Cooking the Soul Food of Vietnam: Kho

From what I have read and heard from Vietnamese friends, kho dishes are -the- comfort foods of their cuisine. This fairly broad category of dishes consist of braises, either long or short-simmered, which are primarily seasoned with nouc mau and fish sauce. These two sauces combine and cook down into a thick, gooey dark russet-brown […]

What To Do With Nuoc Mau: Stir-Fried Chicken with Lemongrass and Chilies

Now that I have about a cup or so of dark bittersweet delishousness in my fridge, I have to cook with it. While kuo dishes–braised dishes with gooey reddish brown salty-sweet sauce are one of the main uses of nuoc mau in the Vietnamese kitchen, the first recipe I tried was a stir-fry. Like I […]

The Essential Vietnamese Sauce: Nuoc Mau

It looks rather like sorghum molasses, or espresso with a swirled froth of reddish gold crema on top.
But it is neither of these things.
It is dark, it is deep, it consists of two ingredients, and while it is simple to make it is not easy.
And, it is an essential component to many […]

What To Do With Nuoc Cham: Lemongrass Beef Over Broken Rice

Simple does not equate with plain.
You know, the phrase, “it’s plain and simple?”
Well, in cookery, those two words do not have to go together.
Food that comes together with a minimum of ingredients does not have to taste plain. Or bland. Or boring.
This recipe is a classic example of what I am trying to […]

A Sauce of Golden Glory: Nuoc Cham

Vietnamese food, for all that I have seldom cooked it in the past, may become my newest culinary obsession.
Why?
Because the flavors are fresh, delicate and delightful.
Like Thai and Chinese foods, Vietnamese foods are an exercise in balance between flavors, colors, textures and aromas.
One of my favorite aspects of Vietnamese cookery is […]