Viet World Kitchen

The Pho Cookbook Giveaway is on!

The book comes out on February 7 and many of you have already pre-ordered. My publisher Ten Speed Press reports that pre-release support for The Pho Cookbook is fantastic! In the world of book publishing, pre-order sales are an important indicator of how well a work will do. 

Way back when I announced that I'd be writing a pho cookbook, people immediately asked when and where they could pre-order the book. That level of reaction was unexpected, and added wind to my writing and research sails. I’m incredibly honored -- okay, actually extremely stoked -- that people are getting into the pho spirit and entrusting me to be their pho Sherpa. [[Update on 1/13/17: Due to strong initial sales, a second printing is in the works! Yowza.]]

To thank everyone for supporting the book, my publisher and I put together a special pre-order giveaway that launched today. It's a win-win on many levels (not just because my surname is pronounced somewhat like “win”).

Vegetarian Banh Mi Taco Tips

I was at a Vietnamese market today and overheard a conversation between two Vietnamese people lamenting having to diet. “It’s so boring and difficult to eat lean vegetables all the time,” the woman said. “I’m tired of it.”

The man responded, “Dieting isn’t about giving up everything. Just a little here and there.”

I’m in the same camp as the man. All things in moderation, which is why I made banh mi tacos the other day. Cutting back on white bread is good thing in general but it’s hard for banh mi sandwiches, which is defined by its carby encasement. What if you used a corn tortilla? What do you have to watch for? Does it taste good?

And since many of us are also going meatless now and then, I decided to make vegetarian banh mi tacos. Banh mi tacos are not something I thought of. There’s a Denver restaurant that makes them and their filling ingredients reminded me of recipes from The Banh Mi Handbook.

Korean Fried Chicken Nuggets Recipe

It had been a while since I made fried chicken so a couple weeks ago, I decided to fete two friends who are moving away by making Korean fried chicken. It’s crunchy, spicy, and tangy. It’s festive, slightly messy, and crazy red from the pepper paste sauce. I’d made the chicken years back using a recipe that a Korean friend’s mom shared with me. In 2009, I thought it was the best recipe but seven years make a difference. This one is better because it blends Mrs. Lee’s marinating method with a coating and sauce by Maangchi in her terrific cookbook.

Mrs. Lee marinated the chicken beforehand and I like the flavor. In her cookbook, Maangchi promised to deliver a crunchy coating and a sauce that’s just like what you’d get at Korean fried chicken joints. Instead of wings or bone-in chicken, I opted for boneless skinless thighs and fried them up as nuggets. They cooked up faster and made for great finger food. Plus, the seasonings penetrated a touch more than usual, making the chicken more flavorful. (If McDonald's picked up on this, they could call it "KFC McNuggets" but they'd likely get customers confused and Kentucky Fried Chicken angry.)