When author Andrea Nguyen's family was airlifted out of Saigon in 1975,
one of the few belongings that her mother hurriedly packed for the journey
was her small orange notebook of recipes. Thirty years later, Nguyen has
written her own intimate collection of recipes, INTO THE VIETNAMESE KITCHEN,
an ambitious debut cookbook that chronicles the food traditions of her
native country. Robustly flavored yet delicate, sophisticated yet simple,
the recipes include steamy pho noodle soups infused with the aromas of
fresh herbs and lime; rich clay-pot preparations of catfish, chicken, and
pork; classic bánh mì sandwiches; and an array of Vietnamese
charcuterie. Nguyen helps readers shop for essential ingredients, master
core cooking techniques, and prepare and serve satisfying meals, whether
for two on a weeknight or 12 on a weekend.Reviews
"Andrea Nguyen may be to Vietnamese food what Julia Child was to French
fare and Barbara Tropp to Chinese cuisine."--Chicago Tribune"Best for:
Anyone who wants to fall in love--truly, madly, deeply--with Vietnamese
food."--San Jose Mercury News"[A] smart, soulful collection of Vietnamese
recipes."--Saveur"A comprehensive take on a delicate yet dynamic cuisine."--Philadelphia
Inquirer"No other author has presented such a detailed account of the culinary
abilities of Vietnamese home cooks, and subjects like the role of pickled
vegetables and the techniques of charcuterie have never been so clearly
explained for a wide audience."--New York Times"Only now is Vietnamese
food culture getting the attention it deserves, and a book of this beauty
and seriousness will do much to explain the origins, traditions, and refinement
of the country's cuisine."--John Mariani's Virtual Gourmet"Nguyen makes
Vietnamese cuisine accessible with this extensive cookbook, which stretches
from soup to charcuterie."--Houston Chronicle"An impressive, carefully
researched, and thoroughly readable guide to Vietnamese food and culinary
tradition."--Library Journal
A stunningly beautiful love letter
to Vietnam with more than 100 recipes, from best-selling author and Cooking
Channel host Luke Nguyen
In My Vietnam, chef, television star,
and best-selling author Luke Nguyen returns home to discover the best of
regional Vietnamese cooking. Starting in the north and ending in the south,
Luke visits family and friends in all the country's diverse regions, is
invited into the homes of local Vietnamese families, and meets food experts
and local cooks to learn more about one of the richest, most diverse cuisines
in the world.
Savor more than 100
regional and family recipes from Tamarind Broth with Beef and Water Spinach
to Wok-tossed Crab in Sate Sauce and enjoy vibrant, stunning full-color
photographs bursting with color and textures and capturing the beauty of
Vietnam, her people, and their deep connection to food.
INTRODUCTION
Vietnam is a country of natural beauty with a coastline of sandy beaches
stretching about 2000 miles (3225 km) from the northern to the southern
tip of the South China Sea. Along the coast, fishing is the main livelihood.
The majority of Vietnamese people are Kinh race people (87%) with the remaining
of 53 different ethnic minority groups. For more than 2000 years, the country
has been subjected to a near continuing series of foreign occupations from
China, France, Japan, and America. One consequence of these occupations
is the lasting influence on Vietnamese cuisine. Among Vietnamese dishes,
perhaps the best known in the West is Pho, a noodle soup. Another is the
deep-fried spring roll called Nern in the north, and Cha Goi in the south.
Rice is a staple food used as a side dish, or a main dish when combined
with other ingredients, such as beef, pork, chicken, or seafood. Vietnamese
dishes consist of many different blends of herbs and spices. Most dishes
are not fiery hot, nor greasy. Seafood and vegetarian dishes like An Chay
are very popular. Today, Vietnamese cuisine is gaining increased international
attention due to the fact that it is quite healthy.
This book is an introduction to a new generation for a delicious journey
through Vietnamese cuisine. While the combination of flavors may seem experimental
to some, they will result in a savory experience. All ingredients used
in these recipes can be found in supermarkets, natural food stores or in
Asian food markets. It is our pleasure to share these quick and delicious
Vietnamese recipes with you. Enjoy the good nutrition that comes with it.
In my family, food is our language. Food enables us to communicate
the things we find so hard to say." -Pauline Nguyen
Overflowing with sumptuous but simply prepared dishes that have been
passed down through generations of the Nguyen family, Secrets of the
Red Lantern is part Vietnamese cookbook and part family memoir.
