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Pham Mai

Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table: Recipes and Reminiscences from Vietnam's Best Market Kitchens, Street Cafes, and Home Cooks Hardcover – July 31, 2001

by Mai Pham (Author)

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A land of vibrant cultures and vivid contrasts, Vietnam is also home to some of the most delicious and intriguing food in the world. While its cooking traditions have been influenced by those of China, France, and even India, Vietnam has created a cuisine with a spirit and a flavor all its own.

Chef and restaurateur Mai Pham brings to life this diverse and exciting cooking in Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table. Born and raised in Saigon before emigrating to the United States, Mai has often returned to her native land to learn the secrets of authentic Vietnamese cooking, from family, friends, home cooks, street vendors, and master chefs. Traveling from region to region, she has gathered the simple, classic recipes that define Vietnamese food today: Green Mango Salad with Grilled Beef, Stir-Fried Chicken with Lemongrass and Chilies, Caramelized Garlic Shrimp, and especially pho, the country's beloved beef-and-noodle soup. With more than 100 recipes in all, Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table offers home cooks the chance to create and savor the traditional flavors of Vietnam in their own kitchen.

Filled with enchanting stories and stirring black-and-white photos of life in Vietnam, Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table provides a captivating taste of an enduring culture and its irresistible cuisine.

Print length

242 pages
Language

English
Publisher

William Morrow Cookbooks
Publication date

July 31, 2001
Dimensions

7.38 x 0.89 x 9.12 inches
ISBN-10

0060192585
ISBN-13

978-0060192587
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When Mai Pham--chef and owner of the renowned Lemon Grass Restaurant in Sacramento, California--left her home and her grandmother in Saigon in 1975, just days before the city fell to communist rule, she never thought she'd see either again. Happily for her, she returned 20 years later to rediscover her roots and reconnect with her 100-year-old grandmother. Happily for us, she's written Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table, in which she shares that journey--and the vibrant cuisine of her homeland. She weaves a stirring tale of rediscovery; of visiting with cooks in market stalls and street cafés and home kitchens; and, perhaps most importantly, of rediscovering her "favorite food on earth," pho, the noodle soup often referred to as the national dish of Vietnam.

Pham begins with a chapter on dipping sauces, condiments, and herbs, which, she explains, are the true backbone of Vietnamese cooking. She explores culinary variations: the "rice bowl" of the southern peninsula and the French- and Indian-inspired foods of Saigon; the more robust style of the cooler central region of Hue; and the straightforward style of the mountainous north. And she shares the simple, classic recipes that define Vietnamese food. Green Mango Salad with Grilled Beef is at once salty (from the ubiquitous fish sauce), sweet from the fruit, and tangy and spicy from Chili-Lime Sauce. Ginger Chicken is bright with the flavor of ginger and spicy with dried chilies; caramel sauce adds body and an intriguing sweet and smoky element to the dish. And of course, one can't forget the beloved pho, which gets a whole chapter to itself. The traditional Hanoi-style Vietnamese "Pho" Rice Noodle Soup with Beef is fragrant with anise and ginger and thick with velvety noodles and delectably rare beef suspended in the hot broth.

Featured throughout the book are black-and-white photographs of the country and its people, stories of Pham's childhood, and enchanting tales of the history and people of Vietnam that, taken together, highlight a rich and vibrant picture of the ancient cuisine of this complex country. Helpful guides to the Vietnamese pantry and cooking techniques, along with a glossary, menu suggestions, and a list of resources for the more exotic ingredients make the book extremely useful to even the uninitiated. --Robin Donovan

From Publishers Weekly

Pham (The Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking) recently began making a yearly visit to her relatives in the Mekong Delta and found treasures in the culinary heritage of her homeland. She already had plenty of experience cooking Southeast Asian food (she co-owns and cooks at the successful Lemon Grass Caf and Restaurant in Sacramento and has taught at the Culinary Institute of America), but this was a chance to reconnect with her family. Artfully arranged with beautiful photographs, this collection of recipes is a celebration of family traditions as well as the popular national dishes of Vietnam. A list of basic pantry elements describes important tools, such as the clay pots used for making Kho (braised meats), condiments and the intricacies of rice paper, including how to make your own with an improvised fresh-rice-wrapper cooker. She also offers recipes for salads, steamed rice cakes, delicacies such as Rice Rolls with Shrimp and Wood-Ear Mushrooms and a variety of noodle dishes with fresh herbs, grilled pork, shrimp and shaved beef. In addition, the book includes many steamed, poached, simmered and grilled seafood dishes and a whole chapter of vegetarian specialties inspired by Pham's grandmother, all enlivened with the keen flavors of shrimp paste, lemongrass, fish sauce and lots of ginger and garlic. An excellent introduction to Vietnamese food for all skill levels. B&w photos and illus. (Aug.)Forecast: Vietnamese cooking is increasingly popular, with restaurants opening nationwide, and Vietnam is a tourist destination for many Americans. Author appearances in five major cities will help this book find the commercial success it deserves.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Cookbooks; 1st edition (July 31, 2001)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 242 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0060192585
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060192587
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.49 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.38 x 0.89 x 9.12 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #733,916 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #86 in Vietnamese Cooking, Food & Wine
- #112 in Southeast Asian Cooking, Food & Wine
- #446 in Soups & Stews Cooking

