The Little Saigon Cookbook

From The Little Saigon Cookbook:

Ingredients in Vietnamese Cuisine

The following herbs, vegetables, and fruits are common in Vietnamese dishes. If you are too far from an Asian grocery store, many of them can be found at large American supermarkets, and some grocers might even be willing to place an order for you. You can also order many items online through one of the ethnic grocers listed in the appendix at the back of this book. But if you do have a chance to go to an Asian supermarket, load up on fish sauce, chili paste, fermented shrimp paste, sesame seed oil, coconut milk, coconut soda, spices for pho, and as many varieties of dried noodles as you can find.

Anchovy paste (mam nem): Made from fermented anchovies and salt. Add a few teaspoons (or heaping tablespoons!) to nuoc mam (fish sauce) to dilute paste into pungent dipping sauce. Add small amount to soup stocks to add shellfish flavor.

Anise seeds. See star anise.

Annato seeds (hot dieu mau): Generally used to give bright reddish orange color to curries and soups and spice rubs for meats. Seeds usually bled in hot oil for color and then discarded.

Artichoke (ar-ti-cho): Edible thistle brought to Vietnam by French during their occupation; now grown in Central Vietnam highlands. Most popular when steamed or brewed into a tea.

Asparagus (mang tay): Also introduced by French. Spears are steamed, sautéed in stir-fries, or added to soups, like sup mang cua. Both white and green asparagus grown and utilized.

Avocado (trai bo): Also introduced by French in 1940; grows well in country’s tropical climate. Considered a fruit, so mixed into a shake or ice cream, or eaten raw with sugar. Not used in salads or made into guacamole as in western cooking.

Baby corn (bap nho): Popular with more Chinese-style dishes, liked for earthy taste and tiny size. Add to stir-fries, noodle dishes, and canh broths.

Bamboo shoots (mang): Best eaten fresh for sweet crunch. Sold fresh from plastic tubs, but generally soaked in brine immediately after being harvested. Canned bamboo is most appropriate for soups and stir-fries.

Banana (chuoi): Many types in Vietnam; vary in texture and sweetness. Eaten as a snack, but also used grilled, fried, and in various tapioca desserts.

Banana blossom (bap chuoi): Flower of banana plant; popular in salads, salad platter, and as garnish for noodle soups. Outer layer of banana bud is tough and needs to be discarded. Soak white or yellow core in water with lime or lemon juice to avoid discoloration.

Banana leaves (la chuoi): Primarily used for steaming foods, especially fish, as well as wrapping many sticky Vietnamese treats—the aluminum foil of the tropics. Add great aroma to any food. Also used as garnish and to line plates.

Beans, Asian long (dau dua): Vietnamese translation: chopstick beans. Can grow up to 3 feet. Taste and look like green beans, but are young pods of dry black-eyed peas. Appreciated for their crunch. Blanched green beans are a substitute.

Bitter melon (kho qua/dua dang): Popular gourd melon in South Vietnam with tough and knobby skin and bitter taste that must be acquired. After being cored and seeds removed, served stuffed or cooked in sauté or in a canh (soup). Quite often served for Tet.

Black pepper (tieu): Abundant in all Vietnamese dishes; enjoyed for its heat as well as its biting, yet aromatic taste. Introduced to Vietnamese cuisine before the first century. Combination of black pepper, salt, and lime is extremely popular as a condiment at the table for fish, shellfish, soups, salads, and stir-fries.

Black tree mushroom (nam huong): More expensive of Asian mushroom varieties; often served in stir-fries and sautés for its earthy and robust fragrance. Generally purchased in dried form and reconstituted; add liquid from reconstituting to dish you are cooking.

Bok choy (cai be trang): Member of cabbage family; very versatile. Most popular stir-fried with some oil or oyster or hoisin sauce. Whole plant edible, but bottom third of stalks often discarded.

