David Nguyen

“Broken rice isn’t perfect. It’s fractured, scattered… like our history. But somehow it brings us back together.” A line that stayed with me after sitting down with Xỉu from Cơm Tấm A. Xỉu. Full story on YouTube (Link in Bio).

For 40 years, cô Phượng has been serving broken rice from this small alley in Saigon. I’m highlighting this place for its flavors and its longevity serving the local community. Open from 4AM–9AM Closed on the 1st & 15th of the lunar calendar

Honey-marinated grilled pork and chicken, smoky, sweet, and deeply nostalgic. If you’re in Saigon, this one needs to be on your list.

Feeling refreshed and ready for the new year. Thank you JOIA Aruba by @iberostar for having us. @joiabyiberostar @joiaarubabyiberostar #iberostar #JOIAbyiberostar

#ad These Tuna Stuffed Mini Peppers featuring @StarKistOfficial E.V.O.O. Tuna are one of my go-to elevated appetizers for holiday gatherings! #StarKistPartner Serves: 6–8 Ingredients 2 cans StarKist E.V.O.O.® Solid Yellowfin Tuna with Crushed Red Peppers 18–20 mini sweet bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded 8 oz cream cheese, softened 4 tbsp mayonnaise 1 small shallot, finely diced 1 stalk celery, finely diced 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 2 tbsp olive oil Salt and black pepper, to taste Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. 2. Halve the mini peppers and remove the seeds. Lightly brush or spray with olive oil, then arrange cut side up on the baking sheet. 3. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, shallot, celery, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. 4. Fold in the StarKist E.V.O.O. tuna gently, keeping some larger chunks intact for texture. 5. Spoon the mixture into each pepper half. Top with panko for extra crunch. 6. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the panko is golden and the peppers are slightly blistered. 7. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Serve warm.

Inspired by Vietnam’s famous egg coffee reimagined as a holiday eggnog @Eagle Brand Serves: 2 Prep Time: 10 minutes Ingredients 2 large egg yolks 3 Tablespoons Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk ¼ cup hot milk ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 shot (30 ml) strong Vietnamese coffee or espresso cinnamon powder for garnish Instructions 1. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract until the mixture turns pale, thick, and silky. Set aside. 2. In your serving cup, combine hot black coffee and warm milk. Stir gently to blend. 3. Spoon or pour the egg mixture over the coffee-milk base. It should float slightly, creating a creamy layer on top. 4. Dust with a light coating of cinnamon for that warm holiday aroma. Serve immediately while it’s still hot and frothy. #EagleBrandMillk #HolidayTreats #EasyHolidayDesserts #HolidayRecipes #NoBakeDesserts

Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bò Lúc Lắc) Serves: 3–4 Ingredients Beef & Marinade 2 lbs ribeye or filet mignon, cut into 1½-inch cubes 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Maggi seasoning 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon grated garlic ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon neutral oil 2 teaspoons cornstarch For Sautéing Vegetables 2 tablespoons neutral oil ½ sweet onion, cut into petals ½ green bell pepper, cut into large chunks ½ red bell pepper, cut into large chunks 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon minced garlic Salt and black pepper, to taste To Serve Mixed greens or watercress Sliced tomatoes Sliced red onions Instructions 1. Combine the sugar, oyster sauce, Maggi, honey, sesame oil, grated garlic, garlic powder, neutral oil, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Mix well, then add the beef and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for 60 minutes at room temperature. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until lightly charred on the edges but still crisp. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss well. Remove from the pan and set aside. 3. Raise the heat to high. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the same pan. Sear the beef in two batches, letting each side brown deeply before shaking or flipping.Once all beef is browned, return everything to the pan. 4. Add the sautéed vegetables back in. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic.Toss everything together over high heat for about 1 minute, until glossy and aromatic. 5. Serve hot with mixed greens, sliced tomatoes, and red onions, or with steamed jasmine rice and a salt pepper lime dip on the side.

