Grandma's Recipes by Amanda Pham

GRANDMA’S RECIPES

photography

ĐIỆP NGUYỄN

AMANDA THƠ PHẠM

“Although there may be different memories tied to each dish, they all feel like home to me.” - HUU ANH

INTRODUCTION Two weeks into pandemic lockdowns in New York City, I remember calling Bà Nội and asking for her bánh patê sô recipe. The stay at home order for NYC was being extended indefinitely and I was trying to figure out how to live and work from my compact shared apartment. “Chinese virus” was called out to me by people I thought were my neighbors and allies. One of my roommates left the city to stay with his family and the possibility of me also coming back to Virginia became an increasing concern. There were so many unknowns at the time and I wanted to find comfort in the taste of familiarity. “Một muổng canh đường, một muổng cà phê Maggi...” “Bà Nội how much is muổng canh and muổng cà phê?” I wanted to know the exact amount of each ingredient she used. It’s funny because I, too, almost never measure things when I cook. When it came to Bà Nội’s recipes I wanted to get as close to the way she nêms as possible. It’s the signature touch of Bà Nội’s cooking– her slightly sweet, yet perfectly balanced seasoning– that distinguishes it from Mẹ’s and Ba’s, the restaurant on Canal Street, and the hundreds of Vietnamese recipes online. A silver lining of this pandemic was that I was able to be home. Here, I had the time and the space to actually watch and learn how Bà Nội cooks. I asked her questions like what type of beer we use in the bánh xèo batter or what is the consistency we’re looking for in chè bắp. Little by little I translated recipes she held in her head on these pages. Bà Nội’s cooking is pretty intuitive and varies by day, so many of the measurements in the book have been captured as close rough approximations. They should get you in the right range of flavor profile, while leaving room to adjust depending on the ingredients you have at home or what’s in season– just like Bà Nội would do. Although many of us live far from Bà Nội and are not able to eat her delicious home- cooked food as often as we’d like, I hope this collection of recipes brings that familiar taste closer. I hope that through reading these recipes and cooking them yourself, you learn, just as I have, that a lot of these are surprisingly easy. I hope these pages make Bà Nội’s recipes more approachable, so that we can keep cooking these dishes whenever we’re missing the taste of home. - THƠ PHẠM

Q&A

Interviewed by Chí Phạm (Dad) via Facetime call. DAD: So, where did you learn how to cook? Who taught you how to cook?

BÀ NỘI: When I was younger I didn’t really cook..well, I knew how to go to the market and make dinner but it wasn't until Ông Nội and I got married. Ông Nội liked to eat good food so I learned how to make those for him. DAD: Who taught you?

BÀ NỘI: Bà Ba... DAD: So your siblings and other family members

BÀ NỘI: Yeah, I learned only through other family members, no one else DAD: You didn't learn anything from your mom?

BÀ NỘI: She only taught me how to make bánh tét and bánh ít, and some braised dishes DAD: So most of your skills were taught from Dì Ba

BÀ NỘI: Yeah, and Dì Bảy, she also cooked well. My mom didn’t teach much. Ông Nội really liked to eat well, so I had to learn how to cook. He really liked to eat gìo heo rút xương and all of his friends liked it too. Whenever there was a get together I always made that with sauce mayonnaise and all of his friends loved it. DAD: Whenever you cook, do you find it tiring? Or is it enjoyable for you?

BÀ NỘI:It is tiring, but I like cooking, so I don’t really mind it. For example if I am in the kitchen from the morning all the way until the afternoon, and I’m standing and working nonstop, I don't really find it draining. A lot of people would find it draining but I don’t because I enjoy it. Because when people like my food it makes me happy. I think, oh later when I set the table with all the different dishes they’re going to be so excited to eat so it makes me feel overjoyed. DAD: Do you have any vivid memories related to cooking with the grandkids?

BÀ NỘI: Visiting all the grandkids from going to Co Chi's house, Chú Phúc's house… all of the grandkids really look forward to my cooking. Like Vy, one time I made bánh tôm chiên khoai lang. She clapped her hands and was so excited to eat. DAD: And when you go to Chú Phúc's house he gives you a whole long list of dishes to cook, right?

BÀ NỘI: Before I get to Chu Phúcs house he writes this list and puts it on the fridge..he says whenever you finish a dish, cross it out DAD: What about Sơn and Thư?

