These San Francisco-style noodles are an American blend of Vietnamese and Italian cuisine

The other night I made the most popular recipe of the year, at least according to the New York Times. The recipe, which has been viewed more than 1.2 million times, is a San Francisco-style pasta dish by food writer J. Kenji López-Alt.

Its simple ingredient list includes eye-opening 20 cloves of garlic, plus fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Since garlic is pretty much a food group in my house, and I always have parmesan, fish sauce, and oyster sauce in my fridge, I thought I’d give it a try.

What is San Francisco-style Vietnamese-American Garlic Noodles?

This garlic noodle recipe is a twist on a classic San Francisco dish that Helene An created in the early 1970s at her restaurant, Thanh Long, where it has been famously served with baked Dungeness crabs for the past five decades. An fled Vietnam during the war, settled in the Bay Area and eventually started a restaurant empire.

In the early days, as López-Alt writes, An “felt that the restaurant would thrive by sacrificing authenticity in favor of dishes specifically designed to appeal to the local clientele.” She was inspired to create her own take on a disappointing garlic pasta dish at an Italian restaurant.

Although popular, the real recipe remains a mystery. In López-Alt’s interpretation, he calls for spaghetti rather than Asian noodles, and foreshadows the use of Southeast Asian sauces such as fish sauce and oyster sauce as ingredients. Paired with soy sauce, parmesan cheese, and all that garlic, it’s an intense, unique dish.

Why do you need 20 cloves of garlic?

Since this dish has become so popular this year, there has been an online debate about how to prepare it. One of the biggest points of debate is how to handle the 20 cloves of garlic, which are said to be “crushed or pounded in a mortar and pestle.”

Minced garlic can be obtained in a number of ways. Chopping with a knife can be tricky if you don’t have good knife skills, and you run the risk of not having consistent pieces that cook evenly. Crushing the garlic before chopping makes things quicker and a little easier. I decide to use a microplane grater instead of a knife for convenience. The risk with a grater is that the garlic can be a bit spicier or more bitter, but since I would cook the garlic for a few minutes I wasn’t concerned about that. If you have a mini food processor, that will work too. However, avoid a larger food processor, which will chop the garlic too large and unevenly.

How to make San Francisco-style Vietnamese-American Garlic Noodles

The great thing about cooking this dish is that once you learn the basics, you don’t need a recipe. Two quirks of the recipe involve cooking the spaghetti. First, the Times suggests cooking the pasta in a skillet or skillet covered with 2 inches of boiling water, rather than in a large pot of boiling water. The reason here is to get starchier pasta water that you want to reserve to toss with the pasta. The other quirk is removing the pasta from the boiling water before it’s completely al dente (about 2 minutes less than the package says). The pasta will continue to cook as you add it to the sauce to toss over high heat.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 20 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 pound dry spaghetti
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• A bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced

directions

Step 1: Combine the ingredients

Melt butter in a saucepan or wok over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, being careful not to brown. Add oyster sauce, fish sauce and soy sauce, stir and remove from heat.

Step 2: Cook pasta

Bring a few inches of salted water to a boil in a pan or saucepan over high heat. Add the spaghetti. Stir the pasta a few times as it cooks until almost al dente (about 2 minutes less than the recommended cooking time on the package).

Step 3: Bring everything together

Using tongs, transfer the cooked pasta to the garlic umami sauce, along with the water that is sticking to it (make sure to save the pasta water!). Bring the heat to high and add cheese. Stir and toss vigorously until the sauce is creamy and emulsified. Add reserved pasta water if it looks too greasy or dry. Stir in the spring onions and serve immediately.

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Lettuce Wraps

There are many Vietnamese dishes that are best enjoyed wrapped in lettuce and herbs before dipping in a sauce, such as bánh xèo, cuốn giấm bổng (pork and shrimp wraps), and chả giò (fried spring rolls). If you’re inspired by crunchy emerald leaves and savory sauces, prepare our Vietnamese Pork Salad Wraps.

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spring rolls

Often referred to as “fresh spring rolls,” goi cuốn are soft, translucent rice paper rolls filled with rice noodles, fresh herbs, leafy greens, and shrimp or pork. Dipped in nước chấm, or peanut sauce, they make a great appetizer for lunch or dinner. Learn how to make spring rolls at home.

