This classic Viet dish, Savory Steamed Rice Cakes (Banh Beo) topped with mung bean paste, toasted shrimp, and scallion oil is simply scrumptious. The cakes are delicate with a slightly chewy texture; the mashed mung bean is savory and creamy and the toasted shrimp is wonderfully crunchy. Served with the classic fish sauce dipping sauce and tangy pickles, it’s a party […]
This Braised Pork and Shrimp dish is a delicious example of the bold flavors intrinsic to Vietnamese cuisine. It’s an easy dish with simple ingredients but is truly unique tasting. Braising or “Kho” is a popular Viet method for cooking savory meat dishes. The cooking technique allows the meat and shrimp to absorb the savory and slightly sweet sauce as it is cooked. Caramelizing […]
It looks like an omelette but is often called a pancake or crepe. “Banh” means cake and “Xeo” means sizzle–that’s the sound the batter makes when it’s poured into the hot skillet. So “Sizzle Cake” is translated here to Sizzling Savory Crepes. Whatever you call it, these savory cakes made from a rice flour batter, filled with meat, […]
I’ve always been fascinated by the creamy, silkiness of Yampi Soup (Canh Khoai Mo). The fact that this unique slippery texture comes from a root vegetable is equally intriguing. What exactly is this mysterious vegetable? My research tells me this vegetable, called the Yampi Root, is a tuber in the yam family. It’s called by many different […]
Savory lemongrass grilled shrimp, crispy egg rolls on mounds of springy rice vermicelli and fresh greens–This is a favorite dish among those dining out mainly because it’s perceived as complicated with all of the different ingredients. Yes, this dish requires a lot of ingredients and component recipes but it’s truly simple and consists of some very basic Viet recipes: Rice Vermicelli, […]
This is my Mom’s Egg Rolls (Cha Gio/Nem Ran) recipe and I have to say, these egg rolls are the best I’ve tasted. (Thanks Mom!) I like the balance of meat–pork and shrimp, and vegetables in the filling. This recipe uses carrots which is quite common. The taro root is a differentiating ingredient and adds a […]
As the weather cools I gravitate toward soupy dishes and my favorite soups always have lots of noodles like this delicious Won Ton Noodle Soup. The soup is quite eclectic with its variety of ingredients. It has hearty meat-filled dumplings, savory roast pork, succulent shrimp, leafy greens, oodles of egg noodles, sprigs of fresh herbs and a sautéed garlic topping to add the right amount […]
This Spinach and Shrimp Balls Soup (Canh Rau Spinach voi Tom Vien) recipe makes a light and healthy dish your whole family will enjoy. Forget about eating frozen overly processed shrimp balls. (They taste like rubber!) These homemade shrimp balls are easy to make and so healthy. Don’t worry if the balls aren’t perfectly round. They aren’t meant […]
Eating green papaya is a Viet favorite and using it in salads is a wonderful way to enjoy this tasty tropical fruit. Green papaya, like most green fruit, is unripened and not at all sweet. Green papaya has a really interesting texture–crunchy and slightly chewy. I’ve received numerous requests for papaya salad recipes and often wonder which one is being […]
I love deep-fried foods just as much as everyone else but I resist making most dishes at home mainly for health reasons. And so, I am always altering recipes that require deep frying for healthier cooking options. I’ve found that pan-cooking works in most cases and this dish is a great recipe redo. The traditional Vietnamese fritters recipe does […]
