Recipes

Angela Dimayuga · NYT Cooking

When I left home, adobo was a dish I could cook off the top of my head. The name was bestowed by Spanish colonizers, referring to the use of vinegar and seasonings to preserve meat, but the stew existed long before their arrival. It is always made with vinegar, and often soy sauce, but there are as many adobo recipes as there are Filipino cooks. In this version, coconut — present in three forms: milk, oil and vinegar — brings silkiness and a hint of elegance. Every ingredient announces itself; none are shy. The braised whole peppercorns pop in your mouth.

Angela Dimayuga · NYT Cooking

Lumpia are cousins to spring rolls, a tradition that most likely goes back to the Chinese traders who first visited the Philippines in the ninth century. As kids, we’d crowd around the kitchen counter to make them, spooning out the filling and rolling up the skins before sliding them into hot oil. They come in different incarnations and may be served unfried and even unwrapped, but the classic is lumpia Shanghai, skinny cigarillos with supercrunchy skins, packed with meat, juices seething. I like dipping them in banana ketchup, which you can buy or improvise by cooking overripe bananas and tomato paste into a sweet-and-sour jam.

Angela Dimayuga · NYT Cooking

Bistek is steak, but one transformed by its encounter with soy sauce and citrus. My addition is browned butter, an ingredient not so common in Southeast Asian cooking. This was one of my lola’s signature dishes: She’d cut the onions half-an-inch thick, sear them briefly, then add a little water to make the pan flare up, so they’d get extra crisp. She would always plate it in a casserole dish, with enough pan sauce to sop up with rice. The beef fat should coat your lips, and then the citrus cuts through it. It’s worth investing in good olive oil; every ingredient matters, because there are so few, and you can taste them all.

Angela Dimayuga · NYT Cooking

We eat pancit, or noodles, always — but especially at birthday celebrations, where the length of the noodles is seen as a promise for an equally long life. Among our many pancit dishes, palabok is the richest. The sauce almost takes on the texture of an Italian ragù, with the meat slowly disintegrating into a thick gravy that’s stained reddish-gold by achuete (annatto). The toppings aren’t decorative, but a crucial part of the dish: a whole regiment of hard-boiled eggs and poached shrimp, plus a tumble of fried garlic and crumbled chicharron (puffed-up crispy pork skins).

Angela Dimayuga · NYT Cooking

The experience of biting into a juicy black cherry embodies summer. For cherry recipes, dessert may come to mind first, but how about something savory? Bursting bites of cherry star in this five-ingredient salad, with scallions, pistachios, oil and vinegar. The recipe puts scallions to work in two ways: Their raw greens bring bright, grassy notes, while the charred bottoms bring sweetness and bitterness when pulverized into paste. Raw, coarse chopped pistachio lends an interesting chew that develops into a complex fat for the salad. This salad is elegant and simple — and deserves to be among your new summer classics. Use your best extra-virgin olive oil, and try adding fresh, organic rose petals to the dish for a delicate strawberry-rose flavor, and a Baroque, sensual layering of flavors.

Julia Moskin · NYT Cooking

Julia Moskin

Julia Moskin · NYT Cooking

Julia Moskin

Kim Severson · NYT Cooking

An elegant, comforting bowl of pho usually requires blanching beef bones and then simmering them with spices for hours. Andrea Nguyen, a cookbook author who lives in drought-plagued California, wanted the same effect but in a recipe that used less water and less energy. This broth can be put together in less than an hour. It cooks in a standard stove-top pressure cooker for 20 minutes and in an electric pressure cooker for 30. “As much as I love to simmer a stockpot of beef pho for three hours,” Ms. Nguyen says, “it’s incredibly liberating to make a pretty good version for four people in about an hour." Kim Severson

Melissa Clark · NYT Cooking

The key to this heady noodle dish, adapted from “Vietnamese Food Any Day” (Ten Speed Press, 2019), is to build complexity by layering umami flavors in the pan. The cookbook’s author, Andrea Nguyen, starts with ingredients that are familiar to many pan-fried noodle dishes: oyster sauce, fish sauce, mushrooms, garlic. But then, in a brilliant move, she augments it all with a big dollop of salted, European-style cultured butter to add both creaminess and acidity. There’s also a touch of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in the mix, which you can buy in Asian markets or other supermarkets sold under the name Accent Flavor Enhancer. It has a salty sweetness that deepens all the other flavors. But if you’d rather not use it, nutritional yeast also works well. If you can’t get mustard greens, substitute baby kale or spinach. Melissa Clark

Andrea Nguyen · NYT Cooking

This twist on nachos doesn’t simply call for putting traditional mapo tofu atop tortilla chips. Instead, you’ll make a creamy, spicy, saucy version using blended silken tofu and all the usual mapo ingredients. Spoon the sauce atop layers of chips, add cheese, then bake it. You could certainly stop there, but finishing with some garnishes makes it especially festive. Save leftover sauce for another round of nachos or a half batch of mapo spaghetti. To double this recipe, bake on a large parchment or foil-lined sheet pan in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes. You can also make the sauce with lamb, turkey thigh or a plant-based meat alternative, in place of the ground beef or pork, if you like.