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We bet Pho is a Vietnamese recipe you’ve heard of before. So what is pho? With its fragrant broth flavored with star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom, this rice noodle soup is enjoyed across the country. You’ll find countless toppings, from wafer-thin slices of raw beef to a handful of fresh herbs like cilantro, sliced ​​onions, basil and mint, all smothered with a squeeze of lime juice.

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With notes of lemongrass, shrimp paste, chili and rock candy, this flavorful noodle soup features vermicelli with a choice of beef and pork cuts. Garnished with onions, spring onions, Vietnamese coriander and banana blossoms, this dish is characteristic of Huế Imperial cuisine.

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This “broken rice” dish typically combines softer steamed rice grains with various types of grilled meat and either a fried egg or Chả trứng (Vietnamese steamed omelet). It is usually served with any meal with a side of sliced ​​cucumber, tomato, and oil infused with scallions.

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A true Vietnamese meal is not complete without canh, an everyday Vietnamese soup made with water instead of broth. While some can be simple, more complex canh recipes combine either meat or seafood with an abundance of different vegetables to create sweet, sour, and savory profiles.

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tea

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egg coffee

Though only served in cafes in Hanoi, Cà phê trứng is where a quick pick-me-up meets delicious dessert decadence. Made with Robusta coffee, egg yolk and creamy condensed milk, Cà phê trứng is an experience that is simultaneously reminiscent of tiramisu, eggnog and fluffy egg custard.

The post San Francisco-Model Vietnamese American Garlic Noodles Are the Most Common Recipe of the Yr appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

These San Francisco style noodles are an American mashup of Vietnamese and Italian cuisine

The other evening, I made the most popular recipe of the year, at least according to the New York Times. The recipe, which was viewed more than 1.2 million times, is a San Francisco-style noodle dish from food writer J. Kenji López-Alt.

Among its simple list of ingredients is an eye-opening 20 cloves of garlic, as well as fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and Parmesan cheese. Since garlic is pretty much a food group in my house, and I always have parm, fish sauce and oyster sauce in my fridge, I figured I would give it whirl.

What Are San Francisco-Style Vietnamese American Garlic Noodles?

This garlicky noodle recipe is a twist on a classic San Francisco dish, created by Helene An at her Thanh Long restaurant in the early 1970s, where it has been famously served with baked Dungeness crab for the past five decades. An fled Vietnam during the war, settling in the Bay Area and eventually launching a restaurant empire.

In the early days, as López-Alt writes, An “felt that the restaurant would find more success by eschewing authenticity in favor of dishes that were designed specifically to appeal to the local clientele.” She was inspired by a disappointing garlic pasta dish at an Italian restaurant to create her own rendition.

Though popular, the real recipe remains a secret. In López-Alt’s interpretation, he calls for spaghetti rather than Asian noodles and intuitively the use of Southeast Asian sauces such as fish sauce and oyster sauce as ingredients. Coupled with soy sauce, Parmesan cheese and all that garlic, it’s an intense, unique dish.

Why Do You Need 20 Cloves of Minced Garlic?

Since this dish became so popular this year, there has been online debate on how to make it. One of the biggest points of discussion is how to handle the 20 cloves of garlic, which are to be “minced or smashed in a mortar and pestle.”

Minced garlic can be achieved in a number of ways. Mincing with a knife can be tricky if you don’t have good knife skills, and you run the risk of not having uniform pieces that cook evenly. Smashing the garlic before you mince makes things faster and slightly easier. I choose to use a microplane grater instead of a knife for ease. The risk with a grater is that the garlic can be a little more spicy or bitter, but since I’d be cooking the garlic for a few minutes, I wasn’t worried about that. If you have a mini food processor, that works too. But avoid a larger food processor, which will chop the garlic too big and unevenly.

How to Make San Francisco-Style Vietnamese American Garlic Noodles

The great thing about cooking this dish is that once you learn the basics, you don’t really need a recipe anymore. Two quirks of the recipe involve cooking the spaghetti. First, the Times’ suggests cooking the pasta in a skillet or sauté pan, covered by 2 inches of boiling water, rather than a big pot of boiling water. The reason here is to get starchier pasta water, which you’ll want to reserve to toss with the pasta. The other quirk is to remove the pasta from the boiling water before it’s totally al dente (about 2 minutes less than the time on the package). The pasta will continue to cook as you add it to the sauce to toss over high heat.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 20 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 tea spoons fish sauce
• 1 pound dry spaghetti
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• One bunch of scallions, thinly sliced

directions

Step 1: Combine ingredients

Melt butter in a saucepan or wok over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, being careful not to brown. Add oyster sauce, fish sauce and soy sauce, stir to combine, then remove from heat.