Broccoli, Chinese broccoli (cai lan): Different from “western” broccoli because it has flowers and round stem leaves attached to the head. More like Italian rapini than western broccoli florets. Western broccoli can be substituted if needed.

Cardamom (bach dau khau, truc sa): Relative of ginger plant. Seeds are reddish brown and have warm and aromatic flavor. Very popular in Asian curries, certain varieties yield smoky or peppery flavor. Black cardamom frequently grown in mountains of Vietnam.

Cellophane noodles (mien): See noodles, cellophane.

Cherimoya/custard apple (mang cau): Has green, thin, inedible skin that opens into delicious, milky fruit with sweet and sour taste and wonderful fragrance.

Chili paste (tuong ot): A fine mash of hot red chiles with garlic, salt, and oil. Necessary condiment at Vietnamese table, especially with noodle soups. Not to be confused with chili powder. Red chili in its powdered form is often used in various curries.

Chili powder (ot mau): Not often used in Vietnamese cuisine as we prefer chili paste, Srirancha chili sauce and fresh Thai bird chilis over just powder. But the color and heat of the powder is necessary for the popular bun bo hue noodle soup. Powder is a blend of chili peppers, cumin seeds, garlic and salt. But the Vietnamese like the powder to include paprika. Try the Richin chili powder mix or Sing Kung Corp.

Chinese cabbage (cai xanh): Many versions of this cabbage. Has long outer leaves, which are light green with a white midrib. Napa cabbage is common version in American supermarkets. Great in stir-fries and soups. Do not substitute purple or red cabbage, which tend to bleed when cooked. See also mustard greens.

Chinese chives (hoa he): Stiffer and more onion-flavored than western variety. Whole stems enjoyed raw or often used in spring rolls.

Chinese cinnamon/cassia (que thanh, que don): Derived from bark of cassia tree. Much more pungent than ordinary cinnamon and less aromatic and lively. Considered slightly bitter. Essential ingredient in five-spice powder and popular in strong broths like pho, as well as in braising.

Chinese sausage (lap xuong): Dried, sweet sausage usually made of pork. Round and reddish and popular in stir-fries.

Cilantro (ngo, mui): Also known as Chinese parsley. Most people have a love/hate relationship with cilantro. Those who enjoy its tangy, citrusy taste add it to broths, wrap it around food, or use it as a garnish. See also long coriander and Vietnamese coriander.

Coconut (dua): Fruit of tropical palm tree used for both its meat and its water. Coconut meat (trai dua) is essential to many Vietnamese desserts; often dried and sprinkled on top (see coconut, dried). Coconut water (nuoc dua), the liquid in fresh coconut, is sweet-tasting and clear and often used as natural sweetener in tapioca desserts (che) as well as in braising meats, seafood, and poultry. When coconut water is unavailable, a sweet, carbonated coconut soda (Coco Rico) or even a can of 7Up or Sprite can be substituted. Coconut milk (nuoc dua sua) made by boiling equal amounts of WATER and shredded, mature coconut flesh together until foamy then straining, is a creamy, milk texture perfect for curries, che and some batter mixtures. Best purchased rather than attempt to make at home, try the canned Chaokoh and Mae Ploy coconut milk brands. Chaokoh is lighter a little bit sweeter, but Mae Ploy is nice and thick.

Coconut, dried (dua co): Also known as shredded or flaked coconut. Made from drying out shreds of coconut meat taken from shell. Most store brands are sweetened and treated with sulfites to keep flakes white. Natural dried coconut flakes are brown and unsweetened. For desserts, use sweetened variety. Dried coconut often dyed and served like candy during holidays. Asian markets sell bags of large, dried coconut flakes.

Coconut milk (nuoc cot dua): Made by soaking grated flesh of a coconut in hot water or scalded milk, then straining. More popular than coconut water or soda for che as well as curries and other dishes. Commonly purchased, not homemade. Chaokoh and Mae Ploy brands are recommended; the first is lighter with a hint of sweetness, while Mae Ploy is quite thick.