Andrea Nguyen · NYT Cooking

You can order mapo tofu from many Chinese restaurants, but it’s also quite doable at home. You can find the pivotal fermented chile and broad (fava) bean sauce or paste called doubanjiang (sometimes rendered as “toban djan”) at a Chinese market. Look for a doubanjiang from Pixian, in Sichuan, and bear in mind that oilier versions have extra heat but may lack an earthy depth. Sichuan peppercorns add mala — tingly zing — and fermented black beans, called douchi, lend this dish a kick of umami. Ground beef is traditional, but many cooks choose pork; you can also try lamb, turkey thigh or a plant-based meat alternatives. Add chile flakes for extra fire, and balance mapo’s intensity with rice and steamed or stir-fried broccoli.

Andrea Nguyen · NYT Cooking

Conventional mapo tofu calls for cubed tofu, but, if you blend silken tofu for a twist on the Sichuan favorite, you’ll yield a creamy pasta sauce with deep numbing, spicy mala flavor. For velvety results, select silken tofu that’s molded into its refrigerated tub. Shop at a Chinese market for the doubanjiang (fermented chile bean sauce or paste). Look for the kind that is jarred and labeled as toban djan or packaged as plastic-sealed paper cubes, and originating from Pixian. Also grab some Sichuan peppercorns, and for extra umami oomph, some douchi (fermented black beans), too. If beef or pork isn’t your thing, try ground turkey, lamb or a plant-based meat alternative. Chefs (Mei Lin of Nightshade in Los Angeles, and Yu Bo of Yu’s Family Kitchen in Chengdu) and home cooks (the family of Zhong Yi, a former graduate student at Sichuan University) alike have tinkered with mapo tofu, pushing its definition and inspiring this cross-cultural iteration.

Andrea Nguyen · NYT Cooking

Tet is for savoring abundance, which explains why this rich, savory braise of pork and eggs in bittersweet caramel sauce is a must-have on many southern Vietnamese Lunar New Year menus. It’s an extravagant treat. Pork leg with the skin attached (fresh ham) is the cut of meat traditionally used, but pork shoulder or belly also offers the delicious balance of fat and lean meat. The eggs lend an interesting contrast of chewy white and buttery yolk, while the sauce featuring coconut water is softly sweet. Searing the meat and including peppercorns are modern touches that induce greater complexity. The cook time can be cut nearly in half by making the braise in a pressure cooker. Crunchy pickled bean sprout salad is the traditional accompaniment, along with plenty of rice. Stir-fried greens can be served alongside too.

Andrea Nguyen · NYT Cooking

A richness permeates these ribs, which are first marinated, then grilled until charred and finally simmered in a bittersweet caramel sauce. They become so dark and savory that some people mistake them for beef. For Tet festivities in northern Vietnam, pigs are often slaughtered to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and this preparation is among the best ways to use the ribs. It reheats and freezes well, a perfect make-ahead dish for the holiday since it’s a time when everyone is supposed to relax rather than work hard in the kitchen. Pair the ribs with a side of dua hanh to cut their richness, and serve with rice and stir-fried greens to round out the meal.

Andrea Nguyen · NYT Cooking

During Vietnamese Lunar New Year, rosy, northern-style pickled shallots are a must-have on many menus. In fact, there is a traditional Tet couplet that includes dua hanh as one of the foods required for the holiday. The shallot’s delightful tanginess and mild bite cut the richness of traditional dishes like suon kho, banh chung sticky rice cakes and charcuterie. They’re also good any time in a salad or sandwich, on a cheese board or in a gin on the rocks. Peeling small shallots on your own can be tedious, so make the task a group project. Tet is about family bonding time too.

Andrea Nguyen · NYT Cooking

Delicately crunchy and bright tasting, this easy southern Vietnamese favorite is technically a pickle because the vegetables steep in brine. But it is eaten in large amounts like a salad, usually with intensely flavored fish or pork kho (dishes simmered in savory caramel sauce). The vegetables provide a refreshing contrast to the inky, deep flavors of kho but they’re also terrific paired with dumplings or sandwiches. The bean sprouts and carrot are typically combined with flat Chinese chives. Since those kinds of chives can be hard to find, you can also use thin green scallion tops.