Step 2: Cook the pasta

Bring a couple of inches of salted water to a boil in a skillet or saucepan, over high heat. Add the spaghetti. Stir the pasta a few times as it cooks until it’s almost al dente (about 2 minutes less than the recommended cook time on the package).

Step 3: Bring it all together

Using tongs, transfer the cooked pasta to the garlic-umami sauce, along with whatever water clings to it (be sure to reserve the pasta water!). Bring heat to high, and add cheese. Stir and toss vigorously until the sauce is creamy and emulsified. Add reserved pasta water if it looks too greasy or dry. Stir in scallions and serve immediately.

Vietnamese Dishes Everyone Should Know

xuanhuongho/Getty Images

Banh mi

Loved around the world, these Vietnamese baguette sandwiches together cold, grilled or roasted meats, along with pickled daikon and carrots, chiles, cucumbers, cilantro, smears of pâté, mayonnaise and Maggi seasoning for a multidimensional bite each time. You can make this Chicken Banh Mi at home.

asab974/Getty Images

Banh xèo

With its golden crispy edges, this pan-fried crepe of rice flour, coconut milk and turmeric envelopes minced pork, bean sprouts and shrimp. Wrap with lettuce and fresh herbs and dunk in sweet, sour and salty nước chấm sauce for best effect.

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Lettuce wraps

There are many Vietnamese dishes that are best enjoyed wrapped in lettuce and herbs before dipped into a sauce such as Bánh xèo, Cuốn giấm bổng (pork and shrimp wraps) and Chả giò (fried spring rolls). If you’re feeling inspired by crisp emerald leaves and zesty sauces, make our Vietnamese Pork Lettuce Wraps.

simonlong/Getty Images

Gỏi cuốn

Often called “fresh spring rolls,” Gỏi cuốn are soft, translucent rice paper rolls stuffed with rice noodles, fresh herbs, leafy greens and shrimp or pork. Dipped in nước chấm or peanut sauce, they make a great lunch or dinner party appetizer. Learn how to make spring rolls at home.

ISS Photography/Getty Images

Bun Cha

Although there are several amazing Vietnamese dishes that feature Bún (vermicelli noodles), Bún Cha is a refreshing noodle bowl topped with warm grilled pork, fresh herbs and drenched in nước chấm sauce. It’s an all-day favorite in Hanoi!

YinYang/Getty Images

Phở

We bet that pho is one Vietnamese recipe you’ve already heard of. So, what is pho? With its fragrant broth seasoned with star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom, this rice noodle soup is widely enjoyed across the country. You’ll find a myriad of toppings, from paper-thin slices of raw beef to handfuls of fresh herbs like coriander, sliced ​​onions, basil and mint all doused in a spritz of lime juice.

baoquang/Getty Images

Bun Bo Hue

With notes of lemongrass, shrimp paste, chili and rock sugar, this spicy noodle soup features vermicelli noodles with an assortment of beef and pork cuts. Garnished with onions, scallions, Vietnamese coriander and banana blossoms, this dish is characteristic of the Imperial cuisine of Huế.

baoquang/Getty Images

Cơm Tấm

This “broken rice” dish typically pairs softer steamed rice grains with different types of grilled meats and either a fried egg or Chả trứng (Vietnamese steamed omelet). It is usually served at any mealtime with a side of sliced ​​cucumbers, tomatoes and scallion-infused oil.

Zoe Life Photography/Getty Images

Thịt Kho Tau

Blending sweet and savory, this warming stew of caramelized pork and eggs braised in coconut water is a beloved lunch or dinnertime staple with an accompaniment of steamed jasmine rice and tangy Dưa giá (pickled bean sprouts).

Duy Doan/Getty Images

Canh

A true Vietnamese meal is not complete without Canh, an everyday Vietnamese soup made from water instead of stock. While some can be simple, more complex Canh recipes marry together either meat or seafood with an abundance of different vegetables to create sweet, sour and savory profiles.

NguyenDucQuang/Getty Images

Che

Why choose one type of dessert when you can have them all in a singular, multi-layered, rainbow? Chè are traditional Vietnamese sweet beverages, puddings or dessert soups that mix fruits, beans and jellies soaked in sugary syrup or coconut cream. They are served hot or cold.