More than 275 traditional Vietnamese recipes are presented alongside
a visual narrative of food and family photographs that follows the family's
escape from war-torn Vietnam to the successful founding of the Red Lantern
restaurant.
At the heart of each recipe is the power of food to elevate and transform.
From a recipe of cari de that sparks a memory to the distinctly bitter
melon soup that says, "I'm sorry," Secrets of the Red Lantern shares
the rich culinary heritage of the Nguyen family and their personal story
of reconciliation and success.
Recipes like Bun Rieu (Crab and Tomato Soup with Vermicelli Noodles),
Goi Du Du (Green Papaya Salad with Prawns and Pork), and Che Khoai Mon
(Black Sticky Rice with Taro), unlock the family's secrets and see the
family persevere through homesickness, heartache, and the upheavals of
change to finally experience growth and celebration. The result is a beautiful
journey through Vietnamese history, culture, and tradition.
There's a rule savvy diners seeking the
ultimate in ethnic authenticity always follow: Eat where the locals eat.
The Little Saigon Cookbook takes you inside the local restaurants
in Southern California's Little Saigon, the site of the largest single
population of Vietnamese outside of Vietnam. From the French-inspired bakeries,
the lunch delis, and the food courts to the weekend mayhem of the Pho house
and wedding receptions at the boisterous seafood restaurants, these are
the extraordinary meals that Vietnamese diners and others in the know enjoy
every day.
The Little Saigon Cookbook offers dozens of family recipes,
many surviving through oral history alone. It takes readers on a tour of
culinary landmarks and introduces them to the wealth of authentic dishes
found in Little Saigon from the hot and crispy Vietnamese crepes down Bolsa
Avenue to the crunchy, tangy chicken and cabbage goi salad from
the Asian Mall.
From the author of the popular Quick & Easy Thai come these
75 oh-so-delicious recipes for every level of cook. Though it shares certain
culinary traditions with its Asian neighbors, Vietnamese cuisine is entirely
distinct, focusing on a bounty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs for
signature clear, bright flavors with contrasting notes of salty, sweet,
sour, and spicy. Creamy chicken curry is paired with the zesty tang of
lime juice and the heat from ground pepper and chilies. Crisp, fried fish
is served with a puree of pineapple-chili sauce. Delicate, rice paperwrapped
summer rolls merit a rich and savory soybean dipping sauce. From snacks
and soups to grilled meats and seafood to the essential noodle dishes and
desserts, Quick & Easy Vietnamese presents the full spectrum
of Vietnamese cooking at its most simply delicious.
A land of vibrant cultures and vivid contrasts, Vietnam is also home
to some of the most delicious and intriguing food in the world. While its
cooking traditions have been influenced by those of China, France, and
even India, Vietnam has created a cuisine with a spirit and a flavor all
its own.
Chef and restaurateur Mai Pham brings to life this diverse and exciting
cooking in Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table. Born and raised in
Saigon before emigrating to the United States, Mai has often returned to
her native land to learn the secrets of authentic Vietnamese cooking, from
family, friends, home cooks, street vendors, and master chefs. Traveling
from region to region, she has gathered the simple, classic recipes that
define Vietnamese food today: Green Mango Salad with Grilled Beef, Stir-Fried
Chicken with Lemongrass and Chilies, Caramelized Garlic Shrimp, and especially
pho, the country's beloved beef-and-noodle soup. With more than
100 recipes in all, Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table offers home
cooks the chance to create and savor the traditional flavors of Vietnam
in their own kitchen.
Filled with enchanting stories and stirring black-and-white photos of
life in Vietnam, Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table provides a captivating
taste of an enduring culture and its irresistible cuisine.
When Mai Pham--chef and owner of the renowned Lemon Grass Restaurant
in Sacramento, California--left her home and her grandmother in Saigon
in 1975, just days before the city fell to communist rule, she never thought
she'd see either again. Happily for her, she returned 20 years later to
rediscover her roots and reconnect with her 100-year-old grandmother. Happily
for us, she's written Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table, in which
she shares that journey--and the vibrant cuisine of her homeland. She weaves
a stirring tale of rediscovery; of visiting with cooks in market stalls
and street cafés and home kitchens; and, perhaps most importantly,
of rediscovering her "favorite food on earth," pho, the noodle soup
often referred to as the national dish of Vietnam.