Customer Reviews:
88 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

88 global ratings

5 star		84%
4 star		5%
3 star		2%
2 star		6%
1 star		3%

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Top reviews from the United States

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DeSunshine

Absolutely love this recipe book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 5, 2022

Verified Purchase

I had actually lost this book and loved it so much that I wanted a replacement. Every single recipe is fantastic and she makes her recipe’s approachable. The flavors are authentic and absolutely delicious. The quick pho recipe alone is worth getting this book. I give this book a 10 out of 10.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 12, 2001

Verified Purchase

This book works best for those who have access to very good asian markets and previous experience with Asian cooking otherwise, some of the recipes may be difficult to carry out since substitution of ingredients is not a very good option.
Layout --
the layout is done on a matte textured paper. The ingredient list is done in an orange-brown ink while instructions and other text is done in black ink. There are informational inset boxes such as, "cooking with claypots" and "how to enjoy pho at a restaurant". Pictures are more decorative and done in a sepia kind of black and white . There are brushstroke paintings of certain ingredients.
I think it would have been better with color photos of ingredients and of the country but that is just my personal preference.
Information --
More detailed in its information of ingredients and it does a great service in that category. Now, if one is shopping for the various sald herbs listed in the book it may prove difficult since there are only brushstroke painting of said plants. A marked improvement is listing some brands of ingredients which makes shopping a whole lot easier. For even more detailed information on ingredients I highly recommendBruce Costs's book on Asian ingredients.
Recipes --
These recipes cannot be done without access to a good asian market and also a devotion of time. Pham has tried to provide recipes that will work in less time and with less fat but if you are going to do "down home" recipes you might as well devote the true amount of time needed otherwise it will taste not quite right. The recipes are in some instances more aggressive with the spicing than her previous book (5 spice chicken) and sometimes not (dipping sauces) . If you have her first book compare the recipes and see which one appeals to you more e.g., pho though there are many recipes that are not in her book it still behooves you to compare if possible.
Style --
The book is both a personal memoir and cookbook of recipes. It tries to provide both a pesonal and cultural context for the recipes. She did this previously in her last book but she goes to greater lengths in this one. For those who are not into personal information this is an annoying feature but for others it provides interesting reading.
Caution --
Many of the recipes listed are those found in markets and cafes and home so the quantity can be large or the amount of labor involved is more geared to a larger payoff of people helping and eating with you. Some recipes quite frankly, do not taste good unless cooked in quantity e.g., pho broth. If you live near good Vietnamese restauarants it might be better to buy the certain dishes than make them at home because of the time constraints. Also, if you are near Vietnamese stores you might have more convenience making some dishes with prepared items instead of making from scratch all the time.
Overall, I liked the book and thought it a good addition to my collection. My main fear was that the recipes would be recycled from her earlier book but that was not the case.
Get her first book if you are just starting on Vietnamese food and do not want too much robust or aggressive flavors and take this book for more background and experience.

58 people found this helpful

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limoncello

Great, well rounded cookbook

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 4, 2013

Verified Purchase

I returned from my second trip to Vietnam with a hankering for pho that the local restaurant could not satisfy. After several hours of online research, I purchased this book, along with a pound of star anise and pho noodles at a local Asian grocery store. I made the quick chicken pho (someday I will have time for the traditional beef pho) and was really impressed with the delicate and balanced stock for a relatively easy and quick version of pho. Toasting the star anise and cloves, as well as charring onion and ginger, contribute beautifully to the flavor.
I moved on to a few other soups - a beef noodle soup similar to pho, but with 5 spice powder. Really good. Then, the ramen noodle soup with crispy skin duck. I got 1/2 of a Pekin duck delivered from a local restaurant for this one, and it was SO good. I will make all of these again, but the quick chicken pho is my favorite so far.
I've also tried the sweet potato curry, which is homey and nice for cold weather. I couldn't find Thai curry powder.
The lemongrass tofu is excellent and now one of my favorite tofu recipes. Also, it looks beautiful.
I am looking forward to making the street crepes and some of the salads.
It's been a joy to peruse this book and it has inspired me to spend more time creating in the kitchen. Thank you.