Coriander seeds (hot mui, ngo): Seeds of cilantro plant with nutty fragrance a combination of lemon or lime and sage. Key ingredient in many soups and curries. Sold as seeds (preferred by cooks) or ground. To enhance flavoring, lightly dry-roast seeds in skillet before crushing with mortar and pestle.

Cornstarch (bot bap): Used as thickening agent in many cooked dishes.

Cucumber (dua leo): Besides being shredded, julienned, chopped, and thrown into goi and served in salad platters, can be cooked, becoming velvety, refreshing vegetable.

Cumin (ku min): Most common in dried form. Seeds often crushed with mortar and pestle to be added to soups, curries, and other skillet-cooked dishes. Has strong, characteristic, musty and earthy flavor.

Curry paste (tuong ca-ri): Available ready-made (Mae Ploy is a good brand), which will shorten your cooking time, but many prefer to put together their own spices for curry dishes. Made of a number of different ingredients depending on brand, but all have garlic, salt, onion, chile, and will vary in spices like tamarind, lemongrass, or shrimp paste.

Curry powder (bot ca-ri): Powder does not actually come from curry leaves but from ground roasted cumin and coriander seeds, black pepper, and chiles. Turmeric also added. Powder used not just for flavor but also for yellow coloring of turmeric. Madras is good brand.

Daikon (cu cai trang): A white radish that looks like gargantuan carrot; often sold in cut pieces. Used to sweeten soups and broths. Also julienned and added to salads for its slightly pungent taste.

Durian (sau rieng): Grows so large with thorny shell, can be mistaken for armored animal. Husk is opened to reveal sweet, yellow fruit with custardlike consistency. Smell can be unbearable to some. Often made into ice cream, a shake (sinh to), or a fruit drink.

Eggplant, Asian or Japanese (ca tim): Less rotund and bitter-tasting than its western cousin (globe eggplant). Commonly salted before being cooked to break down proteins and acids as well as to sweat out bitterness.

Fish sauce (nuoc mam): A fermented, clear brown sauce, found in varying grades. Asian markets often stock more than fifty varieties. Used in virtually every Vietnamese dish.

Five-spice powder (huong lieu): From the Chinese, a powdered combination of fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and star anise. Can be used as a rub for meats, especially duck and pork.

Galangal (rieng, rieng nep): Similar in look to ginger root, but more sour and peppery, and pinkish in color. Used in curries and soups or to season meats and seafood. When served fresh, mildly spicy with refreshing odor. Much spicier in dried form.

Garlic (toi): Often minced and used in sautéing, also pickled to eat with snacks and main dishes. Garlic cooked with ginger makes great complement for many dishes.

Ginger (gung): Acidic in taste when raw. Peeled roughly and cooked in many dishes for its heat and pungent taste. Because of fragrance, often added to soup stocks or caramelized into a syrup.

Guava (oi): Pear-shaped with edible, green skin and grown from bush. Most enjoyed when unripe and not too sweet, with a bit of salt and a Thai bird chile.

Hoisin sauce (tuong): From the Chinese. Sweet condiment made from soybean, chili, salt, and sugar. Has thick, black consistency. Used for cooking and as dipping sauce, especially with pho.

Jackfruit (mit): Gourdlike fruit that grows quite large with rough texture. Thick skin is broken through to reveal a fruit with chewy, yellow flesh and strong fragrance. Ripened jackfruit is mixed into beverages and shakes.

Jicama (cu dau): Sometimes used in sautéed dishes, more commonly julienned and served in salads, banh cuon fillings, and soups. Crunchy, juicy texture and subtle flavor make it very popular snack. Brown skin is inedible and needs to be peeled.

