Recipes from My Vietnamese Kitchen E-Book

Uyen Luu

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Seitenzahl: 124

Beschreibung

Recreate authentic Vietnamese food in your own home, guided by celebrated chef Uyen Luu. Learn how to strike the perfect balance between sweet, sour, salty, bitter, hot and umami through this wonderful collection of recipes. Discover not-to-be-missed recipes such as pho, banh mi baguettes and ever popular summer rolls. Uyen guides you through chapters such as Breakfast, Soups, Snacks, Noodles, Lunch & Dinner and Desserts, weaving in tales of etiquette, personal history and tradition, providing evocative photos of her travels throughout.  Recipes from My Vietnamese Kitchen is a collection of recipes passed down through Uyen's family. Uyen was born in Saigon, before leaving Vietnam in the aftermath of the war. She regularly travels back to visit family and pick up more recipes for dishes found in the homes and on the streets of Vietnam. The recipes in the book tell a story – about Uyen's family and the culture of food in Vietnam.

Leseprobe

Recipes from my

Vietnamese

Kitchen

Recipes from my

Vietnamese

Kitchen

AUTHENTIC FOOD TO AWAKEN THE SENSES & FEED THE SOUL

Uyen Luu

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLARE WINFIELD

Uyên Lưu hosts Vietnamese supper clubs in her East London studio where she cooks dishes she learned from her mother. She passes on this knowledge of home cooking through her Vietnamese cooking classes. Uyên is a food writer, contributing to various UK publications, including The Observer Food Monthly. She lives and works in London as a food photographer.

Visit www.uyenluu.com for information on supper clubs, cooking classes and photography. Follow her @loveleluu on Instagram.

Clare Winfield is a photographer specializing in food. Her work has appeared in magazines, books and on packaging. For Ryland Peters & Small, she has also photographed Recipes from My Indian Kitchen, Two’s Company and Home Bird.

SENIOR DESIGNER Megan Smith

COMMISSIONING EDITOR Céline Hughes

PRODUCTION MANAGER Gordana Simakovic

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Leslie Harrington

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Julia Charles

PUBLISHER Cindy Richards

FOOD STYLIST Uyên Lưu

PROP STYLIST Jo Harris

INDEXER Hilary Bird

First published in 2013 as My Vietnamese Kitchen. This edition published in 2024 by Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields

London WC1R 4BW

and

341 East 116th Street

New York, NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Food photography by Clare Winfield Travel photography by Uyên Lưu

Text © Uyên Lưu 2013, 2019, 2024

Design and commissioned photographs © Ryland Peters & Small 2013, 2019, 2024

Printed in China

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-78879-550-0

E-ISBN: 978-1-78879-626-2

NOTES

• All spoon measurements are level unless otherwise specified.

• Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperature. Recipes in this book were tested using a regular oven. If using a fan-assisted oven, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for adjusting temperatures.

• All eggs are medium (UK) or large (US), unless otherwise specified. Recipes containing raw or partially cooked egg, or raw fish or shellfish, should not be served to the very young, very old, anyone with a compromised immune system or pregnant women.

• If you are concerned about eating raw beansprouts, cook them before serving.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

US Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data has been applied for.

Contents

Foreword and Introduction

Ingredients

Awaken the Senses Breakfast

Feed the Soul Soups

Sticky Fingers Snacks

Live Long Noodles

Eat and Play Lunch and Dinner

Happy Endings Sweets

Index

Foreword

I first met Uyen Luu during the filming of my television series, How to Cook Well, when I cooked with her in her small kitchen. We cooked some lovely dishes inspired by her own culture and family, and I remember them with enormous pleasure when flicking through the pages of this, her first book, with Clare Winfield’s mouthwatering photographs.

I adore everything about Vietnamese food. Maybe it’s the Frenchman in me – and France has had a longer, stronger connection with Vietnam than the colonial one that lasted from 1887 to 1954 – but I’m excited by the fragrance, the beauty, the texture and the multiplicity of flavours of Vietnamese dishes.

Even more than the bánh mì stuffed baguette and the sweet milky coffee that are so obviously French-inspired, I relish the aroma of a steaming bowl of phở, with its notes of star anise, coriander seeds, hints of cinnamon and cloves, and fresh, fruity notes of herbs and citrus. The warmth of the broth is complemented perfectly by the bite of the noodles.

And how can you not love summer rolls? The pink of the prawns and green herbs showing through the translucent rice-paper wrap promise the lovely contrast of crunchy and smooth textures and fresh, savoury flavours.