10 people found this helpful

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C. Arra Weinberg

Interesting recipes!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 26, 2021

Verified Purchase

I found that most of the recipes were easy to follow. The only drawback was that if you don’t have all of the ingredients in the house, which most people don’t, you are always going to the store. However, it’s a small price to pay for worthy dishes!

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Under State

Excellent introduction

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 26, 2014

Verified Purchase

I found this book to be an excellent introduction to Vietnamese cooking.

I enjoy the author's vignettes about the history of and ways of enjoying the food / recipes, her family and the country. The recipes are accessible, clear and easy to create, especially for those without a lot of time and this also makes them easier to remember, freeing one from over reliance on the book when making the dishes later.

Although there are no pictures of finished dishes, nor am I very familiar with how the finished dishes 'should' appear, I do not find this to be a detriment as it seems to be fitting for the particular style of cooking to allow one to add their own interpretation of the dishes. Also, one can always Google photos on the web for dishes, if desired. It seems too many modern cookbooks are chock full of full page pictures that have absolutely nothing to do with the recipes. Thankfully, Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table is not one of them.

9 people found this helpful

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Amazon lover

Delicious spot on recipes!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 7, 2021

Verified Purchase

I have impressed my Vietnamese and non Vietnamese relatives with many recipes in this book! I reach for it regularly. I have even adapted some of them to Instant Pot with great finger licking success! Thank you for making Vietnamese cuisine accessible and so delicious!

One person found this helpful

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GenuineImitation

wonderful, personal look

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 13, 2014

Verified Purchase

great cookbook for those of us not too familiar with vietnamese cooking (though we all know we love to eat it!!!). lots of personal information makes this cookbook feel like a couple of old friends sitting down to tea and cooking together. Two things stand out for me in this book: first, she has a great selection from easy to more involved recipes so you can use this as a weeknight cookbook as well as a special occasion cookbook. secondly, there is a wonderful section in the front which has drawings of the different vietnamese greens. I have been frustrated on so many occasions shopping in asian markets and not knowing how to use the greens! this is the first time i have seen them explained in english. so, thank you mai pham!

4 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

vanquish

Bring Vietnam to your kitchen!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 11, 2010

Verified Purchase

Other than echoing the other reviews this book is simply fantastic. I travelled Vietnam for 3 weeks in 2008 and missed the food, with its strong flavours and wonderful use of fresh herbs, so i was dead pleased when i first tried the results of these recipes!

I have made about 6 different meals and several sauces from this and have yet to try the Pho but i look forward to making something from this every time as the flavours taste so authentic. Yes, the recipes will probably require a trip to your local asian food store and the prep time can be lengthy but then i doubt you will be cooking it every night! But make no mistake it is always worth it.

Basically it's a must for anyone looking to cook decent Vietnamese meals in a Western kitchen.

10 people found this helpful

Philmore East

Practical but heartfelt, easy but comprehensive

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 14, 2010

Verified Purchase

Very good beginner's book for vietnamese cuisine. While not as 'literary' as for instance Alford & Duguid, the author nevertheless lets her emotions flow and the accompanying text makes this more than a dry set of recipes.
The recipes are quite easy to make and still not dumbed down, I think the mix of practicality vs. authenticity is quite OK. If you're a beginner in vietnamese cuisine this will be a good, useful start-up book; if you're more experienced you will enjoy the little variations (everybody has their own recipe for pho or nuoc cham :-)

One person found this helpful

Dave Cherry

Great book to help bring the taste of Vietnam to ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 31, 2016

Verified Purchase

Great book to help bring the taste of Vietnam to your table.

It's only just a smidgen away from 5 stars, but that's only because I'm biased towards my mother-in-laws cooking!!

Good book, well written, easy to follow recipes, informative and a joy to add to my collection.

Bookworm83

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 26, 2016

Verified Purchase

Lovely recipe book.

John Williston

Two Stars

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on July 30, 2018

Verified Purchase

This was rather a disappointment after her first book

See all reviews