Lemongrass (xa): Don’t miss using this herb. Wonderful fragrance and flavor. Usually diced very fine and then cooked in meat dishes. Outer layers of stalks must be removed, ends trimmed, layers unraveled. Flatten each layer with knife and very finely chop, or diners could feel they are eating shards of metal. Whole stalks, without outer layers, can soak in curries and soups to add a bit of “lemony” zing; remove stalk before serving. If fresh lemongrass is unavailable, soak dried lemongrass stalks for about 15 to 20 minutes in tepid water after removing outer layers before chopping.
Lime (chap, chanh ta): Originates in Southeast Asia. Used in marinades and dipping sauces and on salad platters. Vietnamese diners enjoy squeeze of lime over soup.

Longan (nhan): Similar to lychees in taste and texture, but half the size and much sweeter and juicier. Predominantly found in Mekong Delta, have much lighter and thinner skin than lychees.

Long coriander (mui tau): Very popular garnish, especially for pho. Also chopped and used for stir-fries or wrapped around foods. Fragrant, but less pungent than cilantro.

Lotus seeds (hat sen): Popular, fragrant seeds used for che desserts and in beverages. Seeds purchased in dried form and soaked overnight before use.

Lychee (trai vai): Available fresh or canned. Often served in che desserts and beverages. Fresh lychees have dark red, lumpy husk that is peeled to reveal fragrant, soft, white-fleshed fruit.
Maggi Seasoning Sauce (Mag-gi): Soy sauce of the Vietnamese at every kitchen table with salt and pepper. Made from vegetable proteins. Taste is a cross between dark Chinese soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Added to steamed rice, used as marinade, put in salad dressings—anything requiring some salt. A Swiss product manufactured by Nestle, imported to Vietnam by French.

Mango (xoai): One of sweetest and most popular tropical fruits when ripened; served in a shake or fruit drink. Also used unripened in salads.

Mangosteen (mang cut): Purple-skinned fruit, quite rare in western countries. Flesh is much like lychee but with more sweet and sour taste. Popular complement to durian.

Mint (bac ha): Vietnamese mint rounder than western variety and has hint of spearmint.

Monosodium Glutamate/MSG (bot ngot): MSG has long been added to dishes as a “flavor enhancer.” MSG is popular in Asian foods, and is a product of the fermentation process of molasses and sugar. It is a salt flavor that brings out the taste of protein rich foods like broths, sauces over meat dishes and stir-fries. Because the safeness of MSG remains up for debate, it is best and unnecessary to use. Many are sensitive to MSG, and for some, eating at an Asian restaurants with MSG in its food, results in migraines, dizziness, nausea, etc.

Mung beans (dau xanh): Small, cylindrical beans with bright green skin. Used whole, but split and hulled version is more common and yellow in color. Do not require presoaking. Cooked beans often spread over rice flour pastas like banh beo; packed into savory, sticky rice mix with meat; or used in che and other sweet desserts.

Mung bean sprouts (gia): Most popular, most common bean sprouts in Vietnamese cuisine. Subtle flavor. Valued for their crunch. Generally used fresh as garnish in soups, in a salad or spring rolls (goi cuon). Occasionally steamed when served with hu tieu or more Chinese-style dishes, or even sautéed as side dish.

Mustard greens (cai tau): Popular name for Chinese mustard cabbage. Resembles head of lettuce, but leaves much more fibrous with uneven edges and thick stalks. Popular green in Vietnamese dishes, such as soups and stir-fries. So tough, they do not wilt quickly. When cooked, taste becomes milder.

Noodles, cassava (mien, nho =thin): Made from cassava root. Very long, thin threads are cut into smaller pieces when served. Texture much chewier than rice vermicelli; therefore best served in soup broths or as stir-fry.

Noodles, cellophane (mien, lon =thick): Fine, stringlike, transparent, and slippery; made from green mung bean paste. Similar to cassava noodles (both are called mien), but much thicker. Much firmer than rice noodles. Also called glass noodles.

Noodles, egg (mi): Chinese. Yellow in color and come flat and wide or thin and curly. When long and extra-thin, more popular for soups; wide are common for stir-fries.