BÀ NỘI: Sơn and Thư speak a lot of English…and I don’t understand so they don’t really ask me..but Sơn really likes bì…Sơn and Khôi really love bì. Whenever I make it at their house he always snacks on it by itself without rice or anything. Just bì by itself. Thư really likes bánh bèo. Last time she came home she ate so many plates of it. DAD: Do you think that after this book is done that the grandkids can learn anything from you?

BÀ NỘI: I think that many of the ones that live by themselves can make a lot of the dishes because none of them are very complicated. I think all of my grandkids will see the recipes in the book, and they’ll learn and be able to cook these dishes and that makes me happy. I’m not sure if all of them would want to, but whoever wants to, it would make me happy. DAD: Is there anyone in particular that you think could benefit from this book the most?

BÀ NỘI: I think that maybe Thơ would use it a lot..And Khôi, he really loves bì... DAD: What about Hiếu? Maybe she can use it to learn how to actually kho cá hahahaha

BÀ NỘI: Well, maybe in the future Thơ can make it for Hiếu to eat… DAD: In general, it’s hard to find time with the grandkids because they’re older now, and there isn’t much time to spend with them. Throughout this project, you’ve had more time to get bond and get closer to Thơ.

BÀ NỘI: Yeah I enjoyed getting a lot closer to Thơ. I watched her set up the lights and plate the food to set up the photos. We also went shopping to buy fabrics… DAD: Lastly, out of all the things you’ve cooked, is there a dish that is your favorite to cook?

BÀ NỘI: I like them all… Gà rút xương…because Ông Nội liked it DAD: Yeah, but what do you like?

BÀ NỘI: I don't know....hahaha DAD: So like any dish that people like eating is a dish you enjoy cooking?

BÀ NỘI: Yeah, whatever people enjoy eating is what I enjoy cooking.

“...whatever people enjoy eating is what I enjoy cooking.”

RECIPES BÁNH PATÊ SÔ

pg 14

BÁNH XÈO

pg 18

BÁNH KHỌT

pg 20

XÔI MẶN

pg 24

CHẢ

pg 28

BÌ

pg 30

THỊT NƯỚNG

pg 32

BÁNH BAO

pg 36

XÍU MẠI

pg 40

NƯỚC LÈO HỦ TIẾU

pg 44

HỦ TIẾU

pg 48

BÚN SUÔNG

pg 52

CÁ KHO

pg 56

BỘT CHIÊN

pg 60

CHÈ CHUỐI

pg 64

CHÈ BẮP

pg 68

BÁNH KHOAI MÌ

pg 72

XÔI BẮP HÀNH PHI

pg 76

XÔI VÒ

pg 80

less than 2 hours between 2-4 hours half a day - 2 days

BÁNH PATÊ SÔ “Grandma’s food puts me in a good mood!” - CHÁNH

BÁNH PATÊ SÔ makes 18 pieces FILLING

1 lb ground chicken / pork ½ large onion, diced 1 small can of pâté 1 ½ tbsp of sugar ½ tsp of salt 2 tsp of vegetable seasoning 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp of maggi 1 egg 2 packs of puff pastry

Take the puff pastry out from the freezer to thaw while working on the filling. Preheat the oven to 360 degrees. Add all of the filling ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well to combine. Put a small spoon amount of the filling in a small microwaveable bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Taste the filling and adjust seasoning if needed. Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet and divide into equal rectangles. Place a spoonful of mixture in the center of a piece of pastry. Place a piece of puff pastry on top. Take a fork and crimp the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining filling and puff pastry sheets. Crack an egg into a bowl and mix. Brush the egg mixture ontop of the puff pastry for an egg wash. Bake in the oven at 360 degrees between 25-28 minutes or until golden brown.

BÁNH XÈO BÁNH KHỌT 17

BÁNH XÈO BATTER

1 bag of bánh xèo mix (Huong Xua brand) 1 cup crisp fried powder mix 1 350ml bottle light beer 1 can savoy coconut milk 650ml water 2 tbsp oil ½ tsp salt turmeric powder (optional) chopped green onions

FILLING

sliced pork belly / shoulder shrimp, cut into thirds white onion, sliced bean sprouts, washed.

