is here. Not too sure why it took so long, but here it is. I love Pho and have been eating Pho all my life. I've enjoyed countless bowls … Continue reading Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Pho Bo)