Photo by Rafa Elias/Getty Images

Cà phê trứng

Although only served at cafes in Hanoi, Cà phê trứng is where a quick pick-me-up meets delightful dessert decadence. Made with robusta coffee, egg yolk and creamy condensed milk, Cà phê trứng is an experience simultaneously reminiscent of tiramisu, eggnog and fluffy egg custard.

The post San Francisco-Fashion Vietnamese American Garlic Noodles Are the Most Well-liked Recipe of the Yr appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN JOSE (KPIX) – The Vietnamese community in San Jose on Saturday unveiled a new memorial in History Park to honor soldiers who fought against communist forces 50 years ago while the United States abandoned its allies in the country.

In 1972, when the US left the country, North Vietnamese troops overran the provincial capital Quang Tri and its old stone citadel. The army of the south resisted overwhelming adversity and after three months recaptured the fortress.

“They put up the flag and this is the image of the soldiers who put the flag up over the Quang Tri Citadel, which means the victory that was hard won during this battle,” said memorial organizer Sam Ho.

The image of soldiers hoisting a flag over the citadel, reminiscent of Iwo Jima, is cast in bronze on the Quang Tri Victory Monument. It is a source of immense pride for those who still wear their uniforms from then.

“It means that by the time the US abandoned its allies in the Vietnam War, we fought back with what we had and we won against the overwhelming enemy forces. That is the meaning of this battle, ”said Lan Quoc Nguyen, board member of the Quang Tri Memorial.

7,700 South Vietnamese soldiers died in the battle and 18,000 North Vietnamese troops were also killed.

Without US ground support, the war was ultimately lost, and the South Vietnamese army has since been criticized in films and in the media for being unattached fighters.

“Not only are the stories unfair, but I find them extremely offensive and we have to tell this story,” said Ho.

That’s what the memorial is supposed to do – remember those of Quang Tri who went on fighting alone with no help or supplies. Kristin Hong, a young Vietnamese-American student, said the courage she has shown in this moment and every moment since has been a source of inspiration for her generation.

“We were able to hold on and get to where we are now, even if it meant a lot of effort,” she said. “But we could come here and go through so much just to have a better future for ourselves.”

Nguyen says there was some bitterness about the way the US went after the war, but Vietnamese Americans have since shown the strength to forgive and move on.

“We should remember the past but look forward to the future,” he said. “To learn to be independent, to learn to be alone.”

The memorial was originally erected in Westminster, Southern California, but city support for the project was later abandoned. Instead, the city of San Jose was approached, dealt with and started construction within months.

The post San Jose Monument Devoted to South Vietnamese Who Fought at Quang Tri – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN JOSE (KPIX) – A sparkling new building being built in the middle of the Little Saigon neighborhood of San Jose is designed to meet the health needs of Vietnamese Americans, who make up 11 percent of the city’s population.

“There’s nothing like it anywhere in the country,” said Betty Duong, project manager for the new Vietnamese-American service center on Senter Road.

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The center addresses a worrying trend first revealed in a county survey a decade ago – many Vietnamese Americans were not receiving the health care the county offered.

“We found that the language barriers were there, the cultural barriers,” said Duong.

More than 60 percent of South Bay Vietnamese Americans surveyed over the years said they had limited English skills, and more than half did not know the county provides health care services.

The solution: the $ 65 million center that brings together medical, dental, nutritional, mental health services, and more, including childcare.

“This has to be a one-stop shop location,” said Duong.

People told her, “I don’t want to go to five different buildings for five different services, especially when I have kids.”

And to minimize the stigma of psychosocial counseling, everyone checks in at the same reception point.

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“They’re basically camouflaged in the open,” she added.

The 30,000 square meter center will also host cultural events.

Decades of efforts to build the center under the direction of regulators Dave Cortese and Cindy Chavez took into account community contributions to services and design.

“As a Vietnamese-American architect, it means a lot to me,” said Thang Do, CEO of Aedis Architects, who designed the center.

He says the building reflects Vietnamese culture and welcomes everyone.

“You should be proud that the community has a pretty great center to call home,” said Do.

Among the highlights: a capital letter V for the Vietnamese, pictures of rice patties, bamboo edges on the window and drums that trace the history of the Vietnamese diaspora after the end of the war in 1975.

“The ceiling (of the multipurpose room) is shaped like the Vietnamese conical hat,” said Do.

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The hope is that when the center opens in October, Vietnamese Americans will find good health, healing and a new hangout.

The post Building Underway On San Jose’s Vietnamese American Well being Care Heart – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.