TO SERVE

mustard greens / lettuce pickled daikon and carrots fish sauce mint

Prepare the batter: In a large mixing bowl mix together the batter ingredients. Add turmeric powder for a brighter yellow color, optional. Mix until well incorporated. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes before frying. Prepare the fillings: In two separate bowls, lightly season the shrimp and pork with garlic powder, salt, sugar, and pepper. Saute fillings separately until cooked. Transfer to two separate bowls. Frying: Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan. Saute a handful of white onions with a few pieces of pork and shrimp on medium heat. Give the batter a good mix before frying. Take a large ladle full of batter and pour it into the pan close to the top edge and quickly rotate and tilt the pan to evenly spread the batter. Lower the heat to low/medium low. Add the bean spouts and cook. Take a silicone brush and brush oil on the edges of the crepe. Cover with a lid and cook for ~5-7 minutes or until the batter has fully cooked and the edges of the crepe are crisp. With a spatula fold the crepe in half and transfer to a cooling rack or pan. Serve with lettuce, herbs, pickles, and fish sauce.

BÁNH KHỌT BATTER

FILLING

shrimp, cut into thirds coconut Milk

TO SERVE

mustard greens / lettuce pickled daikon and carrots fish sauce mint

XÔI MẶN “Family has always been important to me, and her cooking brings us together. I know that when she is preparing food we all will be together as a family and it’s very comforting.” - JOHN

XÔI MẶN INGREDIENTS

chinese sausage dried shrimp chả lụa 5 cups sweet rice, soak overnight 15 spoons of coconut milk 3 tbsp soy sauce maggi seasoning black pepper fried onions

TO SERVE

scallion oil pork floss fried onions

In a pan, drizzle some oil and saute the chinese sausage and dried shrimp until lightly brown. Sprinkle black pepper and a few dashes of maggi to taste. Finish with a spoon of fried garlic. Set aside. Drain the water from the sweet rice and place the rice in a large bowl. Mix in 10 spoons of coconut milk and 3 spoons of soy sauce. Arrange the rice in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes. After steaming, add additional soy sauce and sugar to taste. Steam for an additional 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl add the steamed rice and toppings. Finish with fried onions and scallion oil.

CƠM TẤM

CHẢ, BÌ, THỊT NƯỚNG

“Bà Nội’s cơm tấm, chả, bì, thịt nướng will always be my ultimate comfort food. It has the perfect balance of flavors and textures that make me want to eat it every day.” - THƠ

CHẢ TRỨNG Makes 3 mini loaf pans INGREDIENTS

1lb ground pork 50 grams bean vermicelli 10 grams dried black fungus 130 grams onion, diced 3 tbsp vegetable oil 5 eggs ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp milk 3 tsp annatto seed oil, optional 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp mushroom powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 2 tsp soy sauce or maggi ¼ cup fried onions

Soak the dry bean vermicelli and black fungus in a bowl of water for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain. Roughly cut the vermicelli so they’re about finger length. Slice the black fungus into thin strips. Crack 3 whole eggs and 2 egg whites in a bowl and mix. Reserve 1 egg yolk in a separate bowl. In a large mixing bowl mix all of the ingredients together thoroughly except for the reserved egg yolk. Divide and put into mini loaf pans or 1 large loaf pan. Place in steamer and steam for 45 minutes on high heat. Take the loaves out of the steamer and brush the remaining yolk on top of the surfaces. Broil for 3-5 minutes in the oven or until golden.

CHẢ TRỨNG CHAY INGREDIENTS

1lb 5 oz firm tofu (drain water) 50 gram bean vermicelli dry 10 gram dried black fungus slice 150 grams onion 5 eggs 3 tsp annatto seed oil, optional 4 tbsp vegetable oil 3 tbsp sugar 1 tsp black pepper 1.5 tsp salt 2 tsp mushroom powder 3 tsp soy sauce or maggi 2 tbsp potato starch ¼ cup fried onions

Follow the same process as above but steam for 30 minutes instead of 45 minutes.

