Vietnamese food is one of my favorites because it blends two amazing cuisines – French and Southeast Asian. The Bánh mì sandwich is a perfect example of this blend – you top a French baguette with any number of toppings; usually some sort of meat (pate is classic) and pickled vegetables. The beauty of the Bánh mì is that you can put so many different combinations on it and create something unique and wonderful
Asian
Miso Honey Chicken Thighs with Ginger
Adapted from a New York Times recipe, this is a simple and delicious meal that combines the sweetness of honey, the rich umami of miso, and balances it out with a little kick of vinegar. No marinating is required – making it a perfect weeknight dish, but you can make this dish ahead of time, and let the chicken sit in the fridge up to overnight.
Grilled Vietnamese Pork Chops
This is a simple and easy pork chop recipe that delivers a ton of flavor. The fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice combination drive home the flavors of southeast Asia and produce an amazing blend of sweet, sour, and umami flavors. The liquid from the shallot tenderizes the meat as well, so don’t over-marinate it!
We typically serve this with grilled sweet potatoes and a light salad with an peanut vinaigrette.
Sloppy Jai (Indian Sloppy Joe)
The amazing restaurant Chai Pani in Asheville, NC serves Indian street food. One of my favorite things to get is their Sloppy Jai. This is an Indian version of a sloppy Joe – made with ground lamb and Indian spices.
I tried to recreate this recipe at home! It’s not exactly the same, but we feel it is a pretty good rendition. I added pickled red onion to add a bit of tang and cut through the richness of the lamb. Adding a little cayenne pepper or replacing the curry powder with Madras curry powder will add a little heat. I serve these on brioche buns, but any buns will be fine. This recipe is also super quick – it can be made in under 30 minutes for a great weeknight meal.
Thai Red Curry with Shrimp
One of my favorite things to eat any time of year is my husband’s Thai Curry. It’s rich, sweet, a little tangy – and all-around delicious.
The version below is a shrimp curry, but you can put in any flaky white fish instead of the shrimp, or you can add sliced chicken instead. If you want a spicier curry, add some Thai chilies to the mix. You can also make a green version of this curry – simply replace the red curry paste with green.