Uyen Luu sets this wonderful cuisine in the context of her own family and kitchen. She tells us exactly what ingredients are needed for the most authentic experience of Vietnamese food (and we can be grateful that so many of these ingredients are now available in Britain, thanks to the Vietnamese emigrants who have settled here). But she is not a fusspot: she even gives her own, playful recipe for spaghetti Bolognese – and you have to look carefully at it to spot the splash of fish sauce that gives it a tiny Vietnamese twist. Her fish and chips variation involves raw tuna. Wonderful!

Playfulness is a characteristic of this book. It encourages readers to eat like the Vietnamese do themselves, not worrying too much about the distinctions between meals and snacks. I assure you, from my own experience, that it really is possible to breakfast on a bowl of spicy noodle soup and feel the better for it all day long. Perhaps it’s the notion that food is fun, and eating can be playful, that preserves Vietnam from the Western plague of obesity.

Among her recipes here you’ll find many for sustainable species of fish; and you might also notice that her recipes (and this is true for most Vietnamese cooking) are not lavish with energy. This is ethical eating.

Certainly Uyen Luu has learned from her mother to search for a balance of yin and yang in her cooking and diet. This means creating a balance of taste and texture as well as of the traditional heating and cooling properties assigned to foodstuffs. More important than the details of the nutritional theory, though, is the underlying belief that what we eat affects our health – something we in the West have discovered relatively recently, very much to the cost of our physical wellbeing. Moreover, Uyen points out that what we eat (and how and when we eat) also affects our emotional wellbeing, an insight we’d do well to remember.

Raymond Blanc

“Eat playfully”

I was born in Sài Gòn into a family who loves food. In the late 1970s and early 1980s after the Vietnam War, the country fell into extreme poverty and many people had their businesses, livelihoods, land and properties stripped away. There was a trade embargo, and food was scarce or even unavailable.

My grandmother, my father’s mother, was a great entrepreneur. In order to support her family in Sài Gòn, she opened up her front room, which led onto the street, to sell bún bò huế, the best noodle soup I ever remember eating.

My earliest childhood memory, which I savour, is of the taste and character of that soup. I sat on my little table in the corner and watched my grandmother serve bowl after bowl. She always smiled at the customers. I can recall watching her somewhere among the clouds of lemongrass-scented steam that surrounded her stall: her hair up in a bun, she was a round and handsomely chubby woman who would sniff me whenever I came near. The Vietnamese sniff to kiss.

Since we took refuge in London after the war, I have learnt everything about Vietnamese cooking from my mother, who raised me and my brother on a strict Vietnamese diet so that we would never forget where we came from and so that we would grow up with a sense of belonging. Vietnamese cuisine is one of the most flavoursome in the world, bursting with tangy freshness, sweet tastiness and umami spiciness! When cooking a Vietnamese dish, most of the work is in the preparation rather than on the stove, with many of its basic principles based on satisfying every taste bud.

Preparing and cooking Vietnamese food is about fine-tuning your tasting skills to balance and master sweet, sour, salty, umami, bitter and hot flavours. It is about combining perfect textures, such as silky meat or fish with crunchy vegetables or herbs to satisfy the bite. It is also important to combine and balance ingredients that pair well with each other, and people remain loyal to their tried-and-tested combinations.

It is important to accomplish a perfect harmony of taste, texture and lightness of being. Many people naturally follow the yin and yang ideology in combining ingredients. For example, a soup with hearty ginger to warm up the body is contrasted with refreshing, cool leaves like bok choy to bring a sense of concord. Eating in balance is a major factor in keeping healthy and many believe that food is medicine.

Vietnam has taken much inspiration from its occupiers, especially the French. The streets buzz with a dazzling variety of food and its aromas, from barbecued meat-filled baguettes (bánh mì), hot pork pastries, crunchy carrot salads and beef steaks with French fries.

Living in one of the most fertile countries in the world, the Vietnamese make great use of all the vegetation that the land so abundantly offers. Meat and fish are usually luxuries: a family of five will share one fish per family. Therefore, herbs, fruit and vegetables such as morning glory, taro stem/elephant ear, lotus roots, watercress, pineapple, tomatoes and cucumbers fill out a delicious meal, making the diet quite a healthy one.

Vietnamese people love eating so much that they have a term called “ăn chơi”, which means “to eat playfully”, or “to snack”. There are many small and light streetfood portions that you can pick up and eat on the go, throughout the day.

The meal doesn’t consist of courses; there is no starter/appetizer, main/entrée or dessert. There are snacks, meals in one dish, and family meals with many plates all served at once. Vietnamese food is all about the love of food, flavour and eating. Or in other words, food is love.

Ingredients

Herbs

The Vietnamese use herbs in abundance. Full of perfume, flavour and health benefits, they are used in almost every savoury dish. Coriander/cilantro, Thai sweet basil and mint are the most readily available, so if in doubt, use those. Find out when your nearest Asian store has their fresh vegetable delivery and try to buy your herbs that day.