Noodles, rice (banh pho or banh hu tieu): Made from rice flour and water. Most commonly used noodles in Vietnamese cooking. When thin, long, and round, called rice vermicelli (bun). (Bun is also name of herb noodle salad, always made from rice vermicelli.) Banh hoi is thinnest version, resembling fine hair, and most commonly steamed into banh hoi squares. Two thick rice noodles are bun rieu and bun day. Thin, flat, and wide rice noodles are known as rice sticks, or pho and hu tieu noodles. Though banh pho and banh hu tieu are similar in texture, hu tieu have some tapioca flours that make them a bit tougher than pho noodles. Depending on their thickness, rice noodles are either soaked in hot water or boiled for a minute or two to cook. Transparent when cooked

Noodles, udon (banh canh): Not used often in Vietnamese cuisine. Most commonly used for banh canh gio heo soup. Made from wheat flour, salt, and water. Round and much thicker than other noodles. White in color and chewy in texture.

Olive oil (dau o liu): Now replacing lard and vegetable oil in many Vietnamese dishes, making foods lighter and healthier. Recommended for any recipe in this book where oil is called for.

Onion (hanh): Essential in all cooked Vietnamese dishes and enjoyed equally in raw form.

Oyster sauce (dau hao): Introduced by Chinese. Thick, black sauce made from ground oysters, salt, flour, sugar, and water has consistency of ketchup. Used most often in stir-fries and sautés, often adds sweet and umami flavor.

Palm sugar (duong the): Made from boiled-down sugar from sap of palm tree flowers. Not as sweet as sugarcane, so preferred in savory dishes like soups, dipping sauces, and curries. Has caramel and molasses flavor. Can be used instead of granulated sugar in recipes.

Papaya (du du): When ripened, this gourd fruit is popular as snack. When green and unripened, hard flesh is shredded into tangy salad. Can be pickled and served with salty dishes.

Peanuts (dau phong): Vietnamese enjoy boiled peanuts as a snack. Often crushed and served as final touch in salad and beef dishes. Peanut oil, when available, is popular for frying, but more expensive than other oils.

Peas (dau vuon tuoi): Valued for color and texture. Add to fried rice and curries for a lift.

Peppermint (bac ha, rau thom): Not to be confused with Vietnamese mint. This menthol plant is more popular as garnish and on salad platter.

Perilla (la tia to): Used as garnish for noodle soups and on salad platter for wrappings around food. Purple variety more common in Vietnamese food than the green, and appreciated for complex and subtle flavor. Leaves are fragrant and resemble mint in shape; green on one side and reddish-purple on other. Taste and aroma a cross between cinnamon, licorice, and anise.

Persimmon (trai hong): Reddish orange seasonal fruit. Soft and creamy when ripened, but also popular as a hard fruit. Great spiced fruit, with cinnamon fragrance.

Pineapple (trai thom): Most commonly found in South Vietnam; served as snack with some salt and little bit of chile. Pineapple juice (nuoc thom, meaning “perfumed liquid”) essential in canh chua (sweet and sour fish soup) and other seafood broths.

Pomelo (buoi): GIANT version of grapefruit. Skin extremely thick, but fruit much sweeter and less acidic than typical grapefruit. Regarded as sign of good luck, often adorns altars and shrines in homes, businesses, and Buddhist temples. Like other sweet fruits, enjoyed with sprinkle of salt and eaten as snack.

“Pork patty” (cha lua): Best described as lean pork cold cut, like a Vietnamese bologna. Found in almost every Vietnamese fridge. Few people ever make it at home from scratch. Processed meat is bundled tightly with banana leaves, and then boiled or steamed. Made into sandwich, eaten as snack, or sliced thin and served over bun.

Potato starch (bot khoai): Popular as glue or thickener for many meat and seafood dishes where food is cooked in its juices. Provides nice crunch to items it coats when lightly fried.

Rambutan (chom chom): Found only in tropics. Rind is bright red with sparse red hairs. Pierce through thick flesh and the fruit is similar to lychees, to which it is related.

