Category Archives: recipes

Suong heo nuong xa – Vietnamese lemongrass spare ribs

Posted on April 20, 2021 by The soup lady

3-4 lbs pork spare or baby back ribs3 lemongrass stalks, tough layers removed and finely minced1 Thai chili pepper, minced (or 1 tsp sambal olek) 4 scallions2 cloves garlic1 shallot3 tablespoons fish sauce3 tablespoons honey1/4 cup canola oil1/2 teaspoon fresh … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Cha gio: Vietnamese Egg Rolls

Posted on April 12, 2021 by The soup lady

My family LOVES cha gio. Cha gio were present at every gathering–birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, weekend dinners–and I always avoided them. As a kid I never liked the fried, greasy foods and cha gio were so ubiquitous that I found them … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Kathy’s OMG Chili Oil

Posted on March 28, 2019 by The soup lady

I have searched far and wide, looking for a versatile chili oil that could be used with a range of dishes, from Western to Eastern. Unsurprisingly, I haven’t found one.  So I decided to make it myself. I considered various … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Com Ga: Vietnamese style Hiananese Chicken Rice

Posted on January 25, 2019 by The soup lady

Last year, in a cab in Hanoi, my family and I saw a sign for Com Ga (chicken rice) and asked our cab driver if he could recommend a good place for us to try it.  Up until this point, … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes | Leave a comment

Instant Pot Adventures

Posted on May 24, 2018 by The soup lady

For months now I’ve been stalking two Vietnamese cooking Facebook groups: the Vietnamese Cooking Group (VCG) and the Instant Pot Vietnamese Food Recipes. Both groups are totally nuts in the best possible way about sourcing, making, and eating Vietnamese food.  … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Chao ga: chicken rice congee

Posted on January 7, 2017 by The soup lady

The Vietnamese are experts at comfort food. Bowl after steamy bowl of noodles and broths, large pots of simmering soups are at the heart of many family kitchens. Soups hold a special place in Vietnamese cuisine, cleansing and soothing the … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Vacation cooking

Posted on March 5, 2016 by The soup lady

Many people go on vacation to escape the everyday, including cooking. They go to luxurious resorts or hotels and eat out daily, sometimes for all three meals.  The Soup-er family doesn’t do that. Ever since we’ve had children, we have … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Peach Kuchen

Posted on June 17, 2014 by The soup lady

Okay, so this isn’t a Vietnamese dish.  But there are so many lovely peaches at the markets now that I can’t help but whip up a yummy peach tart. Plus it’s a hit with the entire commune–young and younger! Several … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Ga uop xa: lemongrass chicken

Posted on November 5, 2013 by The soup lady

The sister of a friend recently wondered why I haven’t been posting recipes.  Well, clearly she hasn’t read my last few posts about the juggling of work and family.  Hopefully, she’ll see this post and know that it’s for her! … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Family food: com gia dinh

Posted on August 3, 2013 by The soup lady

Sometimes dinner is just dinner–nothing fancy, nothing complicated.  Way back in the day when my family ran a restaurant in SoCal (a venture that failed rather spectacularly), we offered com phan gia dinh (family dinner).  Every evening, families who had … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment