Before traveling to Vietnam, I had no idea that they were known for their coffee. To be honest, when I landed in Ho Chi Minh City, I knew an embarrassingly small amount about Southeast Asia in general. Fortunately, I started filling those gaps immediately.
I discovered claypot eel at maybe my second dinner in Vietnam and proceeded to eat it just about every day for the rest of the trip. At the time, I didn’t know much about what I was actually ordering, but I knew that each one …
In its simplest form, cháo (Vietnamese rice soup) is a soup made with broth, rice, and maybe a few pieces of ginger and scallion. I’ve heard it referred to as the Vietnamese equivalent to chicken noodle soup, and the similarities are certainly there: it is simple, easy to eat, and nourishing. Continue reading Cháo – Vietnamese Rice Soup
Though I did not know the proper name for years, bun ga nuong, or a Vietnamese cold noodle bowl with chicken was my first ever taste of that Southeast Asian country’s cuisine. Back in college, when I was a much less culinarily-inclined individual, my friend …
Scallion Pancakes are thin, crispy pancakes stuffed with scallions and dipped in a sauce of soy, vinegar, and chili oil. Unlike western pancakes, which are made with batter, these are instead typically made with an unleavened wheat dough, folded through with scallions and fried to …
Bánh xèo (pronounced something like bon say-oh) is a fried Vietnamese rice flour crepe. The name is actually something of an onomatopoeia, as xèo sounds like the batter sizzling in the pan. Continue reading Bánh Xèo – Vietnamese Rice Flour Crepes
Variously known as spring rolls, salad rolls, and summer rolls, you are likely familiar with this delicious Vietnamese appetizer made of shrimp, vermicelli noodles, and fresh herbs bundled up in a rice paper and dipped in that perfect dipping sauce, nước chấm. It is hard …
Arroz con Leche is Mexican rice pudding made by simmering rice with water and milk, allowing it to slowly take in moisture and release starches until the grains are tender and float in a beautiful pudding. Cloves, cinnamon, and a bit of sugar add sweetness …
Chilaquiles are, at their root, a dish to use up stale tortillas. Extra corn tortillas from the night before are fried and then simmered in a rich sauce. It may sound like a dull dish, but it will surprise you. The tortillas soak up all that delicious sauce and become the perfect accompaniment to fried eggs, shredded chicken, or just cheese and sour cream. Continue reading Chilaquiles
While the name tequila lime shrimp likely rings of cheap tex-mex cuisine, camarones al tequila sounds like something I would order in a heartbeat. I love shrimp, I love tequila, how could it go wrong? Frankly, I’m not sure that it can. I think this …