Rice (gao, uncooked; com, cooked): Steamed, white jasmine rice is served with almost every meal and is necessary with salty Vietnamese dishes.

Rice, glutinous (bot nep=uncooked; bot xoi= ooked): Also known as sushi rice or sticky rice. Short-grain rice with sticky, starchy consistency that serves as base of many creamy rice puddings. Most common in che, but also in other sweet treats.

Rice flour (bot gao): Only flour the Vietnamese know. Used for frying foods, making crepes and breads, and more.

Rice noodles. See noodles, rice.

Rice paddy flower (ngo om): Soft herb with citrus fragrance. Popular in fish-based soups like canh chua or bun rieu. Also good in salads.

Rice paper (banh trang): Most commonly used for spring rolls; also eaten with grilled meats and fish and salad platter, similar to a tortilla. Complicated to make. Sold dry in packages, is paper-thin and can easily crack. Before use, must be briefly soaked in warm water, just enough to become pliable. If it is too hard, it will crack; if it is too soft, it won’t hold anything within it together.

Rice vinegar (dam gao): Three types—red, black, and white. Black and red are much sweeter but more popular in Chinese cooking than Vietnamese. Red not often used in Vietnamese cooking but found as a condiment on table. White rice vinegar used in cooking and to prepare salad dressings.

Rock sugar (duong phen): Crystallized form of sugar mainly used for stocks like pho or hu tieu. Made from white sugar, brown sugar, and honey. Richer in taste but more subtle and mellow than granulated sugar. Gives soup stocks a nice sheen. Crush with hammer or in mortar and pestle to break apart.

Scallions (hanh xanh): Also known as green onions. Immature onions with mild flavor, and more popular in Vietnamese cuisine. Often chopped and eaten raw or cooked in sauté or stir-fry.

Sesame seeds (me): Most often used as garnish for desserts and some family-style main dishes. Sesame seed oil is extracted from seeds and used for salad dressings, sautéing, and frying.

Shallots (hanh huong): Offspring of spring onion and garlic parents; used as much as yellow onion in Vietnamese sautés, stir-fries, and stocks. Often fried and thrown over rice noodle dishes like banh cuon. [ is that the only time you use fried shallots as garnish? Should you take out the rice noodle dish reference?

Shallots, pickled (cu kieu chua): Often purchased at grocery store in simple jar. To make at home, pickle young, spring bulbs with rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. Great contrast to salty dishes and served with most salad platters and plates of garnishes.

Shrimp, dried (tom kho): Special shrimp is specifically harvested for drying and curing, and is sold in packages. Usually reconstituted and added to stir-fries or thrown directly into beginnings of stock or broth. If reconstituted, save the liquid that accumulates and add it to sauce, stir-fry, or soup you are cooking. Can be finely chopped when dry and used as topping over rice dishes, soups, and goi.

Shrimp paste (mam ruoc): Sold as pink- or brown-colored fermented paste in Asian markets. Packed with sodium and taste of shellfish. Just a little bit should be added to soups like bun rieu or to sautéed seafood.

Soybeans (dau nanh): Basis for many products like soy milk, tofu, and bean curd. Good in some desserts or can be boiled and used for sticky treats wrapped with banana leaves. Delicious dried as a snack.

Soy sauce (nuoc tuong): Less popular in Vietnamese cuisine than fish sauce (nuoc mam). The best liked are those that are thick, dark, and with pungent flavor of mushrooms.
Sriracha chili sauce (tuong ot Sriracha) : Smooth, almost liquid chili sauce sold in convenient squeeze bottle. Made from ripe red chiles and garlic. Popular condiment at every noodle house. Often added to soups, sauces, marinades. Not as flavorful as the denser chili paste, but equal in heat. See also chili paste.

Star anise (boi huong): Aromatic, with sweet taste similar to fennel or licorice. Very popular in soups, and fundamental to pho. Shape is of an eight-point star. Seeds and pods are used for stocks and sometimes sautés but must be removed before serving.