BÌ

makes 16 3oz servings INGREDIENTS

1.5 lb pork belly 1.5 lb pork shoulder 1.5lb of sliced pork skin

MARINADE 3 3 2 2

tbsp tbsp tbsp tbsp

salt sugar soy sauce garlic powder

BRAISING

3 tbsp oil 1 cup coco rico soda 1 cup water 1 tsp ABC soy sauce

ASSEMBLY

½ tsp MSG ½ tsp salt 1 tsp fried garlic 2-3 tsp fresh garlic 3.5 tsp sugar 1 bag roasted rice powder 1 cup of braising liquid

Marinating the pork: Wash and rinse the pork belly and shoulder thoroughly. In a bowl add salt, sugar, soy sauce, and garlic powder to the meat. Mix. Marinate for 2 hours. Thoroughly cleaning the pork skin: Rinse the pork skin in water and drain. In a bowl lightly wash the pork skin in vinegar and salt water. Drain. Put the pork skin back in the bowl with water and add a splash of cooking wine. Mix and submerge. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Let dry for 2 hours. Braising the pork: In a large pan add 3 tbsp of oil. Pan fry pork on high to sear both sides. After browning, add in coco rico and water, enough liquid to cover the meat. Turn the heat down to medium. Simmer and cook down liquid until only 1 cup of liquid remains, approx 20-30 minutes. Skim off the scum. Add ABC soy sauce. Let rest until cooled. When cooled, separate the braising liquid from the pork and store in separate containers. Mixing together: Slice the pork into thin strips. Slice pork skin into strips. On a pan on low heat lightly toast the roasted rice powder until fragrant / slightly toasted, approx 5-7 minutes. Continuously stir to avoid burning. In a large mixing bowl mix shredded pork skin, pork, and seasonings. Add in the braising liquid and roasted rice powder in batches to taste. Serve at room temp.

THỊT NƯỚNG INGREDIENTS

1 lb sliced pork butt / shoulder 1 tbsp finely chopped lemongrass 4 cloves garlic, minced ½ shallot diced ½ tsp condensed milk ½ tsp msg ½ tsp fish sauce 1 tsp oyster sauce 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp honey 1 tsp vegetable oil 1 tsp sugar ½ tsp ground black pepper

In a bowl mix together all of the ingredients except the pork until well combined. In a separate bowl or large plastic bag pour the sauce over the pork and mix well. Place in the fridge to marinate for a few hours or overnight. Before frying take the pork out of the fridge for an hour to reach room temperature. Heat oil on a skillet and pan fry the pork on both sides until fully cooked.

TO SERVE INGREDIENTS

Broken rice Thit nướng Chả trứng Bì Fried egg Pickled daikon & carrot Cucumber, tomato, lettuce Fish sauce dressing Scallion oil

Cook the broken rice according to the package. To plate place a scoop of rice on a plate. Add a few pieces of thịt nướng, chả, a few spoons of bì, slices of tomato, cucumber, and lettuce. Top with scallion oil and fish sauce dressing.

BÁNH BAO “My favorite memory of grandma’s cooking is coming home and smelling her homemade bánh baos that seemed to always be ready as soon as I opened the door. They tasted as good as they smelled!” - KHOA

BÁNH BAO Makes ~12 bánh bao DOUGH

1 bag of bánh bao flour (400g) 2 tbsp oil 1 cup + 3 tbsp lukewarm milk 100g sugar

FIILLING

1 lb ground pork 2 links of chinese sausage, diced ½ cup onion, diced ⅓ cup jicama, diced 1 can quail eggs 2 tsp black pepper ½ tsp vegetable powder 1 tbsp sugar ½ tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp maggi 2 tbsp fried onions 1 sheet of printer paper, cut into 12 equal squares

For the dough: Mix together the bánh bao flour, sugar, and warm milk. Sprinkle some flour onto a surface and Start kneading until dough forms ~10-15 minutes, adding in the oil gradually. Put the dough into a bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise until doubled in size For the filling: Chop the chinese sausage, onions, and jicama. Squeeze the excess liquid out from the onions and jicama to prevent leaking and soggy baos. Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Put a spoon of filling on a plate and microwave for ~20-30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Form into 12 balls, enclosing a quail egg in each ball. Place them in a glass dish and steam in a steamer to cook halfway to reduce excess liquid ~10 minutes. Assembly: Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out each piece of dough until about the size of your hand. Place a meatball in the middle of the dough and slowly start gathering, pinching, and pleating the dough to seal. Once sealed, trim off excess dough from the top. Place on a piece of paper and repeat for all 12 balls. Steam the baos for 20 minutes.