Vietnamese Style Fried Fish Lettuce Wrap Serves: 4 Ingredients Pickled Carrots & Daikon 2 large carrots, julienned 1 daikon radish, julienned Kosher salt, as needed (2% of total weight) 2 cups water 1¾ cups sugar ½ cup vinegar Dipping Sauce 2 cups water ½ cup sugar 3 tablespoons fish sauce ¼ teaspoon MSG (optional) 2 Thai chilies, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced Juice from ½ lime Fish + Batter 2 lb red tilapia, filleted and quartered Salt and white pepper, to taste Neutral oil, as needed (for frying) 1⅔ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour ½ cup rice flour ½ cup cornstarch 2 teaspoons baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt ¾ cup cold beer ⅓ cup cold soda water 3 tablespoons vodka Additional gluten-free flour, for dredging Instructions 1. Combine the julienned carrots and daikon with 2% salt by weight. Mix well and let sit for 1 hour to draw out excess moisture. 2. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat. Once cooled, stir in the vinegar. 3. Rinse the salted carrots and daikon, then drain well. Pour the cooled brine over the vegetables and refrigerate until ready to use. 4. In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, fish sauce, and MSG. Bring to a gentle simmer until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat.
Once cooled, stir in minced chili, garlic, and lime juice. Adjust seasoning to taste. 5. Season the tilapia fillets with salt and white pepper. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. 6. In a bowl, combine gluten-free flour, rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in cold beer, soda water, and vodka until smooth. The batter should be light and slightly runny. 7. Heat oil to 375°F (190°C). Pat the fish dry, dredge lightly in gluten-free flour, then dip into the batter. Fry for about 2 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Season with more salt then drain on a rack 8. Serve the crispy fish with lettuce, herbs, pickled carrots & daikon, fried shallots, and dipping sauce. Add noodles if desired.

Shrimp Salad with Spicy Coconut Sauce Serves: 4 Ingredients Salad 1 lb shrimp, shell-on and deveined 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered 1 cup cucumbers, sliced on a bias ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced Salt, to taste White pepper, to taste Juice of 1 lime 1 fresh coconut (for coconut water) 1 Thai chili, finely chopped Shallot oil, as needed Pickling Brine ½ cup water ¼ cup rice vinegar ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1½ tablespoons rock sugar Coconut Sauce ½ cup coconut milk 1½ teaspoons fish sauce 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ finely chopped Thai chili Garnish Cilantro sprigs Pickled onions Fried shallots Fresh sliced chili Instructions 1. Combine water, vinegar, salt, and rock sugar in a small pot. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then pour the warm brine over thinly sliced red onions. Let pickle while you prep. 2. Bring the juice from 1 coconut to a gentle boil, then turn off the heat. Add shrimp and poach briefly until just opaque (about 1 minute), but not fully cooked through. Transfer immediately to an ice bath to stop cooking. 3. Peel and cut shrimp into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt, white pepper, and lime juice. Chill for 45 minutes. 4. Toss cucumbers and tomatoes in shallot oil. Season with salt and white pepper. Set aside. 5. Whisk together coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, salt, and chili (if using) until the sugar dissolves. Chill until serving. 6. In a bowl, combine the marinated shrimp, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a few tablespoons of the coconut sauce. Toss lightly to coat. 7. Transfer to a chilled plate. Drizzle with more spicy coconut sauce and finish with cilantro, pickled onion, fried shallots, and sliced chili. NOTE: This dish is best Paired with crispy shrimp or rice crackers