Star fruit (khe): Shiny-skinned fruit with five points, usually cut to highlight star shape. Available in different colors and known for its sweet but slightly tart taste.

Straw mushrooms (nam rom ): Tiny yellowish brown mushrooms with umbrella-shaped caps. Generally used from can in which they are soaked in brine; have slight milky and pungent flavor popular in stir-fries and soups.

Sweet rice flour (bot nep): Also called glutinous rice flour. Most common for making che desserts and other sweet treats.

Tamarind (me): Sweet and sour fruit inside dry, brown casing; when fully ripe, often eaten raw as snack. Like lemon, gives acidic or tart taste to food. Tender, immature, very sour pods have pulp that is boiled and ground into paste; often sautéed with meat and shellfish dishes, also popular in canh.

Tapioca beads or pearls (bot bang): Necessary for many Vietnamese desserts like che. When cooked, expand and form thick starchy syrup. Also used in soups.

Tapioca flour (bot nang): Derived from cassava root. Used as thickener like cornstarch; gives nice sheen to prepared dishes.

Taro root (khoai mon): Starchy, tuber vegetable similar to potato in taste and use, but starchier and stickier in texture. Most common in desserts and tapiocas. Hairy brown skin must be removed; boil first. Center of root has concentric circles with bit of purplish coloring.

Taro stem (bac ha): There are many varieties of taro, but only the stems of the Colocasia gigantean variety are eaten. Not related to stems of taro root. Sliced stems, which are porous, used in soups, holding flavorful stock like a sponge. Also great in salads for delicate flavor and crisp texture.

Thai basil (rau que): Important herb of salad platter, often wrapped around food. Also cooked with chicken and seafood dishes, or thrown into soups. More pungent and less sweet than Italian basil.

Thai bird chile (ot): Most popular, and often the only chile pepper in Vietnamese cuisine. Used for extra heat in dishes, the Vietnamese use red and green Thai birds; green is much hotter than red. Chiles have most heat intensity when used fresh; seeds should be consumed, never discarded. Serrano peppers or cayenne can be substituted.

Tofu or bean curd (dau hu): Made from dried soybeans that are soaked in water and then boiled and processed. Loaded with protein and nutrients, important in turning meat-based foods into vegetarian ones. Best in sautés, soups, or deep-fried dishes. Firm tofu is a bit chewier and more substantial and will withstand tossing in a stir-fry. Soft tofu will fall apart when sautéed.

Tree ear mushrooms (nam meo): Also known as wood ear mushrooms. Popular for chewy texture more than bland flavor. Texture enhances stir-fries, soups, and meat-filled foods like crepes and fried egg rolls. The smaller, the better. Reconstitute in boiling water. One tablespoon of dried mushrooms becomes 1/3 cup soaked. Squeeze off excess liquid and add it to a savory stock.

Turmeric (bot nghe kho): Relative of ginger; most often used in powdered form. Added to food for its yellow color and slightly bitter taste. Important ingredient of curries, fish dishes, and crispy coconut and turmeric crepes (see Comfort Foods chapter).

Vietnamese coriander (rau ram): Most popular herb with South Vietnamese. Redolent of coriander, but with more lemony scent and taste. Wrap pho meat and seafood with these leaves. Large heaps are chopped and thrown over cooked dishes.

Water spinach (rau muong): Unique spinach grown in marshes and rice fields; considered Vietnam’s official vegetable. Cherished for bitter and spinachlike flavor. In some places, Vietnamese Americans have been banned from growing it, because its extensive root system has spread into sewers and drainage systems. When cooked, leaves have creamy texture like that of cooked spinach. Melds well with garlic and fish sauce. Common in soups, stir-fries, and salads.

Winter melon (bao): Light green and oblong in shape, actually a squash with a mild, sweet taste popular in soups and stir-fries. Good at absorbing the flavors of ingredients it is cooked with.