XÍU MẠI “I break my diet to eat grandma’s food.” - MINH

XÍU MẠI Makes ~12 meatballs INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground pork 1 cup onion, diced 1 cup jicama, chopped 1 link chinese sausage 2 tsp black pepper ½ tsp vegetable powder 1 tbsp sugar ½ tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp maggi 2 tbsp fried onions

Combine all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Form into balls. Place in a steamer safe dish and steam for 25 minutes or until fully cooked.

NƯỚC LÈO

HỦ TIẾU

“Grandmas cookin is bussin! She doesn’t miss!” - KHÔI

NƯỚC LÈO HỦ TIẾU Makes 10 quarts of broth INGREDIENTS

1 white onion 3 tbsp dried shrimp (small) 3 pieces of dried squid 2lbs pork neck bone 2lbs pork bone (shank and knuckle) Shrimp shells 1 tbsp whole black pepper 2 cups coco rico soda 1 tbsp sugar 2-3 tbsp salt to taste 1 tsp msg 1 tbsp fish sauce

In a small bowl, soak the dried shrimp in water for 5 minutes to rehydrate. Drain. In a toaster oven, toast the whole onion and dried squid until lightly brown. Clean bones: Fill a large pot with water and add in the pork bones. Add a splash of white vinegar and a few handfuls of salt. Bring to a boil and boil until the scum comes out. Pour out the liquid and scum in the sink. Rinse and scrub the bones to get rid of any remaining scum. In a large clean pot, add the clean bones and fill with water. Add in the toasted union, dried squid and shrimp, pepper, coco rico and a handful of salt. Bring to a boil. After it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low to simmer. Put the shrimp shells in a small pot and add water just so the shells are covered. Boil for 15 minutes to extract the shrimp flavor. After 15 minutes, strain the shrimp shells and reserve the liquid. Add the liquid to the pot of broth. Simmer for 2 hours. Season to taste with sugar, salt, msg, and fish sauce.

HỦ TIẾU “When eating Bà Nội’s food it reminds me of all the times we were in the kitchen together cooking while I was growing up” - VY

THỊT XÁ XÍU INGREDIENTS

½ packet of char siu seasoning 3 lb pork (mix of pork belly and shoulder) ½ cup warm water ½ tsp msg 1 tsp black pepper 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce ½ tsp 5 spice powder 2 tsp garlic powder 1 cup coco rico soda

In medium size bowl, mix together the seasoning, water, msg, pepper, soy sauce, 5 spice powder, and garlic powder until combined. Pour the mixture over 3 lbs of pork and massage into the meat. Marinate for at least 4-5 hours, but best overnight. Before cooking take the meat out to come to room temperature. In a large pan heat a few tablespoons of oil. Sear both sides of the pork on high heat. Pour 1 cup coco rico and 1 cup water into the pan. Simmer / braise until liquid reduces to only 1 cup. Add salt to taste.

THỊT BẰM INGREDIENTS

½ lb ground pork 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp soy sauce a few cloves of garlic, minced

Place the ground pork in a large bowl and add a bit of water. Use the water to help separate and loosen the ground pork. Once loosened, drain and discard of the water. Heat oil on a large pan and lightly sautee the garlic. Add in the ground pork, sugar, and soy sauce. Sautee until cooked. After cooked transfer to a container and add hu tieu broth to cover the meat to store.

SAUCE HỦ TIẾU KHÔ INGREDIENTS

½ cup soy sauce ½ cup oyster sauce 1 cup water ½ cup sugar

Heat all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Lastly, add in 2 tbsp of fried garlic in oil.

TO SERVE INGREDIENTS

Mì (egg noodles) Hủ tiếu noodles Nước lèo hủ tiếu OR Sauce hủ tiếu khô Thịt xá xíu Thịt bằm Boiled quail eggs Boiled shrimp Fried garlic Green onions Chives Celery leaves

Boil and cook the noodles according to the package. Place a portion of noodles in a soup bowl. Add in a few pieces of xá xíu, a spoonful of thịt bằm, a couple of quail eggs and shrimp. If serving with broth, add broth. If serving dry, drizzle a few spoons of the sauce on top. Top with green onions, celery leaves, chives, cracked black pepper, and a generous spoonful of fried garlic.

