Vietnamese

Vietnamese pho is built on a long-simmered and aromatic stock infused with charred ginger and onion, spices, and fish sauce, ladled over rice noodles and most commonly served with thin slices of beef. This is not that. We borrowed the technique of charring the onion and toasting the spices to give a quick, weeknight-friendly boost to store-bought chicken stock for this pork and noodle soup.

This dish is a bold mix of salty, sweet, and acidic components. Crunchy slabs of melon and sharp greens keep it fresh; meaty chops provide depth.

Find long beans at Asian or specialty grocers.

How to make the hot and crunchy filled crepes known as banh xeo in Vietnam.

Chef David Tanis eats his way through the noodles, crêpes, and banana-blossom salads of Hoi An, Vietnam

Chef and author David Tanis insists on making broth for this restorative and iconic soup (pho ga) from scratch and warns against over­cooking the noodles: “They should be pretty firm and snappy, not flabby.”

The synthesis of fresh and long-cooked textures; rich, sweet, and herbal flavors; and juicy and crunchy garnishes. Serve with extra herbs, chiles, and lime so everyone can customize his own bowl.

The difference between this papaya salad and a Thai-style one comes down to spice and sugar, says chef and author David Tanis. The Vietnamese one is sweeter and less hot. Have all the ingredients assembled, but dress the salad just before serving.

This ubiquitous and essential Vietnamese condiment is a bright and spicy mix of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors.

These hot and crunchy filled crepes are known as banh xeo in Vietnam.

These crisp, fresh pickles are often offered along with fresh herbs at the table. Tuck them into a lettuce-leaf wrapper or use them to doctor brothy soup.

The method for cooking rice noodles varies from brand to brand—sometimes they’re soaked in hot water, sometimes boiled, so check the package.

We’re hooked on the juicy and crunchy textures and sweet and spicy flavors in this Vietnamese-style steak and salad pairing.

Go light on the salt when seasoning these chops; the marinade is fairly salt, especially after it reduces. Learn how to make this recipe and more in our online cooking class with Sur la Table.

You'll want duck legs, not breast, for this Vietnamese duck soup recipe.