Taste of Vietnam: That's a Wrap

Taste of Vietnam: That's a Wrap

Nước Chấm 

made by Brandon Nguyen 

OVERVIEW

As I had said before, cooking is no easy task. I wanted to prep something simple, so I decided to try out a nước chấm recipe in Ân: To Eat. 

Nước chấm is a dipping sauce Vietnamese folks use on mostly everything. I most commonly eat spring rolls with nước chấm. However, I wanted to prepare broken jasmine rice, accompanied with a fried egg, sliced tomatoes, and glazed beef. I enjoy this sauce for its versatility. It can be enjoyed on almost anything. As stated by Helene and Jacqueline An, "We use it as a dip for spring rolls, to brighten seafood, to add tang to protein as a dressing for noodles and rice, and as a marinade for meat" (An Helene & Jacqueline 274). 

PREPARATION

Cooking the beef was probably the hardest procedure. To give it flavor, I first had to glaze it, using my mother's recipe. For the searing, I referenced the book. In the section "Basic Techniques," Helene and daughter Jacqueline An explains to readers how to add protein. Most helpful was when they said that, "To sear quickly and correctly, food needs enough room. Don't overcrowd the pan, as that can lead to food steaming instead of searing" (An Helene & Jacqueline 35). Frying an egg was rudimentary, and slicing the tomatoes was not difficult at all; these were things I had done before and have mastered. 

For the nước chấm, I added sugar into warm water and stirred until everything was dissolved. I then added fish sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic. To balance all the flavors, I put in some chili paste. 

Making this was not a hassle. This is something I can make on my own. I am glad I chose to make this, for it is straightforward. After making the fried rice and noodles, I found that I was overestimating myself. It became manifest that I was doing more than I can bear. 

TAKEAWAY?

My takeaway is that mastering the art of cooking is not something that happens overnight. A book cannot simply make you a better cook; only you can do that. I advise all beginner cooks to start with basic recipes. Also, follow all the instructions. Later on, you can alter the recipe to best suit your taste, but make sure to do what the book tells you to. You will find that by taking baby steps, you will eventually grow.

Creating these recipes has given me a chance to explore my culture. Vietnamese cuisine is something that means a lot to me, especially since it reminds me of my grandmother. Though I may be American, I will never forget my Vietnamese roots. I thank you all for reading these posts! I hope I had taught you all something new. Has anything given you a hard time? How can you improve?

Works Cited: 

An, Helene, and Jacqueline An. Ăn: to Eat: Recipes and Stories from a Vietnamese Family Kitchen. Running Press, 2016.