You won’t find this dish in many Vietnamese restaurants, but every Vietnamese family makes this dish at home, especially around Lunar New Year (Tết). It’s one of the most flavorful and delicious dishes—the pork belly is braised in coconut water and becomes super tender in no time thanks to the Instant Pot. You get that lovely rich color from caramelized sugar and thick soy sauce. Its the perfect meal for those who love a varied experience in terms of texture and flavor—you can move from the fatty pork belly right into the semi-soft hard boiled eggs. I suggest serving this over a bowl of jasmine rice that has been delicately spooned with the delicious broth in which you cooked the pork belly. Serve it with…
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Continue ReadingCostco Samples have a magical way of influencing our eating habits. On a routine shopping trip my daughter tried a sample cup of Tasty Bites Madras Lentils—and proceeded to talk about them the entire trip. I reluctantly conceded and went…
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Continue ReadingThese Japanese BBQ Short Ribs are inspired by the ones I get at my favorite local izakaya, Kappo Honda. I’m not sure if this is a common dish that you can find at other Japanese restaurants, because I don’t really…
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Continue ReadingOui is Yoplait’s best yogurt, minimal ingredients are used and the yogurt is cultured in adorable glass jars – it creates a creamy texture without any thickeners or straining. The coconut flavor is one of my favorites, my copycat of…
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Continue ReadingMy favorite potato salad has to be Japanese Potato Salad, its creamy, slightly tangy and the carrots and cucumber give it a wonderful texture and flavor. Kewpie Mayonnaise is a must have for this recipe! If you haven’t tried Japanese…
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Continue ReadingThis is a Vietnamese fusion dish that was inspired by the spaghetti and meat sauce that I grew up eating. I’m not completely sure what ingredients went into the version that my mom used to make, but I know there…
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Continue ReadingIf you’re from Southern California you can understand my obsession with Tommy’s Chili Burgers. Their tomato-less chili con carne is very unique to the SoCal Region, often found smothered on anything you can imagine—from fries & hot dogs to burgers.…
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Continue ReadingThese Crab Rolls are very similar to Lobster Rolls, without all the extra work. I used lump crab meat and tossed it with a few other staple pantry items. These are so quick to make and they are absolutely delicious.…
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Continue ReadingBánh Canh Cua is a crab noodle soup dish that’s quite popular in Vietnam. The noodles are hand made with tapioca starch – they look very similar to udon noodles, but are slightly chewier. The noodles are cooked right in…
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Continue ReadingAnthony Bourdain revolutionized the way we think about food. His no holds barred approach to world travel and cuisine introduced me to so many culinary delights I would have lived a full life without experiencing. Due to his immense success…
I started this blog to photograph & organzine my recipes so I can share them with friends & family. I hope you find something that you enjoy making on here. Like my Facebook Page below to get updates when I post a new recipe.
-Van
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