Bun Thit Nuong Recipe

Bún thịt nướng is my kind of comfort food. It's a simple Asian meal that consists of room-temperature rice vermicelli noodles and đô chua (pickled veggies) topped with grilled meat. I marinated two rib-eye steaks with soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger garlic paste, palm sugar, green onions and sesame seeds.

The ingredients that accompany the rice noodles can vary. I made this version with my favorites: sautéed crab (cua), shrimp (bún tôm nướng) and grilled beef (bún bò nướng). Of course, you could adapt this meal with fried fish (bún cá chiên), chicken (gà), eggrolls (bún chả giò thịt nướng) or even lemongrass tofu (for a vegetarian version). What I like most is that it's light and healthy without being too terribly difficult to make (I prepped everything separately the day before). And it doesn't hurt that it looks so appetizing!

Bun Rieu Cua Recipe (Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup)

This soup, called bún riêu, is typical Vietnamese comfort food. It's paired with the usual Vietnamese aromatic herbs and topped with other vegetables and fried tofu for a complete meal.

Just thinking about this seafood dish makes my mouth water! Tomorrow, my cousin Tri and his wife Tran are coming over to greet us for the Lunar New Year. So I spent today making a delicious, though a tad time-consuming (but oh-so worth it) soup dish for them. Bún riêu cua is a briny crab rice noodle soup garnished with feathery-like crab cakes in tomato and fermented shrimp (called mắm tôm) broth. Once you're ready to serve, shredded lettuce and mint finish the dish for added crunch along with lime and a drizzle of nuoc mam. 



If you love crab, this dish is ideal for you. If not, you could always try the veggie version (bún riêu chay) I make for the rest of my family members who are vegetarian. Either way, what a great way to start the year!

Roasted Lobster with Almonds

Oven-roasted lobster with almonds ("homard rôti aux amandes" in French) is Papa's (my dad's) specialty. Papa doesn't cook on a daily basis, except for Maman's birthday and special occasions such as New Year's Eve. Exactly one year ago, my husband Lulu and I were in Paris, celebrating the holiday season with my parents. And of course, Papa pleased me by cooking my favorite dish. First, the lobster is poached for a few minutes, then a drizzle of Hollandaise sauce covers the lobster meat along with a sprinkle of toasted almonds. Then, the lobster dish goes in the oven for a few minutes.

I absolutely love this seafood dish. The lobster meat turns out sweet and succulent. For obvious reasons, this luxurious dish isn't an everyday meal, but it’s a great way to make special occasions that much more special.