Pham begins with a chapter on dipping sauces, condiments, and herbs,
which, she explains, are the true backbone of Vietnamese cooking. She explores
culinary variations: the "rice bowl" of the southern peninsula and the
French- and Indian-inspired foods of Saigon; the more robust style of the
cooler central region of Hue; and the straightforward style of the mountainous
north. And she shares the simple, classic recipes that define Vietnamese
food. Green Mango Salad with Grilled Beef is at once salty (from the ubiquitous
fish sauce), sweet from the fruit, and tangy and spicy from Chili-Lime
Sauce. Ginger Chicken is bright with the flavor of ginger and spicy with
dried chilies; caramel sauce adds body and an intriguing sweet and smoky
element to the dish. And of course, one can't forget the beloved pho,
which gets a whole chapter to itself. The traditional Hanoi-style Vietnamese
"Pho" Rice Noodle Soup with Beef is fragrant with anise and ginger and
thick with velvety noodles and delectably rare beef suspended in the hot
broth.
Featured throughout the book are black-and-white photographs of the
country and its people, stories of Pham's childhood, and enchanting tales
of the history and people of Vietnam that, taken together, highlight a
rich and vibrant picture of the ancient cuisine of this complex country.
Helpful guides to the Vietnamese pantry and cooking techniques, along with
a glossary, menu suggestions, and a list of resources for the more exotic
ingredients make the book extremely useful to even the uninitiated. --Robin
Donovan
An inspiring collection of fresh, easy
to prepare, and healthy recipes collected from throughout Vietnam
Arranged by region, this engaging cookbook
weaves personal stories and national history with a culinary appreciation
of the markets, traditions, and food of daily life in Vietnam. More than
80 delicious and authentic recipes are included, ranging from Coconut Prawns
to Chicken and Lotus Seed Broth. Featuring stunning food photography as
well as images of the Vietnamese countryside and people, this is a gorgeous
reference that is perfect for the home cook and armchair traveler alike.
Measurements are metric.
Light, Fresh, Exotic, and Delicious! Tangy, sweet, and savory traditional dipping sauces. Mouthwatering
soups. Innovative stir-fries. The Best of Vietnamese & Thai Cooking
offers just that--the very best! Weaving a fascinating memoir amidst her
splendid recipes, Mai Pham recreates the almost magical reverence with
which food was prepared and enjoyed in the Vietnam and Thailand of her
childhood. Inside she discloses the secrets to preparing her personal favorites--delicious
dishes such as:
Firecracker Prawns · Minty Thai Chicken Salad
Hot and Spicy Chicken with Lemon Grass · Spicy Red Beef Curry
Crispy Spring Rolls · Eggplant and Broccoli in Ginger
Spicy Thai Cucumber Salad · Rice Paper-Wrapped Salad Rolls
Bangkok Beef with Basil · Lemon Grass Stir-Fried Jasmine Rice
Vegetarian Pad Thai · Perfectly Roasted Peanuts · Thai
Tea
Evocative, lyrical, and eloquent, The Best of Vietnamese &
Thai Cooking is more than a collection of great recipes--it's a
pleasure to read.
Mai Pham has woven wonderful memories between the recipes of this beautiful
book: memories of her childhood in Bangkok, her Vietnamese family and their
reverence for good food, her husband's search for the best pho recipe
in Saigon. The recipes themselves are light, healthy, and loaded with the
unique flavors -- strong and delicate, tangy and mild, sweet and mouth-puckeringly
sour, always exotic and delicious -- of Southeast Asia. Pham owns the Lemon
Grass Restaurant and Cafes in Sacramento, and is a well-known teacher of
Southeast Asian cooking.
Anyone can go from sushi novice to sushi samurai--slicing, filleting,
and making rolls like a master! Never before have the techniques of this
most popular Asian cuisine been as attractively presented, as easy to follow,
and as temptingly photographed as this beginner's guide. With the help
of an unbelievable number of close-up photos, expert Aya Imatani virtually
takes would-be chefs by the hand, leading them through every delectable
step of the process. She discusses all the tools, foods, and paraphernalia;
lays out the methods for making vinegars and sauces; and demonstrates how
to make sashimi creations so special they arent even found in many sushi
bars. The menu of sushi recipes is expansive, encompassing hosomaki, saimaki,
and all-vegetarian varieties. You will even learn all the right Japanese
names for each dish. And everything seems wonderfully doable. The big finish:
Ayas specials, the kind of dishes you'll never find in suchi bars--such
as Sushi Cake (Chicken & Cashew Nut Teriyaki) and Temarizushi (made
of tuna, salmon, and avocado)--but that a Japanese mother or grandmother
would make for her own family.
