Dac Biet: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook

by Nini Nguyen

A collection of contemporary, extra-special Vietnamese recipes, from beloved classics like Hanoi-Style Vermicelli with Grilled Pork and three variations of phở, to dishes with a New Orleans twist, like Southeast Asian Jambalaya and Sticky Fried Shrimp Bánh Mì—from Top Chef contestant and acclaimed chef Nini Nguyen

In Vietnamese culture, to be dac biet is to be special and luxurious, or, as chef and cooking instructor Nini Nguyen puts it, it means adding something a little extra, like salty caviar on top of squid-stuffed pork, a surprise note of ginger and lime in a dipping sauce, or sautéing shaking beef in farm-fresh butter for a creamy, delectable experience. Born and raised in New Orleans by Vietnamese immigrants, here Nini gives us recipes that fuse the best of Vietnamese and New Orleans cooking and clear directions on how to prepare and arrange them, making for a flavorful, unforgettable experience that proves that being a little extra is easy and just right.

Dac Biet includes one hundred delicious and vibrant recipes that celebrate the essential flavors of Vietnam—salty, sour, bitter, spicy, and sweet—and the bright and perfectly balanced dishes they create. Here are recipes

*Charbroiled Oysters in Chili Butter * Viet-Cajun Seafood Boil * Phở with Everything * Crispy Fish Sauce–Caramel Chicken Wings * Broken Rice with Pork Chops and Eggs * Crispy Noodles Covered in a Saucy Stir-Fry * BBQ Pork Ribs Glazed with Roasted Nước Mắm Sauce *Coconut Crispy Rice Crepes * and many more

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 27, 2024

Reviews

[Stephanie]

This an awesome collection of Vietnamese recipes that most cooks should be able to master. From dipping sauces, to pork egg rolls, to chicken pho, to crispy chicken wings, to ginger braised chicken, to simple fried rice and Louisiana style beignets, your mouth will water with anticipation as you read this. I can’t wait to make some of these. This is a good addition to your cookbook collection if you cook different cuisines. I didn’t give it 5 stars as some ingredients won’t be readily available to all cooks and because now we expect a photo of every recipe.

[Paige]

Nini is a goddess of cuisine. I’m ever in awe of what she can create, even from so little, and this cookbook is a beautiful homage to not only her skill, but her heritage, culture, and family-influenced style of cuisine.

[Elizabeth]

As heard on The One Recipe (78: Nini Nguyen’s Recipe for Sticky Fried Shrimp Bánh Mì)

LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | Amazon Music | RSS | iHeartRadio | TuneIn

Chef and author Nini Nguyen shares her collection of vintage glassware, recounts meeting THE Spike Lee at her book signing, and rehashes growing up in New Orleans. She tells us about her connection to her tight-knit Vietnamese community and her EXTRA special One: Sticky Fried Shrimp Bánh Mì. Nini is the author of Dac Biet: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook. You can follow her on Instagram and TikTok @chefnininguyen

Check us out on Instagram,TikTok, and YouTube to see step-by-step videos of today's recipe, brought to you by our friends at Foodist Films!

https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/5/dt...

[Minnie Olson]

A lot of specialty ingredients, definitely dac biet, lol

[Claire]

Mostly Vietnamese dishes, I thought there would be a bit more New Orleans flavor mixed in. I like Vietnamese food though so it works for me, just a question of marketing.

[Wesley]

will update once I try some recipes!

[Della Martin]

All four of the recipes that I've made are PHENOMENAL!

[Jen]

I couldn't make any of it but the pics were great and I loved learning more about Nini's food, culture and family.

[Vicky R.]

This book is just WOW! Nini's love for Viet culture from a first-generation American is very inspiring and uplifting. Her story about her little brother (heartbreaking), her career (inspiring), and notes about her other family members throughout the book (uplifting) really make this extra special. She also brings up how Asian families are hard to please and the emotional barrier which is 100% relatable, ha! I am too a first generation Americian from a blended southern Viet family, but the tradition stopped with my parents and the mental health issues because they were refugees. Neverthess my curiosity about learning my heritage seemed to have a gap and Nini's book filled it! It's sad but there are Viet books out there from non-Viet or full-Viet authors that share simple/basic recipes.. none as vibrant and fun to make as Nini's though! My awe is especially the chapter 2 on Drinks Snacks, Mon Nhau. Finally, a chapter on entertaining, which is fun when my non-Viet family friends come over and pair cocktails with.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to first-generation Viet-Americans who want to immerse themselves in Viet culture rather than second-hand Viet restaurants and Pinterest. You won't regret it!

P.S. The red bookcover on Goodreads doesn't do it justice... Nini's book cover is actually more vibrant and eye-popping than that.

[Sarah]

This is the book I would turn to if I wanted to make a restaurant favorite at home. It's daunting; the recipes have long lists of ingredients and some are new to me or hard to get in southern Maine. But it's inspiring: the pictures are bright and inviting, the stories interspersed with the recipes are endearing, and the food looks and sounds great. An aspirational cookbook.

[Kate]

I thought this was a really solid Vietnamese cookbook, although I still prefer the simplicity of An Chua. Made some of the vegetable sides, the blackened curry fish, ginger-braised chicken, and be the beef chow fun bookmarked but haven’t made yet.

[Don Coleman]

A unique blend of Nawlins Cajun and Vietnamese flavors in a wonderfully illustrated cookbook.

[olivia]

Recipes tested: pandan honeycomb cake, ginger-braised chicken, Vietnamese aioli, grilled lemongrass marinated meat, pickled carrot and daikon, bahn mi bread