House Special Fried Rice Ingredients Rice 2½ cups jasmine rice 2 tablespoons neutral oil 5 cloves garlic, minced 2⅓ cups chicken stock ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon sugar Egg Mix 5 large eggs 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon sugar ½ tablespoon annatto oil ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon MSG (optional) Other Ingredients 1 cup peas and carrots, thawed 3 lap cheong (Chinese sausages) ½ lb shrimp (21–25 count), peeled and deveined Salt, sugar, and MSG to taste Additional neutral oil, as needed Instructions 1. * Wash rice until water runs clear, drain 10 minutes. * In a small pot, warm chicken stock with sugar and salt. * In a pan, fry 3 cloves garlic in 2 tablespoons oil until light blonde. Add rice, toss to coat. * Transfer rice and seasoned stock to a rice cooker. Cook until done, then fluff with chopsticks and cool to room temp. 2. * Simmer sausages in water for 5 minutes. Drain, cool, and slice. * Pan-fry slices over medium-low heat until crispy and fat is rendered. Drain on paper towels. 3. * Season shrimp with a pinch of salt, sugar, black pepper, and MSG (if using). Rest 10 minutes. * Blanch in simmering water 1 minute, then shock in ice water. Cut into bite-size pieces. 4. * Whisk eggs with salt, sugar, annatto oil, black pepper, and MSG. Reserve ½ cup. * Cook remaining eggs in a pan over medium heat, stirring gently into small curds. Remove and reserve. 5. * Heat a large wok over medium heat. Add oil and the remaining minced garlic, fry until fragrant. * Add cooled rice, toss to separate grains. * Pour in reserved ½ cup egg mixture, tossing until each grain is coated. * Add sausage, shrimp, scrambled eggs, peas, and carrots. Toss until heated through and rice is dry and fluffy. 6. * Taste and adjust seasoning with salt * garnished with extra green onion or fried shallots if desired.

Seafood Pan Roast Serves 6 Ingredients Soup Base 2 tablespoons salted butter 1 cup celery, small dice 1 cup yellow onion, small dice 1 large garlic clove, sliced 1⅔ cups chicken stock 1⅓ cups tomato sauce 1½ tablespoons jasmine rice (uncooked) 2–3 large basil leaves Kosher salt, to taste Shrimp & Crab 2 tablespoons salted butter 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 lb shrimp peeled, deveined, cut into bite size pieces ½ lb crab meat Kosher salt, to taste Black pepper, to taste Pan Roast 2 tablespoons salted butter ½ cup chopped celery ½ cup chopped yellow onion ½ cup chopped green bell pepper 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning ½ tablespoon Tony’s Creole seasoning 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon cayenne chili powder ½ cup clam juice 150 ml heavy cream 4 tablespoons extra dry vermouth 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Kosher salt, to taste Instructions 1. For the soup base: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Add celery, onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Sweat until translucent. 2. Add tomato sauce, chicken stock, and jasmine rice. Stir, bring to a simmer, and cook 10–15 minutes until rice has softened. 3. Transfer to a blender, add basil leaves, and blend until smooth. Set aside. 4. For the seafood: In a sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until aromatic. Add shrimp and sauté until just cooked through, then add crab meat. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. 5. For the pan roast: In a clean pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add celery, onion, green bell pepper, and a pinch of salt. Sweat over low heat 5 minutes until translucent. 6. Stir in Old Bay, Tony’s, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne. Cook 1 minute to bloom the spices. 7. Deglaze with vermouth. Add clam juice, Worcestershire, heavy cream, blended soup base, and cooked seafood. Stir to combine. 8. Simmer gently for 5–10 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust salt as needed. 9. Serve hot with steamed rice, or pasta.

Crab Garlic Noodles // Mì Cua Xào Bơ Tỏi Serves: 4 Ingredients Noodles 500 g bucatini pasta 1 tablespoon neutral oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 tablespoons garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon Maggi seasoning ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated Pasta water, as needed Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Crab 1 lb jumbo lump crab meat 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon garlic, minced Salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Garnish 2 green onions, thinly sliced Extra Parmesan cheese, grated Instructions 1. Cook the bucatini pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain and keep warm. 2. In a sauté pan melt 2 tablespoons of butter, add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and cook until lightly golden. Add the crab meat and toss to coat. Season with salt and black pepper, then remove from the heat and set aside. 3. In a separate saucepan heat the neutral oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Stir in the fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, and Maggi seasoning, then season with black pepper to taste. 4. Add a splash of pasta water and stir until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat, add the Parmesan cheese, and whisk until emulsified. If needed, add more pasta water to loosen the sauce. 5. Add the cooked bucatini to the sauce and toss until the noodles are fully coated. 6. Transfer to plates and top with the warm crab meat, extra Parmesan cheese, and sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

