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Charles Phan

Contents

Vietnamese
Home
Cooking
Chef-Owner, The Slanted Door
with Jessica Battilana

Photography by Eric Wolfinger

TEN SPEED PRESS

Berkeley
iii

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For Dad and Ah Neng

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xxvi

Preface

Street Food

34 Green Papaya Salad with Rau Ram, Peanuts,

xxviii

Introduction

Soup
5
6
7
8
10
14
16
18
20
22
25
26

Pork Stock
Chicken Stock
Beef Stock
Pho G: Chicken Noodle Soup
Pho B: Beef Noodle Soup
Wonton Noodle Soup
Bn B Hue
Bnh Canh: Pig's Knuckle Soup
Cho: Chicken Rice Porridge
Simple Fish Soup
Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup
Crab and Corn Soup

Phan_9781607740537_5p_01_r1.indd 6

37
44
48
51
52
55
56

58
60

62

and Crispy Shallots

Beef Jerky
Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls
Chinese Doughnuts
Bnh M
Mamas Meatballs
Lemongrass Pork
Halibut Vermicelli with Dill and
Pineapple-Anchovy Sauce
Bnh Xo: Crepe with Pork and Shrimp
Bnh Bo: Steamed Rice Cakes with Mung Beans
and Shrimp
Bnh Cun: Rice Crepes with Pork
and Mushrooms

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 Steaming
70
72
74
76

78
82
83
84
86
90
92

Daikon Rice Cake with Spicy Soy

Black BeanGlazed Pork Spareribs
Bnh Nam: Banana LeafWrapped Rice Dumplings
Black Cod with Lily Buds and Dried
Shiitake Mushrooms
Chicken Steamed Buns
Vegetarian Steamed Buns
Pork Steamed Buns
Ground Pork with Salted Fish
Hue Rice Dumplings
Lotus LeafWrapped Sticky Rice
Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions,
and Soy

Braising
100 Chicken with Lily Buds and Dried

Shiitake Mushrooms

102 Chicken Curry

104 Duck Legs with Bamboo, Virginia Ham, and

Shiitake Mushrooms

106 Soy-Braised Pork Belly with Ginger

and Star Anise

Catfish Clay Pot
Pork Clay Pot with Young Coconut Juice
Lo Soi Braised Pork
Lemongrass Beef Stew
Caramelized Lemongrass Shrimp
Braised Branzino with Tomatoes and

Pickled Mustard Greens
120 Yuba Dumplings with Miso Broth
108
110
113
115
116
118

Contents

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Stir-Frying

Grilling

128 Broccoli with Beech Mushrooms

154 Grilled Pork Chops with Sweet

129
129
131
132
134
136
137
138
140
143

144
146
147
148

and Roasted Chile Paste

Bok Choy with Baby Shiitake Mushrooms
Spinach with Caramelized Shallots
Gulf Shrimp and Sing Qua Stir-Fry
Squid with Tomato and Pickled Mustard Greens
Black Bass with Yellow Chives and Bean Sprouts
Scrambled Eggs and Pork
Water Spinach with Shrimp Paste
Lemongrass Chicken
Bo Luc Lac: Shaking Beef
Beef Bavette with Tomatoes and
Thick-Cut Potatoes
Fried Rice
Wok-Fried Noodles with Beef and Bok Choy
Crispy Egg Noodles with Seafood
Mix-and-Match Wok-Fried Noodles

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Lemongrass Marinade
Pork-Stuffed Squid with Spicy Tomato Sauce
Clams with Crispy Pork Belly and Thai Basil
Grilled Whole Fish
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Grilled Five-Spice Chicken with Tamarind Sauce
Spicy Mango Salad
Pomelo Salad
Rice Clay Pot with Chicken and Chinese Sausage
Roasted Eggplant and Leek Salad
Vermicelli (Bun) Bowls
Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Cilantro,

Scallions, and Lime
171 Simple Grilled Shrimp
156
158
161
162
164
165
165
166
168
170
171

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 Frying
178
182
185
186
188
191
194
196
199

Imperial Rolls
Sweet Potato and Shrimp Fritters
Squid with Pineapple and Toasted Garlic
Fragrant Crispy Duck with Watercress
Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings
Lacquered Quail with Sichuan Cucumber Pickles
Hoi An Wontons with Spicy Tomato Sauce
Sweet and Sour Fish
Turmeric-and-Beer-Battered Soft-Shell Crab

Glossary
202 Ingredients
214 Condiments
216

Acknowledgements

217

Conversion Chart

218

Index

Contents

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54

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Lemongrass Pork

This cheaters version of porchetta makes a

great filling for bnh m (page 51), though its
also good on its own, with rice and a vegetable
side dish.
cup finely chopped lemongrass (see page 207)
cup chopped garlic
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoons coriander seeds, toasted in a dry
pan until fragrant, cooled, and ground
1 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
cup canola oil
4 pounds boneless pork loin
Serves 6 as a main course or makes enough meat for
8 to 10 sandwiches
4.
When you are ready to
cook the meat, remove it
from the refrigerator and
bring it to room temperature. Preheat the oven
to 325F.

2.
Place the pork loin on a
cutting board. Beginning
at one end of the loin,
make a horizontal cut
about 1-inch deep. Continue cutting the length
of the loin. Then, return
to the start of the cut and
deepen the cut, pulling
back the meat as you go,
until the pork loin opens
like a magazine. Do not cut
all the way through.

5.
Roast the pork for
about 1 hours, until
an instant-read thermometer inserted into
the thickest part of the
shoulder registers 140F.
Transfer the shoulder to
a platter and tent with
aluminum foil.