BÚN SUÔNG “Bà Nội’s cooking is the reason why I always use sugar when cooking, everything tastes better with a bit of sugar!” - QUỲNH

SUÔNG INGREDIENTS

2lb shrimp, peeled 2 tbsp sugar 2 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 2 Tbsp onion minced 1 tsp MSG 2 egg whites 1 tsp baking powder

Mix all of the ingredients except the egg white together in a bowl. In a food processor puree the mixture until it becomes a paste and transfer to a bowl. Add the egg whites and combine. Spoon a small bit into a small dish and microwave for 30 seconds to cook. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste. Scoop the shrimp paste into a ziplock bag. Cut one corner of the bag, about ⅛th of an inch from the tip. Fill a medium sized pot with water and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, start to pipe long strips of the shrimp paste in the water.Once they float to the top of the surface they are fully cooked. Remove from the water and set in a bowl. To prevent overcrowding in the pot, pipe out the mixture in batches.

TO SERVE INGREDIENTS

Bún Nước lèo hủ tiếu Suông Boiled pork belly, sliced Fried onions Green onions, chopped

Boil and cook the bún according to the package. Place a portion of bún in a soup bowl. Add a handful of suông and a few slices of pork belly. Add in the broth and finish with a sprinkle of fried onions, green onions, and cracked black pepper.

CÁ KHO “Cá kho của Bà Ngoại là món ngon nhất trong thế giới. Một lần con thử làm mà không ngon chút nào!” -HIẾU

CÁ KHO Makes 8-12 servings INGREDIENTS

3lb salmon fillet / steaks 2 shallots minced 1 tsp pepper 1 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp fish sauce 2 cloves garlic minced green onions sliced (for garnish) black pepper (for garnish) red chili sliced (for garnish, optional)

BRAISING LIQUID

¼ cup coco rico 1 cup water ⅓ cup sugar ⅓ cup soy sauce ⅓ cup oyster sauce 1 tbsp fish sauce 2 tbsp fried onion

Generously salt fish and rinse under water to clean. Set aside to dry. In a large mixing bowl marinate the fish with shallots, pepper, sugar, fish sauce, and garlic for at least 15 minutes. In a separate bowl mix together all of the ingredients for the braising liquid and set aside. In a large pan heat some oil on medium high heat and and sear the fish on both sides until brown. Pour in the braising liquid and simmer on medium low heat until the liquid reduces to about half. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper, green onions, and sliced red chili.

BỘT CHIÊN “Grandma’s cooking feels like heaven to my taste buds.” - VINH

BỘT CHIÊN Makes 8 servings

Premade bột chiên rice cake is sold at many asian grocery stores. Premade rice cake can be substituted if pressed for time.

RICE CAKE

400g rice flour ¾ cup tapioca flour 500g taro, cut into thin strips 6 cups water 1 tsp salt 1 ½ tbsp sugar 2 tbsp oil

DIPPING SAUCE

½ cup sugar ½ cup soy sauce ½ cup water ½ cup black vinegar / red vinegar / balsamic vinegar

TO SERVE

2 eggs chopped green onions pickled daikon and carrots black pepper

Rice Cake: Mix all ingredients together. Pour the mixture into a round pan or shallow glass dish. Steam until cooked through (when a chopstick or toothpick comes out clean) Let cool in the fridge for at least 4-5 hours. Remove from the fridge and cut into bite sized pieces. Sauce: In a saucepan add in the sugar, soy sauce, and water, and simmer for 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add in the vinegar. To Serve: Beat 2 eggs in a bowl. Portion out 1 portion of the cut rice cakes, approx the size of your pan. Lightly toss the rice cakes in soy sauce just to slightly coat the surface area. Drizzle oil on a large pan and heat. Once the pan is hot, lay out the rice cakes on the pan in one single layer. Pan fry both sides until golden brown and crispy. Pour in the beaten eggs and sprinkle on the green onions. Fry until the egg is fully cooked and transfer onto a plate. Serve with cracked black pepper, pickled carrots and daikon, and the dipping sauce.

