The Little Saigon Cookbook: Vietnamese Cuisine And Culture In Southern California's Little Saigon

by Ann Le, Julie Fay Ashborn (Photographer)

There''s a rule followed by savvy diners looking for the ultimate in ethnic Eat where the locals eat. The Little Saigon Cookbook takes you inside the local restaurants in Southern California''s Little Saigon, the site of the largest single population of Vietnamese outside of Vietnam. Joel Rubin of The Los Angeles Times describes this enclave as "a tour through the extraordinary." From the French-inspired bakeries, the lunch delis, and the food courts, to the weekend mayhem of the Pho house and wedding receptions at the boisterous seafood restaurants, these are the "extraordinary" meals that Vietnamese diners and others in the know enjoy every day.

This book offers dozens of family recipes, many surviving through oral history alone, that Vietnamese cooks brought to America in the massive emigration that occurred after Saigon fell to Communist forces in 1975. It takes readers on a tour of culinary landmarks and introduces them to the abundance of authentic dishes found in Little hot and crispy Vietnamese crepes down Bolsa Avenue; crunchy, tangy chicken and cabbage goi salad from the Asian Mall; picture-perfect arrangements of rice-paper spring rolls ( goi cuon) from the Buddhist Temple; plump prawns stir-fried with long beans; perfectly braised pork in caramel sauce; spicy squid combined with fresh sweet basil and coriander from a wedding reception''s lazy Susan; and from the Noodle House, secrets to preparing the famous meal-in-a bowl, Pho.

Interwoven among the recipes is a detailed history of Little Saigon, with an insider''s look into the second fastest growing Asian minority group in the United States. A helpful introduction to the basics of Vietnamese cooking--discussing traditional ingredients, seasonal produce, proper combinations of herbs and spices, and sauces--demystifies this wonderful cuisine so readers can create their own Vietnamese dishes, just like the locals.


"For a long time when someone asked which was the best Vietnamese restaurant, I answered that it was the nearest one." --Jim Dixon, Food Writer, RealGoodFood.com

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking

203 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

While there may be no Vietnamese cookery books being written for American audiences in Ho Chi Minh City, Ann Le writes an excellent one from the perspective of the Vietnamese enclave in Los Angeles called Little Saigon. The ingredients in the recipes are authentic but Le also recognizes which may not be available in all parts of the USA and suggests appropriate substitutes. Where but in a book like this would one learn that there are (at least) three distinct sorts of pho: one in Hanoi, one in Hue and one in the south? And how to make each! In addition to recipes (and online sources for Vietnamese products), the text includes interesting material about Vietnamese culture, language, religion, customs and even directions to the best restaurants in Little Saigon. The photography is all black-and-white and generally weak. One could wish for colour photos of both the processes and the finished dishes, as not everyone learns as well from descriptive texts as from seeing the manner and outcome of cooking. I have already cooked a half dozen dishes out of this cookbook and have enjoyed every one; a few are of the sort which only the most adventuresome would attempt. My Gỏi Bắp Cải Gà was a big hit; my first attempt at Nước Chấm, while flavourful, might have also been useful in loosening headbolts rusted tight to an automobile engine. I am pleased to have this brief (200 pp) book in my collection.

[Kbg503 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this cookbook. I like her notes/advice before each recipe. Inspires me to learn more about this cuisine.