3.
Spread three-quarters
of the spice mixture on
the top of the pork and
then roll the pork into a
tight cylinder, securing
it at 3-inch intervals with
butchers twine. Rub the
remaining mixture on the
outside of the meat. Place
the meat on a rimmed baking sheet, cover loosely
with plastic wrap, and
refrigerate for at least
8 hours.

Street Food

1.
In a bowl, combine the
lemongrass, garlic, salt,
coriander, and pepper
and stir to mix. Add the
oil and stir until a thick
paste forms. Set aside.

6.
If serving the pork hot
as a main course, let rest
for about 30 minutes
then slice the shoulder
and serve. If youre planning to use the pork for
sandwiches, let cool completely before slicing.

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50

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Bnh M

In the last couple of years, bnh m, a baguette

sandwich that has been a favorite snack
in Vietnam since French colonial days, has
become popular in the States. The sandwiches
are sold almost everywhere in Vietnam, filled
with almost anything. Although Ive tried many,
many versions of bnh m in the States, none
has been quite as good as what I can get back
in Vietnam. Happily, a very good version can be
made at home.
Best bread:

Filling:

Dozens of different
fillings for these sandwiches are possible:
headcheese, Vietnamese
bologna, grilled meat
(chicken, pork, or beef),
or even vegetarian versions with tofu or mushrooms. My favorite fillings are Lemongrass Pork
(page 55) and Mamas
Meatballs (page 52), which
makes a saucy, messy,
Sloppy Joelike sandwich.

Toppings:

A bnh m needs pickled

carrots (page 35), thin
slices of jalapeo chile,
cucumber, and lots of
fresh cilantro. These
toppings give the sandwich flavor and offset the
fattiness of the fillings.
Without these additions,
youll still have a tasty
sandwich, but it wont be
a bnh m. Two more tips:
spread both cut sides of
each roll with a little
mayonnaise to ensure the
sandwich isnt dry, and
finish it with a drizzle of
Golden Mountain or Maggi
seasoning sauce (page 214).

Street Food

This might be the most

important element of a
bnh m. In Vietnam, the
baguettes are made with a
combination of rice flour
and wheat flour. They have
a crackly exterior and a
fluffy interior. The crust
shouldn't be too robust,
though, or the sandwich
will be difficult to chew
and youll tear up the
roof of your mouth. This
is a case when you dont
want to use the fanciest
artisanal country loaf or
the crustiest baguette.
A toasted supermarket
baguette, a bolillo (a torpedo-shaped Mexican roll),
or a roll that you find in
an Asian market is your
best best. Split the roll
lengthwise and pull out
most of the bread guts.
This will ensure that your
sandwich isnt too doughy
and that you can get your
mouth around it.

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Roasted Chile Paste

1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns (see page 211)

1 tablespoon annatto seeds (see page 202)
Our roasted chile paste runs circles around
cup finely chopped shallots
store-bought versions. The Sichuan pepper cup canola oil
corns give it an almost floral, complicated heat,
cup finely minced garlic (about 8 cloves)
punched up by red pepper flakes and mellowed
cup red pepper flakes
out by the ground bean paste. Its used as a con cup ground bean paste (see page 214)
diment, added to dipping sauces, and used as an

2 tablespoons rice wine (see page 215)
ingredient in cooked dishes. If you are opting for

2 tablespoons sugar
store-bought, youll find it in glass or plastic
2 tablespoons light soy sauce (see page 215)
jars, often labeled chile-bean or sat paste (see
bean paste page 214). Look for a brand made without preservatives.
1.
Combine the peppercorns and annatto seeds
in a spice grinder (or
use a mortar and pestle)
and grind coarsely. Set
aside.

3.
Stir in the red pepper flakes and the
peppercorn-annatto
mixture, mixing well.
Add the wine, sugar,
and soy sauce and continue cooking, stirring,
for 1 minute longer.
Remove from the heat
and let cool completely.
Use immediately, or
transfer to an airtight
container and refrigerate for up to 3 months.

Braising

2.
In a small saucepan,
combine the shallots
and oil over medium
heat and cook, stirring
frequently, for about
6 minutes, until the
shallots are light gold.
Add the garlic and cook,
stirring frequently,
for about 4 minutes
longer, until the garlic
and shallot are lightly
browned.

Makes about 1 cups

How to Chop Lemongrass

The texture of chopped
lemongrass is important.
We go through cases and
cases of lemongrass each
week for the restaurants,
so hand-chopping is not
possible. But at home its
always my first choice.

First, cut the bottom
-inch off each lemongrass
stalk and trim the greenish, woody top portion and
discard. Peel the outer
layers from the stalk
until you arrive at the
firm, tender center. With
a sharp knife, thinly slice
the stalk into coins, then
run your knife through
the pile of coins until
you have reduced them to

nubby bits. You want to

detect the bits of lemongrass in a finished dish:
they should register on
your tongue, then dissolve, leaving only the
bright aroma behind.

To preserve the
aromatic quality of fresh
lemongrass, chop it just
before using. If you live
in a place where lemongrass is hard to come by,
buy extra: whole stalks
can be frozen for future
use.

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Copyright 2012 by Charles Phan

Photographs copyright 2012 by Eric Wolfinger
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press,
an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division
of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com
Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon
are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publicaion Data
Phan, Charles.
Vietnamese home cooking / Charles Phan, ChefOwner of The Slanted Door.
p. cm.
1. Cooking, Vietnamese. I. Slanted Door (Restaurant)
II. Title.
TX724.5.V5P54 2012
641.59295922dc23
2012014119
ISBN: 978-1-60774-053-7
eISBN: 978-1-60774-385-9
Book design by Manual
Printed in China
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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