Andrea Nguyen · NYT Cooking

Called thit heo kho trung in Vietnamese, this rich combination of pork and eggs in bittersweet caramel sauce and coconut water is a must-have on many southern Vietnamese Tet menus, though people enjoy it as cozy year-round fare, too. It is typically made well in advance of Lunar New Year, so you’re free to relax when the holiday comes around. If you didn’t plan ahead to make it on the stovetop, follow this pressure cooker version to make the braise in a flash. Serve it with crunchy pickled bean sprout salad, stir-fried greens and steamed rice.

Andrea Nguyen · NYT Cooking

Gifting and eating sweets during Lunar New Year is an integral part of the Vietnamese Tet tradition. People often buy festive treats from confectioners equipped with particular skills and specialty ingredients, but you can make this easy, crunchy, delicately fragrant candy from readily available ingredients. This version of northern Vietnamese keo lac vung calls for corn syrup in place of maltose, which is often used in Vietnam. Sometimes, butter is added for a touch of fattiness, but coconut oil also works and makes the candy dairy-free.

Andrea Nguyen · NYT Cooking

Take a stack of sturdy, nutty-tasting fresh tofu sheets (gāndòufu in Mandarin) and cut them up into noodle-like ribbons to combine with cucumber, cilantro and a spicy, garlicky sauce. The stunningly good, satisfying result is a northeastern Chinese treat, a favorite of cookbook author Hannah Che. This recipe was adapted from her debut, “The Vegan Chinese Kitchen” (Clarkson Potter, 2022). Look for vacuum-sealed packages of tan-colored, nubby gāndòufu, often labeled as “soy tofu sheet” in the refrigerated tofu section in Chinese markets. Enjoy this salad with dumplings or a cozy soup. Change things up by stuffing it into a baguette or featuring it in lettuce wraps. Andrea Nguyen

Andrea Nguyen · NYT Cooking

A mainstay at dim sum restaurants and a popular street food in China and Southeast Asia, this cozy tofu pudding is as simple as scooping tofu and pouring gingery syrup on top. Also known as dòufuhuā in Mandarin (“bean curd flower” or “tofu flower”), dòuhuā is typically made with freshly made tender tofu, but packaged silken tofu makes the treat extra doable at home. For wonderful, custardy results, select silken tofu that’s been molded in its tub. (Block tofu sitting in a moat of water tends to be too firm.) Using a broad, shallow spoon to scoop out the tofu creates thin, wide shards, yielding maximum surface area exposure to the zippy ginger syrup. Warming the tofu in the microwave reveals its tender richness to mimic the texture of fresh dòuhuā. Old-school renditions feature just tofu and ginger syrup, but modern ones might include a wide range of add-ins similar to those offered for shaved-ice or boba treats. Canned mandarin orange segments would add vibrant contrast.

Andrea Nguyen · NYT Cooking

For rau củ sống chấm chao, a Vietnamese take on crudités, serve raw, seasonal veggies with a tangy, spicy, umami-rich sauce featuring chao (fermented tofu), a wondrous ingredient that’s akin to creamy, winy cheese. Fermented tofu typically punches up stir-fried greens or a bowl of porridge, but Vietnamese cooks love to let it shine as a sauce. The dynamite nước chấm chao (fermented tofu dipping sauce) could be paired with grilled goat or lamb, but it’s fantastic as a dip. For this recipe, from my cookbook “Ever-Green Vietnamese” (Ten Speed Press, 2023), choose at least three vegetables from the crudité options. The sesame seed addition isn’t standard, but adds body and richness to the sauce, uniting the ingredients. Make a double batch of sauce, if you like, so you have extra to dress grilled romaine; top it with fried shallots for a summertime salad.

Julia Moskin · NYT Cooking

Julia Moskin

Julia Moskin · NYT Cooking

Julia Moskin

Julia Moskin · NYT Cooking

Ana Sortun, the chef at Oleana restaurant in Cambridge, Mass., finished culinary school in Paris in 1988. But the education of her palate wasn't complete, she said, until she apprenticed herself to the Tunisian chef Moncef Meddeb in Boston, then began traveling to Turkey and Greece in the 1990's. Now, Ms. Sortun's food at Oleana is defined by its generous use of seasonings used in balance. Her signature lamb stew has a juicy dose of pomegranate, but its intensity is smoothed out with a final squeeze of lemon juice and (that old cooking school favorite) cold butter. Julia Moskin