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.

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.

Banh Xeo Recipe

The exact translation of bánh xèo is a "sizzling cake that is deflating". The crêpe-shaped dish is made out rice flour, coconut milk and other herbs and spices. It's a lot thicker than the French version but equally delicious.

Bánh xèo is a specialty from Saigon, the region where my "Papa" comes from. When I was young back in France, I remember we would have family gathering every weekend with all my dad's family at Ông nội's (my paternal grandfather's home). Uncle Philippe (Chú mười) would be in charge of the cooking and he would make the most delicious bánh xèos, just like the ones available in the streets of Saigon. And now it's become one of our family's favorites. I try to make them when we have time on weekends and it's always a hit. As usual, I made one veggie version, as well as one filled with grilled meat and shrimp. These are great options, but the filling is really up to you!

Shrimp Gambas in Garlic

While staying at my parents' during the holidays, I really enjoyed having giant wild gambas (large shrimp). We would simply sauté them in a lot of garlic and finish the dish with a little curly parsley. The large platter of seafood was a real treat.

The gambas were so sweet and yummy. My mouth waters just thinking about them. We had such a great time and great food while in Paris. Can't wait to go back and get more fresh gambas!

Vietnamese Ginger Shrimp Stir Fry Recipe

Tôm xào gừng is Vietnamese-style sautéed shrimp. As a little girl, Maman would make this dish very often whenever she needed to throw together a quick dinner, because shrimp cooks very fast. This particular preparation has touches of sweet and spicy in the form of ginger, lychee and chile. The ginger is used both grated and cut into small matchsticks. This is not traditional, but I also added lychee jam that I had in my pantry and finished the cooking by flambing the shrimp in lychee-flavored liqueur.

Cooking shrimp is always a delicate task. First, you have to make sure the shrimp are extremely fresh. Then, the cooking time has to be precise so as not to over-cook, otherwise they become horrible and very chewy. Lastly, the flavors that are paired with the shrimp should season them well without concealing the freshness of the seafood. This recipe definitely hits the mark, but don't just take my word for it!