Canh Khoai Mo Recipe (Vietnamese Yam and Shrimp Soup)

Khoai mỡ is an exotic yam that originates from Asia. The root vegetable has a rough, charcoal-colored skin with a creamy flesh. It's grated and cooked until soften. The texture is unique once it's cooked. It's resembles pork fat, hence the word "mỡ", which means "fat" ("khoai" means "potato"). Like many other Buddhist vegetarian dishes, this ingredient is used to imitate meat. However, this time I served it with shrimp balls and taro pieces ("khoai cao") in a soup.

This vegetable was not available in France, so I didn't have it as a child. I first tasted it in a temple in Saigon. It’s very versatile, and can be served either as a dessert or in a "canh" ("soup" in Vietnamese). Khoai mỡ is one of those ingredients that are quite expensive in America but cost almost nothing in Saigon. In Vietnam, this type of root vegetable are planted in great abundance but here, in the US, canh khoai mỡ is more a nostalgic dish that takes you down memory lane if you grew up in Vietnam.

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Canh Bi Do Tom Recipe (Vietnamese Pumpkin and Shrimp Soup)

Canh bí đỏ nấu tôm tươi literally translates to "pumpkin soup cooked with fresh shrimp". The natural sweetness from the shrimp pairs wonderfully with pumpkin. My mom’s trick to give the shrimp a better consistency is to blend in a few baby squid with the shrimp. If that scares you, you can omit it; the soup will still be yummy.

Soup is the quintessential Vietnamese comfort food, and this is a very tasty example. It is but one of many variations of soups that are served as a component of a typical Vietnamese meal. Traditionally, a Vietnamese meal is composed of jasmine rice, a meat or seafood dish and a bowl of soup on the side. If you’re planning a Vietnamese feast, consider serving it with grilled chicken.

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How to Cook Black Rice

Did you know that there are thousands of rice varieties? I found that out recently when I was introduced to black rice. I had never seen it before, but it's apparently very popular in Asia. Served as a side dish or in the form of rice pudding, black rice has a texture comparable to brown rice, but with a more pronounced nutty flavor. The dark color comes from the un-milled rice grain, which leaves a dark husk. In Imperial China, black rice was quite rare, and for this reason consumption was limited to royalty. For this reason, it can also go by the names “forbidden rice” or “Emperor's rice”.

Similar to blueberries and blackberries, black rice is packed with antioxidants. Today, I served black rice as a healthy side along with artichokes, baby carrots, bell peppers and asparagus. It’s a wonderful way to dress up even the simplest of dishes.

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Gluten Free Tofu Ravioli Soup Recipe

Tofu ravioli soup is a great first course. The soup is very light and as a bonus, it's gluten free. The twist is that thin slices of tofu are used as the wrapper for the ravioli. I filled the gluten-free raviolis with pre-cooked mushrooms, mung bean paste and jicama. I served them phở-style, meaning that I brought the ravioli to the table in bowls and then covered them with boiling-hot broth just before serving.

I learned the recipe from the lovely Chef Theresa Lin while attending the top 100 Chinese Restaurant Show in January in San Francisco. She's a hostess of several Chinese-language TV and radio programs around the world. She also was the executive food designer of the hit film "Eat Drink Man Woman," which garnered an Oscar nomination as Best Foreign Film. I got the opportunity to spend some time and have lunch with her, and in a very brief amount of time I learned quite a bit about Chinese cuisine. She is such a sweet lady and let Lulu and me taste her delicious food. This was one of the dishes she featured, and we loved it. You will too!

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Water Chestnuts

Chinese water chestnuts, most commonly known as water chestnuts, are not nuts. They are an aquatic root vegetable that grows in the mud. They're small in size and round. Water chestnuts can be eaten raw, par-boiled, grilled or pickled. I usually par-boil them and sauté them with other ingredients. The white flesh is crisp and adds a nice balance of texture to a lot of dishes. In the past I've received questions about what water chestnuts look like. I realized I had never posted pictures of the ingredient. Hopefully this inspires you to try them fresh!
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