Authentic Recipes from Vietnam. Trieu Thi Choi

      Dried rice paper wrappers used to wrap a variety of rolls, can now be purchased in most Asian food markets. To prepare fresh rice flour wrappers (for transparent rolls), most modern cooks will have to improvise by stretching a piece of fine cloth taut over a pot of steaming water. The rice mix (rice flour, water and salt) is spooned over the surface with a large ladle and smoothed into a round pancake. After covering for a few minutes to steam through, it can be lifted up at the edges with a soft-edged utensil, removed from the cloth, and set aside to be later stuffed, rolled and sliced.

      To prepare dried rice noodles, use a large stock pot. Fill to a few inches from the top with water, and bring to a boil. Just before the other ingredients are ready, the noodles are placed in a large sieve, submerged in the boiling water until soft, and then added to the recipe.

      In general, once the ingredients have been prepared, they should be arranged in bowls or on a large platter, in the order they are called for in the recipe. Then, as you begin cooking, just follow the recipe and the row of prearranged ingredients.

      The cooking methods most commonly used in Vietnamese kitchens are stir-frying, deep-frying and grilling. Stir-fry recipes are cooked in a wok, in either oil or pork fat over a very hot flame, for a short period of time Sautéing in a large skillet is an alternative method, although not nearly as easy. For those cooks wishing to avoid the use of pork fat (which is difficult to replace), try experimenting with other types of oil. To stir-fry, add the oil to a preheated pan, and follow shortly after with the ingredients that are quickly seared. Cooking generally takes only a few minutes, so that the food does not absorb too much of the oil. A traditional curved spatula or long chopsticks are best for handling the hot food.

      To deep-fry. you can use the same wok. or a very deep saucepan since a considerable amount of oil is required (peanut oil is preferred). The optimum temperature for deep frying is 375°F to 400°F (190°C to 200°C). To achieve the best results—crisp, not soggy food—cook in small amounts and maintain a high heat but do not allow the oil to smoke.

      Grilling is also an important method of Vietnamese cooking that remains as popular and as practical as ever. Using a barbecue is one of the easiest and most effective cooking methods, since grilling over an open flame imparts very distinct and essential flavors that many of the recipes depend upon, although good results can also be achieved using a gas or electric broiler, or toaster oven.

      Most of the cooking is done over the open hearth in the traditional Vietnamese kitchen.

      Authentic Vietnamese Ingredients

      Annatto seeds are the dark reddish-brown seeds of the "lipstick plant" and are commonly used as a coloring agent. Usually the seeds are fried in oil to extract their brick red color, then discarded. Commonly available where Caribbean foods are sold.

      Asian chives or garlic chives have long, flat green leaves and are smaller than regular chives, resembles flat spring onions. They have a far more emphatic, garlicky flavor than Western chives.

      Banana blossoms are the unopened male flowers of the banana plant—a purple-red inflorescence tinged with yellow at the base which hangs at the end of a clump of developing bananas. Tasting like artichokes, the hearts of these flowers, which have been stripped off their purple petals, are a popular salad ingredient in some Southeast Asia cuisines, especially in Vietnam. Fresh, canned and dried banana blossoms can often be found in specialty stores outside Asia, particularly those stocking Vietnamese and Thai ingredients. Choose a firm, large blossom with an even color and check that the outer petals are not wilted. To prepare the blossom for cooking, remove the coarse outer petals to reveal the creamy white heart. Quarter the heart lengthwise with an oiled stainless steel knife to avoid the sticky sap from clinging to it. If not cooking immediately, soak in cold water or rub with lemon or lime juice to avoid discoloration. Simmer the cut heart in plenty of lightly salted water until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, cool then pull out and discard the hard filaments inside each cluster of yellow stamens as they have an unpleasant texture.

      Banana leaves are used to wrap food for steaming or grilling. The moisture and flavor of the banana leaf makes a difference to the texture and flavor of the food, but if you can't find fresh or frozen banana leaf, use aluminium foil. Before using to wrap food, the leaves should be softened for easy folding, either by soaking in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes or briefly heating over a low flame.

      Chayote is a type of squash that looks like a light green cucumber, having an oval shape and a small white seed. It is also known as mirliton or christophene. A good substitute is zucchini.

      Chilies have become an essential culinary item in almost every Asian country. Many different varieties are used. The Asian finger-length red chili is moderately hot. Dried red chilies of this variety are ground to make chili flakes or ground red pepper. Tiny bird's-eye chilies are extremely hot. They are also available dried. Whether sliced or minced, the seeds are usually removed.

      Basil is often used as a seasoning and garnish in Vietnamese cooking. Several types of basil are used and the most common one is Asian Basil (known as horapa in Thailand), which is similar to European sweet basil. It is used liberally as a seasoning and sprigs are often added to platters of fresh, raw vegetables. Similar, yet paler in color, and with a distinctive lemony fragrance, lemon basil is used in soups and salads Holy basil has distinctive purple-reddish leaves and a mint-like zesty flavor and is used for stir-fries. Lemon basil and holy basil are not widely found outside the region. Basil doesn't store well, so buy it just before you intend to use it. European sweet basil can be used as a substitute for all varieties. Basil has a strong flavor, so don't use more than the recipe states.