Cucumber Chili Lime Hamachi Crudo // Gỏi Cá Cam Serves: 4 Ingredients Hamachi 12–16 oz hamachi loin (sashimi grade, skin removed) Sauce 1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeds removed ⅓–½ cup fresh lime juice (to taste) 1½ tablespoons fish sauce 2 teaspoons palm sugar (about 8 g), shaved or granulated 1 serrano chili 2 Thai chilies, seeds removed (adjust heat) 2 teaspoons herb oil Pickling Brine ½ cup water ¼ cup rice vinegar 1½ tablespoons rock sugar ½ teaspoon salt Garnish 2 Vietnamese rose apples (trái mận), thinly sliced Pickled shallot petals (or red onion slivers) Fried shallots Fresh cilantro leaves Extra herb oil, for drizzling Instructions 1. In a small pot, combine water, rock sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in rice vinegar, and let cool completely. 2. Place sliced rose apple and shallot petals (or onion) in the cooled brine. Set aside in the fridge for at least 1 hour 3. Add cucumber, lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, serrano, Thai chilies, and herb oil to a blender. Blend until smooth, taste and adjust seasoning. Strain through a fine mesh sieve for a silky finish. Chill until ready to use. 4. Slice hamachi into sashimi-style slices. Keep chilled. 5. Arrange hamachi slices neatly on a chilled plate. Spoon or drizzle the cucumber–lime chili sauce around or lightly over the fish. 6. Garnish with pickled rose apple, pickled shallot petals, fried shallots, and fresh cilantro. Finish with a few drops of herb oil. Serve immediately.

Mango Habanero Salmon Crudo // Gỏi Cá Hồi Serves: 2 Ingredients Salmon 1 lb skinless, center-cut salmon (sashimi grade) ½ cup sake Dried konbu, as needed Sauce ½ cup fresh lime juice 1 habanero, seeds removed ¼ cup ripe mango, diced 1½ tablespoons fish sauce Garnish Orange segments Fried shallots Red perilla leaves (lá tía tô), as needed Instructions 1. Lightly dampen a piece of konbu with sake using a cheesecloth or paper towel. 2. Wrap the salmon with the sake-dampened konbu, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate to cure for 2 hours. 3. For the sauce: combine lime juice, habanero, mango, and fish sauce in a blender. Blend until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve. Chill until ready to use. 4. Remove the salmon from the konbu. Gently wipe the surface to remove excess moisture, then pat dry. 5. Slice salmon into sashimi-style pieces and arrange neatly on a chilled plate. 6. Spoon the mango-habanero sauce over or around the salmon. 7. Garnish with orange segments, fried shallots, and red perilla leaves. Serve immediately.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad // Gỏi Gà Serves: 4 Ingredients Salad: 1 whole chicken (about 3–3.5 lbs) ½ head green cabbage, thinly shredded 1 medium carrot, julienned 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 8 sprigs Vietnamese coriander (rau răm), leaves only ½ cup roasted peanuts, lightly crushed 5 tablespoons fried shallots Salt, as needed Sesame oil, as needed Poaching Liquid: 5 liters water 2 whole onions 2-inch knob of ginger, sliced 8 tablespoons sugar 7½ tablespoons salt 
Dressing: 2 medium Fresno chilies (deseeded if desired) 1 tablespoon cooked ginger (from the poaching liquid) 3 garlic cloves 1 tablespoon lime juice 5 tablespoons sugar ¼ cup water ¼ cup fish sauce Instructions 1. Rub the chicken all over with about 4 tablespoons of salt. Let rest 30–60 minutes at room temperature (or up to 2 hours refrigerated). Rinse lightly before poaching. 2. In a large pot, combine all poaching liquid ingredients and bring to a boil. 3. Blanch the chicken by lowering it into the boiling liquid for 5–10 seconds, then removing. Repeat 2 more times. This helps tighten the skin. 4. Place the chicken breast-side up into the pot. Return the liquid to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat. 5. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and let the chicken poach gently for 30 minutes, or until the thickest part of the breast reaches 155°F (68°C). 6. Remove chicken and transfer immediately to an ice bath to stop cooking. Once cooled, pat dry and brush lightly with sesame oil. 7. For the dressing: blend chilies, cooked ginger, garlic, lime juice, sugar, water, and fish sauce until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. 8. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, carrot, onion, and Vietnamese coriander. Toss with dressing to taste. 9. Transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with cabbage, crushed peanuts, and fried shallots. Serve immediately.