1. COCKSCOMB MINT (kinh giới), also known as Vietnamese lemon balm, resembles minty lemon balm and is used in summer rolls, salads, fish and chicken dishes, and as a garnish in noodle soups. Also great with boiling water as a tea. Alternative herb: lemon balm, available from garden centres.

2. VIETNAMESE CELERY LEAVES (rau cần), both the narrow stems and strongly flavoursome leaves of which are used plentifully as a garnish. Stems are usually cooked.

3. PANDAN LEAVES (lá dứa) are narrow and long, with a distinct grassy flavour. Used in tea, rice and desserts, and as a green food dye. The leaves can be wrapped around food for grilling or steaming.

4. SAWTOOTH (ngò gai) tastes like intense coriander/cilantro and basil in one. Commonly used as a garnish in phở or with beef salad.

5. THAI SWEET BASIL (húng quế) acts as a garnish in noodle soups such as phở and bún bò Huế. The leaves taste and smell like aniseed, unlike European basil. Translates from the Vietnamese as “cinnamon basil” and originates from Thailand and Vietnam.

6. HOT MINT (rau răm) has a citrus coriander/cilantro aroma reminiscent of, but not related to, mint. Also known as Vietnamese coriander/cilantro, it is commonly eaten raw in salads, as well as in some soups.

7. LEMONGRASS (xả) is central to many dishes, from soups to stews and curries. It adds a zesty aroma and a zingy tang to give kick and flavour. It also boasts many health benefits.

8. CURLY MORNING GLORY (rau muống) has stems that are sliced into curly threads to be eaten raw in salads and as a garnish in many noodle soups for added crunch and texture.

9. GARLIC CHIVES (lá hẹ), also known as Chinese chives, taste very garlicky and are used to season noodle soups, salads and summer rolls.

10. SHISO/PERILLA (tía tô) is earthy and bold with peppery, cinnamon and fennel flavours. Often purple on one side and green on the other, it looks like stinging nettles. Also known as Japanese shiso or wild sesame, it is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin A and C, and contains calcium, iron and potassium. Commonly used in China as medicine. Used in salads, summer rolls and cold noodle dishes.

11. BANANA BLOSSOM/FLOWER (bắp chuối) is a popular type of vegetable commonly used raw as a crisp garnish or accompaniment to many soups and savoury dishes. It is purchased ready shredded.

12. BETEL LEAVES (lá lốt), not to be confused with betel nut chews, have a pungent, minty, peppery taste and smell rather like cinnamon when cooked. The leaves are used as wraps for garlicky beef. Substitute with shiso/perilla leaves.

CORIANDER/CILANTRO (ngò) is fragrant, versatile and wonderful. Used liberally as a garnish, or torn over salads. A lot of the flavour is in the stalk.

GARDEN MINT (rau húng) is commonly used to add fresh overtones to a dish, especially barbecued vermicelli dishes and zesty soups.

Spices and condiments

1. FRESH GINGER (gừng) is considered a medicine or spice. Frequently used for its warm flavour and cleansing effects, it should be in every kitchen. Can be infused in hot water and drunk to aid digestion.

2. COCONUT CARAMEL OR COCONUT SAP SUGAR/HONEY (nước màu) is a sweet, smoky coconut caramel used to colour stews and add richness.

3. SÀI GÒN CINNAMON (quế thanh) is more like cassia bark than cinnamon. Adds a sweet and intense depth to broths and stews.

4. HOISIN SAUCE (tương đen) is a popular condiment for phở. It is also great as a central element for dipping sauces for gỏi cuốn. Made from soy sauce, soy beans, black beans, molasses and vinegar.

5. OYSTER SAUCE (dầu hào) is a Chinese condiment flavoured with oyster extract, great in stir-fries.

6. DEEP-FRIED SHALLOTS (Hành phi) are brilliant as a garnish for extra crunch and flavour.

7. CORIANDER SEEDS (hạt rau mùi) are used in broths.

8. BLACK PEPPER (hạt tiêu) is a common seasoning in broths and other dishes.

9. STAR ANISE (Đại hồi) flavours broths (phở) and stews. It is one of the traditional Chinese five spices.

10. PREMIUM FISH SAUCE (nước mắm) is a staple in Vietnamese cuisine. Made from fermented fish, water and salt, it is imperative to use a good-quality sauce – it will improve the flavour of your cooking immeasurably. Used as a seasoning in cooking as well as in a dipping sauce (nước chấm) with cold noodle salads and barbecue meat dishes.

11. SHRIMP PASTE (mắm ruốc) is pungent! Made from fermented ground shrimps – good for sauces.