Author: manny
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Garlic oil
My family always has a jar of garlic oil at home. We add it to pho, salads, and pretty much anything edible. You only need two ingredients—garlic and oil. The method is simple but the execution requires precision. If the oil is not hot enough, the minced garlic will clump up. If the heat is…
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Da Ua (Vietnamese yogurt)
Da Ua (pronounced “yah wu”) is a casual term for Vietnamese yogurt; the formal term is Sữa chua. Vietnamese yogurt is equal parts tangy, funky, and sweet, thanks to the use of condensed milk. It’s creamier and less thick than Greek yogurt. If you’ve never tried it, think Pinkberry frozen yogurt in creamy yogurt form.…
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Lazy girl Bò kho (Vietnamese Beef stew)
I made this one-pot bò kho at 9 months pregnant. I wanted comforting Vietnamese food without the hassle — no parboiling and cleaning beef bones, sautéing in front of a hot stove, or washing multiple pots. Total prep time and cleanup is less than 30 minutes; the oven does the rest of the work. I…
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Bột chiên (pan-fried rice flour cake)
Bột chiên (pan-fried rice flour cake) is a popular street food in Saigon. Just like my family, this dish has Chinese roots — it’s the Vietnamese interpretation of “chien go” (煎粿). The dish features steamed rice flour cakes that are pan-seared and coated in a thick, molasses-like soy sauce, stitched together by eggs. The best…
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chả trứng hấp (Vietnamese egg meatloaf)
My grandma calls this chả nướng because she used to grill it over charcoal in Vietnam. Most may know this as chả trứng hấp, or Vietnamese egg meatloaf, often included in cơm tấm (broken rice plate). My grandma makes it best — the meatloaf itself is moist, and I love the translucent layer of egg…
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2-ingredient coconut yogurt
Here’s a simple, 2-ingredient coconut yogurt recipe. The hardest part is cracking open a coconut, which I cover in this post. Ingredients: 270 g of fresh young coconut meat (about 4 coconuts) 1.5 cups of coconut water 3 probiotic capsules (I used Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Probiotics ) Makes 2 cups of coconut yogurt,…
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Sweet & sour pork
My friend’s mom makes the best sweet and sour pork. She calls it “ja yook” (fried meat) because every bite is pure, succulent protein with an ever-so-light crispy layer of batter. With some cooking tips from my friend’s mom, I tried recreating the dish. It turned out so good, I had to share it with…
