Vietnamese Archives - Pickles and Tea

Quickie Congee in the Instant Pot

18 Jan, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Breakfast, Chinese, Cooking method, Do ahead, Filipino, Grains, Indonesian, Instant Pot, Kid-friendly, Main Course, Malaysian, One-wok meal, Poultry, Singaporean, Soups, Taiwanese, Vietnamese

Nothing beats a warm, comforting bowl of congee (or arroz caldo, or bubur, or whatchamacallit) made by grandma, especially when you’re sick. Not many of us still have that luxury. In fact, we’re probably the ones doing the cooking. Making congee is definitely a labor...

Savory Rice Porridge with Pork and Shrimp (Kao Tom Moo)

29 Feb, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Boiling, Breakfast, Chinese, Comfort food, Filipino, Grains, Indonesian, One-wok meal, Pork, Seafood, Singaporean, Taiwanese, Thai, Vietnamese

Although Lady Spring teased us with her glorious appearance this past weekend, the upcoming snow in the forecast reminds us that it's still winter. And there's nothing better than a steamy bowl of rice porridge when you're in need of something warm and comforting for both your soul...

5 Asian Secrets to Tender, Flavorful Meat on the Grill

03 Jul, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Condiments, Entrees, Filipino, Grilling, Indian, Indonesian, Korean, Tips and techniques, Vietnamese

With July 4th right around the corner, it's time to get serious about grilling. And if you've ever been a victim of tough, dry meat fresh off the flames, you'll want to read this. I'm not going to talk about techniques or equipment--I'll leave that to the...

The Banh Mi Handbook Giveaway and a Chat with Author Andrea Nguyen

20 Aug, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Condiments, Fusion, Snacks, Vietnamese

Cookbook author and teacher Andrea Nguyen has done it again! I just received a complimentary copy of Andrea's fourth book in eight years, The Banh Mi Handbook—Recipes for Crazy-Delicious Vietnamese Sandwiches, and it's set to launch another culinary revolution. Banh mi has its roots in the French snack of...

Memories and a Mango Salad

03 Sep, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Appetizers, Salads, Tips and techniques, Vietnamese

When my husband was deployed for one year last year, he was entitled to a two-week R&R (rest and relaxation) trip which meant the military would fly him anywhere in the world. Many choose to go home but we decided to entrust Isaac to the...

Choose Love … and a How-To for Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls

11 Jan, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Appetizers/Sides, Vietnamese

Choose love. These two simple words have been on my mind since they popped out at me from a friend’s Facebook post a few weeks ago. She was recapping her past year and she ended her reflection with “When in doubt, choose love.” They could mean many...

My New Kitchen Toys

12 Dec, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Vietnamese

One of the greatest joys of traveling is bringing home loot, whether for yourself or for friends and family. Some travelers purchase objets d'art, others, clothes and accessories. Me? I almost always go for food and kitchen knick knacks. I just spent three weeks in Singapore...

Technicolor Vietnamese Pickles (Do Chua)

02 Aug, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Condiments, Vietnamese

Technicolor Vietnamese Pickles (Do Chua) Asian pickles do not adhere strictly to Western pickling methods (quick pickles, salt-brined etc) nor do we have a tradition of canning using sterilized jars and such. This method is a combination of quick pickles and salt-brined pickles and they'll keep...

A Summer Bánh Mì Buffest (Buffet+Fest)!

02 Aug, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Meat, Poultry, Snacks, Vietnamese

The Vietnamese sandwich, a.k.a. bánh mì, is the epitome of cheap, good food. In fact, so remarkable is the bánh mì’s reputation, the New York Times Magazine devoted an entire article to this glorious sandwich. The article also suggests that Seattle, with its thriving Vietnamese community,...

Vietnamese Sour Soup Flavored With Spring’s Secret Ingredient–Rhubarb

01 Jun, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Appetizers, Vegetable, Vietnamese

Rhubarb ranks way up there, together with ramps and fava beans, as a local vegetable I have absolutely no clue how to tackle....

Pickles and Tea Vietnamese