Vietnamese Recipe | Cookbookmaniac

Asian Recipes

Pho – Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

By Amy @ cookbookmaniac

There is a grace that permeates through every nook and cranny of my home when this pot is brewing in the kitchen. It is the thing that gives my body a sense of safety and nurture. It is the meal that I call home, and whenever I catch a whiff of the precious spices simmering along with the marrow bones, my neck instantly arches up and my nose points up into the air. "Yes, a fresh pot is brewing". An engaged and knowing smile crosses my heart and I know I must give in to the temptation to what Vietnamese call Phở. There must be some magical formula that causes the hard-working people of Vietnam to participate in the ritual of eating this morning, noon and night. It is too good to save for one time of the day, and if your cravings dictate when you eat, you too may find yourself huddling at a table, slurping away at the smooth as silk rice noodles first thing in the morning with your family. There is also the never ending search for the ultimate broth. No matter how unapologetically perfect one's broth has become... it could be better. Every chef or cook of a pho noodle house understands that no matter how good their broth is, they will never cease to make adjustments to find the ultimate, most succulent broth known to humans. Then there are the rumours, perhaps pedalled along by non-believers, accusing that the addictive nature of this dish…

Asian Recipes

Ca Ri Ga – Vietnamese Chicken Curry

By Amy @ cookbookmaniac

Hello Everyone. I hope your Christmas and New Years were as heartwarming and fun as mine. I've been very quiet on this blog and on various social networking sites lately. However, I've been making a lot of noise and mess in the kitchen. This is the first time I've moved out of home and therefore I've been cooking up a storm trying to discover my favourite recipes for spaggy bol, lasagne and stir fries. Nothing too interesting to blog, but very important recipes for easy, tasty weeknight meals. What are your favourite weeknight recipes? I was overcome with a funny feeling a few nights ago. My dearest younger sister asked if she could stay with us for a few weeks while she worked nearby for a work project. I became very excited and realised that I really miss my sisters and parents. I miss their crazy, quirky, outrageous personalities. I also missed mum's homecooking. Ca Ri Ga is one of my favourite things to eat and I love my mum's version of it. She would sometimes use sweet potatoes or taro in place of the potatoes, just for something different. This recipe is very good, but it doesn't have the nurturing feeling of a warm hug like my mother's version. Perhaps nothing will ever measure up to the memories. "This recipe is milder and lighter than Indian or Thai curries. Depending on your mood you can serve this with a warm crusty baguette (a french influence), steamed rice, or rice…