Authentic Vietnamese Cooking: Food from a Family Table

by Corinne Trang, Christopher Hirsheimer (Photographer)

Refined, subtle, challenging, and accessible all at the same time, the food of Vietnam was the first true fusion cuisine, blending the techniques and ingredients of French and Chinese culinary traditions. In Authentic Vietnamese Cooking, culinary writer and consultant Corinne Trang introduces you to the pleasures of regional Vietnamese cooking. Born in France's Loire Valley to a French mother and Cambodian-born Chinese father, and raised in Phnom Penh, Paris, and New York, Trang shares more than 100 delicious, authentic Vietnamese recipes designed especially for the home cook. In this beautiful volume, the complicated processes of assimilation, adaptation, and evolution have been distilled into magnificent dishes that represent the three distinct culinary regions of the Simple North, the Sophisticated Center, and the Spicy South. There are recipes for family meals and special occasions, sauces, marinades, flavored oils, soups, noodle dishes, and more. Trang translates the complex flavors of Vietnamese cuisine into easy-to-follow, step-by-step recipes, so even inexperienced cooks can create such classic dishes as Cha Gio (Spring Rolls), Sup Cua Mang Tay (Crab and Asparagus Soup), Pho Bo (Hanoi Beef and Rice Noodle Soup), Tom Nuong Xa (Grilled Lemongrass Prawns), Ga Nuong Toi (Garlic-Roasted Baby Chicken), and Banh Gan (Coconut Creme Caramel). Enhanced by stunning photographs, Authentic Vietnamese Cooking also includes sections on essential ingredients, equipment, and techniques; sample seasonal and a list of mail-order sources and Web sites for securing hard-to-find items. Rich with historical, cultural, and personal anecdotes, Authentic Vietnamese Cooking brings the experience and pleasures of Corinne Trang's family table to yours.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Corinne Trang is the award-winning author of several books including the most recently published Asian Flavors Diabetes Cookbook (ADA, 2012), Noodles Every Day (2009), Curry Cuisine (2007), The Asian Grill (2006), A Food Lover's Companion: Vietnamese (2006), Essentials of Asian Cuisine (2003), and Authentic Vietnamese Cooking (1999), and has served as spokesperson to various national brands and commodities. Dubbed the "Julia Child of Asian Cuisine" by the Washington Post, she is a frequent television and radio guest and has appeared on national, regional, and cable network including NBC's Today Show, CBS's Early Morning Show, PBS, FOX News, ABC, CNN, Lifetime, Discovery, Food Network, Sirius, Business Talk Radio, National Public Radio, and Bloomberg to name a few. She has written for numerous publications including Saveur, Food & Wine, Fine Cooking, Islands, Gourmet, Cooking Light, and Bon Appetit, and has taught and lectured internationally, most recently at New York University. She serves on the Board of Directors of Cook for Your Life, a non-profit dedicated to teaching cancer survivors proper nutrition through fun hands-on cooking programs. She is the East Coast Correspondent for Business Talk Radio's "America's Dining and Travel Guide" and "The World A La Carte." Trang is also the founder of a hybrid wellness program combining mindful eating, yoga, and meditation.

Reviews

[Lindsey Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful, personal - if sometimes daunting - exploration of Vietnamese cooking, this cookbook is a great overview with recipes both accessible and exotic, traditional and adapted according to the author's own experiences. I came out of this read feeling as if I had a good impression of the principles of Vietnamese cooking. My only complaint is that the author seems to overestimate the ease of finding obscure ingredients, which makes some of these recipes impractical for even an ambitious cook.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Ms. Trang's approach to writing - the solid format and wonderful personal details just make this a wonderfully solid cookbook that lives up to its title. Great for people who want to avoid the "dumbed-down" fusion versions of Thai recipes that appear in many Americanized Thai cookbooks.

[Erin Dinovi · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Vietnamese cookbooks I have tried! My family cannot get enough of the grilled lemongrass pork or the pho. There is also a recipe for nuoc cham which tastes better than any other I have found. This is definitely a cookbook worth having if you are into Vietnamese food.