CHÈ CHUỐI

CHÈ CHUỐI INGREDIENTS

18 ripe thai bananas 1 cup tapioca pearls 1-2 handfuls of tapioca shreds 2 cassava, cubed in 1/2inch pieces 1 can coconut milk ¾ cup sugar 1 tsp salt Fresh pandan or vanilla extract

TO SERVE:

crushed peanuts toasted sesame seeds

Peel the bananas and place in a bowl. Soak the tapioca pearls in water for half an hour. Transfer to a pot and boil for 10-15 minutes until thick. Transfer to a strainer and rinse under water to remove excess starch until left with just the pearls. In a small saucepan boil the tapioca shreds in water for 10-15 minutes until al dente. Don’t want to fully cook because we will cook it further later with the bananas. In a large pot pour in 1 cup of coconut milk. Reserve remaining coconut milk in a separate bowl. Use the can of coconut milk as a measurement tool and add in 3 cans of water. Add in sugar, salt, and pandan leaf and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in the cassava. After 5-7 minutes add in tapioca pearls and tapioca shreds. Cook until the cassava is tender. Add in bananas and cook on medium low for 20 minutes. Top off with remaining coconut milk. Serve with crushed peanuts and sesame seeds.

CHÈ BẮP “There has always been a language barrier between me and Bà Ngoại and spending time with her in the kitchen was one way I tried to get around that barrier.” - THƯ

CHÈ BẮP INGREDIENTS

6 whole corn 1 cup sweet rice (rinsed) 2/3 cup sugar ½ tsp salt 6 1/2 cups liquid from boiled corn Vanilla extract

NƯỚC CỐT DỪA INGREDIENTS

1 can savoy coconut milk ½ can water 2 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp rice flour 1 tbsp salt

Boil corn in a large pot until cooked. Drain and reserve liquid. After cooled, shave the corn kernels and put in a bowl. In a large pot, heat the corn water until it boils. Add in the sweet rice and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat. After 20 minutes add in the shaved corn, sugar, and salt and mix. Add in a splash of vanilla extract. If the mixture looks too thick add in a bit more water. The consistency should be like pudding. Serve with nước cốt dừa.

(coconut milk sauce)

In a small saucepan add in the coconut milk, water, and sugar, and salt. In a small bowl add the rice flour and a bit of water and mix to create a slurry. Once combined add to the saucepan. Cook the mixture until it thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.

BÁNH KHOAI MÌ “Grandma’s Banh Khoai Mi began my love affair with Vietnamese cuisine. From then on, everything that she cooks for me becomes my new favorite Vietnamese dish!” - SNEHA

BÁNH KHOAI MÌ NƯỚNG Makes 2 10in cakes INGREDIENTS

3 bags of frozen shredded cassava (thawed) 3 tbsp butter, melted 3 tablespoon sugar 1 can condensed milk 3 tbsp tapioca flour 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 can savoy coconut milk ½ tsp salt ½ cup milk 1 jar coconut sport strings 3 eggs

A few hours before: place thawed shredded cassava in a large mixing bowl. Fill with water and mix the water and cassava with your hand for a few seconds. Let rest for at least an hour. Take a strainer and strain the water and cassava, squeezing out all excess water and starch. Place the strained cassava pulp in a large mixing bowl. Set oven to 300 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Grease two pans well with butter or oil. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Divide the batter evenly. Bake in the oven at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes increase your oven temperature to 350 and bake for another 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 400 and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from pan.

XÔI BẮP HÀNH PHI 75

XÔI BẮP HÀNH PHI INGREDIENTS

1 can White Hominy Corn (30oz) 1 cup sweet rice, soaked overnight 2 tbsp of coconut milk sauce 5 tbsp cooked mung beans 1 tsp oil

INGREDIENTS sugar fried onions

Boil corn in a saucepan for ~3 minutes. Drain. Drain the sweet rice from the water. Mix corn with the sweet rice and 2 tbsp of coconut milk sauce. Steam for 20 minutes. Remove from the steamer and mix in the mung beans and oil. Steam for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with sprinkling of sugar and fried onions.

XÔI VÒ “Maia, do you like xôi vò?” “Yeaaaaaaahh!” - MAIA

XÔI VÒ INGREDIENTS

3 cups mung beans, uncooked 4 cups sweet rice 1 cup sugar 2 tsp salt 2 cups savoy coconut milk

Soak the mung beans and sweet rice in water overnight. Drain the mung beans and sweet rice. Place the mung beans in a steamer and arrange in a ring. Steam for 45 minutes or until tender. Take the cooked mung beans and mash / put in a food processor until powder-like consistency. In a saucepan summer the coconut milk until it is reduced by half. In a mixing bowl mix together the coconut milk, cooked mung beans, sweet rice, sugar, and salt. Place in the steamer and steam for 45 minutes.